Eating Disorder Nutritionist
The Truth About Eating Disorders
30 Million- individuals in the United States alone will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives.
1 in 3- individuals with an eating disorder is male.
50%- of individuals with eating disorders need a higher level of care in order to recover from their eating disorder.
Ways Registered Dietitians Aid Eating Disorder Recovery
Nutrition counseling is an ongoing process in eating disorder treatment in which a health professional, usually a registered dietitian, works with an individual to assess his or her usual dietary intake and identify areas where change is needed.
Why Is it Important to Work with a Registered Dietitian While in Recovery?
Registered Dietitians are trained professionals skilled in helping you meet your nutritional needs. Registered Dietitian ensures that you are adequately nourished throughout recovery. This is a task that can be challenging as our nutritional needs can fluctuate.
What Does a Registered Dietitian Nutrition Provide in Eating Disorder Recovery?
1. Individualized Meal Planning (Including Variety and Balance)
Upon meeting with a Registered Dietitian, they will obtain a background about your nutritional history. They may then assign you a meal plan with accommodations based on your nutritional needs, religious requests, allergies, and/or medical conditions. They may also educate you about food beliefs to create a balance of all foods.
At Renfrew, the Registered Dietitians assign you a meal plan on day of admission. This meal plan changes throughout your time in treatment to meet your needs as they change. The Registered Dietitians also educate you about the exchange system method for tracking food throughout your stay. This helps you learn how to plan and portion your own meals.
2. General Nutrition Education
In session, Registered Dietitians utilize their knowledge of medical nutrition therapy to provide accurate, evidenced-based information on fad diets, social eating, metabolism, and basic human nutrition.
Education is provided in the group setting and during individual sessions. Handouts are also utilized frequently to help explain a variety of concepts.
3. Exploration of Eating Environments and Eating Patterns
Registered Dietitians explore your history with food and eating. You do this through a mix of nutrition therapy, coached meals, mindful awareness, food emotion journals, and food exposures. The goal of this is to put solutions in place. You will also learn how to implement coping skills in place of the eating disorder.
4. Education About Weight Theory and Body Positive Thinking
Another component of Nutrition Therapy centers around body and weight neutrality. You and your Registered Dietitian may unpack internalized beliefs rooted in diet culture, judgmental though and body image and establish how your body image impacts your ability to nourish yourself.
we help you overcome emotions associated with your beliefs about your body in order to heal your relationship with them.
5. Education on Emotional Awareness
Registered Dietitians help you identify your emotional patterns at meals and suggest skills that can be utilized.
Registered Dietitians also utilize motivational interviewing to encourage you to set recovery-oriented goals that you want to achieve.
What are the different types of eating disorders?
The most common eating disorders are binge-eating disorder, bulimia, anorexia, and other specified feeding or eating disorder.
Binge Eating Disorder
People with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) engage in binge eating episodes. They eat large amounts of food in a discrete period of time, often feeling out of control and past feeling full.
Bulimia
Individuals with Bulimia Nervosa (BN) engage in cycles of binge eating and purging behaviors to compensate for binge eating episodes.
Anorexia
Those who struggle with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and Atypical Anorexia Nervosa, restrict their intake, which leads to significant weight loss and/or a significantly low body weight. These individuals have an intense fear of gaining weight and high levels of body dissatisfaction regardless of weight, shape, or body size.
OSFED
Finally, Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED) is a diagnosis given to those who do not meet the strict diagnostic criteria for AN, BN, or BED, but report behaviors and symptoms severe enough to cause impairment.
ARFID
ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) is an eating disorder characterized by highly selective eating habits, disturbed feeding patterns or both. It often results in significant nutrition and energy deficiencies, and for children, failure to gain weight.
Pica Disorder
Pica is a mental health condition where people compulsively swallow non-food items.
Who suffers from eating disorders?
Eating disorders do not discriminate – they affect all ages, genders, socioeconomic statuses, cultures, body sizes, or sexual orientations. Often diagnosed in teenagers and young adults. Sometimes the first signs and symptoms develop at a much younger age.
Who diagnoses an eating disorder?
If you suspect you or a loved one is struggling with an eating disorder, a thorough assessment by a qualified eating disorder provider, such as a licensed therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, or primary care physician (PCP) would be necessary to confirm a diagnosis.
How Can I Find a Registered Dietitian?
Healing Favor Nutrition will help you Find a board-certified, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who specializes in eating disorders design a custom plan for you and work through insurance to get it covered. We also offer free or affordable nutrition services based on monetary donations.
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