Living With Food: The Science Supporting Eating Disorder Treatment

By Dr. Mark Warren and Sarah Emerman, PC

As readers of this blog are no doubt aware we have entered into the holiday season, a time when we are surrounded by food, particularly chocolate, candy, cookies, and other holiday regulars. If one has an eating disorder this is of course a time fraught with fears and concerns. Whether you lean towards bingeing or restricting, the presence of so much food so readily available is often triggering and may cause a significant additional stress during what we would hope to be a joyous time. In our conversations with dietitians at CCED several suggestions have been made to manage potential stress around these issues:

• If you have a meal plan make every attempt to follow it. Meet with your dietitian to customize your meal plan for specific holiday events.

• Make sure your meal plan allows for the fact that the food around you this time of year will be different, and speak with your dietitian about how to fit these foods in your meal plan so that you able to participate in holiday gatherings.

• Remember, not all chocolate and desserts are created equal. Go for the best of the best and try to find the things you enjoy the most so that the holiday times can be associated with delicious tastes and mindful enjoyment of food.

• Have distractions readily available and the support of a trusted loved one to help you get through the hard moments. Suggestions include going for a walk, playing a board game, talking with a loved one, and watching a movie. Secure support from a friend or family member to help you cope with holiday stressors.

• If you’re feeling overwhelmed utilize one of these distractions and remember that the goal is not perfection, but constant improvement.

Should you have any questions or comments regarding this post please email blog@eatingdisorderscleveland.org