Into the Crystal Ball

Unlocked at Last!

Starving in the Midst of Plenty

On Triggers
When I was taught about avoiding ED triggers in treatment, I learned a lot of the usual: stay away from fashion magazines, the crazy aunt/sister/cousin/uncle who's always on a diet, throw out your "sick" clothes, etc. All of these are very good things to do, and I've made changes in all of these areas in my life to avoid being bombarded with the same messages that I'm trying to convince myself aren't true.Where I'm at in recovery now is a little different from when I was first hospitalized almost 9 years ago. Sure, my body image may take a hit if I look at a fashion magazine, and nothing sets my teeth on edge quite like discussion of what I "should" be eating. It's irritating

Happy Thanksgiving!
Remember that no matter how your holiday turns out, at least you're not Big Bird.

True Nature of the Weight Loss Industry
Companies that are hawking diets and other weight loss products claim to be interested in your health. Really? They're interested in your wallet. Ditto for "reality shows" that feature competitive weight loss. And there is a growing awareness that these products and programs are futile at best and dangerous at worst.A great editorial titled "Weight-loss industry masks its economic interests with bogus health concerns," writes about the realities of our thin-is-in culture, with a focus on the new academic field known as fat studies.For several dec

Surviving Thanksgiving, Sanity Intact
I hadn't planned on doing a "holiday survival" post this year, but after seeing some of the great advice on the Center for Eating Disorders blog, I decided I really should post it.Tips for Overcoming Holiday Stress and Anxiety Part One: The FoodTips for Overcoming Holiday Stress and Anxiety Part Two: The StressMay you have a good Thanksgiving and remember to keep your recovery a priority.

Body Image on the Brain
Last week, two interesting research papers were published that looked at the neurological origins of body image distortion in anorexia nervosa. And what researchers found was rather interesting.The first article looked at not only how people with AN process body image, but it broke down that processing into two different steps: attitudes towards their body and how they experienced their own size (Mohr et al, 2009). Using fMRI, the researchers"further