I caught a part of "Grease" this morning. It by far one of most iconic and influential movies of my life. It sounds stupid, but I knew, even in 1978, that I was the "good two-shoes" and that somewhere within me had to lie a "better" and more "socially acceptable" Vanessa. I could relate to the girl with the socks and tennis shoes but longed to be ( Read more... )

I've heard that the way you feel on the inside is often reflected in how you look on the outside. I think there is a lot of truth to that ( Read more... )

According to an article out of the UK this week, the number of individuals requiring hospitalization for eating disorders has skyrocketed. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/thehealthnews.html? ( Read more... )

I'm not sure where the idea came from that I am not "worthy" of food. I feel a constant need to justify every bite that goes into my mouth. This concept is very difficult to explain to other people ( Read more... )

For the first time in almost two years, I weigh more than 110 pounds. I have been working hard at eating foods of a higher quality as a way of boosting my immune system. This has been quite a feat for me and has taken an incredible amount of discipline. I cannot tell you how many times I've wanted to "throw in the towel" and say to hell with it ( Read more... )

In the news today, the United Colors of Benetton unveiled a new advertisement featuring a 27-year old French woman who has struggled with anorexia for fifteen years with a caption of "No to Anorexia". It is perhaps the boldest move yet by a company known for its controversial statements. (Read more... )

I was heartbroken today to hear of a young woman who had tried to get a tattoo removed by laser and had her skin literally burned off by the technician who failed to use the laser correctly. (http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2007/09/21/ ( Read more... )

One of the greatest mistakes health care professionals can make with regards to eating disorders is categorization. What behaviors define one person's eating disorder may or may not mirror those of another. Granted, there may be some similarities, but to look at a person's weight and use that as a defining factor of an eating disorder is wrong. ( Read more... )

In a London article today, models who are participating in London Fashion Week 2008 must prove that they are free of an eating disorder. Each model must undergo a physical exam from an approved list of medical professionals and present a "guaranteed healthy" certificate to the shows organizers before they will be allowed to walk the catwalk ( Read more... )

With every issue, there is a positive and negative side. I work on being optimistic, so on the subject of eating disorders, let's look at the "sunny side" first ( Read more... )