In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jason Wood who turned his battle with orthorexia into a mission to break the stigma around men's mental health and eating disorders by launching his blog Orthorexia Bites in 2021 and publishing his memoir, "Starving for Survival" earlier this year. Through numerous podcast appearances, speaking engagements, and his writing, 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.

From the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), "Although not formally recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, awareness about orthorexia is on the rise. The term ‘orthorexia’ was coined in 1998 and means an obsession with proper or ‘healthful’ eating. Although being aware of and concerned with the nutritional quality of the food you eat isn’t a problem in and of itself, people with orthorexia become so fixated on so-called ‘healthy eating’ that they actually damage their own well-being."

There is a lot of stigma, shame, and lack of understanding when it comes to eating disorders in general but men (and those who don't fit the stereotype) often find it very difficult to recognize an eating disorder and subsequently find help because so many think of eating disorders as affecting primarily thin, young, white, more affluent women. The reality is that eating disorders and disordered eating affect people across the socioeconomic, gender, ethnic, and size spectrum.

If you'd like more information or to connect with Jason and his work:

IG: @orthorexiabites

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If you'd like to contact me to work together, provide feedback on the podcast, ask clarifying questions, provide a suggestion for a guest or future episode, or for any other reason you can find me at:

IG: @intuitive.eating.men