Episode 67: Food - Beyond Diet Cultures Perspective

Today Dr. Anderson reflects on how people can expand their perspective of food. Diet culture and eating disorder voice lead people to think of food in limited ways. She discusses how food offers so much more than diet culture and eating disorder-perspective can. She talks about:

• Ways diet culture narrows our thoughts on food
• • Calculator model
  • Good/Bad food
  • Moralizing eating
• Without diet culture, we can appreciate so much more about food
• • How food is created, makes its way to our plates
  • What food does in our bodies
  • How food can be pleasurable, meaningful, and emotional
  • Food facilitating connection with others
  • Food passing along family traditions
  • Food as a part of cultural or religious practice
  • Preparing food as enjoyable itself
• COVID and what’s really important about food
• • Always, but even more so during the pandemic, people experience hunger, food insecurity by no fault of their own
  • Diet culture pressures people to make “good” choices. How does one do that when you can’t access all foods, enough foods, or don’t have food available consistently?
  • Food as part of an act of service
  • • Food can be a way we look after our fellow people. If you have the means, support local organizations, people in your community who are struggling right now.

Get your copy of Dr. Anderson’s books on Amazon at amazon.com/authors/janeananderson

This podcast is hosted and produced by Janean Anderson, Ph.D., CEDS-S. Dr. Anderson is a licensed psychologist, author, and podcast host. She holds the Certified Eating Disorder Specialist designation from the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP). She is the Founder and Director of Colorado Therapy & Assessment Center, an outpatient treatment center in Denver, Colorado that specializes in eating disorders.

Dr. Anderson also supervision and consultation for treatment professionals seeking their CEDS. Interested? Email for more info: [email protected]

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This podcast is sponsored by EDCare. As one of the nation’s foremost centers for the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders, EDCare offers patients, their families, healthcare professionals, and the community over 19 years of eating disorder experience. Their gender-inclusive programs include PHP, day and evening IOP, outpatient therapy, and an adolescent program. Their unique mindfulness-based treatment philosophy CAMSA®, which stands for Connection, Acceptance, Mindfulness, Sense of self, and Action, is incorporated into each individualized treatment plan and supported by Master’s level clinicians or higher. EDCare offers four specialty programs for binge eating disorder, athletes, substance use, and trauma. Facilities are located in Denver, Colorado Springs, Kansas City, and Omaha. Affordable housing is available in Denver and Kansas City. Visit them online at www.eatingdisorder.care to learn more or call 866-771-0861