A Journey Through Eating Disorders Support & Recovery

How we talk about eating disorders (and who we picture when we talk about them) reveals modern media’s influence on our understanding of race, representation, and health care. This is a tricky intersection to parse apart. Our relationships with our bodies, racial identity, and mental health are parts of a complex web that makes up our experiences. Unfortunately, historical traumas…

Is it “picky eating” or something more serious? Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a serious eating disorder that affects both children and adults and is more common than many people realize. Unlike other eating disorders, ARFID is not driven by fear of weight gain or body image concerns. Instead, it may stem from: Extreme avoidance of specific textures, smells…

Recovery from an eating disorder can have its ebbs and flows. Sometimes it feels like you’re cruising along—you got this. But very quickly, it can turn into the opposite, like you’re treading water and the waves are only getting bigger. When you feel like you’re losing momentum, it can help to remember that this rollercoaster ride is a normal part…

It’s estimated that 9% of Americans will have a diagnosable eating disorder (ED) throughout their lives. These mental illnesses are a pervasive epidemic, yet are treatable. However, only 20% of people with eating disorders receive care. This disparity is disturbing, but not unexpected. Barriers to eating disorder treatment exist at institutional, social, and physical levels, creating an interconnected system that’s…

Anyone who tuned into Oprah Winfrey’s 2024 TV special, “Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution,” likely walked away with one particular phrase reverberating in their head: “food noise.” The special, which focused on weight loss medications, covered the journeys of several people who have used these medications, including Winfrey. During the special and in subsequent interviews, Winfrey spoke about…

Holidays can feel warm and celebratory for many—yet for people with eating disorders, Thanksgiving often brings intense stress, shame, and old patterns to the surface. For anyone who has experienced disordered eating, the day’s focus on food, family, and appearance can trigger feelings that are not really about hunger or calories at all. This article explains why Thanksgiving can be…

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is often misunderstood as extreme picky eating, but for those experiencing it, the challenges run much deeper. At ViaMar Health, we approach ARFID treatment with compassion, collaboration, and a strong foundation in both nutrition and emotional safety. Our work focuses on helping clients rebuild trust in food, step by step, meal by meal, while equipping…

As the National Alliance for Eating Disorders marks its silver anniversary, it’s worth pausing to look back through the lens of impact, growth, and stories told in numbers. When The Alliance was founded in October 2000, it was born out of a promise to pay-it-forward after more than a decade of struggling. Since then, the National Alliance for Eating Disorders…

Anorexia nervosa in males is far more common than stereotypes suggest. Risk factors can include genetics, co-occurring conditions (like depression or anxiety), early bullying, or pressure to match unrealistic body ideals portrayed in media and sports. Despite this, eating disorders in men are frequently underdiagnosed and misunderstood. Culture has long framed anorexia nervosa as a disorder for young women, which…

Eating disorders are often thought of in terms of discernible symptoms like eating behaviors and relationships to food and body. But beneath the more-visible symptoms lies a deeper, less obvious story playing out inside the brain. As neuroimaging techniques have advanced, researchers are uncovering real, measurable differences in brain structure, function, and connectivity in people who experience eating disorders. This…