The Week in Review...

As National Eating Disorders Awareness Week draws to a close (well, it's actually over as of yesterday- haha), I wanted to share a few quick highlights from went on in Raleigh this week. There were several events open to the public (if interested in seeing what they were, follow this link) and overall, they were pretty well attended! Ellen Morrison, a local dietician specializing in eating disorders, gave a talk on Tuesday night, in conjunction with a brave and strong recovered patient. Together they discussed what to do if you suspect a friend or loved one is struggling with an eating disorder. It was such a great presentation, and people had opportunities to ask questions and share. It was a great night. If you are interested in the information that was presented that night, shoot me an email or let me know in the comments section of my blog and I can get that for you!


On Thursday night, the documentary Beauty Mark was shown in Jones Chapel at Meredith College. I had not seen it before, and I highly recommend it. Diane Israel documents her journey of recovery from an eating disorder, as well as the media's influence on how we define beauty in our culture. Take a look at a clip below!


 


The last event of the week was a fashion/art show that honored women of all sizes and shapes. It was really a beautiful night. If I'm being totally honest, I was a little hesitant about the whole idea of having a fashion show, just because the fashion industry is SOO loaded when it comes to beauty/eating disorders/etc. While I understood the intention, and I knew that the models had been nominated for this event based on qualities of inner beauty, I still felt like a fashion show might send the wrong message. But I was SO wrong. It was actually such a powerful experience to see such a diverse group of young women modeling (cute clothes I might add- thanks for donating the clothes for the night, Francesca's!!). We also were able to auction off some art that had been donated by eating disorder patients. Proceeds will benefit NEDA, and will be added to the donations that are have been given for the Raleigh NEDA Walk. 

If you are interested in participating, volunteering or walking in the Raleigh NEDA walk that is coming up on Sunday April 3, follow this link to register or send me an email for more info! Would love to see your smiling faces, out supporting a great cause on an April Spring day! :) And as a disclaimer, you don't have to walk on the day of the event. You can just come out and show your support! There will be different things going on- booths, a speaker, a silent auction... I can't wait! :)

Body Image Role Models...

There have been a lot of articles, blog posts, etc. circulating this week on behalf of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week (NEDAw). I read one in particular today that I wanted to share. It is awesome. Dara Chadwick, an author and blogger ("You'd Be So Pretty If...") often writes about her experiences navigating through body image issues as the mother of a small daughter. In her post, she was addressing the issue about whether or not mothers can be body image role models for their daughters if they have body hang-ups of their own. The cool thing about her post is that having children or daughters does not make this post any more or less relevant. I think this is an important question for all of us!! How do we model positive body image to friends, family members, etc, if we sometimes have those days when we don't exactly feel so hot?? What does it mean to have a healthy body image? I love this post. Check it out below-


This past week, I did a reading and body image talk at a local library. I love talking to small gatherings because they often turn into interesting and thought-provoking discussions, and I adore the energy of a great exchange of ideas.

During our discussion, one participant -- who runs a program for teen girls through an area women's resource center -- mentioned that she often struggles with talking to "her girls" about body image because she herself doesn't always feel good about her body. It's a question I hear from moms time and again (and one that inspired the subtitle of You'd Be So Pretty If...) -- how can I raise a daughter who feels good about her body when I don't feel good about my own?

I understand that feeling. Believe me, on days when I look in the mirror and find myself displeased with the image that greets me, I feel like a hypocrite. What kind of body image role model am I if I can't accept myself as I am, always?

But as I thought more about that very question, I came to this conclusion: I'm a good body image role model. To borrow a theme from Oprah, what I know for sure from all my thinking, writing and talking about body image is that perfection doesn't exist, including being the perfect role model. There's no finish line in the body image race -- no point at which we can say, "That's it. I'm done." Self-acceptance is a process, and the reality is that we'll be better at it on some days than others.

Here's what I can say with clarity: Awareness is key. Being aware of -- and owning -- the ways that we disparage, belittle, sabotage and beat up on ourselves is the first step in building a healthier body image. Negative thoughts might creep in from time to time, but I can stop, acknowledge them and re-direct my thinking. In doing so, I build my capacity for breaking the cycle of negative thinking and for re-framing my thoughts in a more positive way. And, in time, positive thinking builds on itself and changes the way we see and talk about ourselves.

Making that choice every day, and teaching others that they can make a similar choice, is at the heart of being a good body image role model.

So, no, you don't have to never have a negative thought or love everything about the way you look to set a great example. You just have to be willing to challenge what you think you see.

Here's to all the body image role models out there.

In other news, I am looking forward to hearing my friend and colleague Ellen Morrison speak tonight at Meredith College on "How to Help Others With Eating Disorders." If you are in Raleigh, come on out- she is speaking at 7pm in Ledford Hall (it's free!) to raise awareness about eating disorders in honor of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week (NEDAw). 

The Body Image Project!

This week has been a really busy one, and it is not over yet- which means that National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is still going strong! I received an email from Tiffany, who is the woman behind the Body Image Project- a really cool website and organization that I have written about before (click here to read my post and here to check out the Body Image Project). The mission of her site is to help people reframe and reshape the way they feel and think about their bodies. I want to quote her because I think she said it best- We want to hit the message home that if you do one thing this week, participate. Share your story. Help spread the word. Encourage positive body image and take control of your own advocacy …your right to be happy, healthy and thrive in your own skin. I love the attitude behind this statement. It starts with each one of us as individuals!

What can you do? Be intentional about reminding yourself what you value and like about your body and yourself each day. I read an interview that Jenni Schaefer gave recently and she said that she encourages people (including herself!) to think about what your body can do for you- instead of focusing on your individual body parts and criticizing them, consider what purpose these body parts serve for you and how lucky we are to have functioning bodies. She also said the following (so great!)-"Realize that your body is just a vehicle for life. I've heard people say it's like an earth suit. It's what you get to wear to walk around and experience the world." I think that is a cute, unique and helpful way to think about our bodies. To read the most recent blog post written by Tiffany at the Body Image Project, follow this link to read her thoughts on National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. And remember, do just one thing this week!! No matter how big or small, you can make a difference by doing one thing.

It's Time to Talk About It!

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (NEDAw) is in full swing. In my last post, I shared about the mission and goals of NEDAw, so if you missed it, take a look! This year's theme is "It's Time to Talk About It" and the hope is for everyone to do just one thing! If we all do one thing, no matter how small, think about the attention we can bring to highlight a major psychiatric illness in our society that is often very misunderstood! One suggestion for doing one thing (compliments of NEDA- National Eating Disorders Association) is to use your social networking sites (think facebook, twitter, etc...) to post some kind of link or information about eating disorders that may serve to initiate conversations or educate people about eating disorders. Margarita Tartakovsky wrote a blog post on some myths and facts about eating disorders that might be of interest (you might learn something yourself too- this is a great list)! Below is the list that she made with the help of some eating disorder professionals (access it in full here). I would encourage you to read it, but also to pass them on to someone this week in order to raise awareness about the facts behind eating disorders!

Eating Disorder Myths

In honor of NEDA’s theme, let’s talk about eating disorder myths and facts. There are many misconceptions surrounding eating disorders. I’ve asked several clinicians to share a few myths and facts.

Myth: Media is the primary cause for the development of most eating disorders. (Julie Holland, MHS, CEDS, Eating Recovery Center)

Fact: Although recent surveys have confirmed that adolescent girls get much of their health information from the media, media messages themselves are not a primary cause of eating disorders. Messages that promote an unrealistic thin ideal can set unrealistic standards regarding body size and shape. The fact is, media messages have the ability to positively or negatively affect one’s body image and/or self-image based on the message and how it is presented. It is important that we teach individuals critical thinking when looking at media images.

Myth: Eating disorders are triggered by a desire to be thin.(Emmett R. Bishop, Jr., MD, CEDS, Eating Recovery Center)

Fact: Eating disorder behaviors do not develop merely because an individual has a longing to be thin. For instance, an individual who does not know that he or she has wheat or lactose intolerance may develop a fear of food due to the discomfort or pain it causes. Someone in chemotherapy or with a gastrointestinal disorder may stop eating to avoid nausea.

Myth: Eating disorders are a choice. (Julie Holland)

Fact: Although individuals may choose to start a diet or engage in certain behaviors, eating disorders themselves are not a choice. People do not choose to have anorexia or bulimia. These disorders develop over a period of time and require various levels of treatment to address complex symptoms including medical, psychiatric and other underlying issues.

Myth: You can tell if someone has an eating disorder just by looking at them. (Marla Scanzello, MS, RD, Eating Recovery Center)

Fact: Many people with eating disorders are of normal weight, or even overweight. Weight is not a tell-all sign of an eating disorder. Furthermore, eating disorder patients can become quite skilled at hiding their disordered eating behaviors.

Myth: People with eating disorders will eat normally / recover when they choose to do so. (Dr. Ravin)

Fact: This myth implies that EDs are willful behavior and that a patient can simply make a choice to recover. Thus, it blames people with EDs for having an illness that is not their fault. Most people with EDs are not able to eat normally on their own; they require significant outside support (nutritionist, parental support in refeeding, residential tx, etc.) in order to normalize their eating habits.

Myth: Developing a positive body image is not that important in the overall recovery from an eating disorder and should be worked on towards the end of the recovery process. (Carolyn Jones)

Fact: A continued negative body image is one of the main contributing factors to a relapse in the eating recovery process. Improving a person’s body image is one of the hardest and most time-consuming things to change in the healing process and should be undertaken early during treatment.

Myth: Eating disorders are not deadly. (Kenneth L. Weiner, MD, CEDS, Eating Recovery Center)

Fact: In all actuality, it is quite the opposite. Eating disorders are the deadliest mental illness. A woman with anorexia nervosa is 5.6 times more likely to die than another woman of her same age. The most frequent causes of death from eating disorders are suicide (32 percent), complications associated with anorexia (19 percent), and cancer (11 percent). The average age of death for an individual with anorexia is only 34 years.

Myth: You can never fully recover from an eating disorder. (Julie Holland & Sarah Ravin)

Fact: According to Holland, “Recovery takes commitment, dedication, hard work and time. However, full recovery is absolutely possible through finding the appropriate treatment professionals and program.”

According to Dr. Ravin, “The people who believe this are probably those who did not receive treatment, received inadequate or low-quality treatment, lacked the necessary social support, or were never pushed to reach and maintain an ideal body weight and stay there long enough for brain healing to occur.The underlying biological predisposition will always be there, but people can and do recover fully from EDs. I’ve seen it happen many times.”

Of course you are not limited to posting this information on your social networking sites! There is a lot of great information on NEDA's website (follow this link to access their information/resources page) as well as on many other sites. Maybe you can re-post a blog, an article, or the name of a book that you have read and enjoyed about body image, eating disorders, etc... Anything that you can do to help raise awareness is meaningful. We often hear so much in the news about schizophrenia and Alzheimer's (which are both worthy of our attention), but would you be surprised to learn that eating disorders impact five times as many people as schizophrenia? And eating disorders affect double the number of people with Alzheimer's? (These statistics were taken from John Grohol, PsyD, of PsychCentral). This information does not serve to take anything away from either of these illnesses, but rather the purpose is to illustrate the prevalence of eating disorders as psychiatric illness. If you have learned anything new from this blog post (or even if you haven't!), I would encourage you in honor of this week to share something new with your families, friends and loved ones because it's time to talk about it.

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (NEDAw)

About a month ago, I mentioned National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, along with one or two ways that you might begin to consider or think about getting involved (click here to read!). Well, now that the time is upon us, and it officially begins tomorrow (Sunday, February 21), I will be posting different suggestions and tips all week related to you being able to do just one thing to participate. The theme of this year's National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is "It's Time to Talk About It." Below is a Q and A that I have copied from NEDA's website to give you more information about the mission, etc. behind the week!

So, what is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week?

NEDAwareness Week is a collective effort of primarily volunteers, eating disorder professionals, health care providers, educators, social workers, and individuals committed to raising awareness of the dangers surrounding eating disorders and the need for early intervention and treatment.

***What is The Mission of NEDAwareness Week?

Our aim of NEDAwareness Week is to ultimately prevent eating disorders and body image issues while reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders and improving access to treatment. Eating disorders are serious, life-threatening illnesses — not choices — and it’s important to recognize the pressures, attitudes and behaviors that shape the disorder.

How does NEDAwareness Week Work?

This year, NEDA is calling for everyone to do just one thing to help raise awareness and provide accurate information about eating disorders. NEDAwareness Week participants can choose from a huge range of ways to contribute: Distribute info pamphlets and put up posters, write one letter for Media Watchdogs, register as a Volunteer Speaker or host a Volunteer Speaker, coordinate a NEDA Walk, or arrange interactive and educational activities such as panel discussions, fashion shows, body fairs, movie screenings, art exhibits and more. As an official NEDAwareness Week participant you can be involved in any way that works with your schedule, resources, community, and interests. These events and activities attract public media attention - on local, national and international levels.

To lead NEDAwareness Week off, I would encourage all of you to think about one way that you might be able to get involved this week. Whether it is focusing on curbing fat talk, researching information about eating disorders and sharing that information with others, encouraging your friends, family and loved ones to love their bodies (and loving your own!), or anything else you would like to do, think of one thing that feels authentic for you and do it! As I said, I will be providing suggestions and examples this week, and encourage you to try as many or few of them as you want.

Tomorrow, a nutritionist colleague and friend, Ellen Morrison, MS, RD, LDN will be on the radio at various times and stations to discuss NEDAw and ways that you can participate. She will specifically be sharing about ways to affirm and encourage yourselves and each other to love yourself and your body. To find out more about Ellen and her work, follow this link. She will be on at 7am (a little early, ha ha- so if you miss it, I will hopefully be able to post the podcast at some point as soon as it is made available). Here is a schedule of when she will be on: 7am on 2/21 (Sunday, tomorrow) on G105, The River (100.7) and KISS (93.9). Her segment will also air at 6pm on The Rush (106.1).