It’s easy to think of eating disorders as, well, a disorder. But when we start to really dive into the nitty gritty, are they actually considered an addiction? We’ve all heard people throw the word “addiction” around casually, right? Like, "I'm addicted to coffee," or,  "I’m addicted to this podcast" (which, let’s be real, you probably are). But what happens when we start talking about it in the context of serious eating disorders? That’s where things get a bit sticky. Spoiler: This isn’t the food addiction conversation.

How do we challenge cultural norms when society has a strong perception of how things “should” be? Cultural and environmental factors undeniably influence our understanding and experience of our relationship with food and our bodies. But, let’s reconsider them. This is an opportunity to examine how our personal, professional, and political actions can drive meaningful change.

Basically, the gist of the article is that big food companies, like General Mills, are teaming up with anti-diet dieticians to promote what they call "junk food" while discouraging weight loss efforts. Sounds sketchy, right? But here's the thing: this article is missing some crucial nuance.

Everyone seems to have an opinion, you've probably encountered unsolicited advice and opinions from well-meaning (or not-so-well-meaning) friends or family. But here's the thing – You are not on a mission to help them see the world the way that you do. You are not on a mission to help them understand intuitive eating and eating disorder recovery.

While diagnostic criteria, such as those outlined in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), exist for binge eating disorders, it's crucial to prioritize the individual's subjective experience. There is a limitation when it comes to these medicalized classifications and it’s important to recognize the subjective nature of these issues.

There is no doubt that I disagree with diet culture. But recently I’ve been noticing that a lot of these things that frustrate me with this culture are starting to show up in the anti-diet culture as well. Between the judging, the internal shaming, and the “cult behaviors”, the lines are starting to blur and the cycle we were trying to break has begun to repeat itself.

What do we do with the limitations in nutrition science? Much of the conversation among nutrition scientists, outside the realm of eating disorders, revolves around various fad diets or approaches involving highly processed foods, intermittent fasting, and keto diets, among other trends. But the majority of this evidence may lack comprehensive scientific support.

This episode is a conversation with family nurse practitioner Chana Ganz in response to an episode of the “Honestly” podcast with Bari Weiss entitled “Are We Eating Ourselves to Death?” We dive into obesity and life expectancy in America, the possible solutions to these problems, and how intuitive eating plays a role. Find more information on disorder eating, eating disorder treatment, and deep work therapy in NYC and Brooklyn on my website.

Dr Lara Zibarras is a psychologist and food freedom coach. She helps women create a healthy and happy relationship with food, without guilt or emotional eating. She is the founder of the Health Mindset Matters program which helps women discover the science and psychology behind their eating struggles and binges. She teaches women how to tune into their bodies and rediscover how to eat for both nourishment and enjoyment - creating a mindset for sustainable health.

In this episode, Rachel Tuchman shares what health actually means and how it differs for each person. We talk about HAES, anti-diet and body positivity culture, and shares how society has contributed to having poor body image and disordered eating. We take deep dive on how social media has exacerbated these issues. Stay tuned for resources at the end!