Screening for Eating Disorders in a Nutrition-Focused Practice
Dr Carrie Decker ND reviews a common screening issue and offers some practical tools.
One of the topics that comes up when working with patients in all types of medical or nutritional practices is how
Screening for Eating Disorders in a Nutrition-Focused Practice
Dr Carrie Decker ND reviews a common screening issue and offers some practical tools.
One of the topics that comes up when working with patients in all types of medical or nutritional practices is how to ascertain if disordered eating patterns or attitudes surrounding food may exist. Although a historic eating disorder is not an absolute contraindication to recommending dietary changes, it is important to be aware of as dietary restrictions may trigger deep-rooted reactions very similar to that which existed when one was active in their eating disorder.
As a naturopath who sees many individuals with conditions of autoimmunity and digestive dysfunction, I often make suggestions of dietary modifications such as the avoidance of gluten, dairy, and other foods which one is found to be sensitive to via food sensitivity testing. However, this is not the case for all individuals, in particular those who have a significant history of an eating disorder.
Understanding if an eating disorder is a potential issue of concern is not a straightforward manner, as for many people who strug