Orthorexia: when healthy eating goes too far

Orthorexia: when healthy eating goes too far - What starts as a healthy eating habit can sometimes turn into an unhealthy obsession. Strict dieting rules and social isolation are just some of the symptoms of orthorexia, the eating disorder characterized by an obsession with healthy foods.

Click here to discover more about the condition.

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Balanced diet - We all know that a balanced diet is fundamental to making sure our bodies are happy, healthy and full of energy.

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Choices - Fruit, vegetables and protein in the right amounts are good for us and many people eat lots of these foods.

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Reverse effect - However, if these foods are over consumed and other food types, such as carbohydrates, dairy products and wheat, ignored, then this is no longer a healthy diet.

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Strict diet - Some people start to follow diets that are so strict that they begin to suffer from certain nutrient and vitamin deficiencies.

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Disorder - This obsession with healthy eating is called orthorexia nervosa.

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Silent prison - People who suffer from this disorder can reach points where they aren't even able to eat when away from home. They don't usually think there is anything wrong with them.

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Organic - They will often over consume organic products.

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Restrictions - Sufferers will not eat dairy products, meat or carbohydrates.

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Unhealthy habits - Meals are an important part of each day for all of us, but for people with orthorexia the whole day is focused on mealtimes.

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Planning - Some plan days in advance exactly what they will eat for each meal.

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Damaging - Othorexia can become so consuming that it starts to affect a person's work or study.

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Isolation - Their social life can also be affected. Victims of orthorexia often avoid bars or restaurants as they have no control over what food they are being served.

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Consequences - Orthorexia can result in anemia and other nutrient and vitamin deficiencies.

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First diagnosis - The disorder was diagnosed for the first time in 1997 by American doctor Steven Bratman, who has started the site Orthorexia.com to deal with the subject.

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Diet versus disorder - According to an article on the portal Diets in review, doctor Steven Bratman warns that a diet is not diagnosed as orthorexia, but that an extreme, constant diet is.

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Patients - Bratman even published a book called 'Health Food Junkies,' which gives a detailed explanation on a study he did with orthorexia patients.

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Restricted food - His findings reveal that the agony of being orthorexic is not just limited to the excessive control of what you eat, but also a feeling of guilt.

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Guilty - When an orthorexic person eats something they don't consider healthy, then they feel anxious and guilty.

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Hair loss - Physical problems resulting from orthorexia can include hair loss.

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Menstruation - Bratman also writes that orthorexia in women can cause disruptions to their menstrual cycles.

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Skin problems - Skin problems linked to vitamin deficiencies can be another symptom.

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Weight loss - A more direct and obvious effect is excessive weight loss.

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Deterioration - If orthorexia is not treated properly then it can lead to more serious disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia.

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Diagnosis - Diagnosis of orthorexia can only be made by a doctor through a close examination of a patient's eating habits.

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Tests - Diagnosis also includes carrying out tests to detect possible vitamin or nutrient deficiencies in the body.

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Acceptance - The first step to treating orthorexia is for the patient to admit that their eating habits are extreme.

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Support - Family support is vital to helping sufferers.

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Help - It's not only medical and family support that can help orthorexic people, as psychological treatment is also useful.

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Cure? - If you or someone you know may be suffering from orthorexia, it's best to seek the advice of a medical professional.

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