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Do you have Orthorexia

JohnEGreen

JohnEGreen

Master
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Location
Nottinghamshire
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Tripe and Onions
I think I do In fact I'm certain of it.

Below is the Bratman Test for orthorexia

Do you spend more than 3 hours a day thinking about your diet?

Do you plan your meals several days ahead?

Is the nutritional value of your meal more important than the pleasure of eating it?

Has the quality of your life decreased as the quality of your diet has increased?

Have you become stricter with yourself lately?

Does your self-esteem get a boost from eating healthily?

Have you given up foods you used to enjoy in order to eat the 'right' foods

Does your diet make it difficult for you to eat out, distancing you from family and friends?

Do you feel guilty when you stray from your diet?

Do you feel at peace with yourself and in total control when you eat healthily?

THE RESULTS

Yes to 4 or 5 of the above questions means it is time to relax more about food.

Yes to all of them means a full-blown obsession with eating healthy food.



And I'm glad of it.
 
Strangely enough, I used to. But having to plan for my blood sugar levels has somehow helped the eating disorder I used to have, and I no longer obsess about food. I know that sounds paradoxical, but it is the way it is. Having my meter and list of what is acceptable to my body has freed me from the hourly sense of having to keep control. I dont really know why. Its given me confidence, perhaps.
 
PS I do think that a couple of those questions I answer Yes to because of my diabetes and bowel condition, not because of Orthorexia. For example:

Have you given up foods you used to enjoy in order to eat the 'right' foods?
Have you become stricter with yourself lately?


I would answer Yes, but only because of blood sugar control. The 'right foods' can have several different implications other than orthorexia.
 
Food is either medicine or poison (albeit a slow acting one) for us, depending on which foods you choose. So I’d answer yes to a lot of those, purely because food is a tool along with my insulin to keep my blood glucose at a normal level. I’m obsessive about taking my insulin correctly, so why not my food?
 
I answered 5 or 6 but disagree that it’s time to relax, if I do that my control will deteriorate :(
 
8/10 . . . . . If they want to call "watching what I eat" or "being careful with my diet" an obsession then so be it. The alternative is uncontrolled BG, runaway weight gain (no way can I eat what everyone else eats), much poorer health, the depression of being obese, ill fitting clothes, early death . . . . . . . . . .

The whole point about taking diet seriously is that not to do so will undoubtedly lead to a failure in the main objective, to achieve a normal weight. Very disappointing that trying not to be a burden on our overstretched NHS is seen as an obsession. I wonder who decided that.
 
lucylocket61 said:
Strangely enough, I used to. But having to plan for my blood sugar levels has somehow helped the eating disorder I used to have, and I no longer obsess about food. I know that sounds paradoxical, but it is the way it is. Having my meter and list of what is acceptable to my body has freed me from the hourly sense of having to keep control. I dont really know why. Its given me confidence, perhaps.
Click to expand...
Wow, Lucy. That's incredible about your ED. Those things aren't easy to shake off!

A big well done to you.
 
I get the feeling that list of questions only applies if there is no reason that the person is aware of, for being controlled and aware. Which is a very different kettle of fish : )
 
JohnEGreen said:
Do you have Orthorexia?
Click to expand...
Do you spend more than 3 hours a day thinking about your diet?
No.

Do you plan your meals several days ahead?
No.

Is the nutritional value of your meal more important than the pleasure of eating it?
No, I like eating.

Has the quality of your life decreased as the quality of your diet has increased?
No.

Have you become stricter with yourself lately?
No.

Does your self-esteem get a boost from eating healthily?
No, my self esteem is that shiny I cannot add more to it.

Have you given up foods you used to enjoy in order to eat the 'right' foods
No, I am reheating pre-cooked pasta and rice, eating low carb spuds.

Does your diet make it difficult for you to eat out, distancing you from family and friends?
No.

Do you feel guilty when you stray from your diet?
No.

Do you feel at peace with yourself and in total control when you eat healthily?
Yes and no.

I love filling questionnaires in.
 
I suppose I do rank up there with having orthorexia but it is a real positive in my life so I think I shall continue with it! I now have control and the binge eating is no longer a devilish thing in my head because I now know that I wasn't in control of my eating and I paid the price - dearly - and now to have control and know that I would like to sit down to three fresh bagels, cream cheese slathered all over them and smoked salmon and capers on top and guzzle them down in five minutes, but can say' no thank you' is one of the most empowering things I have ever been able to accomplish in a very long time! Yay Me:)
 
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