People who strive for perfection and are self-centered are particularly susceptible to orthorexia. The orthorectic believes that if he adheres to a strict diet, he will not experience diseases plaguing modern societies, and his life problems will solve themselves.

The beginningof orthorexiais quite innocent, as in all addictions. One day the decision is made: "I will never eat anything unhe althy again." A noble goal - a he althy life. It begins with the use of various diets and precise planning of the daily menu. This is followed by the gradual elimination of more and more products. Only those that seem uncontaminated remain.

And so step by step you fall into orthorexia, that isobsessionwithhe althy eating . The term was introduced by an American doctor - Steven Bratman, who was allergic as a child. The radical anti-allergic diet made him more and more afraid of food. With age, he systematically removed more and more products from his menu that seemed to him harmful or even toxic. He spent most of his time preparing the meals. He planned the menu one or several days in advance. He even worked on creating a miracle diet, thanks to which people will avoid disease and stay young longer. Failed to. To warn others, he not only defined a new disease, but also wrote a book about it - "In the claws of he althy food."

Orthorexia, or eating under control

28-year-old Beata was a vegetarian for several years, then a vegan (i.e. apart from meat and cold cuts, she also gave up dairy products). With time, planning meals began to take more and more time, and what she chose in the store, she meticulously checked. If beetroot, then only from organic farms, pasta - from spelled, and nettle and horsetail tea to drink (to improve the complexion). All sweets were forbidden. Each bite had to be chewed the right number of times, and the nutritional value of the meal was carefully checked. Everywhere she saw preservatives, pesticides, emulsifiers, etc. waiting for her he alth, the moment came when she could not find anything for herself in the store, maybe only oat bran, alfalfa sprouts or wholemeal rye bread.milling on the Oligocene water. She was able to carry out an instant chemical analysis of what was on the plate and to draw conclusions efficiently. She saw too much sugar in low-sugar peach jam, chemical enhancers scared in grahamki, and preservatives in yogurt. She put aside the lettuce because of the lead, and the tomatoes - because they were full of pesticides. For over a month, she ate only tofu sprinkled with linseed oil. She believed that it would make her better.

He alth effects of orthorexia

When more and more people started telling her that she was exaggerating, she explained that she had a food allergy and that almost everything was bad for her. Besides, conversations with friends bored her incredibly, she felt best in her company.

Incorrectly balanced meals led Beata to a huge deficiency of minerals and vitamins. The body started to rebel and stopped functioning as it should. Headaches, dizziness, problems with memory and concentration appeared. It was also accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea, weakness, problems with pressure, anemia and mood swings.

After six months of such a restrictive diet, menstruation stopped because the production of estrogens responsible for the regularity of the cycles was disturbed. Energy shortages disrupt the entire hormonal balance of the body. This, in turn, can lead to the emergence of depressive states. If not for the help of a psychologist, which Beata had to persuade for a long time, it could have ended tragically.

After almost a year of behavioral-cognitive therapy aimed at correcting eating habits, fighting feelings of inferiority and dealing with problems in the family (her younger sister was always considered by her parents to be better, gifted, prettier), she finally believed that that she really is a valuable person. She stopped obsessing over every bite she had eaten. She realized that this food was controlling her entire life.

During therapy, a product considered unhe althy by the orthorectic is introduced to the menu from time to time. Eating and understanding that it did not significantly affect he alth or appearance allows the patient to realize that certain issues were exaggerated and demonized by him. Now Beata is slowly opening up to people who are kind to her. He prefers to go to the movies rather than think about what he will eat the next day alone.

The causes of orthorexia are in the psyche

As in anorexia and bulimia, the causes of this multi-stage disease lie in the psyche. The problem doesn't arise overnight. People who are very self-centered and constantly striving for perfection are particularly susceptible to orthorexia. Awareness that they can fullycontrol their diet, gives them satisfaction. They impose a dietary regime on themselves, getting bigger every day. They apply a system of punishments and rewards. Any deviation from the rules creates a great deal of guilt. They can punish themselves for consuming something "unclean" by eliminating another product from the list so far allowed.

The taste of the food loses its importance, only its quality matters. They believe that such a diet will allow them to keep fit and he althy. Unlike people with anorexia, they do not aim to lose weight obsessively. Knowing about he althy eating does not mean, however, that their diet is varied and thus really fulfills its purpose - protecting he alth. The obsession with the composition of food leads to the fact that the menu includes only a few valuable products over time, and therefore less and less micronutrients and vitamins, which in turn leads to exhaustion of the body.

Important

Orthorectics avoid this:

  • vegetables and fruits (for fear of heavy metals and pesticides)
  • cereal products (because they contain improvers)
  • poultry and dairy products (have antibiotics, hormones)
  • cold cuts (they contain preservatives)
  • food containing artificial colors
  • fish (heavy metal contamination)

Ortorexia makes you sick

You don't even know when social and professional problems arise. Food control is intended to compensate for failures in other areas of life. Nobody can control them here. Orthorexics decide for themselves what to eat. They collect guides on what to eat and what to avoid. The daily schedule is subject to strict rules - they eat predetermined dishes, clock in hand.

The orthorectic believes that if he follows a strict diet, he will not experience diseases that plague modern societies. He has the feeling that he is doing something important. He often tries to convince the environment of his methods. Misunderstood, he breaks contact with family and friends. He can quit his job if it interferes with his he althy eating. He drives himself into a disease, even madness. Eating allowed foods and avoiding the "harmful" ones becomes a life philosophy. Unaware of your disorder or convinced of the correctness of your diet, he unsuccessfully seeks help from doctors dealing with a specific organ or system.

Ortorexia

Concentrating on he althy eating and a proper diet can lead to orthorexia, a disease that wipes out the body and psyche. Orthorexia is dangerous because it invades life imperceptibly. There is a fine line between eating overly he althyand just orthorexia.

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Category:

Psychology