How to Manage Orthorexia
Think about the costs of your eating., Ask how it’s affecting your social life., Address your fitness habits., Get some blood tests., Talk to a dietician., Be flexible in your food choices., Incorporate feared foods into your diet., Make decisions...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Think about the costs of your eating.
Think about the impact your eating has on your life.
Healthy eating is one thing, but having an inflexible diet is different than healthy eating.
Some common costs of orthorexia include having an extreme preoccupation with food, focusing on the virtuousness of certain food choices, being judgmental of other people’s choices, having rigid eating habits, limiting your foods to a small selection of ‘acceptable’ foods, and feeling extreme guilt or self-loathing if you stray from your diet.How are these things affecting your life? How would you like them to change? You may also become obsessed with probiotics, supplements, or herbs or spend unreasonable amounts of time on food preparation. -
Step 2: Ask how it’s affecting your social life.
If your eating habits are extremely inflexible, they may interfere with your social life and friendships.For example, if you have several ‘black list’ foods, you may not join your friends for lunch or you may decline dinner invitations.
If you tend to socially isolate yourself because of your orthorexia, think about what you can do to reconnect with friends.
Invite people over to your home for dinner.
Do activities that do not revolve around food.
As you work through treatment, begin to join your friends for events around food. , Some people with orthorexia become obsessed with fitness and working out.If your workout schedule is rigid and interferes with other areas of your life, consider cutting down your workouts.
For example, if you work out for two hours each day, consider cutting down to one hour each day.
If your exercise is hurting your body and not helping it, work with a physician to find what limits to follow and what intensity to use. , Begin to work toward balanced health by meeting with your physician.
Ask for a blood test to check your nutritional health.This can help you navigate any nutrient deficiencies you may have or any hormonal imbalances.
Blood tests can tell you your iron, vitamin, mineral, hormone, and cholesterol levels.For example, if you’ve only eaten fruit for several months, you may lack nutrients that support your body found in vegetables, oils, and proteins.
A blood test can help you work toward replenishing your deficiencies. , Work with a dietician to help you balance your eating.
Your dietitian may have you look at your diet then make some adjustments for optimal health.
While it can be difficult to make changes, remember that a dietician is an expert and is there to help you.Make regular appointments with a dietician and keep track of the progress you are making.
You may notice that with time you feel better with changes to your diet. , Part of orthorexia is having strict food guidelines.
Perhaps you only eat ‘clean’ foods or foods of a certain color, or a very small list of acceptable foods.While it can be scary to start incorporating new or ‘bad’ foods back into your diet, start by adding one new food in each week.
You don’t need to jump headfirst into eating sweets, processed foods, or junk foods.
Start slowly, and build up to a level that feels comfortable and is still healthy.
Consult with your dietician or physician regarding what foods you may need.
You may have some deficiencies that need immediate attention. , As you begin to be more flexible in your diet, take a challenge and start eating feared foods.For some people, this may be chocolate, sugar, or bagels.
For others, it may be fruit or dairy.
Whatever it is that you fear, take a small challenge every once in a while to eat it.
Even if it’s a few bites, it can help you conquer your fear.
Remind yourself that foods are okay in moderation and that it’s okay to enjoy food. , People with orthorexia make decisions based on food and food choices.Instead of having rigid rules to follow about what to eat and when to eat it, learn to follow your body’s cues.
Eat when you feel hungry, not when you are ‘supposed’ to eat.
Instead of following a strict diet, ask yourself, “What would I like to eat for breakfast?” Begin to listen to your body’s cues and get more in touch with what your body wants. , If you’re having trouble coping with orthorexia on your own, you may want to talk about it with someone.A therapist can help you work through your emotions and create a different relationship with food that supports you better.
Ask your insurance provider, general practitioner, or local mental health clinic for a referral to a therapist.
You can also ask friends and family for a recommendation. , Some people find medications helpful in treating accompanying symptoms in orthorexia.
Work with a psychiatrist to see whether medications are a good option for you.Medications can address obsessive-compulsive symptoms, anxiety, and depression.
To find a psychiatrist, call your insurance provider or local mental health clinic.
You can also speak with your physician about obtaining a referral. , When you deviate from your pure lifestyle or strict routine, you may feel overcome by feelings of guilt or shame.You might associate your feelings of self-worth or your identity with the foods you eat and the healthy lifestyle you live.
It’s okay to have a diet full of variety, even if you occasionally eat something unhealthy.
What you eat isn’t who you are, and your identity isn’t in the foods you avoid.
If you feel guilty after an unhealthy decision, accept your decision and move on.Forgive yourself and remember that your one ‘bad’ choice doesn’t define you, your self-worth, or your identity. , Some people use orthorexia as a way to avoid dealing with other problems.These might include painful emotions or struggling relationships.
While some people dive headfirst into alcohol or drug problems, others fixate on a specific thing and revolve their lives around that.
If you ignore your problems and put all of your focus on food and pure eating, it might be time to take a more honest look.
Instead of ignoring or avoiding your problems, begin to tackle them one by one.
Work with a therapist to help you. -
Step 3: Address your fitness habits.
-
Step 4: Get some blood tests.
-
Step 5: Talk to a dietician.
-
Step 6: Be flexible in your food choices.
-
Step 7: Incorporate feared foods into your diet.
-
Step 8: Make decisions based on what you want.
-
Step 9: See a therapist.
-
Step 10: Consider medication.
-
Step 11: Cope with feelings of guilt.
-
Step 12: Deal with life’s issues head on.
Detailed Guide
Think about the impact your eating has on your life.
Healthy eating is one thing, but having an inflexible diet is different than healthy eating.
Some common costs of orthorexia include having an extreme preoccupation with food, focusing on the virtuousness of certain food choices, being judgmental of other people’s choices, having rigid eating habits, limiting your foods to a small selection of ‘acceptable’ foods, and feeling extreme guilt or self-loathing if you stray from your diet.How are these things affecting your life? How would you like them to change? You may also become obsessed with probiotics, supplements, or herbs or spend unreasonable amounts of time on food preparation.
If your eating habits are extremely inflexible, they may interfere with your social life and friendships.For example, if you have several ‘black list’ foods, you may not join your friends for lunch or you may decline dinner invitations.
If you tend to socially isolate yourself because of your orthorexia, think about what you can do to reconnect with friends.
Invite people over to your home for dinner.
Do activities that do not revolve around food.
As you work through treatment, begin to join your friends for events around food. , Some people with orthorexia become obsessed with fitness and working out.If your workout schedule is rigid and interferes with other areas of your life, consider cutting down your workouts.
For example, if you work out for two hours each day, consider cutting down to one hour each day.
If your exercise is hurting your body and not helping it, work with a physician to find what limits to follow and what intensity to use. , Begin to work toward balanced health by meeting with your physician.
Ask for a blood test to check your nutritional health.This can help you navigate any nutrient deficiencies you may have or any hormonal imbalances.
Blood tests can tell you your iron, vitamin, mineral, hormone, and cholesterol levels.For example, if you’ve only eaten fruit for several months, you may lack nutrients that support your body found in vegetables, oils, and proteins.
A blood test can help you work toward replenishing your deficiencies. , Work with a dietician to help you balance your eating.
Your dietitian may have you look at your diet then make some adjustments for optimal health.
While it can be difficult to make changes, remember that a dietician is an expert and is there to help you.Make regular appointments with a dietician and keep track of the progress you are making.
You may notice that with time you feel better with changes to your diet. , Part of orthorexia is having strict food guidelines.
Perhaps you only eat ‘clean’ foods or foods of a certain color, or a very small list of acceptable foods.While it can be scary to start incorporating new or ‘bad’ foods back into your diet, start by adding one new food in each week.
You don’t need to jump headfirst into eating sweets, processed foods, or junk foods.
Start slowly, and build up to a level that feels comfortable and is still healthy.
Consult with your dietician or physician regarding what foods you may need.
You may have some deficiencies that need immediate attention. , As you begin to be more flexible in your diet, take a challenge and start eating feared foods.For some people, this may be chocolate, sugar, or bagels.
For others, it may be fruit or dairy.
Whatever it is that you fear, take a small challenge every once in a while to eat it.
Even if it’s a few bites, it can help you conquer your fear.
Remind yourself that foods are okay in moderation and that it’s okay to enjoy food. , People with orthorexia make decisions based on food and food choices.Instead of having rigid rules to follow about what to eat and when to eat it, learn to follow your body’s cues.
Eat when you feel hungry, not when you are ‘supposed’ to eat.
Instead of following a strict diet, ask yourself, “What would I like to eat for breakfast?” Begin to listen to your body’s cues and get more in touch with what your body wants. , If you’re having trouble coping with orthorexia on your own, you may want to talk about it with someone.A therapist can help you work through your emotions and create a different relationship with food that supports you better.
Ask your insurance provider, general practitioner, or local mental health clinic for a referral to a therapist.
You can also ask friends and family for a recommendation. , Some people find medications helpful in treating accompanying symptoms in orthorexia.
Work with a psychiatrist to see whether medications are a good option for you.Medications can address obsessive-compulsive symptoms, anxiety, and depression.
To find a psychiatrist, call your insurance provider or local mental health clinic.
You can also speak with your physician about obtaining a referral. , When you deviate from your pure lifestyle or strict routine, you may feel overcome by feelings of guilt or shame.You might associate your feelings of self-worth or your identity with the foods you eat and the healthy lifestyle you live.
It’s okay to have a diet full of variety, even if you occasionally eat something unhealthy.
What you eat isn’t who you are, and your identity isn’t in the foods you avoid.
If you feel guilty after an unhealthy decision, accept your decision and move on.Forgive yourself and remember that your one ‘bad’ choice doesn’t define you, your self-worth, or your identity. , Some people use orthorexia as a way to avoid dealing with other problems.These might include painful emotions or struggling relationships.
While some people dive headfirst into alcohol or drug problems, others fixate on a specific thing and revolve their lives around that.
If you ignore your problems and put all of your focus on food and pure eating, it might be time to take a more honest look.
Instead of ignoring or avoiding your problems, begin to tackle them one by one.
Work with a therapist to help you.
About the Author
Andrea Taylor
Writer and educator with a focus on practical creative arts knowledge.
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