Since the beginning of the year I have been glued to all of the award shows from the Grammys to The Academy Awards. As an actress (use that term loosely) I am anxious to hear the winners, as a female I am not so eager to see the size 0 actress walk the red carpet in her fabulous gown. I have a bad tendency to compare my body to theirs. Some would say it is human nature to compare you to others, but when is it considered an issue?
Each ceremony has a witty host (well witty writers) bantering jokes about how Hollywood “got the flu” or went on the “hunger games diet” to fit into their dresses. Superficial jokes at the time but all too real for those who struggle with an eating disorder. A couple of weeks ago represented National Eating Disorder Awareness week (I’m sorry I’m behind!). The theme was “Everybody Knows Somebody” that has been affected by eating disorders.
“The aim of NEDAwareness Week is to ultimately increase outreach and awareness of eating disorders and body image issues, while reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders and improving access to treatment resources. Eating disorders are serious, life-threatening illnesses - not choices - and it's important to recognize the pressures, attitudes and behaviors that shape the disorder.”
People with eating disorders are typically classified as those who purge after eating (bulimia nervosa) or those who starve themselves and have excessive weight loss (anorexia nervosa). There are two additional types of eating disorders: binge eating disorder and eating disorder not otherwise specified. According to The National Eating Disorder Association, you do not have to be diagnosed with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa to have an eating disorder. You may have certain signs and symptoms that need to be addressed before it leads to a more life threatening eating disorder.
As I asked earlier when is it considered an issue?
Are you constantly thinking about your weight? Does it put you into a depressed state?
Do you binge eat?
Do you feel guilty after eating?
Does food control your day?
Do you exercise for extreme periods of time or multiple times a day without feeding your body properly?
If you have answered yes to any of these I highly recommend to go to mentalhealthscreening.org and take the Free, Anonymous screen.
I was reading an article last week which spoke about a young girl whose eating disorder started in kindergarten. You can read this article here. This is a topic near and dear to my heart because Brian and I have beautiful nieces and to think that they may struggle with an eating disorder is heart breaking. Please, make yourself aware and if you are struggling with an eating disorder or know someone who is please, seek help. Learn more at the links below.
Additional Resources:
Continue reading as I continue my mission: Healthy Huggins!
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When roasted garlic caramelizes and its sharp bite mellows, it's a delicious spread on warm, crusty bread and adds layers of flavor to many recipes. To roast garlic at home:
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