23 Nov, 2024
3 mins read

The National Eating Disorders Association Disabled Its Chatbot After It Gave Harmful Dieting Advice

The National Eating Disorders Association has disabled the chatbot that replaced its staff- and volunteer-run helpline after two users reported receiving harmful advice. Earlier this week, Sharon Maxwell and Alexis Conason each posted on Instagram about their experiences with the chatbot. Both wrote that the bot, called Tessa, advised them to lose one to two […]

8 mins read

The Globalization of Skin-Lightening Products

When most people think about globalization, they picture the spread of McDonald’s and Coca-Cola throughout Asia, or the smorgasbord of ethnic restaurants in New York City. But a less commonly known facet of globalization is the spread of skin-lightening products throughout the Global South. During the past several decades, increasingly more women (and sometimes men) […]

1 min read

Online Eat in Peace Group Starting in January

Residents of FL, NY, & CA: Join me for this intimate, online group beginning in January. Constantly thinking about food. . . Counting calories, grams, macros, and the time before eating again. . Obsessing about food and wondering about food addiction. . . Anxious about sticking to diet rules and fighting off cravings. . . […]

8 mins read

How I Finally Lost the Holiday Weight

I have been feeling heavier than ever these past few weeks. My anxiety high and emotional fuse short. I knew this time of year would be hard – my first holiday in grief, but I had no idea just how much the heaviness would weigh me down. My grief has manifested in an array of emotions. And, like most people, I find it 10,000 times easier to lean the other way rather into the hurt. I have spent much of this year leaning into work, family, busyness or color coding my cute planner…basically ANYTHING to distract me from the real pain and hurt. My GaGa is not coming back. It has taken me almost a year to truly accept this. I have been waiting for the perfect…

6 mins read

One Year Gone: Lessons in Grief

My eyes opened well before the sun rose, knowing what today was. My heart ached that same ache I have been experiencing for the last 365 days. A distinct void that will never be filled. I lie in bed and suddenly felt the need to see the sunrise. I threw on my clothes and drove the three minutes to the beach. As I walked passed the dunes and saw the expansive beach unfold before my eyes, I laughed. It was cloudy. Only a small pink sliver of light could be seen where the ocean meets the sky. Sigh. So much for the perfect sunrise I pictured in my head, I thought. But in more ways than not, today’s cloudy non-existent sunrise was the perfect finale to…

1 min read

Anorexia/bulimia: Bacterial protein implicated

Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge eating disorder affect approximately 5-10 percent of the general population. Researchers have demonstrated the involvement of a protein produced by some intestinal bacteria that may be the source of these disorders. Antibodies produced by the body against this protein also react with the main satiety hormone, which is similar in structure. According to the researchers, it may ultimately be possible to correct this mechanism that causes variations in food intake.