Orthorexia - When Healthy Eating Goes Bad | Renee McGregor | Talks at Google

Renee McGregor ​is one of the UK’s top sports nutritionists, advising athletes from amateur to Olympic to Paralympic levels. She is a performance and clinical dietitian, and a specialist in the clinical field of eating disorders. Renee is the author of four books: Orthorexia: When Healthy Eating Goes Bad, Training Food, Fast Fuel: Food for Running Success, and Food for Triathlon Success. In this talk she discusses the confusion around how best to nourish ourselves especially with so many restrictive diets crowding the bookshop shelves, social media and online.
Get "Orthorexia" here: goo.gl/4o2q37A

[@sam4330]

This comment section makes me sad, a big part of it is basically a demonstration of the sort of mentality that puts you at risk. People think she's talking about what foods are healthy or not, but she's actually talking about what type of mindset is healthy. She's not claiming that you need cow's milk, but that cutting it out might have many effects that you don't anticipate and that are ignored a lot when it's promoted. I use plant based milk myself, and I think she's not being entirely fair since plant based milk is often fortified with things like calcium and B12. However, that's not really the point she's trying to make either. It's about how the mentality where you cut foods out like this can cause more harm than good. You're thinking in absolutes, and that's just never good. It can make you obsess over what you eat, and cause anxiety if you feel like you ate something "wrong". It can make you feel extremely bad about yourself because you equate healthy or "clean" eating with being a morally righteous person. It can consume so much time and energy that it impairs your work, school or social life, or you might stop doing things that you usually enjoy. You might start to cut out anything that is even suspected of being a bit unhealthy. And if you keep spiraling, you're going to start restricting your intake to the point where it's physically dangerous. So please, please be mindful about how you think and talk about food.

[@oscardoyle953]

This talk is a fantastic teaching tool. Firstly her talk is quite informative and thought-provoking. And secondly the comment section give first hand evidence of the existence of the disorder.

[@SaraWilsonBasturk]

I have a family member who has developed an unhealthy obsession with supposedly healthy eating. She has demonized certain foods while believing that others will magically ward off illness. (I’m sorry but eating three lemons daily won’t single handedly prevent cancer) We, her family who love her, find it unpleasant to spend time with her because food and it’s category (“good” or “bad”) is the only she talks about anymore. She has an almost religious-like belief good vs. bad foods but she has created a system without internal consistency. She has gone from being slender to skeletal and I am very worried about her. I don’t know how to help.

[@lenni332]

Is she ok now ?🥺

[@lenni332]

This is what happened to me :/

[@fool4singing]

Thank God more people are talking about this disorder, and have written a book on it! My sister is killing herself...

[@TheCreativetrailers]

Anyone who is overly obsessed with. What they eat and how much they exercise and worrying about eating Cheerios as being the reason your skin is bad....you have a serious eating disorder, especially if you are trying to lose weight and you are already skinny. But most people with EDs do not believe they are sick until they almost die. It is part of the diseade. EDs run in my family and they are all sick and I am trying to understand.

[@amadikitwana4154]

But eat a cow drink it’s milk and you’ll be good. Stfu fat people are dying because of too much food in the body.

[@MelB868]

My friend is annoriex and just having liquids and solid food she throws it up she won’t get help and not trying to get better.

[@zoehalbert443]

A lot of the comment section reflects the black and white thinking around food there is. The point is that no one food is inherently healthy or unhealthy. The poison is in the dose and dependent on someone's overall diet. If eating "unhealthy" foods causes you to be anxious or feel extreme guilt than that is disordered eating. It's okay to choose nutrient dense foods but when it becomes an obsession and someone is convinced that even eating a small amount of food that is less nutrient dense will harm them than it's most likely effecting their mental health and can lead to more disordered behaviors. Also, If you don't want to have milk that's totally fine, but the point is including some milk in your diet won't harm you unless you have an allergy/intolerance of course. It's not necessary of course, it's just one option that might work for some people. On the allergy note, I have a life threatening allergy to nuts so I know how important it is to take allergies seriously. But I have a history of an eating disorder, and convinced myself that I was allergic to a lot of foods that I wasn't allergic to, so that can happen too. I was having digestive symptoms that were actually related to restriction, but told myself it was an allergy. Those symptoms went away after several months of eating a larger portion of food and eating more variety.

[@IsabelleMN11]

Thank you so much for this video. As a body compassion coach, I struggle to help people build a better relationship with food, one that isn't based on fear and anxiety. This is especially important for people who are body builders (myself included) who can easily conflate appearance with health, and are very meticulous with what they put in their body, not necessarily for health but for a certain aesthetic. What I'm hearing in this video is not a recommendation of a free for all approach to food, but to have a more critical yet relaxed examination of food.

[@barfgreenrulz]

Lovely video on the interaction between physical and mental health

[@martag.4594]

I really want to see a round table discussion with this lady and Mr Michael Greger.

[@Blue_Ocean720]

Think they would disagree on a lot?

[@martag.4594]

@@Blue_Ocean720 Yes absolutely

[@JemyM]

I have recovered from Binge Eating Disorder and I am doing intermittent fasting now (Alternate Day Fasting since 16:8 is what made me obese in the first place). Normal IF doesn't match the definition of a fad diet, nor do it itself relate to orthorexia, however, the reason I watch this video today is that I am tired of the amount of people with orthorexia being in the fasting community and being influencers for it.

[@thevixtergti]

My boyfriend has this and I don't know what to do? Hes a step further where hes fixated with fasting and coffee enimas and getting rid of toxins. He drank turpentine for two weeks to kill parasites, another online fad, He wont listen to me and hes obsessed with this health fads online and social media i.e Instagram. Constantly trying to convince me it's normal with proof. Days he doesn't eat at all or consumes an orange juice and considers its a meal. I love him but I'm drifting away from him due to his extreme way of life. I dont know what do 😥 hes so headstrong he wont listen to me, and it turns into a full blown argument. He was just drinking orange juice over xmas and got norovirus for 2 weeks lost a stone and was bed ridden. He needs help because hes addicted to the online research and using his body as a gunipig. His parents just think hes into health and shrug it off but it's so much more than that. I want yo help him but I cant help him, it's too deeply rooted and I dont know what to do. 😥

[@JJ-ls6el]

I have orthorexia, and I stopped intermittent fasting TODAY. IF can 'clean' cells to an extent, however there isnt evidence to suggest that it helps with fat loss, other than overall restricting calorie intake. Maybe try to convince him to stop fasting? It sounds like he has full blow orthorexia, it really eats your personality.

[@harvir6167]

Leave his bitch ass.

[@thevixtergti]

@@harvir6167 ha ha you will be please to know I kicked him out 4 months ago. See ya hun. Go shove coffee up your arse some place else ha ha ha ha I’m done ✅ rather be single than be with a weirdo you can’t help.

[@xian2428]

I have had alot of eating disordered eating in my life and Id say im a pretty intelligent person however only now im noticing that I cannot recover because I am not comfortable with who I am. Even the smallest things like for example we were talking about a celebrity and I said "If I cant marry them I will just become them" and.. I realised even if its a joke. I would honestly do that because that celebrity seemed perfect to me. Now I realise that I should just accept myself as me

[@vitanilange6926]

Its not healthy to be this obsessed with ones health I agree....still I must say it helped me out of my anorexic mindset,and made me want to start nourish my body back where it started..

[@clarahernandez5307]

Fantastic !!!! Thanks a lot

[@samuelp2133]

Great video! I think it prevented me from developing orthorexia

[@maxduewel54]

great talk ! Thanks :)

[@bobaisbomb3818]

I wonder what her take is on sugar and high carb foods impact on diabetes.

[@adb1917]

What in specific about high carb and sugars impact on diabetes would you want her take on? In general I’m sure she would agree that if your diabetic you have to monitor your food intake…

[@alessandrac1940]

15:33 I was told that when i found out i was allergic to chocolate! Anyways thanks i am writing a report on orthorexia and this was very helpful.

[@MelB868]

Having an allergy has nothing to do with it

[@alessandrac1940]

I said i was told i am missing out. Nvr said the allergy had anything to do with orthorexia.

[@samanthacheng2486]

i might have that but periodically.. I usually have half a year orthorexia, then lost control, depressed, eat junk food for half year, then repeat……

[@edendurham6460]

I agree and disagree with your point on sweeteners. When you talk about sugars, you need to think about how complex the sugar is and how many minerals, vitamins and different nutrients the sugar possesses. The brand of the sugar and the way it is processed plays a factor. Different people are more sensitive to different kinds of sugar. I would suggest that you don't through the baby out with the bath water. I completely see your point as well, a dessert is still a dessert and should not be put in the place of a meal and does not mean you can eat as much as you want of it because its "healthy".

[@haotang2638]

That’s me...

[@sonia15702]

I have a aversion to anyone who cooks meat or any by product , with the same utensils. I insist my vegetables are only touched by those who havent touch meat..yet I don't think this is weird. I've recovered from anorexia. There is nothing wrong with Wantjng to be clean eating !

[@bridaw8557]

I understand. I’ve had vestiges of my anorexia for years. I suffer from serious anxiety and somewhat OCD. I hate meat fat. Red meat, mayonnaise and the list goes on. I think it’s fair to feel like you don’t want to have meat products near or touching other food. Some people are highly sensitive persons. I cannot eat pork at all. Some of this is I don’t like to eat mammals because they’re so much like us! ❤

[@polinap13]

I left when she started talking about how ''milk is healthy''. Leave it for the baby cows! There's a reason why half of the world population is lactose intolerant.

[@justsayin7865]

What about beef 🍖, leave it for the baby wolfs ?🐺

[@alejszandra]

love your comment.

[@talksick508]

What do I do Told prediabetic 4 hours glucose 2011 I started cutting out white flour frozen fast food fried foods soda and candy Been dealing with health issues year before I cut that out Meds don’t help docs can’t find the answer So in 2016 a natural doc said remove dairy gluten eggs and meat nightshades Barely lasted without meat and eggs But did no gluten dairy nothing helped Then I read online cruciferous and histamine foods Now I’m scared I can’t function I hate these symptoms no answers and I feel I have to find right diet now

[@jennyandminnie5]

LOL at all the negative comments on this session... and reading people actually wishing they had orthorexia? Wtf...? Obviously all of these peoplr haven't bother to research who this woman is.

[@lenni332]

Ikr it’s a living nightmare for me ( I have orthorexia btw )

[@jennyandminnie5]

@@lenni332 sorry to hear that :( It will get better, I had orthorexia a year ago and I totally get how much of a nightmare it is. I was constantly obsessing about what I was going to eat, used to get really anxious if I was eating out or if someone else was cooking my meals.

[@SmileG333]

I have orthorexia and today I am choosing to overcome it and recover from it.I had ruined my life but I'm taking it back.

[@happyhealthylife4ever]

„Milk for recovery“...Based on what evidence? ....on clinical studies sponsored by the milk industry?

[@youtubeplanting]

exactly

[@JJ-ls6el]

Milk contains high amounts of protein, so by definition yes, its very good for recovery, particularly because its digested slowly, so it works over the anabolic trough.

[@story5188]

What's in cows milk today?

[@JJ-ls6el]

Not mostly water like in plant based milk.

[@jonathanecheverria414]

Pus and shit

[@kristesedleviciute7732]

@@JJ-ls6el actually it's exactly most water - at least 3 quarters :)

[@NoOne-wy5fg]

Water, Pus, feaces, potentially allergenic casein, Casomorphins, hard to digest lactose, butterfat ect

[@alejszandra]

suffering, pain, slavery and pus. I dont get the part of "plantbase milk dont have the same nutrients as a cow milk". ...

[@techsupport1294]

Note on the milk bit: McGregor provides no source for these claims ("watered down to providing less nutritional value") that is going against well known nutritional facts. If you're going to argue with what scientists are calling facts, then you need better science to prove it wrong. When reading a label at the grocery store is doing more research, you look... yeah. Good talk about an important subject, but you need to do check your statements carefully before saying something is unhealthy when talking about Orthorexia.

[@guieuge]

Milk has all the nutrients and micronutrients, in the correct balance, to sustain the life of a growing baby for a year or more. You can not compare milk with a few nuts or beans blended in water.

[@techsupport1294]

@@guieuge "to sustain the life of a growing baby for a year or more" >moving the goalpost fallacy We are not babies. "You can not compare milk with a few nuts or beans blended in water" Do you have any substance for this claim or...?

[@jodidressage]

Dairy products are NOT a food for humans - that is the problem with your view on plant based milks !!

[@jodimorrison]

You can look up all about dairy and how if effects the body on Nutritionfacts.org

[@nancydavis9198]

On the good side , I’ve gotten into healthy eating and gone from 7 pills to 1 pill. It got rid of pre diabetes, high cholesterol, depression and anxiety. The food institutes are killing us!

[@MelB868]

If I want a brownie I will eat it this really doesn’t Explain anything about Orthorexia

[@clunkclickeverytrip]

Im in a real pickle part bulimic part anorexic as a male never thought I would develop a serious eating disorder but my life before my ed was terribly obsessive with healthy eating even weighing out my blueberries to the gram and I sure do not want to go back to that lifestyle food is a hidden drug prescribed by the world to live

[@whatslifespurpose]

She has got it completely wrong with nutrition. The sugar from refined sugar is not processed by the body in the same way as sugar in blue berries, the blood sugar spike is completely different.

[@hyupk]

But she never said that the sugar from blue berries or any other fruit is bad I guess

[@whatslifespurpose]

@@hyupk she mentioned all sugar is processed the same way and that is not correct. I had to give blue berries as an example. Not all calories are the same. You can consume equal calorie count from drinking oil or having fresh vegetables but the effect on your body for both is different.

[@hyupk]

@@whatslifespurpose yes I totally agree I didn't watched the full video that's why I said "I guess" because maybe she mentioned it later in the video. Have a nice day :)

[@whatslifespurpose]

@@ruthhorowitz7522 if you carefully listen to 6:00 onwards she says it is used by the body in exactly the same way. The fact is the sugar in white refined sugar does not have the same impact as sugar in jaggery or palm/date/coconut sugar. The blood sugar spike and nutrient content is different. There is something called glycemic index. She is totally wrong on that account.

[@VeronicaPapay]

Are you are nutritionist?

[@iwantedtobethatanomaly2270]

If I was just thin, I would eat normally :(

[@Bellywoodstudios_diadance]

Same. I understand what she's saying but I don't think she's acknowledging that some of us that's struggle with weight issues have to do that.

[@ALFORDACRES360]

Sugar is the greatest nutrient!

[@bridaw8557]

It’s the purest form of energy. The biggest hit for the amount eaten. But not needed unless starving. It’s nice sometimes and can save the life of a diabetic or a starving mammal.

[@ARedMagicMarker]

Uuuum, I actually like good high-quality food, making/prepping/getting said good high- quality food, and I like knowing exactly what's going into my body. I love whole, organic, colorful, hearty, natural, seasoned and rich foods full of seeds and nuts that don't weigh me down, cause tooth rot, or make me feel queasy and greasy. So to recap, this "orthorexia" basically is translation for, "one who doesn't stuff their faces with McDonald's, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut every day?'

[@bo9718]

you have orthorexia dude

[@Anna133199]

@@bo9718 Nah. Not necessarily.

[@bo9718]

@@Anna133199 yeah totally sorry anna

[@ARedMagicMarker]

@Diana Laura I'm aware, I'm just being facetious. XD

[@adb1917]

No, orthorexia is an unhealthy obsession; it’s not just eating certain foods, it’s a mindset. If you like certain foods and it doesn’t impair your functioning/mental and physical health, it is not orthorexia.

[@lynnbilbrey8823]

why do you think you binge on chocolate? because you don’t have a healthy, consistent, satisfying diet

[@jRising]

I don't mean to be rude but this talk is full of nothing but opinion. Just going to show what little "dietitian" or "nutritionist" means to scientific understanding.

[@kaylacorcoran1533]

They tend to vary greatly. Some use more well defined studies than others. There's a lot we still haven't figured out. However, we are making breakthroughs, and people are improving. It would be great if we could figure out something that could even minimize having take anywhere from serious prescription drugs, to OTC drugs for everyday discomforts. I think the unofficial "ortharexia" label could really move us backwards. At it's core it seems to be based in a social construct, rather than a health one. However if healthy eating was more mainstream, it could potentially fix that, while minimizing other health problems on a wider scale.

[@JJ-ls6el]

being a dietitian or nutritionist means a lot actually when it comes to scientific understanding. It requires 3 years of Uni education after all.

[@mirosebelelabissiere4819]

I can’t believe that people are literally arguing with a nutritionist in this comment section.

[@veggielicious]

Wow! Just wrong on so many levels. White sugar same as honey? Cows milk healthier than plant milk? Holly cow (face palm)

[@kaylacorcoran1533]

Plant milks are also not all the same, and they have less of the negatives with milk. She didn't bring up how people's health, and how they feel by cutting out dairy. Along with being a major allergy, so many people have less severe problems with it. Those are just some of the reasons why people give it up. The brand, and types of plant milk vary greatly.

[@alejszandra]

haha, exactly. Maybe find it better some juicy pus and suffering mix with slavery and shit. /:

[@iKeto_gal]

She was saying that the body processes white sugar and honey the same...spiking insulin, energy source, inflammatory, etc.

[@nonchalantd]

This video contains a bunch of platitudes on diet, most of which are not useful because they are not hard rules to guide us one way or another.

[@zaynkhan1356]

I think that's the point.

[@infernocomet]

Woah - she is literally wrong about nearly everything.

[@ts121084]

Name one inaccuracy.

[@lapooh]

Like what?

[@nuhrisha]

Topic is about obsession with healthy food: throws all healthy food in the trash. When topic is about unhealthy lifestyle: picks the healthy food out of the trash. Bunch of hypocrits!

[@amadikitwana4154]

She knows nothing.