If you decide to take as a basis for your food only healthy foods and dishes - fine. But it is worth remembering that an excessive desire for a healthy and healthy diet can lead to the development of such a pathology as nervous orrexia( an obsessive-compulsive idea of healthy nutrition, orthorexia nervosa in foreign literature).
Under nervous ororexia, physicians refer to a disorder, akin to obsessive-compulsive disorder, in which the patient is overly eager to observe a proper and healthy way of eating and this is accompanied by a strict framework in the choice of foods.
For the first time this disease was described in the 70 years by S. Bratman, but at the moment the pathology is not properly classified.
Who is at risk?
The reasons for the obsession with a healthy diet may be different, but most often provoking factors and at-risk groups are as follows:
- First of all, these are young girls and women , who limit themselves to one or other, harmful in their opinion,
products,for his figure, his health. In a normal framework, this is certainly good, but if it goes into a mania, an obsession - there is a rejection of really useful for the body and the right products, which does not have the best effect on health. - A certain percentage of well-established, successful people who are attracted by the right way of life - clean ecology, food, water and air and so on.
- One more risk group is formed by people who in their lives do everything for "5" - perfectionists , striving for an ideal in everything.
It can be noted that the causes of the development of this disease may be neurosis and excessive, even pathological self-concern, anxiety and excessive suspiciousness, the desire to lose weight and worry for one's health.
Symptoms of Orthorexia
Unlike other diseases of the neurological nature associated with food and health - anorexia nervosa and bulimia or overeating of nervous nature, orthorhysis in its current is masked for the good and good for the patient and therefore at the very beginning of her current it is likewould not pose a threat to him.
But gradually, with such concern for your health, orthotics develop a certain guilt feeling when you have to violate certain rules of a healthy diet and diet.
S. Bratman - author of the theory of the development of orthorhysia highlights its following manifestations:
- attitude to food as a source of beauty, strength and health, the ability to maintain an ideal diet;
- selection of only quality, environmentally friendly products;
- careful compilation of their own menu, strict selection of products, complete disregard, reaching an aversion to the so-called unhealthy dishes and their components;
- hypertrophied belief that specific foods or dishes can provoke the development of the disease or vice versa -
help cure it; - shifts in eating habits, showing itself in tightening specific dietary restrictions;
- increase in the consumption of dietary supplements and herbal medicines, condemnation of everyone who does not pay proper attention to their own regimen and diet;
- refusal to eat in public places or with friends, that is, food and dishes that are not cooked in person;
- depressive state and swings in mood, anxiety for no apparent reason.
How to help ortoreksiku?
The first thing to do is to help such a person understand about his unhealthy, painful desire for a proper diet, a diet regime that turns into obsession.
At the initial stages, the patient himself can practice self-monitoring methods - to control thoughts about the importance of useful products, not to refuse to communicate in public places - cafes and restaurants, less to read everything that is written on the label in supermarkets. And the most important thing is to take into account all the signals of the body.
If you can not overcome your cravings on your own - it is optimal to apply first of all to a dietician, who will make a healthy and proper diet for the patient.
Treatment of a nutritionist in this case is combined with a course of diagnosis in the psychologist - it is he who forms the patient's correct and normal, adequate attitude to food, will help to find a different meaning in this life, rather than strict adherence to a correct and healthy diet.
Are you also obsessed with diets and proper nutrition? Take the Orthorexia test right now!
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And what's the danger?
First of all, this passion for healthy eating and the rejection of certain foods, and allegedly harmful food, can cause a banal shortage of beneficial macro and microelements in the body, provoke the development of vitamin deficiency.
In addition, the patient can develop a sharp weight loss, malnutrition - a person loses a sense of hunger or satiety. In relation to psychological disorders - a person may have a split personality, or a person will feel socially isolated.
In addition, the patient can develop and the desire for unlimited consumption of harmful products - in this case it is a question of the development of bulimia nervosa. Even if it succeeds to overcome the frustration, the patient will be bothered by guilt and depressed state, a feeling of dissatisfaction with the consumption of prohibited products.
In everything, the measure of
is needed. If you are suspected of having the first signs of development of nervous ororexia, practicing psychologists recommend using several effective and effective tips for restoring balance in food and nervous state, acting gradually, without sharp 
jerks and limitations.
Never categorically refuse from these or other food products, periodically allow yourself to eat something tasty and harmful that does not fall within the scope and criteria of your system and diet.
Be sure to listen to your own body - if it protests against the useful food you consume, then the latter is best excluded from the diet, replacing it with a similar, more pleasant for the stomach.
You should never dwell on thoughts during a diet that you can break off - never punish yourself, even if you broke up and ate a couple of cakes. Just take it all and go further, enjoying the taste of that food that you consider useful for yourself and your body.
Do not forget to find a hobby or a lesson, which in no way will be related to your addiction to healthy and healthy nutrition. It is enough to understand that proper nutrition is not the meaning of life, but only a physiological need, and one's own time and energy should be spent on more interesting pursuits and hobbies.
And most importantly - be able to screen out the information that comes to you about the benefits of a product. The thing is that for commercial purposes some manufacturers can talk about the benefits or harm of a product - in this respect it is always worth consulting with specialists, but not taking everything on faith, without checking and analyzing.
