It’s National Eating Disorders Awareness Week… Now What?
Happy National Eating Disorders Awareness Week! From February 24 - March 1, plenty of bloggers, media personnel and ED education and awareness advocates will be talking about anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, EDNOS and everything in between.
Without a doubt, it’s exciting and it’s wonderful to be living in an age where EDs are “out of the closet”, so to speak.
But there’s a little voice inside me that says, “So what?”
It’s not that I don’t support the purpose of the week; after all, I’m blogging about it just like everyone else. My concern is what people DO with the week. I’m all for talk, but action is better.
Therefore, I’d like to make a few suggestions on how to use National Eating Disorders Awareness Week as a platform for some longterm change, not just short-term chatter:
- If you’re a parent, talk openly with your kids about food, body image, self-esteem, et cetera. Be honest if you’ve had an eating disorder (even if it was only subtle or undiagnosed). Stop calling yourself “bad” or “fat” or “ugly”.
- Treat people with respect regardless of their size. If you point at someone who is larger than you and make rude comments (even if your victim doesn’t know it), you’re saying much more about you as a person than you’re saying about the other individual.
- Eat mindfully this week. Savor food, but don’t just gorge yourself. Try some new foods, like pomegranate (super healthy!) or tofu (it can be yummy, I promise! Head to VeggicChic and request some tofu and tempeh recipes of awesome vegetarian blogger Jul.)
Of course, I’m open to your suggestions, too. What are ways you think we could make National Eating Disorders Awareness Week a time for serious change?
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POSTED IN: Anorexia, Break the Mirror, Bulimia, EDNOS, binge eating disorder, national eating disorders awareness week
2 opinions for It’s National Eating Disorders Awareness Week… Now What?
Jul
Feb 25, 2008 at 10:55 am
You know what? I actually have a “tofu for beginners” post in progress. I should finish it and publish it!
angelique
Feb 25, 2008 at 11:04 am
Yes, please do! I personally love the stuff, but I know some people think it’s just boring, bland, blah.
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