What if Hippocrates was wrong? What if food isn’t medicine? I can hear the gasps (and maybe some applause?) from here. But now that I have your attention, hear me out. Nutrition is an essential need of life. We cannot subsist without it. However, for the large majority of us, nourishing ourselves is more nuanced.
There are numerous factors that affect why, how, when, and how much we eat. When we limit the function of food to just fueling our physical bodies by stating “food is medicine,” it puts immense pressure on us to do it “just right.” Cue the onslaught of rules about how to eat:
…I’m (supposed to be) the expert and even I can’t keep up!
Like with many things in our lives, when something begins to monopolize our thoughts and behaviors, it can go from beneficial and even therapeutic to harmful. Think about that glass of wine or beer some folks like to enjoy in celebration or after a tough day. Or the occasional scratch-off bought out of desperation when it’s been A DAY at work and you’d love to just be able to quit! These behaviors may bring us a brief sense of relief and joy. However, when we begin to use these in effort to avoid or numb feelings, those behaviors go from innocent to problematic. This is often what we see when folks become preoccupied with food thoughts. For some, this may start out as wanting to eat out less or buy less processed foods. And before they know it, when they eat out or eat food they did not prepare, they’re overcome with thoughts of shame and guilt. The term “orthorexia” describes this “obsession with proper or ‘healthful’ eating.”1 While orthorexia is not a formal diagnosis within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illnesses, defining these obsessions is useful in helping folks recognize that food preoccupation is not normal or healthy. Moreover, this preoccupation does not pay off in ways we might expect.
The World Health Organization clearly states “The context of people’s lives determines their health, and so blaming individuals for having poor health or crediting them for good health is inappropriate. Individuals are unlikely to be able to directly control many of the determinants of health.”2 This highlights the importance of viewing nutrition as one element of our health. Obsessing over what we eat, or what is sometimes described as “nutritional minutiae,” in most cases, does not have a significant impact on our long-term health. In fact, in a well-known study by Rozin et al.3, among 4 different countries, the US was found to be the least pleasure-oriented and most health-oriented in regards to food. Despite our society’s obsession with food and the perceived impact it has on our health, rates of chronic health conditions are rising and amazingly, life expectancy is the lowest it’s been since the early 2000’s, a stark difference from historical trends. And when orthorexia evolves into a formal eating disorder, folks tend to have less variety in their diet, eat inconsistently, and experience overwhelming stress and anxiety around food, all of which have more negative health implications than positive.
Food worry also undermines our nuanced relationship with food. As depicted in the image below and as mentioned at the beginning of this article, there are countless factors that affect why, how, when, and how much we eat. It is not as simple as “eat X number of calories and only this specific list of foods.” What if you have a family? What if you work outside the home and don’t have continual access to a refrigerator, appliances and cookware? What if you forgot your lunch? What if you’re sick? What if, oh I don’t know, you’re NOT a dietitian and don’t have the knowledge to estimate your calorie needs? Which, news flash, we don’t either! We use predictive equations and oftentimes we use more than one and calculate an average; so, that’s not the exact science it’s made out to be, either. Anyway, I could go on and on. Give yourself some credit. You have a LIFE and food does not need to be at the forefront.
The takeaway here can be described fairly simply. This is an example of a dialectic, two opposing ideas existing at the same time. Nutrition is a fundamental need of life AND it is not the only or most important need in life. It deserves some attention but not all. And if this is all feeling too overwhelming, we’re here to help.
We are a private practice in Ohio offering in person and virtual nutrition and psychotherapy services for Intuitive Eating and eating disorders.
216-395-4118
24500 Center Ridge Road, Suite 265
Westlake OH
Virtual and in person nutrition & psychotherapy services in Ohio for intuitive eating & eating disorders.
You are welcome here regardless of age, race, ability, size and gender identity.
