It becomes in a very innocent way, just like every addiction. Already having some knowledge about healthy nutrition you decide that from now on you are not going to eat unhealthy food. You give up fast food, after that meat, sugar, fat, salt. The list of unwanted products is growing. In regular shops you won?t find nothing interesting for you, you deeply analyze labels and everywhere notice unhealthy food additives. You are starting to supply yourself in healthy food stores, e-stores, you are gardening (thanks to this you have pure biologically food guaranteed), bake the bread. According to recommendations you chew each bite very carefully and slowly, you are talking mainly about the food, cook you meals separately and eat it alone, you are not eating in restaurants, bars, canteens, you?re reluctant to accept invitations for lunches and dinners, even if you accept them you are coming up with your own food, taste is not important any more, content is the only thing that matters. That?s how orhorexia begins - it?s full name is ?orthorexia nervosa? (in greek orto - proper, oreksis - appetite, nervosa - psychological).
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For the first time it was described in 1997 by american physician Steven Bratman, who suffered on food allergy in childhood and couldn?t eat a lot of products. When he started to work as a physician, he noted that a lot of patients, just like him obsessively subordinates their life to healthy nutrition. Among with anorexia and bulimia it is classified as a nutrition disorder. Those three diseases has got psychological basis. Orthorexics pay a morbid attention to the quality, not quantity of food, just like anorexics and bulimics. Orhorexia occurs mostly in people concentrated on their own and trying to be perfect. Diet fulfill the emptiness in their life. They want to control their health and look totally. Orthorexics once they eat something from the prohibited list are tormented by their conscience and fear plagued by disastrous consequences of unhealthy freak. In the end the diet that they keep starts to provide a lot more harms than benefits. Wrongly balanced meals, devoid of important nutrients such like vitamins, minerals starts to devastate the organism and can lead to a number of diseases. Mostly it starts from general weakness, head ache and feeling dizzy. Problems with memory and concentration are appear. Together with stomach ache and nausea. Anemia, premature osteoporosis, intestine disorders, hypertension and general immunity may be serious consequences. In some cases, there might be loss of menstruation in women, because of hormonal economy doesn?t work how it should. Organism is searching for help, depression starts to appear. Orthorexia, just like anorexia or bulimia can also lead to deatch.
How to cure orthorexia ?
Orthorexia is a multi-stage disease. Innocent beginning may lead to deplorable end. Just like in case of anorexia, or bulimia curing the symptoms isn?t enough. It is necessary to fight with the reason and it is located in the mind, psychological treatment is essential. Sick persons must to visit physician, who can advise them how to complement shortfalls and make lifestyle healthy and secure.
Are you at risk of orthorexia ?
Answer on below questions :
1. Do thinking and planning the meals takes you more than 3 hours a day?
2. Do you think today about what you?re going to eat tomorrow?
3. Do you precisely analyze how many calories have you consumed every day?
4. Did you buy this year at least one book regarding diets, calories, healthy nutrition?
5. Are you normally shop in healthy food stores / e-stores?
6. Do you ever routinely avoid any party / social gathering because of the potential unhealthy menu?
7. Do you feel guilty when you eat something unhealthy?
8. Do you grow herbs in pots and/or growing backyard to have healthy vegetables?
9. Do you like to eat alone?
10. Do a sense of guilty bothers you when you eat something unhealthy?
If you answered ?yes? for most of the questions it is a reason to visit specialist.
