Peace Meal

Episode description:

Author and psychotherapist Thom Rutledge joins Peace Meal to discuss how people with eating disorders can prioritize recovery during the coronavirus pandemic. While “Ed”—the eating disorder—may try to co-opt the current cultural anxiety and changes in food, exercise, and environment for his purposes, Thom explains how we can intervene. With the support of others, we can reclaim our power and use the situation as an opportunity to strengthen our recovery efforts.

Thom Rutledge, LCSW, is the author of Life without Ed (with Jenni Schaefer), as well as Embracing Fear, The Self-Forgiveness Handbook, and more. Learn about Thom and his work at thomrutledge.com, and find him on Facebook and Instagram.

Learn more about The Emily Program online or by calling 1-888-364-5977.

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About the podcast:

Peace Meal is an Emily Program podcast that discusses topics related to eating disorders, body image issues, and how society may contribute to distorted thinking.

You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, or tell your friends!

Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email [email protected] for more information.

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Follow The Emily Program on:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheEmilyProgram

Twitter: @emilyprogram

Instagram: @emilyprogram

Episode description:

In this episode, author Chrissy Cahill recounts her daughter Alexandra’s battle with anorexia. Alex struggled with the eating disorder for 18 years and ultimately died from it at the age of 33. Following Alex’s death, Chrissy gained entry into her daughter’s private, painful world through Alex’s writings. Chrissy published these writings to educate others about life with an eating disorder, weaving them into a book called Fatal Reflection. Chrissy chronicles her experience of writing the book, describes the loving, strong person Alex was, and shares how the eating disorder affected the different members of her family.

Find Fatal Reflection on Barnes & Noble and other online booksellers. Learn more at https://www.austinmacauley.com/author/chrissy-cahill.

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About the podcast:

Peace Meal is an Emily Program podcast that discusses topics related to eating disorders, body image issues, and how society may contribute to distorted thinking.

You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, or tell your friends!

Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email [email protected] for more information.

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Follow The Emily Program on:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheEmilyProgram

Twitter: @emilyprogram

Instagram: @emilyprogram

Episode description:

Kitty Westin is an internationally known advocate for those with eating disorders. Since losing her daughter Anna to anorexia in 2000, she has worked tirelessly and tenaciously to improve access to eating disorder care.

In this episode Kitty reflects on two decades of advocacy, including her role in creating treatment centers, a non-profit organization, and the historic Anna Westin Act, the first eating disorders legislation passed into federal law. Honoring Anna’s spirit throughout, she encourages others to voice their own experiences to create change.

Learn how you can get involved at eatingdisorderscoalition.org. Learn more about The Emily Program online or by calling 1-888-364-5977.

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About the podcast:

Peace Meal is an Emily Program podcast that discusses topics related to eating disorders, body image issues, and how society may contribute to distorted thinking.

You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, or tell your friends!

Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email [email protected] for more information.

—

Follow The Emily Program on:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheEmilyProgram

Twitter: @emilyprogram

Instagram: @emilyprogram

Episode description:

When an eating disorder affects a child or adolescent, it affects the child’s parents and caregivers as well. In this episode, Raffaela discusses the impact of her daughter’s eating disorder on her family. She describes how she continues to fight alongside her daughter, navigating treatment and the challenges associated with it. She addresses the confusion, isolation, frustration, and exhaustion commonly felt in this situation, and emphasizes the importance of patience, self-care, and a strong support system.

To underscore the importance of support systems, Raffaela would like to thank those who have supported her family in her daughter’s journey toward recovery. "Thank you to all of our family, friends, and organizations for your loving support," she says, "We could not do this without you."

John & Anita Vacchio

Nicholas & Janet DiStasio

Joe & Josephine & Giovanna Tarulli

Gino & Debbie Farone

Jeff & Marissa West

Laura Turner

Paul & Heather Hemmer

Shawn & Jen Drogen

Mary Jo & Sage Daughton

Earl & Ginny Wensel

Michelle Morales & Family

Ronald McDonald of Connecticut

Prime Care/Easter Seals of NY

Learn more about The Emily Program online or by calling 1-888-364-5977.

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About the podcast:

Peace Meal is an Emily Program podcast that discusses topics related to eating disorders, body image issues, and how society may contribute to distorted thinking.

You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, or tell your friends!

Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email [email protected] for more information.

—

Follow The Emily Program on:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheEmilyProgram

Twitter: @emilyprogram

Instagram: @emilyprogram

Episode description:

Peace Meal’s Recovery Series features stories of those in eating disorder recovery in hopes of starting conversations, breaking stigmas, and encouraging healing. In this episode, we talk to Olivia McNeil.

Olivia is a youth group leader from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She is passionate about helping and supporting others with their mental health journeys and spreading awareness about eating disorders.

Olivia reflects on her own experience with eating disorder illness and healing. She describes her process of seeking help and achieving full recovery, and how she continues to protect this recovery.

You can find us at The Emily Program online or by calling 1-888-364-5977.

—

About the podcast:

Peace Meal is an Emily Program podcast that discusses topics related to eating disorders, body image issues, and how society may contribute to distorted thinking.

You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, or tell your friends!

Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email [email protected] for more information.

https://www.emilyprogram.com/

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Follow The Emily Program on

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheEmilyProgram

Twitter: @emilyprogram

Instagram: @emilyprogram

We had a fantastic time at The Emily Program's first live podcast event, Make Peace With You! Our discussion covered topics of perfectionism, social media, and eating disorder recovery.

Episode description:

Make Peace with You is a special live episode of Peace Meal focused on stories of embracing individuality and practicing self-acceptance. On November 2nd, host Dr. Jillian Lampert talked with world-renowned cross country skier Jessie Diggins and journalist Jana Shortal about how they learned to come to terms with body image issues and other challenges. 

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Episode show notes:

Jessie Diggins was riding in her parents' ski backpacks before she could walk. Jessie has gone on to have a distinguished career in cross-country skiing, earning several honors for her sport.

In 2018, Jessie revealed that had struggled with an eating disorder as a teenager, which set off a national conversation about eating disorders in athletes. By partnering with The Emily Program and WithAll, Jessie hopes she can change the narrative around body image and create a more positive, affirming society for people of all shapes, sizes, and identities.

"Let's try to focus not on what our bodies look like, but rather what they can DO," Jessie has said.

Jana Shortal is a reporter and co-anchor of "Breaking the News" on KARE 11. An accomplished journalist, Jana has won five regional Emmys in her career and is a member of the National Association of LGBTQ Journalists.

Jana made headlines herself earlier this year when she spoke out on NBC's TODAY show about breaking the "unofficial dress code" for female on-air reporters and embracing her true sense of style.

"Maybe because of me somebody will watch and say, 'I want to do that," she told TODAY. "And they won't think that they have to be somebody else because they saw me."

During the podcast, we covered topics including why it's important that we don't expect perfection of ourselves, how to not live for "likes" on social media, and how pursuing recovery for an eating disorder can help us live our best lives.

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About the podcast:

Peace Meal is an Emily Program podcast that discusses topics related to eating disorders, body image issues, and how society may contribute to distorted thinking.

You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, or tell your friends!

Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email [email protected] for more information.

https://www.emilyprogram.com/

--

Follow The Emily Program on

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheEmilyProgram

Twitter: @emilyprogram

Instagram: @emilyprogram

Episode description:

Peace Meal’s Recovery Series aims to share stories of those in eating disorder recovery in hopes of starting conversations, breaking stigmas, and encouraging healing. On today’s episode, we talk to Rachel Moe. Rachel has struggled with anorexia, bulimia, exercise addiction, and substance use disorder. Now a registered nurse, Rachel leads an eating disorders anonymous meeting in Duluth, Minnesota.

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Episode show notes:

Rachel Moe started using eating disorder behaviors in junior high. Rachel reflects on the years she spent struggling with her dual diagnosis of an eating disorder and substance use disorder until some significant turning points forced her to reach out for help. Rachel describes how embracing vulnerability and self-compassion helped her find her way through the recovery process. An alum of The Emily Program, Rachel is passionate about sharing her story and creating support systems for others who are struggling.

In the episode, Rachel says “I realized that if I put half the amount of energy into my eating disorder into my recovery, I could do amazing things.”

You can find us at The Emily Program online or by calling 1-888-364-5977.

—

About the podcast:

Peace Meal is an Emily Program podcast that discusses topics related to eating disorders, body image issues, and how society may contribute to distorted thinking.

You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, or tell your friends!

Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email [email protected] for more information.

https://www.emilyprogram.com/

--

Follow The Emily Program on

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheEmilyProgram

Twitter: @emilyprogram

Instagram: @emilyprogram

Episode description:

Ancel Keys’ Minnesota Starvation Experiment was a 1944-1945 study where 36 men voluntarily starved themselves to aid researchers in discovering ways to help those affected by the war recover from starvation. While the study shed light on starvation recovery, it also became an important study in the eating disorder field. Susan Swigart, an Emily Program psychiatrist, explains why.

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Episode show notes:

Susan Swigart completed her psychiatry residency and child psychiatry fellowship at the University of Minnesota and is currently a psychiatrist at The Emily Program. Susan is open about having an eating disorder when she was a Division 1 gymnast in college, which she says led her to have a special interest in working with athletes. In addition to this, Susan co-authored the follow-up investigation of the Minnesota Starvation Experiment.

The Minnesota Starvation Experiment was conducted by Dr. Ancel Keys and took place at the University of Minnesota. This study aimed to look at the effects of starvation on health and to take that information and use it to help those affected by the war in Europe recover from starvation.

The study was made up of 36 male volunteers. These 36 men were directed to lose 25% of their body weight to mimic the conditions of people in Europe. There were three parts to the study: a control period of diet adjustment to meet the individual’s ideal body weight, a six-month semi-starvation phase with the goal of dropping 25% of body weight, and a three month refeeding and rehabilitation period. During the entire study, the men were expected to maintain their normal lives.

While the study was beneficial for those suffering from the war, it was also incredibly useful to eating disorder treatment specialists and researchers. The study found that 32 of 36 men were successful in losing 25% of their body weight. The four men who discontinued the study did so for various mental health reasons. Two had to be hospitalized due to negative emotional and psychological states. One struggled with binge eating and began eating from the garbage. Another became a compulsive gum chewer.

Out of the men who completed the study, an additional five men had serious psychiatric symptoms. This proves that starvation can greatly affect one’s overall wellbeing and drastically change their outlook. These are only some of the negative effects that the men experienced during and after the starvation study. Due to these findings, the study proved to be useful for eating disorder research and treatment—and a follow-up study was completed.

Susan Swigart discusses how she came to be a part of the follow-up study and how the follow-up study contributed to additional eating disorder research. From this second study, researchers learned about the long-lasting effects of starvation and changed our understanding of eating disorders.  

You can find us at The Emily Program online or by calling 1-888-364-5977.

—

About the podcast:

Peace Meal is an Emily Program podcast that discusses topics related to eating disorders, body image issues, and how society may contribute to distorted thinking.

You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, or tell your friends!

Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email [email protected] for more information.

https://www.emilyprogram.com/

Blog image courtesy of the Keys Collection, CVD History Archive, School of Public Health

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Follow The Emily Program on

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheEmilyProgram

Twitter: @emilyprogram

Instagram: @emilyprogram

 

** Blog image courtesy of the Keys Collection, CVD History Archive, School of Public Health.**

Episode description:

Peace Meal’s Recovery Series aims to share stories of those in eating disorder recovery in hopes of starting conversations, breaking stigmas, and encouraging healing. On today’s episode, we talk to Abbie Scott. Abbie suffered from an eating disorder during her youth, continued on to pursue recovery, and now helps others who have struggled in her career as a registered dietitian.

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Episode show notes:

Abbie Scott is a Registered Dietitian at The Emily Program’s Anna Westin House in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She is passionate about eating disorder prevention, yoga, and helping others develop positive food-body relationships. In addition, Abbie holds her 200-hour registered yoga teacher certification and has completed multiple trainings on the intersection of yoga, food, and body image.

Abbie was officially diagnosed with the eating disorder EDNOS (now known as OSFED) when she was a preteen. Abbie discusses how comments she heard about losing weight, smaller being better, and problematic compliments affected the development of her eating disorder. These negative comments and body-based praise led Abbie to start restricting the types of food she would consume. This then turned into the micromanagement of everything she consumed.

As Abbie’s weight dropped, her mom brought her to a therapist to discuss her food judgments and behaviors. She was eventually referred to a hospital-setting where the providers treated all types of mental illness and were not specialized in eating disorder treatment. This led Abbie to have a memorable experience that she states, “Scared her into recovery,” though she wishes she could have experienced more tailored treatment.

Following her care at the hospital and ongoing therapy, with the support of her mom, Abbie began recovery. From therapy, Abbie began to untangle her food judgments and behaviors, while finding new ways to adapt and maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

After her recovery, Abbie pursued a degree in nutrition, which led her to The Emily Program. Abbie has been a dietitian since 2013 and says working with eating disorders was always her passion. To those struggling, Abbie says, “No matter what your eating disorder voice is telling you, it’s not the only answer. Yes, recovery is challenging but it does get easier.”

You can find us at The Emily Program online or by calling 1-888-364-5977.

—

About the podcast:

Peace Meal is an Emily Program podcast that discusses topics related to eating disorders, body image issues, and how society may contribute to distorted thinking.

You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, or tell your friends!

Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email [email protected] for more information.

https://www.emilyprogram.com/

--

Follow The Emily Program on

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheEmilyProgram

Twitter: @emilyprogram

Instagram: @emilyprogram

Episode description:

Exercise in eating disorder recovery is a hotly disputed topic. What type of activity is positive? When does activity become disordered? Is there a place for intense exercise in recovery? The Emily Program’s Director of Nutrition, Shena Washburn, joins Peace Meal to answer these questions and more.

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Episode show notes:

Shena Washburn is the Director of Nutrition at The Emily Program, where she oversees nutrition and food services programming. Shena is a former dance instructor and is passionate about helping those in recovery find food and body peace.

We start this episode by discussing what types of exercise can be a risk factor for the development of eating disorders—key sports being gymnastics and cross country. Shena explains her preference for using the word movement over exercise because exercise implies control. Movement, on the other hand, can include any type of activity where your body is moving and it is a fluid term with little constraint.

When understanding if exercise is excessive, one can ask certain themselves questions. Why am I playing this sport? What am I hoping to gain? Am I nourishing my body? How would I feel if I wasn’t able to do the activity one day? Do I feel pressure to look one way? By reflecting on the answers to these questions, individuals can learn about their food-body relationship and understand if it is negative and disordered.

In addition to excessive exercise, there is also exercise avoidance. Individuals who are exercise-resistant often avoid exercise due to a dislike of movement, discomfort with their appearance or the social setting, and/or body trauma. For these individuals, eating disorder treatment and tailored therapy can be particularly helpful at addressing the root causes and behaviors.

Shena wraps up the podcast by discussing how individuals can find a proper level of activity and what she recommends to those in recovery. Shena recommends that those struggling from food, body, or exercise issues should seek specialized care and be very aware of the intentions behind their activities. Shena believes the purpose of movement should be joy and purpose.

You can find The Emily Program online or by calling 1-888-364-5977.

—

About the podcast:

Peace Meal is an Emily Program podcast that discusses topics related to eating disorders, body image issues, and how society may contribute to distorted thinking.

You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, or tell your friends!

Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email [email protected] for more information.

https://www.emilyprogram.com/

--

Follow The Emily Program on

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheEmilyProgram

Twitter: @emilyprogram

Instagram: @emilyprogram