How 'Going Green' Is Helping Me Recover From My Eating Disorder
Hi, I'm Emma and I'm a recovering anorexic...
Hi, I'm Emma and I'm a vegan.
Hi, I'm Emma and I'm an environmentalist.
Hi, I'm Emma and I'm a wife, a friend, a cat mom, a creative, a good cook, a coffee lover, a wine drinker, a crafty mofo... I could go on, and that is important. I am trying to find myself outside of the 'anorexic' label and going green, making eco changes and evaluating my impact on the planet is helping me do that.
Eating disorders take up a lot of mental space and when you are trying to recover it is important to fill up some of that space with new and different things and to change the narrative to tell yourself about yourself. Trying to live a more sustainable life has given me another purpose beyond being the sick one, the skinny one and the patient. It has given me other areas to focus on, not just calories, the number on the scale or my destructive self-disciple. I am more able to see myself as a worthwhile person, who is doing good, or at least doing their best. Not a person who deserves nothing, no food, no love and no self-respect. I am changing my actions to be in line with my actual values and not that of the anorexic voice inside my head.
By working toward a more eco-conscious life I am able to recreate myself, to build myself up and, importantly, feed my body and my soul. I am learning how food is more than calories, but a way to live my message of sustainability and ethical practices. I can see food as nourishment not punishment and can recognize that I need to be an example. Their are some people who choose veganism as a way to cut out food groups and restrict but I want to show that veganism can be healthy and is an ethical way of living, I don't want to be a stereotype, I don't want anyone to look at me and think "see, vegans are all so skinny, there is nothing you can eat, vegans only eat vegetables, and it's not healthy."
I want my life to mean something, to have a positive impact and by choosing to 'go green' I am choosing to live. Anorexia was going to kill me and I can't do much good if I'm dead.
Hi, I'm Emma and I'm a vegan.
Hi, I'm Emma and I'm an environmentalist.
Hi, I'm Emma and I'm a wife, a friend, a cat mom, a creative, a good cook, a coffee lover, a wine drinker, a crafty mofo... I could go on, and that is important. I am trying to find myself outside of the 'anorexic' label and going green, making eco changes and evaluating my impact on the planet is helping me do that.
Eating disorders take up a lot of mental space and when you are trying to recover it is important to fill up some of that space with new and different things and to change the narrative to tell yourself about yourself. Trying to live a more sustainable life has given me another purpose beyond being the sick one, the skinny one and the patient. It has given me other areas to focus on, not just calories, the number on the scale or my destructive self-disciple. I am more able to see myself as a worthwhile person, who is doing good, or at least doing their best. Not a person who deserves nothing, no food, no love and no self-respect. I am changing my actions to be in line with my actual values and not that of the anorexic voice inside my head.
By working toward a more eco-conscious life I am able to recreate myself, to build myself up and, importantly, feed my body and my soul. I am learning how food is more than calories, but a way to live my message of sustainability and ethical practices. I can see food as nourishment not punishment and can recognize that I need to be an example. Their are some people who choose veganism as a way to cut out food groups and restrict but I want to show that veganism can be healthy and is an ethical way of living, I don't want to be a stereotype, I don't want anyone to look at me and think "see, vegans are all so skinny, there is nothing you can eat, vegans only eat vegetables, and it's not healthy."
I want my life to mean something, to have a positive impact and by choosing to 'go green' I am choosing to live. Anorexia was going to kill me and I can't do much good if I'm dead.
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