Recovering From Orthorexia, One Man Warns of the Unintended Consequences From a New Year's Resolution

    DENVER, CO, December 28, 2021 /24-7PressRelease/ -- In his upcoming memoir Starving for Survival, eating disorder advocate Jason Wood illustrates how healthy eating and fad dieting can go from well-meaning improvements to knocking on death's door.

Growing up, Jason was bullied for being overweight. In high school, he joined a weight loss program where he developed an unhealthy relationship with food and dieting. Strict food rules and excessive exercise would later serve as his coping solutions to the sudden loss of his parents, living in a run-down apartment, and broken family relationships.

Following a health scare at twenty-nine, Jason turned to "clean eating" as a means to prevent disease and gain control over his body. The situation was exacerbated on a New Year's trip in advance of his 2019 wedding when he double-downed on the commitment to eat as clean and healthy as possible.

"Dieting became my identity and made me feel valuable. I thought it could ensure a long life with my husband. In reality, it was destroying my physical, mental, and social health," Jason recalls.

Orthorexia is a lesser-known condition that is not yet recognized as a formal eating disorder diagnosis, which can lead to delayed treatment. Coined by Dr. Steven Bratman in the 1990s, orthorexia is essentially an addiction or obsession with healthy clean eating. With fad diets rising and diet culture dominating social media, Jason fears there are many others out there suffering as he has.

Jason launched his blog Orthorexia Bites in February 2021 with a mission to advance the conversation around eating disorders in men and orthorexia in general. He aims to confront the stigma that still exists today. Through numerous podcast appearances, speaking engagements, and his upcoming memoir, Jason is starting an important conversation that encourages everyone--especially men-- on how important it is to speak up and get the help they deserve.

Starving for Survival will be released on January 11, 2022. To request an advance copy or to schedule an interview with Jason Wood, please visit https://www.orthorexiabites.com or contact Jason directly at [email protected].

# # #