Author: frivvy89

When Alyssa Morales was in middle school, she took up cross country running. Eager to become a better athlete, she decided to make some lifestyle changes, like changing how she ate.“So I could run faster,” she said. “But then I lost too much weight, and I started to isolate.”Morales’ parents noticed the changes in their daughter’s appearance and behavior. Concerned, they brought her to a doctor.Their fears were true. Twelve-year-old Alyssa was developing an eating disorder —anorexia nervosa was the doctor’s diagnosis.Initially, Morales said she experienced denial about her condition. But she was also relieved. “I could feel myself really…

If your child or teen has Avoidant Restrictive Feeding Intake Disorder, called ARFID, you want to find the most effective and healthy way to help them get back on their growth curve and expand their food and eating flexibility. ARFID is hard to deal with because it can look like the child is just being picky or difficult, when in fact there’s so much more going on. Power struggles, despair, and frustration are common, but full recovery is possible! What is ARFID? ARFID is a restrictive eating disorder in which the person has strong food aversions and struggles to meet…

It’s the time of year for trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, haunted houses, and theme parties! Many of us look forward to these activities and spending time with friends and loved ones. For those with eating disorders or struggle with body image, the ‘holiday’ can often feel a bit overwhelming. Planning your Halloween experience ahead of time can help make October 31st a little less spooky and a lot more fun. Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind for anyone in recovery when planning your Halloween activities. Set Expectations for Trick or Treating Trick-or-Treating is a Halloween classic that is…

Expressing feelings (especially uncomfortable ones) or talking about struggles with mental illness doesn’t come naturally or easily for a lot of people. There’s often a fear of being judged, labeled, or discriminated against, and this is especially true for individuals who self-identify or are perceived by society to be male.  But why?  Why, in an age where an estimated 49.5 percent of adolescents have had a mental health disorder and 57.8 million U.S. adults experience mental illness in a given year, is it so difficult for boys and men to speak up about their mental and emotional struggles?   .…

“I didn’t want to acknowledge it — I ignored it, I hid it,” the season 45 contestant says in a clip from this week’s episodeSurvivor contestant Jake O’Kane is opening up about one of his biggest struggles.In PEOPLE’s exclusive look at this week’s episode, the 26-year-old Boston attorney gets emotional as he reveals he had a “serious binge-eating problem” — and how he worked to conquer it.“When I was overweight I wasn’t feeling too great about myself. I had a serious binge-eating problem,” O’Kane says. “I know there’s a lot of people out there who do that and they just…

Survivor contestant Jake O’Kane is opening up about one of his biggest struggles. In PEOPLE’s exclusive look at this week’s episode, the 26-year-old Boston attorney gets emotional as he reveals he had a “serious binge-eating problem” — and how he worked to conquer it.  “When I was overweight I wasn’t feeling too great about myself. I had a serious binge-eating problem,” O’Kane says. “I know there’s a lot of people out there who do that and they just don’t talk about it and they try to ignore their problems. But you’ve got to face them.” “I knew what I was…

“I didn’t want to acknowledge it — I ignored it, I hid it,” the season 45 contestant says in a clip from this week’s episodeSurvivor contestant Jake O’Kane is opening up about one of his biggest struggles.In PEOPLE’s exclusive look at this week’s episode, the 26-year-old Boston attorney gets emotional as he reveals he had a “serious binge-eating problem” — and how he worked to conquer it.“When I was overweight I wasn’t feeling too great about myself. I had a serious binge-eating problem,” O’Kane says. “I know there’s a lot of people out there who do that and they just…

“I didn’t want to acknowledge it — I ignored it, I hid it,” the season 45 contestant says in a clip from this week’s episodeSurvivor contestant Jake O’Kane is opening up about one of his biggest struggles.In PEOPLE’s exclusive look at this week’s episode, the 26-year-old Boston attorney gets emotional as he reveals he had a “serious binge-eating problem” — and how he worked to conquer it.“When I was overweight I wasn’t feeling too great about myself. I had a serious binge-eating problem,” O’Kane says. “I know there’s a lot of people out there who do that and they just…

Americans with lower incomes who live near Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, or other dollar stores hold surprisingly positive views about the role those establishments play in their communities, according to the first-of-its-kind national survey of dollar store utilization and perception commissioned by the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest. While 82 percent of respondents said dollar stores helped their communities, just as many (81 percent) indicated that dollar stores should stock more healthy products and three-quarters (74 percent) indicated dollar stores should do more to market healthier options, including by placing healthy options in prominent places…

Binge eating at night can be a nightmare if left unattended! Read on to know why you should stop now before its too late. How often do you step out of bed at night to sneak a snack? If you have been eating a lot at night, you must watch out! Binge eating can turn into a nightmare pretty quickly, if left ignored. What makes it worse is eating at night as it can lead you to obesity. If you are wondering how, scroll down to know how binge eating can increase the risk of obesity and diabetes. Eating at…