| Sondra |
| | March 20, 2007 at 09:49 AM | Reply with quote | #1 |
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Hello all-
My name is Sondra, many of you helped me out last week during a very very stressful few days.
As I re-feed my daughter and take inventory of our needs/concerns/blessings, I find myself reflecting on random observations. Many of these are non-sequiters or everyday items one would not notice before being immersed in the world of ED's. Some are downright ludicrous and others downright dangerous.
Believing in the power of group dynamics, and wanting to move the issue of ED's further up the public policy food chain (no pun intended), using this post to get these out of the dark recesses of our culture/society/academic system and into the light of day for comment, reflection and maybe even action.
Group think is encouraged. Please add to these as you see fit.
Here are my top three rants today:
1. When you Google Anorexia, Bulimia or the myriad other eating disorders by their latin or common name, did you ever notice the banner ads that are automatically generated along the side? Many of them are for weight loss products or centers, with titillating titles like:"Get SUPER skinny with Hoodia", or, "ANOREXIA: Read a review of this diet method on skinnyondiets.com", etc.
Shame on Google. I imagine they encourage cigarette ads when you Google Lung cancer? No soul.
2. Of all the providers involved in my daughters care since October, the one that let us down the most is her pediatrician. 16 years of turning to this group for their professional guidance on our daughters health and they ignored many of the signs which to an untrained mind were so very obvious: a 20 pound weight loss between her 15th and 16th checkup? Telling us, yes she has an eating disorder, but there is nothing YOU can do, she has to want to get better and begin eating on her own? Pediatricians should have a MANDATORY component of their medical curriculum: identifying signs and symptoms of eating disorder, and then ongoing education requirements for staying abreast of current methodolgy and theories as well as a licensing requirement that they have a base of proven protocals and plans on referrals for families identified as in need.
3. Having the head of the Special Education Department in CT say to me "Well if your daughter had a real illness, her education could be covered under the medical need clause of the states Spec Ed regulations." State Education policy, under special education, should identify eating disorders as a special need, akin to autism, MS and other medical health issues.
Yours?
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| md |
| | March 20, 2007 at 10:47 AM | Reply with quote | #2 |
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Sondra, I agree with your second point that doctors should have training on eating disorders. In their defense, however, I would say that doctors, like the rest of us (and presumably even more so), are awash in "information" about the dangers of obesity, both in their training and in the culture in general. This may make it hard for them to recognize or acknowledge the symptoms of eating disorders. Personally, I get angry whenever I hear someone talk about a "plus-size" woman, because this term seems to be used for any woman who has breasts and hips.
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| Laura |
| | March 20, 2007 at 06:10 PM | Reply with quote | #3 |
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Quote: Originally Posted by md
Personally, I get angry whenever I hear someone talk about a "plus-size" woman, because this term seems to be used for any woman who has breasts and hips.
You are both so right. If you want to shake your head in wonder look at this photo of a "plus" model on my blog. We've all lost our minds! |
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| Sondra |
| | March 20, 2007 at 06:31 PM | Reply with quote | #4 |
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Rant #4
High paid and elitist fashion designers who mock the health concerns of caring people out to support the end of abusive and voyueristic exploitation of rail thin eating disordered models and the culture their images imbue in our impressionistic children (male and female). See the outrageous response of Gaultier, to the worldwide call to end the use of SIze 00 models in runway fashion shows. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=408463&in_page_id=1770&ico=Homepage&icl=TabModule&icc=picbox&ct=5
Exploitive, disdainful, sardonic and just plain mean.
Laura and md, I couldn't agree with you more....Designers should be working to design a diversity of clothing for attractive fit on all body types. Diversity in Style, should be the driving market force. Not forced starvation for uniformity.
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| sondra |
| | March 21, 2007 at 11:25 PM | Reply with quote | #5 |
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Rant #5
Psychologists who are allowed to continue to perpetuate old held and non evidentiary based 'causes' of eating disorders. This perilous and negligent practice, for a profit no less, has to be admonished and stopped.
Point in case:
Psychologists Michael Gurian, in his book The Wonder of Girls, states:
" In most eating disorder cases, crucial attachment is missing in the girl's [family] system. The intimacy her growing mind and body seek is not being satisfied. She lacks a father in her life, her mother is relatively unavailable, she feels outside the female hierarchies, she has started dating early and cant handle the rejections by boys. These intimacy-related...circumstances are not the only cause of the disorder, but they are crucial factors."
He may indeed have some really good stuff to tell me about the wonder of girls outside of this, but how will I ever know? His book now lies at the bottom of Long Island Sound.
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| sondra |
| | March 21, 2007 at 11:38 PM | Reply with quote | #6 |
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Quote: Originally Posted by md
..In their defense, however, I would say that doctors, like the rest of us (and presumably even more so), are awash in "information" about the dangers of obesity, both in their training and in the culture in general.
Oh so true, md. On the US gov website devoted to empowering girls with their bodies, lives, and futures (the program and site is entitled girlpower), they claim their site is critical and advances their mission, because "Girls at 8 or 9 typically have very strong attitudes about their health, so Girl Power! seeks to reinforce and sustain these positive values among girls ages 9-13 by targeting health messages to the unique needs, interests, and challenges of girls."
And yet, when I look on the survey studies and reports page, listing helpful articles for young girls on health issues, the only mention of ED is this "Dieting and the Development of Eating Disorders in Overweight and Obese Adults "
Whom do we call??!
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| Laura |
| | March 22, 2007 at 07:11 AM | Reply with quote | #7 |
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Quote: Originally Posted by sondra
He may indeed have some really good stuff to tell me about the wonder of girls outside of this, but how will I ever know? His book now lies at the bottom of Long Island Sound.
Let's line the Sound, and the lakes and seas of the world, with all the guilt/shame/blame/self-loathing/ED as metaphor literature and get back to the facts.
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| sondra |
| | March 23, 2007 at 10:05 AM | Reply with quote | #8 |
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Rant #...okay I lost count...but its a rant anyway-
In reading so many womens magaznes and health magazines, they often list 'symptoms' to see your doctor for: chronic headache, loss of memory, chronic fatigue, hair loss... They ofton alert the reader that these could be signs of so many many things: early alzheimers, diabetes, stroke, thyroid problems... we call this praying on the "Walking Worried".
I think they should also always list MALNUTRITION. SO many of the signs and symptoms my friends complain about are probably more about a malnourished body than any other illness or disease. Eating once a day, existing on coffee and lettuce, eating 800 calories and then working it off in a spinning class....this is a perscription for malnoutrition.
Maybe if we focused as much on the proper nourishment of our bodies NOT DIETING, but nourishment, the appropriate complex mix of vitamins and minerals and waters and salts, we would all feel better, we would teach our chidlren this and they would be better and a nourished body could become as popular and important an acheivement as warding off early signs of some other illness(whose percentage of likeley hood for developing is statistically low)
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| Laura |
| | March 23, 2007 at 10:19 AM | Reply with quote | #9 |
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Good rants!
Here's mine: why are the books for eating disorders in the "Recovery" section of the bookstore? Why aren't they in with diabetes, colitis, heart disease, menopause? Why is the "Psych" section off in another area at all?
And why is the "Diet" section the biggest of all? Surely eating disorders should at least be right next to the dieting section!
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| Wendy Moyer |
| | March 23, 2007 at 07:49 PM | Reply with quote | #10 |
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RANT #1 for us is the diet commercials on TV every time there is a break in programing. Granted Slim Fast is finally changing what they say a bit and say we are not talking hip bones but hips...and find the right weight for you and their "models" are a more healthy but still the diet ads are constantly making people think they are not good no matter what they look like.
RANT #2 is the medical system in general. For our D she had an underlying gallbladder that went bad BEFORE the AN set in but because she just felt sick when she ate she just ignored it (kids???) then she was on a med that killed her hunger (prescription) and that did it in...BUT did anyone ever think about testing for any thing other then blood work and when that comes back off you get well that is just what happens with AN....not looking beyond that.
RANT #3 A fear of fats and other needed foods for most of all TEENS that are still growing by the public. I SWEAR if I hear from Center for Science in the Public Interest I am going to SCREAM ~ What happened to just eating??? People are become so afraid to eat it is not even funny for those who are impressionable to these things (ie teens etc). I am not talking here about choosing a lifestyle such as vegiaterian (as a family) etc. but instead the preseure from the outside. Also it boggels my mind that we have the drs etc saying we need to put our little ones on low fat diets...the brain needs fats and other things to grow and they are the things that are being told to avoid. Granted I understand that many people go overboard on their eating but to constantly say eat this or that and then oh don't eat it is just confusing and sets up more for disordered eating for those prone to it.
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| Wendy Moyer |
| | March 23, 2007 at 07:53 PM | Reply with quote | #11 |
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I should mention that on Rant #3 of mine we do eat a very traditional way with very little processed foods and lots of fats etc.
There is something very wrong with the idea that the only healthy body is one that is on the verge of malnorishment in our society. Healthy comes in all kinds of packages above that "ideal"
Thankfully our D is seeing that again and is now on the path to recovery but it is still very hard no matter what.
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| md |
| | March 23, 2007 at 10:57 PM | Reply with quote | #12 |
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On the subject of fat and foods, I recommend the book "Real Food: What to Eat and Why." The author, Nina Planck, writes quite a bit about why fat is good for us (especially our brains).
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| Wendy Moyer |
| | March 23, 2007 at 11:29 PM | Reply with quote | #13 |
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Another very good site is the Weston A Price Foundation. (also has a great deal of information on soy (and why it is not great for us) This is what we use for our base for our eating.
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| M |
| | March 24, 2007 at 02:13 AM | Reply with quote | #14 |
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Quote: Originally Posted by Wendy Moyer
RANT #3 A fear of fats and other needed foods for most of all TEENS that are still growing by the public. I SWEAR if I hear from Center for Science in the Public Interest I am going to SCREAM ~ What happened to just eating??? People are become so afraid to eat it is not even funny for those who are impressionable to these things (ie teens etc). I am not talking here about choosing a lifestyle such as vegiaterian (as a family) etc. but instead the preseure from the outside. Also it boggels my mind that we have the drs etc saying we need to put our little ones on low fat diets...the brain needs fats and other things to grow and they are the things that are being told to avoid. Granted I understand that many people go overboard on their eating but to constantly say eat this or that and then oh don't eat it is just confusing and sets up more for disordered eating for those prone to it.
Hear, freaking, hear! This makes me absolutely rabid, and they (THEY) are now bringing it into schools. Our schools, by state mandate, cannot serve whole milk (too much fat per serving) but can sell Baked Lays in itsy bitsy bags. And fruit roll-ups (largely sugar), and blue Powerade (oh great! sugar plus bluing!). No cheese pizza at class parties anymore--not even homemade. (I'm referring to my nine-year-old's school, now.) I think class parties are overblown, but they are especially icky when the menu request that comes home is:
Valentine's Day Party Menu
(let us know what from the list below you can send, no candy or sweets as per the County School Board)
Raw Broccoli
Raw Cauliflower
Low-fat Ranch dressing
Low-fat pretzels
Fruit (apple slices, pear slices, fresh pineapple, grapes)
100% fruit juice
BOY HOWDY! Let's party!
Ok, I don't have a beef with INCLUDING these things, and if the choice is between fruit juice cocktail and real juice, I'd vote for the real juice. But mostly, this is just crazy. Children need high-quality protein, and good fats. And, frankly, "bad" fats are better than NO fats.
Yada, yada, yada.
Like Wendy, I've found the Westin Price Foundation to be very sane and encouraging. I don't do everything they recommend, but, I think they're terrififc.
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| Riv |
| | March 24, 2007 at 05:09 AM | Reply with quote | #15 |
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and here is mine...
I'm a teacher and often buy my lunch at the school canteen. Last week I went as usual and tried to buy a favourite of mine nachos-they handed me the usual serve-but no sour cream
'We don't serve it with that anymore'
'Okay a spinach and Ricotta pastry'
'We've cut those out'
'Fine, I'll have a pastie, but only if you still have ketchup'
I recieved the smallest pastie I have ever seen.
Apparently this is part our government's initiative to abolish obesity in schools.
I could, however, have my pick of 99% fat free yoghurt, salad, fruit salad, sushi, fat free muffins, etc etc
This is a school canteen for CHILDREN and ADOLESCENTS
Back in the staffroom I was met with
'Yes, isn't it fantastic, I might lose a few kilos!'
and
'We do have a growing problem with obesity in young people'
Another intelligent idea our politicians have come up with is mandatory weighing of all students to appear on REPORT CARDS-this has not yet been passed and may it never ever be.
We had a group of university students visit our 12 and 13 year olds to weigh, measure and fitness test them, this happened in front of each other in a class setting! The parents consent was required and sadly, I do not think most parents would realise the potential danger in this 'study.'
Other staff (they don't know that my daughter has AN) thought this was a good idea and couldn't see how this could be a potentail trigger for EDs. I think they thought I was being very silly and ignorant indeed.
I believe that one of the triggers for my daughter's AN was a huge focus in sport for a semester on beep tests and fitness, and, as a highly academic student and perfectionist she really beat up on herself for getting a D plus in sport and fitness. Our response was 'Who cares, you did great anyway' but she just couldn't see it that way.
Riv
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| Harriet | |
| Riv |
| | March 25, 2007 at 09:48 AM | Reply with quote | #17 |
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Thankyou for the link to that article!
That is exactly the type of hysteria I am noticing here in Australia too. A very interesting read,
Riv
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| marcella |
| | March 25, 2007 at 10:54 AM | Reply with quote | #18 |
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Great article Harriet.
I like this article too http://www.careforthefamily.org.uk/pdf/supportnet/WhatIsHealthyEating.pdf
It's from a Christian Organisation here in the UK. I'm not particularly impressed by all of their work, not becuase of its Christian content which I is well explained and reasonable even when I don't share the beliefs, but because they haven't yet cottoned on to the recent developments in biological and genetic research. However this brief article for parents, and those in the same servies that I've read, is pretty good for both parents and teachers. |
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| Sondra |
| | March 29, 2007 at 05:00 PM | Reply with quote | #19 |
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The language surrounding Eating Disorders:
"Living with an eating disorder".....this term is way too cozy. You live with your lover, your family, your Mom and Dad. You live with your friends, your schoolmates. It infers permanency, comfort, amicability, togetherness.
How about "Moving on from eating disorders" or "Living with Nutrition". Anything but the aforementioned.
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| Riv | |
| sondra |
| | April 04, 2007 at 01:43 AM | Reply with quote | #21 |
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Rant number 5,463,765,324
Going to the "Find a Physician" section of my health insurance provider website or any medical centers website and getting ONLY psychiatrists when I am lookng for a good Adolescent Medical Doctor who specializes in ED's. ARGHHHHHHHHHH.
Rant Number 5,463,765,325
Having to bring my healthcare insurer to court to cover costs for my daughter to see the ONLY adolescent medical doctor specializing in Eating Disorders, who happens to not be in Ct but a four hour ROUND TRIP drive out of state.
My dog gets better care.
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| nytimesreader | |
| M |
| | April 05, 2007 at 12:32 AM | Reply with quote | #23 |
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Anyone who is irked by the constant, hysterical, coverage of the childhood obesity epidemic can no better than this blog:
junkfoodscience.blogspot.com
It's written by Sandy Szwarc, and she's even more rabid than me. And far more appropriately educated to talk about such things.
Laura turned me on to this months ago.
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| mimi |
| | April 05, 2007 at 11:50 PM | Reply with quote | #24 |
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Today while killing time in the waiting room of my child's eating disorder clinic, I picked a magazine from their stack of offerings (The Economist) and read a simply fascinating article about how some researchers believe that "severely" restricting your caloric intake can actually extend your life. I could not have been more delighted to get this readily available information in such a convenient location.
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| Bridget |
| | April 06, 2007 at 05:07 AM | Reply with quote | #25 |
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Hi Mimi - when my desperately ill daughter and I, her then totally confused and overwrought mother, attended our first session with the Dr I picked up a magazine from the stack in his waiting room and its bold headline ran 'Anorexia - is your mother to blame'!!
cheers
Bridget
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| sondrad |
| | April 06, 2007 at 09:00 AM | Reply with quote | #26 |
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Bridget,
AAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
What are we thinking?!? I hope you marched right in and shared that with the staff...
S
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| md |
| | April 06, 2007 at 11:42 AM | Reply with quote | #27 |
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mimi, was the article about the rat study? It's a well-known, long-term, thoroughly depressing piece of research being conducted, perhaps at the University of Wisconsin, and it has some rapid devotees. When I've read about it, the negatives (lack of energy, bone loss for women, lack of pleasure because of never getting to eat enough) are rarely explored in depth. In this situation, though, I can't blame the clinic too much; the staff probably have enough to do without adding to the workload vetting all the articles (and in the Economist, no less!).
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| mimi |
| | April 06, 2007 at 12:30 PM | Reply with quote | #28 |
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I don't exactly blame our clinic for having this issue of The Economist in their lobby. I realize the bulk of their patients are unlikely to pick it up and who is to say where it came from. (Ancient National Geographics and Ranger Ricks are the clinic approved waiting room options. Ranger Rick must be intended for my 4th grade son.) Although I didn't save the offending magazine (I expressively handed it over to our doctor as only a mama bear could do), this appears to be the online version of the article:
http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=6823498
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| sondrad |
| | April 26, 2007 at 01:00 AM | Reply with quote | #29 |
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Recent headlines:
Marcia Brady (Maureen...?) A self professed recovered bulimic, on 'Celebrity Fit Club', baring her tortured past and...what?....going on a public diet???
This is dangerous stuff and evidence that ED's still are not taken as serious disease. I am SO very concerned for her and for others who may be watching.....
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| A |
| | April 28, 2007 at 12:35 AM | Reply with quote | #30 |
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Rant #1: Ill-informed high school teachers who told my D if she really wanetd to die then why couldn't she just kill herself quickly and stop making everyone watch her. There should be a mandatory section in teacher training about eating disorders.
Rant #2: Drs who, when taking my D to the ER, respond with a 'just get her to eat a sandwich and she'll be fine'. She had two different types of infections that may have killed her had I not found a nurse with mental health training, and urged her to look at my D again.
Rant #3: The warped idea that eating disorders only occur in girls who have been neglected, abused, and pushed to hard by their parents. ARGH! I don't even have anything to say back to that but ARGH!
[Thanks, that helped a lot! hahaha]
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| A |
| | April 28, 2007 at 12:42 AM | Reply with quote | #31 |
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Oh, and how could I forget:
Rant #4: The Truth About Size Zero. Seriously, WTF? I know they were trying very hard to keep this focused on the negatives and try to STOP people from viewing size zero as good, and stop people seeing that kind of behaviour as good. But, seriously, how unintelligent are those producers. She walks into the dr, halfway through it, and he says "THis is effecting your whole body, your reproductive system, your blood, your muscle...etc" and she still kept going. Wouldn't a person who wanted to teach people NOT to do these things have STOPPED for the sake of her HEALTH. It just makes me furious.
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| Laura K |
| | May 05, 2007 at 11:40 PM | Reply with quote | #32 |
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Diet Coke with vitamens............there are no words! |
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| sondra |
| | May 19, 2007 at 11:48 AM | Reply with quote | #33 |
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"They say cameras add ten pounds, but HP digital cameras can help reverse that effect. The slimming feature, available on select HP digital camera models, is a subtle effect that can instantly trim off pounds from the subjects in your photos! "
We have lost our minds.......
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| sc |
| | May 19, 2007 at 02:16 PM | Reply with quote | #34 |
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Okay, okay--I think I have found the worst one. I was looking for new research on anorexia and came across a recent study where they did an inventory of currently anorexic girls and compared to normal controls they described their Mothers as more controlling. The research as quoted in the paper of coure, concludes, once again BAD MOTHERS DO CAUSE ANOREXIA. Didnt get original article--but please-who funds this drivel?
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| ipwillymom |
| | May 20, 2007 at 02:05 AM | Reply with quote | #35 |
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SC - your message made me laugh . . .
I was told my daughter was looking for control because I hadn't set enough boundaries for her . . , !! |
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| nancy |
| | May 21, 2007 at 02:49 PM | Reply with quote | #36 |
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(lengthy rant follows):
Depending upon biases of the doctors/therapists (did they have controlling parents or lax parents themselves-were they ok with strict parents or resentful, or ok with permissive parents or resentful? What style do they take with their own children/family?) you can easily be regarded as too controlling in one office or too lax in the next.
What may be "organizational" in a large family, can be seen as controlling from another perspective, or what may be choosing your battles in one family, may be seen as too permissive by another family's standards. Standards may be judged as too low (vocational school is fine) or too high (setting sights on Harvard); too permissive (kid stays out late); or too controlling (kid not permitted to stay out late).
Personally I would like T's who accept degrees of homeschooling (so far-
all are against or quizzical- when they are the type to focus not on OCD/anxiety disorder- but on psychological antecedents) and large families, and somewhat slightly countercultural religious background, without raised eyebrows or knee jerk assumptions.
A good T suspends personal judgement and biases, and is forward-oriented, to support the parents in their personal goals for family and children, even if the religion or lifestyle or counterculturalism (such as no tv's) or cultural-conformity (such as tv's in room) etc are not personally favored by the T.
Just because we have a psych problem in a child does not mean our entire lives are up for pervasive scrutiny. (My problem was having many false starts with referrals to psychodynamic approaches/basic counseling when child-ocd experts were few and far between).
Decent parents must be trusted to choose what is best for their children, they may need guidance and tools and suggestions during crises, but not pervasive calling into question the whole basis of the family's lifestyle and past development. What a waste of time.
The fact is, in this country parents are free to choose how to raise and what to teach their children and that can rankle T's who are relying upon the therapeutic model of the "healthy" family (much like doctors are relying upon medical model of 'healthy" bmi) .
Out of step, countercultural, introverted, activist, houseboat dwelling, mountain dweliing, underemployed, workaholic, large and extended, single parent, mixed, divorced, and what have you families are all functioning for their purposes (ie, raising children to eventually be self supporting, not abusive). But when they have an unusual medical or neurological or psychiatric problem any and all so called "diifferences" can come up for grabs, with suspicious scrutiny by therapeutic and/or medical practitioners having no previous contact or knowledge of the family, plus the family may well be switching practioners throughout an ordeal, and having to keep rehashing the same tired questions and assumptions.
The families who escape this type judgement can be as different from each other as night and day, but, imo, they escape b/c there is no need to enter the realms of the psych-professions (Not bashing all- our psychiatrist is very good).
We as parents all have our own biases as well, there are almost always things we want to keep from our upbringing, but other things we firmly want to change, things we are personally lax about, and things we personally want more control over-no different than the experts who may judge us.
Since we are the persons in charge and with the willingness to make sacrificial efforts and lifetime investment in the children's well being, we should not face endless questioning and assumptions during troubled times, when we are most needing confidence and support and positive guidance.
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| Wendy Moyer |
| | May 21, 2007 at 05:49 PM | Reply with quote | #37 |
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Ok my daughter just saw this and said I had to add it:
1. Nick's Let's Just Play Challange - for one of the challangers they suggested her to have for breakfast (at age 12) a large cup of fruit. (nothing else just that) Then she went to the site to see more...well she said it for kids prone to having an ED would put them closer to it.
2. All the comercials on nick & cartoon network with reading food labels (obbsessing on calories & nutrition facts) and get moving commericals...she said they could start the obesesion also for kids as they could feel they were to lazy etc even if they are active already etc.
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| sondra |
| | May 21, 2007 at 09:21 PM | Reply with quote | #38 |
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Quote: Decent parents must be trusted to choose what is best for their children, they may need guidance and tools and suggestions during crises, but not pervasive calling into question the whole basis of the family's lifestyle and past development. What a waste of time.
The fact is, in this country parents are free to choose how to raise and what to teach their children
...and it is dispicable (sp?) that parenting is ONLY questioned and judged at a time when parents reach out and seek some direction and assistance with a very specific issue. Seeking help with parenting in this country is so verbotin that it conjures up the presumed need for a full dissection of your whole social/familial structure. Therapists do not use a fine scalpel and microscopic, focused precision in dealing with ED's, no they tend to use a hatchet and a wide swing.
Very well said Nancy. I hope you felt better. It was a very good rant. 
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| Debra |
| | May 22, 2007 at 06:20 AM | Reply with quote | #39 |
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Quote: Originally Posted by Wendy Moyer
Ok my daughter just saw this and said I had to add it:
1. Nick's Let's Just Play Challange - for one of the challangers they suggested her to have for breakfast (at age 12) a large cup of fruit. (nothing else just that) Then she went to the site to see more...well she said it for kids prone to having an ED would put them closer to it.
2. All the comercials on nick & cartoon network with reading food labels (obbsessing on calories & nutrition facts) and get moving commericals...she said they could start the obesesion also for kids as they could feel they were to lazy etc even if they are active already etc.
I agree! I hate the Nike "healthy" ads/clips. I saw the one where a kids said they didn't eat breakfast and was told to eat fruit because it was a healthy breakfast! OK, but what else? That isn't enough.
I really wish schools and TV would stop preaching all of this "healthy eating and exercise" to kids. The ones prone to ED will be pushed over the edge by it, and the others won't care what they say and will do what they would have done without the ads.
Sometimes I feel like it is just my d and I against the world when it comes to fighting this thing. I am constanting having to help her dodge stupid thoughts/messages.
Debra
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| Harriet |
| | May 22, 2007 at 08:47 AM | Reply with quote | #40 |
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Debra,
You're not alone. In our school I met with the assistant principal and shared my concerns around the "wellness" and "healthy eating" curriculum. I got my 6th-grader pulled out of nutrition and health eating classes. She took down the posters in the 6th grade hallways advocating weight loss (weight loss! for 11 year olds who are growing!!). More important, she is going to let me come in to talk to staff next fall about this whole subject.
Education happens one teacher at a time, one school at a time. But you can make a difference by speaking up calmly and with facts behind you.
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| Charlotte (Wendy's D) |
| | May 31, 2007 at 04:04 PM | Reply with quote | #41 |
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I have another rant. The Old Navy swimwear commercials. The girls on them are STICKS and the guys in the ad are looking at them like they have desirable bodies. THEY DON'T. Those guys are being paid. In real life, they would be glaring at them and saying "My god, eat a sandwich!". This type of advertising isn't helping those of us trying to recover from that type of thinking.
*sigh* And the media wonders what's with the rise in eating disorders.
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| Debra |
| | June 01, 2007 at 03:28 PM | Reply with quote | #42 |
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Quote: Originally Posted by Charlotte (Wendy's D)
I have another rant. The Old Navy swimwear commercials. The girls on them are STICKS and the guys in the ad are looking at them like they have desirable bodies. THEY DON'T. Those guys are being paid. In real life, they would be glaring at them and saying "My god, eat a sandwich!". This type of advertising isn't helping those of us trying to recover from that type of thinking.
*sigh* And the media wonders what's with the rise in eating disorders.
I HATE that commercial!
Debra
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| Laura |
| | June 01, 2007 at 03:36 PM | Reply with quote | #43 |
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I've got one.
Just got in from grocery shopping: THE CHECKOUT LINE MAGAZINES!
Half of them are all about losing weight, the other half are horrified by the celebrities for losing too much weight. There should be a tax on every time a tabloid uses the word "healthy" in vain!
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| Charlotte |
| | June 01, 2007 at 07:41 PM | Reply with quote | #44 |
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Quote: Originally Posted by Laura
I've got one.
Just got in from grocery shopping: THE CHECKOUT LINE MAGAZINES!
Half of them are all about losing weight, the other half are horrified by the celebrities for losing too much weight. There should be a tax on every time a tabloid uses the word "healthy" in vain!
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| Marie #2 |
| | June 02, 2007 at 10:14 AM | Reply with quote | #45 |
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Paying large amounts to a psychiatrist who: 1) Tells my d, as she walks in the room, that her shirt looks like a maternity shirt 2) Keeps a scale in the restroom, where my d was able to discover her weight 3) and my favorite.. explains to me, during the worst of refeeding, that studies have shown that families with children who suffer from EDs have more stressful meal times than families with no children suffering from EDs. Therefore, we should try to make mealtimes more fun. (What could be more fun than forcing your child to eat!) So, apparently that explains why my d developed an ED, not enough fun at mealtimes. If I had been able to get the medication from her regular pediatrician, I would have been able to save a lot of money and frustration. |
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| Harriet |
| | June 02, 2007 at 12:36 PM | Reply with quote | #46 |
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When my d was hospitalized (in the ICU) for bradycardia and dehydration, the hospital dietitian sent up a dinner that consisted of a MOUNTAIN of overcooked broccoli with a few pieces of chicken.
Never mind the fact that it was all unappetizing (that goes without saying)--what were they thinking to serve a starving anorexic a heap of broccoli!! I ask you. Every bite she took there was a double triumph--over anorexia and over ordinary good taste.
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| Kim |
| | June 03, 2007 at 10:17 AM | Reply with quote | #47 |
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My daughter just called me to see a commercial which warned that our kids are "GETTING BIGGER" by fast food! At the end, there was a number to call (which I wish I could remember), but I do remember their website: kidsgethealthy.org
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| Chocolate |
| | June 03, 2007 at 02:10 PM | Reply with quote | #48 |
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Here comes a good one! A.N. got a fitness award! Our d. has been awarded the National Physical Fitness Award for commitment to and achievement in physical fitness for improved heath and performance, thru her P.E. class at school. When I saw it I didn’t know if I should have laughed or cried. Our d. has been battling A.N. for over 1 year and a half, she has been at her target weight (we as parents set) for about four months, and in the mean time she was using her P.E. class for all the exercises she is forbidden at home. This is a girl who before AN wouldn’t run around the block for endurance before soccer season. I think I feel sad because while I was trying to feed her at home at much as possible AN was trying to waist the calories hard won in P.E. class. Doctor approved her P.E. class and the teacher never was able to explain what her real curriculum was. I just heard that our d. can run 1 mile in 9 minutes, what else…? At the same time I feel happy that although all the exercises, she had reached her target weight and kept it. I laughed at the irony of giving an award to A.N. The end result is that the responsible people for the program might have felt successful that the program is getting more people fit, "hopefully not anorexic". |
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| sondra |
| | June 03, 2007 at 04:44 PM | Reply with quote | #49 |
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Chocolate,
That is the golden illustration of how far our society has gone in abhoring, fearing, villianizing the concept of "FAT". Even though MOST school-aged children are NOT FAT, the schools (which by the way, in my opinion, should shut up and teach , leave the child rearing to us and lets all watch the average grade scores soar) frantically seek to employ positive reinforcement for children who focus on their body weight, food and being 'fit' (by a standard that is uniform for all kids?!?!? How bizarre). Hurray for your D who despite her AN, despite her schools attempts to 'force fit' the children, continues to maintain her goal weight. Some day, her struggle will not be compromised by a society's misguided attempts to 'do good'.
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| B |
| | June 03, 2007 at 07:11 PM | Reply with quote | #50 |
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I had mixed feelings this year when I was relieved to hear that my daughter won only the National fitness award - it was last year at this time when she won the Presidential level award (the highest level possible) that we realized there was real problem - her gym teacher gave her the award even though they post the BMI on their report cards too, she had a BMI of 14! |
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