The orthorexia it's a eating disorder in which the person follows a strict eating plan in which they only consume those things that they consider healthy.
The problem is that everything taken to the extreme can result in a complete disaster of the internal systems of the body, due to a lack of essential components such as vitamins, minerals and fats. To eat properly it is necessary to have an adequate nutrition plan and we can always turn to an online dietitian to help us in case of not having the necessary knowledge.
Orthorexia is a eating disorder associated with obsessive compulsive disorders, In this sense, the person hardly notices the deficiency and focuses on what he is supposedly doing well.
In this sense, people with orthorexia usually start with behaviors that may appear healthy at first but when taken to the extreme become a potential danger.
Eliminating fats and sugars from the diet is usually a first step, then there is a complex obsession to know what contribution each food brings.
These people quickly eliminate from their diet anything that seems potentially harmful to them, including fruits and vegetables since the problem can take unexpected turns such as thinking that fertilizers or pesticides are in fruits, or that they are genetically modified foods, etc..
It is important to note that although orthorexia belongs to the group of eating disorders, Unlike others, it does not have to do directly with the perception of the body, but with the states of health.
Although most cases are related to problems with self-image and excessive care, the amount of anguish does not come from the body but from the idea of eating unhealthy things.
Normally orthorexia is associated with other eating disorders and image disorders such as anorexia and body dysmorphia, since these can be the vehicle that transmits anxiety to the food that is eaten.
The patient begins to show an excessive interest in the foods to be consumed, especially in those that in his opinion contain something that can affect his body. There is talk of affectation if a person spends more than three hours a day looking for information about food.
Subsequently, these foods are eliminated from the diet and generally in patients with orthorexia they are not replaced by other natural or synthetic supplements..
There is excessive planning regarding the future consumption of food, so the person occupies himself for long periods in planning his meals the next day, and more if he must travel or go somewhere.
Due to particular eating habits, people who suffer from orthorexia prefer social isolation and avoid meetings and events that could potentially expose their condition.
This isolation can reach severe cases where the person definitely does not want to have contact with friends or family. At least not when it comes to the subject of meals.
All of the above is configured as a great problem and can reach a greater affectation, unleashing episodes of stress, anxiety crisis, and even lead the patient to depressive states.
This is due to several factors, among them we must take into account the degree of relational affectation, since obviously, the greater the isolation, the greater the possibility of reaching a state such as those mentioned in the previous paragraph.
On the other hand, and this is a common factor among patients with orthorexia, the problem with food is not the quantity or the taste, but the quality of the food.
In this sense, it is possible that the patient is tempted by some of the foods that he considers unhealthy. This can generate a strong self-reproach and lead the patient to nervous breakdowns due to a strong feeling of guilt.
At first, it may seem quite innocent and not very dangerous to take care of what you eat with suspicion. But in the case of the orthorexia the patient cannot measure the idea, and develop an obsession that is processed by suddenly avoiding eating certain things.
As it is evident, eliminating some foods from our diet at the root can generate severe health problems and decompensate most of the systems.
In the first instance and as a logical consequence we have the anemia and malnutrition, these appear in the early stages of the disease and are relatively easy to detect.
It is common in these cases for the person to initially eliminate meats, fats and sugars from their diet, in this sense they stop ingesting almost irreplaceable essential minerals so their body is not ready to adequately assimilate the vitamins they consume.
This can unleash a hypervitaminosis or, failing that, hypovitaminosis, since it has no way of regulating the amount of vitamins and trace elements assimilated by the body.
It is important to mention that the lack of some vitamins such as B12 can decompensate brain function, this can lead to episodes of confusion and mental weakness, perfect field for obsession to take over.
It has been detected that there may be a genetic predisposition towards orthorexia with family chains that present or have presented different eating disorders.
On the other hand, this affection of the order of ideas is strongly related to the Lifestyle. It is common for those who suffer from it to have greater purchasing power, which allows them to always be aware of what is consumed.
In this sense, people who do not have many resources, do not manage to widen their disease, so it is difficult for it to pass to adults..
On the other hand, and although it is not a condition directly related to the image of the body, athletes, bodybuilders and models are the most affected by this disease..
Age is another factor to take into account, normally we can observe the disease clearly among people between 20 and 35 years old, although in the case of women this usually lasts for much longer..
It is vital to note that this disorder can strongly affect people who are recovering from obesity problems. Their new lifestyle takes them to the extreme and puts their health at risk.
It is important to highlight that Malnutrition may occur during the weight loss process even if the person is still overweight.
In a strict sense, it is necessary to start with physiological recovery, this is essential before address any psychological aspect, since it is impossible to think of therapy for a nutritional deficiency.
After this exception, the person must work hard on aspects related to their behavior and habits acquired in relation to the obsession..
Cognitive behavioral therapy is recommended as the one with the best clinical results against orthorexia, the change in perception and behavior in front of food, it is vital to avoid a relapse into dangerous physiological states.
In many cases, the obsession cannot be totally eradicated but it can be controlled and balanced, so that it does not affect the relational and health aspects to a greater extent..
We hope it is quite clear what the orthorexia and its implications. As always, we encourage you not to have doubts about the subject. Leave a comment and we will respond as accurately as possible to each concern.
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