10 Truths About Eating Disorders

NEDAW Let's Get Real
It’s National Eating Disorders Awareness Week and in honor of this year’s theme, “Let’s Get Real,” here are 10 Truths About Eating Disorders you should know:

1. Eating disorders do not discriminate – they affect people of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, races, ethnicities, body weights, and socioeconomic statuses.

2. You can’t tell if someone has an eating disorder by looking at them.

3. Genetics and the environment both play a role in the development of eating disorders.

4. Eating disorders are not a choice.

5. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness.

6. You don’t have to feel fully ready to give up your eating disorder to get treatment.

7. Dieting is a common (and preventable!) catalyst for developing an eating disorder.

8. Disordered eating (unhealthy eating behaviors that do not meet the full criteria for an eating disorder) should not be dismissed as “not that bad.” It's a serious health concern that needs attention and treatment.

9. Full recovery is possible, and the sooner someone gets help, the better the chances of recovery.

10. Recovery isn't easy, but it is worth it.

Inspired by these posts from AED and NEDA.
 

Reader Question

Q: My friends are all on different diets. How do I know which one is best for me?

A: Unless going on a diet is medically necessary (for example, following a gluten-free diet if you have celiac disease or eating nut-free if you have a nut allergy), the best thing to do is NOT diet. Dieting (i.e., restricting food intake, usually in an effort to lose weight or change the body) has unfortunately become the norm in our society, but it is not a normal or healthy way of eating.

People often go on diets to feel better, lose weight, or improve their health, but it’s much more likely that the opposite of these goals will occur. Research has found that dieting is associated with weight gain (yes, diets lead to weight gain, not loss), increased preoccupation with food, lower self-esteem, more body dissatisfaction, and depression. Dieting can also lead to developing disordered eating or a full-blown eating disorder. I think if more people knew that these were the likely outcomes of going on a diet, dieting would be a lot less common (at least I hope so).

Diets are ineffective and potentially harmful and I'm obviously not a fan. Wondering what I recommend instead of going on a diet? I'm a big believer in the Intuitive Eating approach, which you can read more about here.
Do you have a burning nutrition question? Email your question to: question@msnutrition.com and it may be answered in the next newsletter!

News and Updates

at LHQ Danceforce
 
2018 is off to a great start! Dawn Theodore, LMFT and I had a wonderful time presenting our Head to Pointe Wellness Workshop to dancers, teachers, and parents at the LHQ Danceforce studio in Massachusetts last month.

As former dancers, we are both passionate about teaching dancers and those who train and care for them how to be healthy from Head to Pointe. We would love to speak at your studio, college, company, or intensive soon! Contact us to learn more.
 

More News:

-I received my iaedp Approved Supervisor designation! I'm now offering professional supervision to dietitians pursuing the Certified Eating Disorders Registered Dietitian (CEDRD) credential as well as other providers working with (or interested in working with) clients with eating disorders. Contact me for more information.

-The ms nutrition Facebook page is up and we'd love for you to connect with us!

February 2018

 

In this issue:


Nutrition Article: 10 Truths About Eating Disorders

Reader Question: What's the best diet?

Product Review: The Complete Cookie

News and Updates

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Nutrition Product Review

The Complete Cookie
The Complete Cookie

Cost: $2.29 (4 oz cookie)

The product

Vegan, soy-free, kosher packaged cookie with added plant protein from wheat, peas, and rice. Available in a variety of flavors.


My experience

I tried the Double Chocolate Complete Cookie which was large, chewy, and a bit dry.  It had a rich chocolate flavor and was not overly sweet. There was a bit of a "fake" aftertaste, but overall, it tasted decent. It was missing the fresh deliciousness of a homemade or bakery cookie, but felt more filling. The nutrition stats are similar to many protein bars if eaten in the ½ cookie serving size listed on the label.
 

Pros

Complete Cookie is widely available. The 4 oz cookie is energy dense without a lot of volume, so it may be a good on-the-go choice for those with high energy needs.
 

Cons

Many people won't just eat ½ a cookie, so if you don’t have high energy needs, this is probably not a great choice, especially because there are much better tasting cookies out there. The packaging and marketing are misleading (e.g., it may not be clear to all consumers that the touted 16 grams of protein is for the whole cookie, not the recommended serving size). Plus, there's a pending lawsuit against Complete Cookie for containing far less protein than the makers are claiming.

Bottom Line

Complete Cookies don’t deserve a health halo. They are just packaged cookies with a bit of added protein, and we may not even be able to trust the protein content listed on the label. If you’re craving a cookie, I’d recommend skipping these and getting the real thing instead. For vegans or those with certain food allergies who can’t eat regular cookies and live in a location with limited options, these may be worth a try.

I purchased this product myself and have not been compensated in any way to write this review.

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About Monika

Monika Saigal, MS, RD, CEDRD-S, CDN is the founder of MS NUTRITION, PC, a nutrition counseling and consulting practice based in New York City.

Her areas of specialty include: eating disorders, nutrition for dancers & performing artists, weight management, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, digestive issues, vegetarian nutrition, and general wellness & disease prevention.
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