Orthorexia Treatment
Orthorexia Treatment in Greenwich, Darien, Westport, Westchester, and Surrounding Areas in Connecticut and New York.
What is orthorexia?
People with orthorexia are very fixated with "healthy eating", compulsively following and obsessing about rules regarding food that they believe will promote health. The rules surrounding food often become harsher over time. As the rules become more excessive, it often results in malnutrition, severe weight loss, problems with relationships, and problems with school/work. Ultimately, the obsession with "healthy eating" harms health and well-being.
What are the symptoms of orthorexia?
People with orthorexia often compulsively check ingredient lists, cut out foods and food groups, often avoid meals that don't meet their standards or they didn't make themselves, are unable to eat foods that they don't consider 'healthy', and spend a lot of time researching foods and following "healthy" food blogs. Body image disturbance is not always present.
How do you treat orthorexia?
We will work with you to increase the variety of foods eaten. We will also conduct gradual and systematic exposure to feared foods, which ultimately leads to reduction in anxiety and fear about eating these foods. We also incorporate mindfulness and acceptance techniques. We will work with you to defuse from unhelpful thoughts and feelings about food, and instead focus on living in accordance to your personal values.
What kind of experience do you have in treating orthorexia?
Dr. Sala has extensive training in treating orthorexia and other eating disorders, including experience at inpatient eating disorder units and a decade-long research career working with leaders in the field. Dr. Sala is the Director of the Mindfulness, Eating Disorders, and Acceptance Lab (MEAL) at Yeshiva University, where she conducts eating disorder treatment research. She received training in Family-Based Treatment for eating disorders from Stanford University and utilizes it in her work with children and adolescents.