DEAR ABBY: I have recently developed what I consider to be a very healthy lifestyle. I exercise, eat lots of fruits and vegetables and mostly whole foods.


My problem is I think I may be becoming obsessed. It has become harder and harder to eat away from home. I constantly plan what I'm going to eat next. I'm still happy, but too much of my time is being spent on this.


Apparently, there's a disorder similar to anorexia known as orthorexia. It's the psychological obsession with eating healthy. I don't think I could be classified as an extreme case, but what should I do before I become one? -- OBSESSED IN BOSTON


DEAR OBSESSED: As with any obsessive disorder, the first step is realizing and admitting you may have one. Then discuss it with your physician and ask for a referral to a psychologist who specializes in eating disorders.


This is not to say that you have a disorder -- but because more and more of your time is being devoted to thoughts of food, it would be a good idea to check. Too much of a good thing can be harmful if it is taken too far.


Discuss!

I have had levels of what i think is orthorexia for a long time and well before raw food and not something id blame on being introduced to a raw food diet. In fact being addicted to SAD food was what caused orthorexia for me.

But i could see how many could become orthorexic or other forms of eating disorders attributed to raw food.

Theres a very fine line between being interested in nutrition, healthy eating and being obsessed. I find it hard to juggle this sometimes although it doesn't effect me anymore, i am happy with the occasional eating of less desirable foods these days and my body doesn't react to them anymore, mostly because im mentally content in my relationship with food now.

Stressing intensely about food id argue is worse than actually eating bad food.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/19/2012 08:05PM by powerlifer.

Stupid answer - go to a psychologist. He'll probably want to give you drugs.

Also, everybody thinks of food and what they're going to eat next. Whereas most people think of what yummy-tasting food they can eat to satisfy their ego, we think of what nutritious food we can eat to benefit our health. Yet we're the weird ones....

Bizarro World.

For fitness aor any health related issue try this...

doctors excuses

A lot of people think that they're obsessed when they're actually just going through an intense, initial learning phase. They realize that in order to be healthy they need to choose what goes into their bodies instead of letting the system choose for them. This requires effort and learning. People tend to translate this as "obsession" because they're trained to think that food should be easy and thoughtless. On the other hand, there are people who see a primary, causal relationship between food and everything that happens in their life. Marriage went to hell? It was because of food and only food. Had a good day today? That's because I ate healthy. It had nothing to do with the wonderful people I spent time with. Someone politely disagreed with me? It's not because they're different than me. It's because they eat the wrong food and it makes them act that way. When people get to the point where they can't see beyond the influence of food, that's not healthy.

It would be a shock if the person who wrote the "DEAR OBSESSED" was on the verge to have a hearth attack. The thing is that we don't know what this person is for. Once a person becomes aware of things, it can become a problem. So, a person may look to some as obsessed and those "some" don't may not have a clue and speak from ignorance. The fact is, it takes effort and learning to break away from the unhealthy habits of modern society. If you defend your cultural habits, you may judge another person as obsessed to defend yourself.

Only an individual can truly tell when their thoughts are becoming obsessive. Its easy for people to say from the outside that its all a plot against healthy food or whatever but when you truly become obsessed about food so much that it makes you ill, interferes with your ability to live and makes you sick to your stomach, then you will know yourself that it has become an issue.

These are feelings that many will probably be able to relate too, especially if they have suffered any sort of eating disorder. That's when you have tipped the interest in food, to the obsession about food. Its really a horrible place to be mentally in regards to food because food is something you will never escape.

Alot of it probably stems from this extreme fad diets that are recommended everywhere these days. You can't open a magazine without being hit with the latest extreme fad diet or useless piece of nutritional information these days.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/31/2012 05:56PM by powerlifer.

I think this is a tasty topic to talk about. Some people started raw foods with already a "mental" problem. But those few do not define all. One interesting thing is what is called the allopathic medicine system. It is a system of definitions made from a few interested people. If you don't recognize them, then they may create a bad name for you and send to to the psychologist to get injections and get fixed. Same could be said of dentists selling you root canals as healthy help. You may not need them, but since they are the role of the authority, you may trust them. The best thing is to learn. Being obsessed about learning can actually save you. So that obsession can be good.

HH Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A lot of people think that they're obsessed when
> they're actually just going through an intense,
> initial learning phase. They realize that in order
> to be healthy they need to choose what goes into
> their bodies instead of letting the system choose
> for them. This requires effort and learning.



AGREED!!! It's only when this thinking goes on and on and escalates that it's an issue for concern.

I can relate, however, I think just stepping back and taking a deep look at what is really going on here, helps. Breathe. Learning about what foods are good for you can be fun and invigorating which triggers a little OCD, but maybe trying to focus your attention on other things when you feel it coming on.

I know I have this issue. I like to start my day with a thought or mantra about choosing healthy foods that will nourish and make me vibrant throughout my day. Then... LET IT GO. The universe will take you where you belong if you just listen to your body.

Just my two cents.

i guess if u have an obsession, you have an obsession
if you don't have an obsession, you don't have an obsession

that's that

Well many of us need to only eat healthy. Cooked food and animal products make my digestion slow down and makes me feel sick. Not a disorder if your protecting yourself from illness.

My video to keep me inspired on my health quest: [www.youtube.com]

The operative phrase here is "too far". If there's no problem, it's not "too far".

[fresherthanlife.com]