In this day and age when we are completely obsessed with putting labels on everyone, even eating healthy can be considered a disorder. According to an article in the Chicago Tribune, the disorder orthorexic is described as “an emerging eating disorder marked by extreme devotion to healthy food.”
Orthorexics are typically raw food […]

Keeping Kids Healthy is an award winning, long running public television program about pediatrics and parenting. Their archives feature lots of half-hour productions about mental illnesses and behavioural issues in children. One, about bipolar disorder in children, is the second most viewed video in my Vodpod collection, with hundreds of views compared to dozens for […]

“Basically, if you can learn to control your own inner experience, then you can fundamentally alter your experience of life,” says cognitive [thought] neuroscientist Dr. Lisa Saksida.
This international calendar of events will guide you to special events happening offline in your community during Brain Awareness Week, March 10-16.
Online, learn more about things like sugar […]

No, it’s not a medical term, but with the widespread acceptance of alcohol and drug use and societal pressures to maintain a thin physique, drunkorexia may be the next big “trendy” disorder. A New York Times article titled “Starving Themselves, Cocktail in Hand” reports on this new problem.
Drunkorexia is not an official […]

Eating disorders are usually thought of a teen issue, but increasingly men, adult women and girls as young as seven also suffer. They don’t fit into the usual treatment programs designed for adolescent girls. In my community, there’s a recovery program for girls aged 12 – 19, and another mental health service runs a body […]

Teenage girls who place themselves low on their school social ladder were 69% more likely 2 years later to gain significant weight compared to their peers, according to a new study.
The study is apparently the first to ask questions about social status before weight change, making a stronger case for linking the two. Previous research […]

This is a letter to the editor of my local paper that wasn’t published. Slightly modified to be more global.
“Hurry up, you fat f***ing bitch,” said the young man. His companion mewed obediently and walked faster. Another woman in a trendy outfit said nothing. We were strangers walking along a sidewalk and I didn’t confront […]

Actress Jennifer Love Hewitt faced some catty criticism recently after papparazzi photos of the bikini-clad star revealed some cellulite. Instead of being defensive or turning to crash dieting, however, she declared satisfaction with her size.
“I’ve sat by in silence for a long time now about the way women’s bodies are constantly scrutinized.
“To set the record […]

The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) is the largest not-for-profit organization in the United States working to prevent eating disorders and provide treatment referrals to those suffering from anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder and those concerned with body image and weight issues.
Every year they hold an annual auction to help raise money to help […]

Is your child trying to lose weight? They will have a harder time with their attempts if you are suffering from depression or stress, according to a new study.
Parent distress, peer bullying and childhood depression can propel a cycle that makes it more difficult for children to adopt healthier lifestyles, University of Florida researchers reported […]

Probably not surprising to anyone who’s ever grappled with weight issues is this week’s finding from the New England Journal of Medicine that obesity spreads through our social connections, especially those of close friends. The researchers note:

A person’s chances of becoming obese increased by 57% if he or she had a friend who became obese […]

NeuroVR is a new virtual reality application that can be used with an ordinary computer monitor or an immersive visual device. Award-winning open source software from Italian researchers Prof. G. Riva and Dr. Andrea Gaggioli, it’s now available as a free download.
Virtual reality therapy is most often used for anxiety treatments but has other applications […]