Orthorexia: Nutrition Gone Too Far
Apr. 2, 2008 by Lisa Currie
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From Her Active Life…
Trying to eat healthy – whole grains, fresh veggies, flax oil – is one important element of an energetic, athletic, robust lifestyle. Filling your body with natural, whole foods is the best way, without a doubt, to fuel yourself and prevent illness. Much as nutrition ought to be a top priority for women, regardless of their athletic goals or lifestyle choices, new light has been shed on a dangerous obsession that medical experts are calling a major problem for many: orthorexia.
Although research on the condition is still preliminary, orthorexia has been classified as an eating disorder much like anorexia and bulimia nervosa, with its own set of characteristics, warning signs, and health risks. Put plainly, orthorexia is the obsessive focus on nutritious eating. For example, a woman might eat nothing but fresh fruits and vegetables, refusing to chow down on other important parts of a healthy diet, like fatty foods or proteins. The reasoning? Most who suffer with orthorexia have an irrational fear of weight gain or changes in body composition – the idea that fat in your food becomes fat on your body.