Written by Izabelle Rocha, University of Guelph BA Honours, Psychology Undergrad As the winter season unfolds, it's essential to prioritize practical self-care that nurtures emotional, physical and mental wellbeing. As days become shorter and the weather becomes colder it's common to find ourselves facing unique challenges in our mental health and recovery process. In eating disorder recovery these seasonal shifts may present additional hurdles highlighting the importance of self-care at this time.    Here are three self-care suggestions that can be implemented at any time of year t ..read more

Submitted by Cheryl Laird, RP.    What is Binge Eating Disorder?  Binge eating disorder (BED) is a serious mental health condition that is frequently overlooked and poorly understood. It is a chronic pattern of eating objectively large amounts of food at one time, often in a rushed and secretive way followed by a deep sense of shame. It is estimated to affect about 70 million people worldwide (Keski-Rahkonen, 2021). Although it is not a new phenomenon, there's a lack of awareness and discussion about BED, leading to stigmatization and barriers to seeking help.  To be clear ..read more

Written by Izabelle Rocha, University of Guelph BA Honours, Psychology Undergrad   When you think of eating disorders what is the first image that comes into your mind? For most people they see someone struggling with body image, fears of gaining weight, distorted perception of weight and as a result disordered eating. But eating disorders can go beyond body image and stem from a range of experiences and causes. Avoidant/ restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a non body image based eating disorder and is less widely known.   Avoidant/ restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) i ..read more

Written By: Mari Del Monaco, UofG BA Honours, Psychology Undergrad (they/them) Living as a nonbinary person is equal parts liberating and confusing. Grappling with my gender identity has caused deep, inherent body image dissatisfaction. Yearning for a masculine, more androgynous appearance increased the severity of my already existing eating disorder. As an assigned female at birth nonbinary person, I will share some information on the relation between gender dysphoria and eating disorders, along with my story regarding these themes. What is Gender Dysphoria?      &nb ..read more

Send the letter by email to michael.tibolloCO@pc.ola.org Dear Minister Tibollo,  We are a community coalition comprised of health care professionals/students/community members/family members and those with lived eating disorder experiences. Our mission is to increase awareness, provide professional development and training in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders. Eating disorders are one of the most dangerous of all mental illnesses.  Body Brave, one of our community partners, is a community-based organization which we refer many community members to. They provide much-ne ..read more

Written by Carrie Pollard, MSW RSW A client has been referred to you that struggles with rigid rules around eating and exercise to the point that it has caused significant weight loss and interferes with this client’s day-to-day life. What do you picture in your mind? What assumptions did you make about this client’s age? Sex? Gender expression and identity? Race?  Religion? Body size?  Did you imagine this person to be able-bodied? Eating disorders do not discriminate, yet marginalized populations are not only higher at risk, but they also have differential access to care, are under ..read more

Blog Post by Mar Ratanadawong McM | BScH, Wellness Educator and Science Communicator Autumn is a season of reflection, a time for us to look back on the year thus far and determine what has and has not worked for us in terms of self-care and recovery. It is a time to release that which does not serve us and open our hearts to new ways of doing. The transition from summer to autumn brings many welcome changes to the world around us—crisp and cool air, bright crunchy leaves, and shorter days ahead. These seasonal changes bring all sorts of new sights and scenes for us to enjoy, but sometimes thi ..read more

Harkamal Samra, Biomedical Science Student and Body Project Facilitator at the University of Guelph The arrival of warmer weather paired with increased sunshine is highly anticipated, yet, often also accompanied by unwanted, negative feelings that pertain to body image. For many of us, the summer months may lack the structure and routine we were comfortable following throughout the rest of the year, which may naturally offset our internal dialogues and mental health.  The summer months are also a time for airbrushed commercials advertising everything from clothes, diets, and workout plans ..read more

Written by Leanne Richardson, Registered Dietitian, MPH, Upper Grand Family Health Team & Lindzie O’Reilly, MAN, Registered Dietitian, University of Guelph Join the Waterloo Wellington Eating Disorders Coalition on May 6 as we advocate against dieting on International No Diet Day. This day is about challenging the idea that there is one “acceptable” body size or shape, and pushing back against the industries that promote and benefit from harmful diet culture.   Dieting can be defined as any intentional change to our lifestyle (modifying food habits, exercise routine, supplements) for ..read more

Written by: Vanessa Hart, OT Reg. (Ont.) (she/her/hers) AX completed by MRP, and RN. 28M meets the DSM DX criteria for AFRID, and OCD. Client has HX of MDD, and has completed outpatient CBT and CPT in the past. ECG was normal. TX plan is for client to complete DBT groups, as well as meet with OT for RTW intervention. SW will support for D/C planning including navigation of NEDIC resources, and to schedule appointment with GP. Was reading that paragraph difficult? It is for most people. Professionals that are involved with eating disorder treatment, from therapists to doctors, often communicate ..read more