Eating disorders have one of the highest rate of death of all mental illnesses, outside of opioid addiction.
For those of us with a history of bingeing-related eating disorders, this time of year is a minefield of precarious situations. . . everything from ample opportunities to overeat—to lots of ads for diet boot camps and fasting cleanses starting in the new year.
It's as if this time of year our bodies are given permission to indulge in toxic foods and behaviors, because we have the new year ahead to mop up the damage. We give ourselves permission to binge and purge; indulge and restrict.
But, as always, with the new year comes Super Bowl parties, Valentines chocolates, Easter candies. . . .
We must continue on today, tomorrow, Thanksgiving, the month of December, January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, November, December. . . .
In order to successfully recover from eating disorders, we need to shed the toxic and damaging mentality of stopping and starting over.
“I’ll indulge on Thanksgiving—and then start over the next day.”
“I’ll enjoy all of the holiday sweets, and then start over on January 1st.”
Or “I’ll start a juice cleanse on January 1st.”
We start over until the next urge to indulge—and then the cycle repeats itself.
There’s no stopping and starting over . . . simply continuing on.
Slow down. Take time to really enjoy each bite of food without distraction or guilt.
Mistakes happen. If you make a mistake, continue on. . . that's the key to stability.
That's the key to optimal mental health.
And that's the key to optimal physical health.
“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” (3 John 1:2)
Emily Boller, artist, mother, and author of Starved to Obesity, lost 100 pounds more than fifteen years ago by eating an abundance of high-nutrient, plant-rich foods. Today, she’s certified in whole plant nutrition from the Nutritarian Education Institute. She’s on a mission to combine practical, no-nonsense and cost-effective tips—with easy to understand science—in order to help anyone escape the addictive grip of the Standard American Diet. And now, she’s on a mission to bring awareness to the suffocating and potentially deadly trap of eating disorders as well.