The Digest: New ED memoirs, fitness DVD swaps, and why we can’t eat just one

2nd December 2009

The Digest: New ED memoirs, fitness DVD swaps, and why we can’t eat just one

posted in Anorexia, Bulimia, ED-NOS, Eating Disorders, Food News, Health, Nutrition & Fitness, Rachel, Recovery |

So, I had just dozed off again yesterday morning when my cat, who usually sleeps next to me each morning, tried to jump up on the bed. Sweet, right? Not so much… I was hugging the side of the bed and she nailed me instead above my eye. Three inner stitches, five outer ones and a tetanus shot later, I’m sporting the Frankenstein look this week. There were seven people ahead of me in line at the Urgent Care office, so I had lots of time to peruse through their fine selection of health magazines and found these snippets to share.

Can I get an amen?: Abby Sher, who used to perform with the comedy troupe The Second City, takes a comedic look at her struggles with obsessive-compulsive disorder and anorexia in her new memoir, Amen, Amen, Amen.

Hello, body; goodbye, loathing: Body image expert Sarah Maria is the author of the new book, Love Your Body, Love Your Life. The self-help guide gives readers five steps to help end negative body image obsession and start living a confident and empowered life. Bonus: Check out an interview with Maria at the blog Weightless.

Goodbye workout ruts!: Score fresh fitness DVDs for free when you trade in old ones at SwapADVD.com.

Down dog with eating disorders: A pilot study, recently published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, found that yoga was effective in treating adolescents with anorexia, bulimia, and ED-NOS

Why you can’t eat just one: A group of neuroscientists have discovered a reason for why we (or rats, at least) can’t seem to get enough candy or junk food: we’re addicted. Their study found that pleasure centers in the brains of rats on high-fat and calorie diets became less responsive as the bingeing wore on, making the rats consume more and more food.

Sink your teeth into this: Market research firm Mintel predicts the top five dining trends for 2010 will include healthier dishes, seasonal ingredients, lesser-known ethnic cuisines and a back-to-basics approach to old-fashioned foods such as burgers.

Click to Bookmark

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009 at 12:41 pm and is filed under Anorexia, Bulimia, ED-NOS, Eating Disorders, Food News, Health, Nutrition & Fitness, Rachel, Recovery. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

1 On December 2nd, 2009, jessa said:

When I was in treatment for my eating disorder and for self-injury, yoga made a weekly appearance on the agenda. I had never done yoga, but I gave it a shot. It didn’t go well for me, it sometimes made me extra-super uncomfortable in my body and it usually made me feel hostile. I asked them to please stop making me do yoga, but they wouldn’t, so I was “noncompliant”. That said, I’m glad yoga helps some people, and I wouldn’t want to take that from them, but I still wish they would stop forcing it on people who react badly to it.

posted on December 2nd, 2009 at 1:06 pm

2 On December 2nd, 2009, Rachel said:

I’ve tried yoga, but it’s hard for someone like me who has ADD to really get into it. I agree Jessa that it’s not for everyone and I’m surprised your center was so insistent on only using yoga.

posted on December 2nd, 2009 at 1:23 pm

3 On December 2nd, 2009, D said:

Rachel,
Try “flow” yoga! There is much more movement and you get a great workout. Also try “hot” yoga, it’s very interesting. You’ve got to make it fun for you, personalize your yoga I say…Of course, yoga isn’t for everyone…

posted on December 2nd, 2009 at 2:19 pm

4 On December 2nd, 2009, jessa said:

Rachel, it wasn’t that they did only yoga. They did lots of things. Yoga was just on the schedule once a week and the schedule was inflexible.

posted on December 2nd, 2009 at 4:03 pm

5 On December 2nd, 2009, Claire said:

I enjoy the stories about your cats (along with other aspects) on this blog. I’m also an animal lover and cat owner.

Do you advocate experiments on rats? Or in particular, those to further investigate the shallow, never ending, on-going neuroses of women?

I only ask as a rat owner. I love them as much as my cats =( As you are an animal lover you will understand. I’ll probably get some abuse for this, but hey.

posted on December 2nd, 2009 at 5:45 pm

6 On December 2nd, 2009, Rachel said:

@Claire: This is a bit off-topic and I’m also not quite sure what you mean by “the shallow, never ending, on-going neuroses of women,” but I don’t support the practice of animal testing on any animal, regardless of where it falls on the cuteness scale.

posted on December 2nd, 2009 at 6:05 pm

7 On December 2nd, 2009, Anna said:

Another one for not testing on rats! I love those little guys. I have two of my own, and it upsets me to know they could have been test subjects if only for different circumstances.

And also, another one for finding yoga boring! I could see how it would help though. It’s really beneficial for some, but for me I end up staying in a position going “BOOOORRRRINNNNGGGG”

I need to do that face one in the ultra hot rooms. Bikram, I think?

posted on December 2nd, 2009 at 8:11 pm

8 On December 3rd, 2009, bri said:

Ouchie! I hope you aren’t in too much pain. A safety mask for sleeping perhaps? ; )

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 12:10 am

9 On December 3rd, 2009, All Women Stalker said:

Regarding the point about being addicted to candy or junkfood…. I remember Oprah (or someone else) saying that if you can’t stop at one, don’t bother putting it in your mouth. I heeded that advice as much I could. It kinda helped. Teehee.

-Denise

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 9:33 am