She was also an Admissions Clinician at Walden, conducting clinical assessments for patients, leading group and individual supervision to pre-licensed clinicians and developing new training and on-boarding procedures. Prior to joining Walden, Wick was a licensed mental health clinician at MHM Services, Inc.

Wick attended Miami University, earning her undergraduate degree in Anthropology and graduated from Boston College with a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology.

Individuals living with orthorexia are extremely focused — and often obsessive — over the quality and purity of their food. The quantity of food is typically less important than that quality. Inflexible eating patterns: Someone with orthorexia is likely incredibly rigid with their food consumption.

Cutting out entire food groups: This certainly tells you how rigid these orthorexia-fueled rule-based diets can become. Anxiety simply being around certain foods: Someone with orthorexia might feel an intense need to separate themselves from their forbidden foods.

They may feel incredibly uncomfortable or leave a room if that food can be seen. More Warning Signs of Orthorexia Nervosa. This blog is for informational purposes only and should not be a substitute for medical advice. These disorders are very complex, and this post does not take into account the unique circumstances for every individual.

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Warning Signs of Orthorexia Nervosa. Orthorexia nervosa is commonly associated with: Perfectionism Social isolation Malnutrition What starts as someone trying to eat healthier can lead to other eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and binge eating.

To lose weight or look better To avoid medical illnesses and diseases To avoid foods due to diagnosed or undiagnosed allergies An irrational concern over food origin or the chemicals that may be lurking in foods In our current culture, the practice of cutting out entire food groups like sugar, fats, carbohydrates, and dairy are commended.

Signs and Symptoms of Orthorexia The following signs and symptoms of orthorexia may be experienced to some degree by those who are struggling with disordered eating behaviors. Related Articles on Center for Discovery More Warning Signs of Orthorexia Nervosa What is Orthorexia?

The term Orthorexia Nervosa is not officially recognized as an eating disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DAM-5 or by the American Psychiatric Association.

Much research has been done on orthorexia, but the classification and definition of this condition is still being debated. Physicians and mental health professionals may describe individuals living with orthorexia as possessing an unhealthy obsession with the quality of foods they consume but guidance and tools for diagnosing and treating the condition have not been standardized.

Orthorexia nervosa also differs from more widely known and recognized eating disorders, such as Bulimia nervosa and Anorexia nervosa , that are characterized more by an unhealthy fixation on the amount of food consumed as well as weight and body image, than the condition or source of food eaten.

But researchers have found that those who suffer from orthorexia share many of the same psychological and behavioral traits with those who suffer from other eating disorders. Those who suffer from orthorexia nervosa are fueled by the desire to consume pure, healthy foods, obsessing over maintaining a perfect diet rather than an ideal weight.

Someone with orthorexia may refuse to eat any food that contains anything they consider to be unhealthy or impure, such as artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, fat, sugar, or salt, pesticides, genetically modified organisms, animal or dairy products.

While this can be a normal approach to food for some people, if you are suffering from orthorexia your attitude and behavior toward eating a clean diet is obsessive and exaggerated. You may:. Have obsessive thoughts over the effects of the food you eat on medical conditions, such as asthma, anxiety, allergies, or digestive disorders and including conditions that have not been diagnosed.

Severely restrict the types of food you eat because you deem so many foods acceptable to your diet. Use significant amounts of probiotics, herbal remedies, and other supplements thought to have healthy effects on the body. have irrational concerns about preparation of foods, relating to food washing techniques and sterilization of utensils.

Regular advanced meal planning, feelings of guilt and displeasure when meals are not planned in advance. Having critical, judgmental thoughts of others who do not follow healthy, pure eating plans.

Avoidance of eating food away from home or not prepared in your home kitchen, because you will not be able to comply easily with your healthy eating plan.