LEARN. GROW. HEAL. National Eating Disorder Awareness Week
This week is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, and none of us are free from the horrors that diet culture (and diet culture disguised as “wellness”) inflict on us, our children, and our loved ones. Diet culture is so ingrained with capitalism (dying by the almighty dollar), it’s often difficult to know the difference.
To this end, we wanted to share some resources and information that can help broaden all of our hearts, minds, and bodies.
First, on social media, unfollow/ignore anyone selling diets dressed up as “clean eating,” “Keto,” or “intuitive fasting”.
Instead, follow people + orgs with healthy relationships to food and their bodies. We suggest following and learning alongside:
Also, check out “When Healthy Eating Goes Too Far” by our very own Sammi King, LPC-MHSP, EMDR I&II.
Second, if you need help finding a healthy relationship with food and your body, please ask for it.
Email us at support@nashvilleccc.com and we share with you providers at NCCC or elsewhere that are currently accepting new clients and able to support you.
Third, know the stats.
The average age of an eating disorder is 12.5 years old.
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, with nearly one person dying every hour as a direct result of an eating disorder.
A study conducted with white, Hispanic, and African American girls revealed that clinicians were less likely to recommend that African American girls should receive professional help when they demonstrated disordered eating symptoms. (Ref: Gordon, K.H., Brattole, M.M., Wingate, L.R., + Joiner, T.E. (2006). The Impact of Client Race on Clinician Detection of Eating Disorders. Behaviour Therapy, 37(4), 319-325.)
Racism/implicit bias in screening, diagnosing, and identifying eating disorders is yet another barrier that stands between BIPOC and health equity. (from Nashville Nutrition Partners)
Finally, a healthy relationship with food and body is a journey.
We believe in progress over perfection. We believe that when we heal ourselves, we heal seven generations back and seven generations forward. We believe in you.
This National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, please take some time to learn, to grow, to heal.
