Orthorexia: “Healthy Eating Became My Obsession”. Eating healthy is great for your overall wellbeing, but there is such a thing as being too healthy.
Some people take their quest for clean eating to the extreme and become obsessive over what they put into their bodies. This can be detrimental to your health and your desire to eat “clean” may be so compulsive that it has become unhealthy for you.
Eating healthy is great for our bodies and minds, but it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. When we become overly obsessed with what we’re eating and become fixated on only eating “clean” or “healthy” foods, it can actually lead to dangerous consequences.
If you find yourself thinking about food all the time and feeling guilty when you eat anything that isn’t healthy, you may be suffering from orthorexia, an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating. While it’s good to be aware of what we’re putting into our bodies, we shouldn’t let our desire for healthy eating take over our lives.
Table of Contents
Orthorexia: When Healthy Eating Becomes An Obsession
What Is Orthorexia?
Orthorexia nervosa, or an obsession with healthy eating, is a problem that is on the rise but is not yet recognized as an official diagnosis.
Unlike other eating disorders, such as bulimia or anorexia, orthorexics are more focused on the quality and preparation of their food than on the number of calories it contains. Ironically, this obsession can lead to malnutrition.
What Fuels An Obsessive Desire To “Eat Clean”?
The worldwide obesity epidemic has made people far more conscious of healthy eating today, but unfortunately, this can go too far. The internet gives people unlimited access to information about nutrition – some of which is good and some of which is not based on scientific evidence.
Eating clean is big business, and on social media, you can scroll endlessly through healthy recipes and inspirational messages. Search a hashtag like
A 2017 study by University College London suggests that Instagram use is linked to the increase in symptoms of orthorexia. The findings of this study highlight the influence of social media on psychological wellbeing. When social influencers post photos on Instagram of their extremely low-calorie meals, body composition, and workout routines, they have the attention of thousands of people.
Orthorexia is a psychological disorder that is characterized by an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating. People who suffer from this disorder often start to fixate on healthy eating as a way to feel more in control of their lives. This can be triggered by a loss or trauma.
Who Is At Risk To Develop Orthorexia?
According to a recent study by researchers at York University, there are certain psychological factors that can make a person more vulnerable to developing orthorexia. These include A-type personalities who set high standards for themselves, people with depression or obsessive-compulsive traits, and those who are preoccupied with their body image.
Other risk factors include people who follow a strict eating schedule and those with a history of eating disorders. Senior author Jennifer Mills believes the findings could help healthcare professionals better identify and support people at risk of developing orthorexia.
Orthorexia Is Like Walking On A Slippery Slope
Orthorexia Nervosa, while starting off quite innocently, can gradually lead to physical, mental, and social problems if left unchecked. It often begins with cutting out common allergenic foods like sugar, processed foods, wheat, dairy, and meat.
This is often done with good intentions; to lose weight or feel better. However, the problem lies in the decreasing variety of food and nutrients one consumes when they continue down this path. This can lead to feelings of isolation, as well as mental and physical exhaustion.
What Are The Symptoms Of Orthorexia?
It can be difficult to tell when someone is simply being health-conscious and when they have crossed over into obsessive territory. Both groups of people tend to avoid the same types of foods – such as those with preservatives, sugar, non-organic ingredients, and genetically modified organisms.
If you’re wondering whether your own healthy eating habits have gone too far, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you spend an increasing amount of time and effort when it comes to planning what to eat, selecting ingredients, and preparing meals?
• Does your list of what feels safe to eat keep getting shorter while your list of what you can’t eat keeps getting longer?
• Do you turn down social invitations because you don’t want to eat foods you haven’t prepared yourself?
• Do you avoid going out to eat with friends at restaurants because you’re afraid you won’t find food you can eat on the menu?
If you find yourself answering “yes” to these questions, it’s possible that you might have orthorexia. Some people are able to cut out certain foods and still maintain a balanced diet, while others struggle to do so. If you’re not sure whether or not you fall into the latter category, it might be worth talking to a professional about it.
What Should You Do If You Feel That You Could Have Orthorexia?
The first step in overcoming orthorexia is recognizing that you need help. If you’re struggling, try challenging yourself to eat one of the foods you consider unsafe. You may feel conflicted, but it is possible to slowly add one food after another back into your diet.
If you can’t do this on your own, seek out professional help. Therapy can help you understand why you want perfection and how your self-esteem has become coupled with the purity of your diet.
When it comes to Instagram and other social media platforms, you are in control of the content you consume. If you find that the people you are following are setting unrealistic expectations, it might be beneficial to unfollow them.
Instagram can be a double-edged sword when it comes to health and wellness. On one hand, it can fuel your obsession with healthy eating. On the other hand, it can be a tool for recovery. There are no solid statistics to reveal how many people have orthorexia, but an Instagram search reveals nearly 80,000 posts under the hashtag
A Final Word
If you find that your obsession with healthy eating is preventing you from enjoying other activities and destroying your relationships, you may have reached a point where it has taken on a life of its own. It is no longer serving your healthy goals.
Living a healthy life should never mean sacrificing everything that makes your life worth living… If you feel that you may have orthorexia, don’t wait. Rethink your eating, talk to someone you trust or start therapy – it will make you much healthier than an absolutely “clean” diet.
If you’re finding that your obsession with healthy eating is preventing you from enjoying other activities and destroying your relationships, it might be time to reassess your priorities. Remember that living a healthy life doesn’t have to mean sacrificing everything that makes life worth living.
If you think you might have orthorexia, don’t hesitate to seek help. Rethinking your eating habits, talking to a trusted friend or family member, or starting therapy can do wonders for your health – far more than following an absolutely “clean” diet.