July 27th, 2009 by Nancy Brown, Ph.D. in Better Health Network
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Orthorexia is a term coined by Dr. Steven Bratman. “Ortho” simply means straight or correct, while “orexia” refers to appetite. Orthorexia nervosa refers to a nervous obsession with eating proper foods. While anorexia nervosa is an obsession with the quantity, orthorexia is an obsession with the quality of the food consumed.
Given how heavy people seem to be getting in our country, focusing on health should not be a bad thing. However, while it is normal for people to change what they eat to improve their health, treat an illness, or lose weight, orthorectics may take the concern too far. While it is normal for people switching diets to be concerned with what types of food they are eating, this concern should quickly decrease, as the diet becomes normal. Orthorexia, in contrast, is when a person is consumed with what types of food they are allowed to eat and feel badly about their selves if they fail to stick with their regimen.
People suffering with this obsession about what they eat may find themselves:
• Spending more than three hours a day thinking about healthy food.
• Planning tomorrow’s menu today.
• Feeling virtuous about what they eat, but not enjoying it much.
• Continually limiting the number of foods they eat.
• Experiencing a reduced quality of life or social isolation (because their diet makes it difficult for them to eat anywhere but at home).
• Feeling critical of others who do not eat as well they do.
• Skipping foods they once enjoyed to eat the “right’ foods.
• Feeling guilt or self-loathing when they stray from their diet.
• Feeling in “total” control when they eat the correct diet.
Often orthorectics will “punish” themselves by doing a penance of some sort, if this “fall from grace” does occur. While orthorexia nervosa isn’t yet a formal medical condition, many professionals do feel that it does explain an important health phenomenon. If you or someone you know suffers from something that sounds or feels like this description of orthorexia nervosa, you should go visit either a nutritionist or doctor.
References
1) Bratman, Steve. “Health Food Junkie–Orthorexia Nervosa, the New Eating Disorder.” 1997.
2) Billings, Tom. “Clarifying Orthorexia: Obsession with Dietary Purity as an Eating Disorder.” 1997
3) Davis, Jeanie. “Orthorexia: Good Diets Gone Bad.” November, 2000.
4) Fugh-Berman, Adriane. “Health Food Junkies: Orthorexia Nervosa: Overcoming the Obsession with Healthful Eating–A Book Review.” May 2001.
5) Dennis, Tamie. “Booster Shots.” Los Angeles Times, 7/09
Photo credit: Meg and Rahul
This post, The Newest Eating Disorder: Orthorexia Nervosa, was originally published on
Healthine.com by Nancy Brown, Ph.D..
July 10th, 2009 by Jonathan Foulds, Ph.D. in Uncategorized
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As many of you may know, the famous tobacco control scientist and advocate, Professor Stan Glantz, has over the past few years been focusing on the issue of depictions of smoking in movies. Part of the concern stems from good evidence that young people are highly influenced by movies due to their cultural value and glamorous nature.
The other part stems from a history of use of “product placement” in movies. This refers to the movie producers agreeing to include a specific product in their movie in return for some incentive (typically money). A famous example of this is a letter from Sylvester Stallone agreeing to smoke particular brands of cigarettes in his movies for $500,000. So when one combines the financial power of the tobacco industry with product placement we end up with a hell of a lot more gratuitous smoking in movies than is necessary.
Of course the movie companies and many movie enthusiasts argue about the need for art to imitate life etc., etc. However numerous examples demonstrate that to be a lot of nonsense. Professor Glantz points to depictions of Marlboro cigarettes being dragged around or used by aliens in movies like Men In Black. Is it really true that those aliens prefer Marlboros and so showing the brand was necessary for the movie to be accurate? Mmm….I doubt it.
My favorite example comes from the film “A Beautiful Mind”. The movie stars Russell Crowe in the lead role portraying the (still living and working) Princeton University professor, John Nash. In real life, John Nash suffered from schizophrenia but did not smoke. In the movie he suffered from schizophrenia, but smoked. I’m not sure why the producers changed this aspect of reality or what it added to the movie.
But these are details. Professor Glantz’ main point is that movies made to be viewed by kids do not need to include smoking, and therefore should be given an R rating if they do, just as they are if they depict illicit drug use. Note that an R doesn’t stop people under 17 from seeing the movie in a movie theater. It just means they need to be accompanied by an adult. It also doesn’t ban smoking from movies, it just means that movies with smoking in them will receive an R rating, just as sex, drugs, cursing and certain types of violence will get a movie an R rating. Of course the movie industry is very clear that a large part of its audience is kids and particularly teens. The net effect of the rating changes professor Glantz is recommending would be that gratuitous smoking will be taken out of many movies and particularly those aimed at kids.
I must admit that I didn’t initially pay much attention to this proposal, and my natural inclination was to doubt whether it really was worth the effort. But while I was at the UK National Smoking Cessation Conference in London last week I heard Professor Glantz talk about this idea and I came around to thinking its maybe not as extreme as I first thought. In fact he convinced me that it’s a reasonably sensible idea that would likely result in thousands fewer teens taking up smoking. Sometime soon the full audio recording of Professor Glantz’ presentation will be posted on the conference website along with his slides. I’ll post the link when its available, but for now those interested in this subject may want to check out the following website:
http://smokefreemovies.ucsf.edu/
This post, Should Movies With Smoking In Them Receive An R-Rating?, was originally published on
Healthine.com by Jonathan Foulds, Ph.D..
July 8th, 2009 by Nancy Brown, Ph.D. in Better Health Network
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Just a friendly reminder to parents that dating does not equal sex. I cannot tell you how many teens have shared with me that the first lecture they got from their parents when they started dating was about sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and unwanted pregnancy. Their reactions were “what?”
When young teens start dating it is because they have found themselves twitterpated (which is apparently not a real word), and attracted to someone. Chances are good it is more of an emotional attraction than a sexual one, and one that will wax and wane, usually end with tears, but not kill them.
It is easy to understand why parents panic and worry about sexuality and the risks associated with that sexuality – we live in an extremely over-sexualized culture that can make us believe that everyone is having sex – which is not true. Please remember that only half of teens start being sexual before they are 18, but most fall in love at least once before leaving high school.
Dating is about learning how to be in a relationship, and you will be doing your children a great service if you talk with them about relationships, not sex. It is a good idea to make the difference really clear for them, and make your expectations very clear, too! If you expect your teen to not become sexual, tell them that, and why. Ask them to tell you what there limits and expectations about relationships and sex are. Here are some topic suggestions:
- What do they think dating includes?
- What does sexual pressure look and feel like?
- How would your child resist sexual pressure?
- How long do they think people should date before the topic of sex even comes up?
- How will they know if someone is the “one?”
- What would have to happen before they did think about sexual behavior?
If the possibility exists that they will be sexual, then, you can have the conversation about sex – but not if they tell you they will not be swayed and are not interested – you have to trust them.
Many teens are afraid of dating or choose not to date because a partner may expect sex, so they find a friend or pseudo partner to attend events with and protect them from having to resist sexual pressure – which is a great strategy, but keeps them from trying on relationships.
Oh the conversations that we might have … keep talking and make sure they know you are open to talking – even about things that make you squirm.
This post, Teen Dating Does Not Mean They’re Having Sex, was originally published on
Healthine.com by Nancy Brown, Ph.D..
July 2nd, 2009 by Nancy Brown, Ph.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips
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I went to a great grand rounds the other day about osteoporosis and learned that all teenage girls should be taking about 1,500 mg of calcium with Vitamin D a day in addition to a multivitamin. Three glasses of milk provide about 1,200 mgs, but most teens are not drinking that much milk. Dark green vegetables are another good source of calcium. Exercise and weight-bearing activity is also important in the prevention of osteoporosis.
Calcium is a mineral that gives strength to your bones. Calcium is also necessary for many of your body’s functions, such as blood clotting and nerve and muscle function. During the teenage years (particularly ages 11-15), your bones are developing quickly and are storing calcium so that your skeleton will be strong later in life. Nearly half of all bone is formed during these years.
Women develop most of their bone strength before they are between 25 and 35. After that, bone is broken down faster than it is created, leading to a small loss of bone mass every year. For women, bone loss accelerates during menopause, but slows again around age 60.
There are specific risk factors for osteoporosis that teens should know:
- Being white;
- Having irregular periods;
- Doing little or no exercise;
- Not getting enough calcium in your diet; Being below a normal weight;
- Having a family history of osteoporosis;
- Smoking; and
- Drinking large amounts of alcohol.
Osteoporosis can be prevented, but teens need to start early.
This post, How Much Calcium Do Teen Girls Need?, was originally published on
Healthine.com by Nancy Brown, Ph.D..
June 29th, 2009 by Nancy Brown, Ph.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips
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After you get over the urge to run and hide, lock your teen in the bathroom, shave his or her head, and save yourself, take a deep breath and think about what is important here. You are likely panicked because you know that sooner or later someone will break your teens heart – and there is nothing you can do about it, or is there?
Talk to your teen and share what you are feeling as well as what you know. Being new to the world of love/lust/hormones, there are some really great conversations to be had now about balance, friendship, and healthy relationships! First, your teen may be overwhelmed with how wonderful it feels to be in love and you can help remind your teen about balance, and the importance of not losing themselves for love. Your teen needs to stay “true to self” instead of becoming an appendage to the new love. Encourage your teen to stay connected to friends, school, outside activities, family, and sports, while making room for the new love.
You might mention that if that becomes an issue, you can help by setting limits on the amount of hanging out at home, phone, text, and computer time, to help her learn to balance life and love/lust/hormones. This is not a threat – just a supportive way to help your teen transition in the world of love!
Together you can set the expectations that honor this new part of life, make your teen feel listened to and involved with the new contract – the new couple spends time with the family, grades stay up, activities continue, chores, whatever else her life includes must all continue – because your teen has to be a “person” first before a girlfriend or boyfriend. The We’re Talking web site has a great section called the abcs of healthy relationships, which will provide many reminders about knowing when a relationship is not healthy.
Along those same lines, it is important to talk about the importance of friendship – and how you want the first few months together to be spent with family – because early in relationships the goal is to learn to trust each other, find things that you have in common, and become parts of each others lives. Friendship is stronger in the long run than hormones – and if either member of the couple is motivated by anything else other than love – s/he will not make it through the “getting to know all about you” phase.
P.S. Remember that the greater the age difference, and the more time alone they share, the more likely teens will take new love to sexual realms, so be aware and good luck!
This post, When Your Teen Starts Dating, was originally published on
Healthine.com by Nancy Brown, Ph.D..
Orthorexia is a term coined by Dr. Steven Bratman. “Ortho” simply means straight or correct, while “orexia” refers to appetite. Orthorexia nervosa refers to a nervous obsession with eating proper foods. While anorexia nervosa is an obsession with the quantity, orthorexia is an obsession with the quality of the food consumed.
