Tips for Creating a Healthy Relationship with Food

Many people have an unhealthy relationship with food because they turn to food for reasons beyond hunger. To help understand what are some causes for someone developing an unhealthy relationship with food and for tips on creating a healthy relationship with food, I have interviewed therapist Risha London Nathan, LMSW, HHC.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

"I am a licensed social worker and wellness counselor living in Brooklyn NY. I got my undergraduate degree in Women's Studies, with a concentration on women's health , and a minor in sociology. After getting my master's degree in social work, I then went on to study holistic nutrition. It's my goal to find ways to help people reconnect and balance emotional and physical health. When working with clients, I use some traditional therapeutic modalities, but I incorporate nutrition, meditative and yoga practices, lifestyle changes, and detoxification methods in order to help people reach a state of wellness."

What are some causes for someone developing an unhealthy relationship with food?

"There are many things that can cause unhealthy relationships with food. I have many clients who have unhealthy relationships with food, drugs (prescription and non-prescription), and people. We often blame childhood trauma, poor self-esteem, and control issues for causing eating disorders, but I think unhealthy relationships with food or anything else, go beyond that. People are now growing up in a world that's filled with more toxins than ever, more chemicals than ever, more stress than ever. If food is the comfort that people reach for when they're lonely, bored, unfulfilled, angry, unmotivated, or just not feeling well, that creates an mindset that separates food from being about keeping us alive. Food is meant to nourish and sustain us, but it has become much more a form of entertainment, a way to connect with people, a way to fill an emotional void. There's nothing wrong with enjoying the food we eat, but most of us have lost touch with the true reason it exists, and instead just use it to fulfill cravings or other things we are lacking in our lives. I have worked with many people who binge-eat, or who just generally lack any self-control when it comes to food. We often hear that people are drowning their sorrows in certain foods, or that they deserve to eat something they know is terrible for them because of what's going on in their lives. While there's nothing necessarily wrong with having something that feels like a treat, and enjoying it; there is a problem with trying to cover emotions with food. I think many times people become very disconnected with what goes into their bodies, and are just looking to feel a full heaviness that stops a craving or buries an emotion rather than making them feel healthy and nourished."

What are some tips for creating a healthy relationship with food?

"As with anything else, I think it's important to make mind/body connections in order to have a healthy relationship with food. Just as food feeds us, so do our emotions, our environment, and our connections with the people around us. Making healthy eating choices is not simply about the food. It's about connecting with what our bodies need, and not making obsessive decisions based on the feelings we're having in a moment that we're eating. I feel that it's important to eat because your body is calling for food, and not because our societal clock is saying it's time for a meal. I do believe it's very important for people to know what they're eating, and why they're putting it in their bodies. I stray away from things like calorie and fat-content counting, and instead encourage people to focus on eating fresh, local, non-packaged, healthy things. Aside from changing what's actually going into someone's body, it's important to look at their emotional state, and check in with what they're looking for or missing in life. If someone is eating because they're stressed or lonely or depressed, then those issues need to be addressed, and cannot simply be fixed by encouraging more fruits and vegetables to be eaten. I believe that in order for someone to be completely well, they have to have a healthy diet , and a healthy emotional life. It's a balance that's not always easily attained, but in the long run it's worth reaching for."

What type of professional help is available for someone that is having a difficult time creating a healthy relationship with food?

"There are many therapists and nutritionists who deal specifically with unhealthy relationships with food and/or eating disorders, and people who would assist a person in making beneficial behavioral changes. If I was personally working with someone, I would be looking much deeper than the food issues, to see what the person is really searching for. People use food to soothe, to fill lonely times, or simply to fulfill cravings. I feel that it's very important for a client to take a very close look at where they're at, think about where they want to be, and examine what's realistic and attainable for them. If people are constantly reaching for a place that feels too far out of their reach, they will set themselves up for defeat. On the other hand, if they're holding themselves back from taking healthy steps forward at appropriate times, they can remain stuck in a bad cycle of excuses. I would encourage anyone who is seeking help with these issues, to find a great therapist, or nutritionist, or someone like myself who works in both avenues to examine all the concerns."

Thank you Risha for doing the interview on tips for creating a healthy relationship with food. For more information on Risha London Nathan or her work you can check out her website on www.rishalondonnathan.com .

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