Episode 2:
Eating Disorders
On this episode of Secret Ingredient, we explored what happens in the intersection of mental illness, body dysmorphia and one’s relationship with food and eating.
Eating disorders affect nearly 1 million Canadians, and can come in many forms. Although the general public is most familiar with eating disorders such as anorexia, there are a number of diagnoses and profiles of symptoms that an individual can experience.
Samantha Gianotti is a registered dietician for Western University’s Student Health Services. While the causes of eating disorders are complex, she said that like with many medical conditions, eating disorders can be genetic.
Often times, they’re caused by environmental or cultural factors. “They can start quite innocently, such as wanting to change your diet, perhaps for ethical or health reasons, or wanting to change your body in a perceived positive way,” she said. These objectives can quickly turn into a relationship characterized by control, with food becoming a tool to achieve that.
Taylor Brown (Submitted)
Retrieved from NEDIC and Newswire
We spoke to two individuals who lived with eating disorders and are currently working toward recovery. Taylor Brown is a University of Windsor graduate student and mental health advocate. She developed her eating disorder in high school.
“I started seeing food as extra. I started looking at my plate and thinking ‘what do I need here, what do I not need right now,’” she said. “Food was a punishment because it gave me anxiety to eat certain foods or have my strict food rules broken.”
Taylor eventually sought in-patient treatment, but said that it is not something she thinks is accessible to most people. “I had a lot of privilege, because I was middle class, white, cis. I felt like there was more opportunities and i was more able to find treatment.”
Taylor said her recovery came slowly, and at first was something she felt she had to fake or force. Despite ups and downs, she said that now, “food is a non-negotiable.”
Kriti Mehra is a Western student studying English literature. Kriti (who uses they/them pronouns) said they didn’t even realize they had an eating disorder until they left their home in India and came to Western University. “I did start restricting a lot, without even realizing from a very young age,” they said, “my parents did want me to eat, but they wanted me to eat a certain amount.”
Kriti noticed their avoidant behaviour toward food when they started avoiding social activities that involved meals.
“Food is one of the most common activities you share with your friends, your family, your dates as well. Social activities started becoming rough… and there’s always attention you receive when your body changes, and those too reinforce those negative eating habits” they said.
Any type of poor nutrition choices, deliberate or not, can have an adverse affect on our mental health. Tom Grabowski is a nutrition coach, and particularly explores the relationship between psychology and food. “Our body is always trying to find balance,” he said, “even if you’re eating super healthy, if you’re coming from a place of self-hate…you’re not nourishing your body.” He said these negative relationships, for example through lack of nutrition or dieting, can have effects on our mood and self-esteem — even if its not a diagnosable eating disorder or mental health condition.
Kriti Mehra (Submitted)
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, here are a list of support services and resources:
