"The groundwork of all happiness is health." - Leigh Hunt

A fixation on 'clean eating' could be harmful – and perfectionists could also be at greater risk of taking it too far.

Clean food The weight loss plan has develop into increasingly popular previously few years. This type of eating emphasizes eating whole foods and avoiding processed foods (even minimally processed foods) as much as possible.

gave How important is diet? For our health, we will assume that the higher your weight loss plan, the higher your health. But as one clean eating influencer reveals, being too restrictive together with your weight loss plan can backfire in your health.

Instagram influencers Alice Living recently opened About the health effects of unpolluted eating. In an interview in The Times, Leung revealed that her restricted weight loss plan, together with extreme exercise, took a serious toll on her health – resulting in sleep deprivation, low mood and energy, mental dysfunction. and even her menstrual cycle ends.



Leung's story highlights how specializing in achieving an unrealistic ideal of health—on this case, the proper, healthy weight loss plan—can run the danger of becoming overconsumed and “addictive”. For some, this determination together with the pursuit of healthy eating and “Perfect Food” It may even lead to orthorexia – an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating.

Random weight loss plan

Orthorexia is just not yet officially recognized as an eating disorder. But in 2022, experts on this field issued a statement Agreeing that orthorexia is separate from other eating disorders – corresponding to anorexia.

He also made some suggestions. Evaluation criteria for orthorexia. These include compulsive weight-reduction plan practices (under the idea that it will promote optimal health), exaggerated fears of unwell health in the event that they stop said weight loss plan (emotional reactions corresponding to fear and shame with) and Rapidly restricted diet.

Orthorexia can affect many features of an individual's life. including their social, academic and even work life. There are a lot of them. Physical consequences – and might result in anemia, severe weight reduction, and malnutrition. It may cause Feelings of anxiety and guiltEspecially if an individual deviates from their strict weight loss plan.

Many factors considered related to the onset of orthorexia. Some examples include a history of an eating disorder or mental health disorder, lifestyle aspects (corresponding to exercising regularly) and social aspects (including being exposed to an excessive amount of media).

Perfectionism is linked to many eating disorders – including orthorexia.
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People with certain personality traits – corresponding to perfectionism – can also be at greater risk of developing orthorexia, as our Previous research is shown.

Perfectionism

Perfectionism A personality trait characterised by an irrational need for perfection. It has two fundamental dimensions – perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns.

Perfectionist strivings involve a private commitment to perfection. Perfectionist concerns include the fear of being incomplete. Both of those dimensions of perfectionism have previously been related to being developed. Anorexia and bulimia.

There can be perfectionism. Associated with orthorexiaAs our meta-analysis (studies of studies) showed. Looking on the available body of research, we found that perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns were related to orthorexia.

But perfectionistic striving emerged as a very powerful aspect of the 2 when it got here to an individual's probabilities of developing orthorexia. It's different from other eating disorders – with research Concerns about perfection being more strongly related to the event of anorexia and bulimia.

This finding suggests that the aspects contributing to orthorexia are distinct from other eating disorders—and that orthorexia is motivated more by a desire for the “perfect” weight loss plan or “perfect” health than by fear of incompleteness.

Because orthorexia lacks official diagnostic criteria, it’s difficult to know exactly what number of individuals are affected. But a recent study suggests as much. 55% exercise regularly is orthorexia. And now with so many young people Dependence on social media For lifestyle and dietary advice, there may be a risk that orthorexia may develop into more common in the long run.

Researchers and doctors face a substantial challenge to maintain pace. More research is clearly needed in order that we will higher understand orthorexia, how it could actually be prevented and the way we will help those that are struggling.