Binge Eating Disorder — The Bridge Between Obesity and Eating Disorders

Written by Robyn Hussa Farrell and Chevese Turner — Founders of NORMAL and BEDA, respectively. As we know, the nation is caught in the grip of epidemic health crisis, including both mental health and obesity.  Following extensive recent studies, we now know that mental illness (including addictions) is more widespread than previously imagined and is [...]

Worth the “Weight”?

I never thought I could learn so much about myself from a cactus! Upon a recent trip to Arizona, I learned something about the Saguaro cactus (the really tall ones that can have a bunch of “arms”, once they are 75 years old). They can shrink and expand, based on how much moisture they hold [...]

Mental Holocaust

I am currently reading Healthy Selfitude by NORMAL President Robyn Hussa and this month I am more aware of the shift toward mindfulness but also realize that as an African American that grew up in the Protestant church how foreign this concept may come across. I would like to speak to you as you consider [...]

On the Olympics & Body Diversity

This Guest Post graciously submitted by Virginia Sole-Smith  I know, I know, the Olympics ended Sunday (with that weird Spice Girls reunion/closing ceremony). But I was at the beach last week, so these are some late musings. Every four years there is always a lot of talk about how Olympic athletes aren’t like us regular folk, particularly [...]

Thoughts on mental health

Updated and graciously re-posted from Gürze Publications: In the San Francisco Chronicle there was an article by Martha Woodruff titled, “Let’s treat addiction like the disease it is.” Ms. Woodruff was writing about an HBO executive who was seeking treatment for a substance abuse relapse. Woodruff asked, “When is this country going to relax its [...]

Eating Disorders and Suicide – Finding Hope

Eating disorders are known for having one of the highest suicide rates of any psychiatric disorder. Hopelessness is one of the most significant risk factors for suicide. Many individuals with eating disorders feel that their life is barren of hope – that they live in the darkness of hopelessness. Recently, I wrote a blog for [...]

Why Can’t People Just Read My Mind?

  So…you get upset because you think no one understands you.  You think everyone should know by now that you won’t eat XYZ or that you are “triggered” when others say this or that. “Why can’t everyone remember my rules?” That’s easy to answer.  Because not everyone has an eating disorder so they don’t think [...]

Harmless “accessory” or painful torture device…

If you have ever worn spanx you will know the torturous nature that a regular trip to the loo during a busy day can become. It takes you a good five minutes of wriggling and doing “the twist” to get them in place again before you head back out into your day. You check yourself [...]

Genetic Risk Factors in Eating Disorders

In this article, I want to lay out what has been learned about the genetic predisposition for eating disorders and how this can help identify who may be at risk for developing an eating disorder.  The first part of the article explains the background and basic science behind our current understanding of the genetic tendencies [...]

Precocious Puberty: A Risk Factor For Eating Disorders

It is important to consider the psychological effects of early puberty.

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