ED on ED

This episode is a doozy!  Dr. Ed is given a near impossible task: in just 24 hours, he must figure out what is wrong with a young girl to ensure she gets the care she needs.  Why the time crunch?  The other doctors have decided that since she has an Eating Disorder, she should be transferred to a psych facility ASAP, even though she exhibits troubling medical red flags.  We hear all the ups and downs of that story, and discuss the “ED to Psych Write-Off” phenomenon where patients with ED are rushed out of hospitals and into psychological facilities, even at the risk of their medical wellbeing.

In this Episode, Liz and Dr. Tyson dig into the psychology of competitive athletes - and why that psychology leaves them at particular risk for eating disorders.  They also discuss how intensive exercise affects the body of an athlete, in particular when that body is also restricting food (and even water) intake.  We hear the moving story of “Marie” - competitive runner and martial artist who struggles with an ED.  Her story leads to an intensely emotional moment, where the decision whether or not to walk through a door is a decision between life and death.

In this Episode, Liz and Dr. Tyson tackle the topic of SUGAR.  They endeavor to describe sugar in a neutral way: What does sugar do for us, biologically?  Why do we need it?  What happens to our body medically if we don’t get enough sugar?  We also hear the true story of “Elliot” and finally learn the answer to the age-old question: What happens when you mix a country boy with low blood sugar, 2 cops, and 1 just-closed Sonic?  (Hint: the answer involves a taser).  His story is a scorching indictment of how our collective ignorance around sugar can leave us blind to the truth.  

In this episode, Liz and Dr. Ed dive deep into the vilification of fat in America.  We reveal the historical origins and faulty science behind the low fat/fat free diet trend, and examine why fat is important to the body.  We also hear the story of “Amy,” a promising scholar and athlete who slides down the slippery slope of restriction, eventually cutting all fat from her diet.  Through her story we humanize the deleterious effect of demonizing fat - and offer radical alternatives for how to conceptualize fat.  Also in this episode - a David Bowie in Labyrinth reference?  You’ll just have to listen to find out why.

Useful Links: 

Article: “How the Ideology of Low Fat Conquered America”:https://academic.oup.com/jhmas/article/63/2/139/772615

Social Media: 

Instagram: @edonedpodcast

Professional Email: [email protected]

In this episode, Liz and Dr. Ed dive deep into the false presumptions the medical field makes about those who are overweight - and the negative consequences those assumptions can have.  We get to hear the real story of “Heather,” a woman who presents to the hospital because she has been vomiting whenever she eats.  Heather is overweight and says she may have an eating disorder.  But this case does not go where you think, and if the doctor treating her had jumped to conclusions without digging deeper, those presumptions would’ve had deadly consequences.

Academy for Eating Disorders: https://www.aedweb.org/resources/professional-resources

Instagram: @edonedpodcast
Email: [email protected]