Approximately 1 million Canadians are living with a diagnosable eating disorder — and millions of others are struggling with food and weight preoccupation. Disordered eating affects people of all genders, sexual orientations, ages, socioeconomic class, abilities, races, and ethnic backgrounds.
In 2015, I lost my cousin to a long battle with disordered eating. She was smart, so funny, cared about everyone, was interesting, generous and she was 31 when she died.
Since then I've learned a lot about eating disorders. How prevalent they are. The impact they have on individuals and their families. And how they are not talked about nearly enough, especially in the wellness world.
Not only are they not talked about, in many ways eating disorders can be perpetuated by our modern wellness culture.
It became increasing obvious to me how much pressure there was in the wellness space to adopt a "perfectly clean" lifestyle. How much fear, guilt, and obsession people experience in its pursuit. Moral virtue being attached to choosing the "right" foods, products and activities. And diet culture's mantra that thin = healthy, and healthy = better being tangled up in what should be a positive place. This notion of "wellness" was not leaving people feeling well at all.
I recognized that we're not really promoting health if we're ignoring mental health.
I made a point to help shift the dialogue around health (both through the shop and my private coaching) to kindness and compassion, never guilt or shame. More inclusion, less judgment. More pleasure, less perfection.
What we put in and on our bodies may be a small piece of the health pie, but the way we speak to ourselves and our ability to experience joy can be overlooked (yet huge) parts of true well-being.
At HH, we offer a broader, more intuitive approach to health. We are a safe environment for you to care for yourself in a way that feels good for you. A place that supports your physical and emotional health in a weight-neutral way.
Thank you for being a part of our community and helping us redefine what it means to be well. :)
xx Tara
If you or someone you know is struggling with disordered eating, please call NEDIC’s toll-free helpline (1-866-NEDIC-20).
sources: www.nedic.ca