Ramey Nutrition's Rachel Myhre, MS, RD, CD

• "When I first came to Ramey and met Rachel, I was understandably tentative opening up to a stranger about such a painful thing like an eating disorder. However, Rachel approached the relationship at the same pace as me, and I quickly realized how safe and cared for I felt. She is professional and personal at the same time. She's my dietitian, but she is also my friend and ally. Each session with her is different, but I always have something to think about or work on when I leave, and no matter how hard it was, I always know that her intention is to help me get better. Though recovery has felt impossible at times, with Rachel as my provider and the Ramey team by my side, I know it will be a reality for me soon." -Recently Recovered Patient TF
  

Orthorexia: When Eating Healthy is Unhealthy: Sarah Crissinger RN

Seattle is the fourth healthiest city in the United States and Seattleites are the second healthiest eaters according to a recent survey by Sperling’s Best Places (2013). You can’t go far without seeing a cross fit gym, yoga studio or a high end grocery store. The Paleo Diet, “eating clean”, and The Raw Foods Diet are commonplace in the Seattle culture and have undoubtedly helped some ward off early disease, increase health, vitality, and quality of life.  For some, what starts as eating healthier can become an all consuming obsession. The paradox is eating healthy can be unhealthy.

Orthorexia is an unofficial diagnosis that was named by Steven Bratman MD, who discovered the disorder after recognizing his own unhealthy obsession with healthy eating.Orthorexia is derived from Greek meaning right/proper appetite (Bratman, 2013). Obsession with being healthy and pure is what differentiates Orthorexia from other eating disorders. Like other eating disorders Orthorexics often have a need for control, and make food/way of eating a source of identity and validation. Perfectionism and black and white thinking often keep Orthorexics obsessed with following a diet strictly or they can struggle with accepting themselves.

 Orthorexia embodies traits of Anorexia and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder as foods allowed in the diet are reduced to a point where unhealthy weight loss and malnutrition ensue.Some attributes of Orthorexia can be; extremely limiting the types of foods eaten, such as any food with the possibility of having pesticides, GMO’s, being non-organic or specific ingredients and entire food groups (Nelson, Zerasky, 2011). Dr. Steven Bratman describes how some Orthorexics limit food intake to a dangerously low and even fatal level of nutritional variety by only allowing themselves to eat a couple types of food items (2013). Additional components of the disorder are obsessive compulsiveness regarding food preparation such as excessive washing of foods and not being able to eat out or eat food prepared by others, and spending excessive time thinking about healthy food (Nelson, Zerasky, 2011).

Healthy diets, such as the ones mentioned earlier, in and of themselves are not necessarilydisordered but can cross the border into Orthorexia when; 1) Fixation on food becomes allconsuming. 2) Personal relationships and other areas of life suffer due to rigidity to the diet often resulting in isolation. 3) Immense guilt, anxiety, mood swings and self loathing persist when the diet is not followed. 

The tricky thing about eating disorders including Orthorexia is the denial of having one.Especially due to the food restriction in Orthorexia often stemming from a medical condition, food sensitivity, allergy, or wanting better health. If you feel like you follow a very strict diet tobe healthy and other’s have shared concerns or you have noticed that the obsession in healthy eating is taking away from important areas of your life, Ramey Nutrition is here to support you.Ramey Nutrition offers individualized care that begins with an individual session with one of our Dietitians. We work with many therapists specializing in eating disorders in the Seattle area that we can refer you to in order to address deeper underlying emotional issues. Ramey Nutrition offers you a full recovery that results in a restored relationship with food, ownership over your health, and freedom to begin living your life fully again.

References:

Bratman, S.(2013) Orthorexia. Retrieved on 09/04/10 from: www.orthorexia.com

Nelson, J., Zerask, K.(2011) Orthorexia: When eating healthy goes awry. The Mayo Clinic.Retrieved on 09/04/2013

from:  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/orthorexia/MY00768

California Shines, Ohio aches in battle for healthiest city (2013). Sperling’s Best Places. Retrieved on September

12, 2013 from: http://www.bestplaces.net/docs/studies/healthy.aspx

Ramey Nutrition Statement: Promoting Positive Body Image through Public Policy

In order to understand the role of policy in promoting positive body image, a broad perspective must be kept as one’s struggle is multi-factorial and not identical to another. We must look past the physical “body” to the deeper struggles – struggles that ignite 10 foot flames to an already burning fire. Although the influence of media cannot be ignored, we can as providers support individuals to a place of empowerment over the messages and images that are before them. Instead of expending efforts to alter advertising companies’ course of action, we can discuss the underlying messages and beliefs being portrayed -- and explore how these align with what is actually true. Policy efforts focused on communicating this message will exert twofold influence: supporting individuals through the healing process and removing attention from the media “culprits” that secondarily influence one’s view of body.
-Rachel Myhre, MS, RD, CD