In this BIT: Eating disorder expert, Dr. Gaudiani, walks us through advice for a healthier body image and achieving food freedom.
Have you ever struggled with your body image? Body dysmorphia, insecurities, and feeling self-conscious is more common than we may think. According to SingleCare, about 70 million world around the world are affected by eating disorders, with an increasing global prevalence. This makes this conversation with Dr. Jennifer Gaudiani all the more relevant and impactful. Dr. Gaudiani is the founder and medical director at the Gaudiani Clinic, an outpatient eating disorders clinic. She has lectured nationally and internationally, is widely published in scientific literature, her own book, as well as on blogs. In our conversation, we dove deep into what exactly are eating disorders. Dr. Gaudiani shares advice for those struggling with eating (and their family), and practical tips for building a healthier relationship with food and food freedom.
Dr. Gaudiani shares that eating disorders are often a symptom of a bigger stressor or challenge in our lives. Many times, through periods of intense stress, we grasp for something we can control in our lives . Namely, our food intake. This is likely closely tied to a stat published by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research: “emergency room visits for young people with eating disorders rose by 126% in Canada during the first two years of the pandemic.” Below are three key learnings from our conversation with Dr. Gaudiani.
Society has dozens of ideals, milestones, and points of comparison as to where we should be in life. However, as Dr. Gaudiani mentions, only YOU know what you need. Do what is productive and important for you, right now. If you don’t feel that you have the clarity to know what you need to prioritize right now, take a step back. Take inventory: how are your personal relationships serving you? How do you feel about your academic career, right now? Co-curriculars? Are these areas energizing or draining you? Understanding the role of different faucets within our life is the first step towards understanding and filling our needs.
Next, evaluate what you can change to maximize your happiness and satisfaction. What can you increase vs decrease? If you could change anything; what would it be? How? In fact, by taking care of yourself, you can prevent larger issues from developing! As Dr. Gaudiani shared, eating disorders (and other challenges) are often a manifestation of a long-duration of challenges. To prevent this build-up of pent-up stress; set up boundaries, be your own friend, and treat yourself with kindness.
This includes our bodies! The way that you think about other people reflects very closely on how you think about yourself. When you catch yourself judging the bodies of other people, tell yourself to stop. Judge people based on their traits, qualities, and how they treat other people. Our bodies are simply our shell. They do not define a person. If you catch yourself judging the bodies of other people online, unfollow the account.
An idea that we need to place more emphasis on (as a society) is the fact that the way we look on the outside has so little to do with who we genuinely are, deep down. Focus on who YOU are. In relationships, interactions with other people, and friendships, focus on who THEY are! Get to know people for their goals, humor, personality quirks, and interests, rather than judging them based on appearances. Of course, treat yourself in the same light – your body is merely your shell, providing you with the needs to stay alive.
Dr. Jennifer Gaudiani’s tips for food freedom and stress, as well as insight into eating disorders is truly profound. These struggles are more common than we may think! Take this interview as a sign to be just a bit kinder to yourself and others.
Listen to Dr. Jennifer Gaudiani’s full episode here.
Find Dr. Gaudiani here:
Website: https://www.gaudianiclinic.com/
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