Hello Beautiful!

It looks like you're new to The Community. If you'd like to get involved, click one of these buttons!

In this Discussion

Orthorexia: ABC 20/20 TONIGHT

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

ANYONE WANTING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ORTHOREXIA NERVOSA, AN OBSESSION WITH HEALTHY FOOD AND EATING – TUNE INTO ABC 20/20 TONIGHT @ 10PM

I will be airing in this document as the “person living with orthorexia nervosa”. The run time is 13 minutes total. Others will be included in this piece: Steven Bratman, doctors, recovered orthorexics, etc.

For those who can’t watch it on Tv – IT WILL BE ON THEIR WEBSITE. Go to www.abc.com and link to the 20/20 news page. I am under the understanding that they will be linking my website to the story as well. Cheers!

To recap: ABC 20/20 interviewed me in my hometown at the end of April 2008. The original air date was set for August 1st, 2008 but it got pushed to the fall. I just got LAST MINUTE notice that it will be airing tonight.

Please notify friends and family. The more education the better. Eating disorders are a serious and life threatening disease. Let’s keep the flow of education going so we can better understand and treat eating disorders to those who suffer.

«13

Comments

  • Branwyn32Branwyn32 Raw Newbie

    Thanks for the notice Johnny! As long as I’m home tonight (which I’m sure I will be) I’ll watch!

  • BluedolfinBluedolfin Raw Newbie

    Johnny~ Did you get my message that I sent through your site?

  • Blue – no, I’m sorry. I have not been on that email account in over a week, really bombarded with messages from various accounts. Please forgive me. I will check it out soon, right now I’m stressed as all hell over this last minute news : ( I think I need some deep breathes and a hug!!!

    EDIT: I so just got your email, omg how sweet. I responded back!!! Thank you so much love and kisses to your thumb.

  • Branwyn32Branwyn32 Raw Newbie

    GREAT BIG HUGS for you then!

  • I just DVR’d it Johnny. I’ll definitely watch.

  • Thanks Johnny!!!

    Thanks for taking the time to educated us all!! I have really appreciated the message, the energy, and effort you have put into educating others. It really reasonates through your art and spirit. Such a Strong Message! Thank You!!! :)

  • {{{{{{{ HUGS }}}}}}} Relax, it will be fine. We already think you’re great – everyone else can buzz off. Peace, Karuna

  • I will be looking forward to this. Thanks for the heads up!

  • BluedolfinBluedolfin Raw Newbie

    Johnny~ Breath in… two… three… four… five…. Breath out… two… three… four… five…. Repeat until you either relax or pass out… which ever comes first. ;)

    Glad you got the email. My thumb thankx you. However, the rest of my parts are quite jealous! ;)

    :( I haven’t gotten your reply. Could it be taking the scenic route or what? Hmmmm…

    PS. How did 20/20 come to interview you?

  • Here is the exact link for those interested: ABC News: Orthorexia: Obsessing Over Health Food

  • Can’t wait!

  • waterbaby12347waterbaby12347 Raw Newbie

    Johnny, I pray your intentions are interpreted as you meant them to be…

    So hold on tight, as you well know the media can spin anything anyway they want… Sure hope they make your point and don’t try to destroy the raw community!!!

    I will be watching with bated breath…

  • Thank you all for your support. My intentions were to show the raw truth about my experience with orthorexia. Thefore, I am going to come across very crazy to those who do not understand orthorexia… OR healthy eating in a nonobsessive way. They filmed me ALL afternoon, at home, in my garden, makring raw food, in a grocery store, having a panic attack, etc. It’s beyond my control what footage they chose to use. I am grateful that I was asked to go on national news to talk about this disease and hope that the craziness is shown in true colors no matter how bad it makes me look. If it means I helped atleast 1 person, it’s all worth it.

    Beate: I have a reputation in the eating disorder community as an artist, activist and doing online education (not publically speaking YET – by choice). I am not hard to track down. They found me searching for orthorexia nervosa and I told them I would, in a heartbeat, be more than willing to help. TOO MANY PEOPLE are UNWILLING to talk about these kinds of issues. It’s understandable but I am not one to sit and hide it. Yes, I am still suffering eating disorders but I’m also trying to fight them and am working in recovery that I feel is a lifelong commitment. This is my first tv appearance, I have done magazine before but not tv. I hope it will bring me more public appearances to be able to speak up about eating disorders. The more education, the better. Orthorexia nervosa is now getting awareness but still not effectively being treated, especially in eating disorder clinics.

    All I hope is that they did not twist my recovery oriented raw food diet into some poster child raw foodist orthorexic. My raw food diet is only control by orthorexia as I allow it to which I fight hard to try to find balance so I can 1. eat 2. keep it in and 3.find enjoyment in these experiences.

    Thanks for posting the link KAIT!!! I’m going to copy it in the posting.

    Ps, Waterbaby: I could not destroy the raw food community as I am only 1 member and I do not speak for all. SO unless someone is bias and stereotypical minded – there is nothing to worry about. I can speak for myself and myself only!

  • Okay, leaving computer to watch a movie and have some raw upstairs with Mom before the show airs here at 10! I feel better than earlier, was stressed out but now I’m excited : ) Thank you all for your support xoxo

  • chicorychicory Raw Newbie

    I will be watching!!! hugs and faerie blessings to you

  • BluedolfinBluedolfin Raw Newbie

    Rawk on Johnny… glad to hear you are breathing again. :) Say hi to mom for us. :)

  • waterbaby12347waterbaby12347 Raw Newbie

    Johnny~ Don’t take me wrong, I’m on YOUR side… I was saying the media may try to use the raw food diet as some sort of reason for causing Orthorexia… I know you are using it in a healthy way during your recovery… But the media may spin raw foods involvement differently…

  • MOTHMOTH Raw Newbie

    I hope I can see it on the webpage after it airs! (no tv)

  • chicorychicory Raw Newbie

    I think I just saw John stossel….. he tends to get on my nerves… I remember he did a show where he basically said there was not such thing as global warming. He better be nice!

  • waterbaby12347waterbaby12347 Raw Newbie

    Johnny~ YOU did a great job, you didn’t look the least bit nervous… Wow I’m impressed!!!

    I don’t find our raw diet takes anymore time than my SAD diet did in the 70’s when I was raising a garden and putting everything up for the winter and cooking from scratch… I was planning, planting, picking, perserving or preparing meals most of each and everyday…

    This is much easier but still a lot of time, if you aren’t organized…

  • chicorychicory Raw Newbie

    john stossel is really negative and skeptical about everything….. interesting story.. you did a great job!

  • Johnny -

    You were Simply Wonderful!!!

    I do think they tried to put a sick spin on the raw lifestyle. (Similiar to what waterbaby posted earlier… like raw is the cause for Orthorexia). But we have to remember who owns the media. The bigger picture. And what they really want the general public to believe. Like the high-fructose corn syrup commercials.

    Don’t let anyone hold you back. You have a message that needs to be shared. It just radiates off of you. Keep going. By the way, Great Garden!!!!:)

  • waterbaby12347waterbaby12347 Raw Newbie

    Is it me??? Or was there NO follow up summary??? The girl changed, but to what, Johnny eats raw, people in NYC also eat raw, the celebs are eating raw too and then a commercial, After the commercial a different topic… (What it’s like to be treated like a celeb at the airport)

    Not sure what Stossel was trying to prove… Not sure how the SAD population will digest this program…

  • Johnny, you did extremely well, and I think you were very brave to appear not knowing how they would edit you. For those of you who don’t know, John Stossel is an extreme conservative who is not exactly fair in his reporting. Waterbaby, it isn’t you…there was no follow up summary. I also wonder why they didn’t pick someone like Gabriel Cousens to talk about the raw diet instead of the other guy (who really did come across crazy, sorry to say). Anyway, Johnny is right, people do need to speak about these issues and this is a start. Once again, Johnny, you have my admiration!

  • I went to the story but would like to watch the peice. If someone puts it on youtube please let me know.

  • BluedolfinBluedolfin Raw Newbie

    Mon46~ I don’t know if you are asking a rhetorical question or not about who/what the 20/20 producers choose to air… They choose what is the most flamboyant/entertaining/inflammatory/sensational/titillating and what best supports their agenda. Cousens wouldn’t match that criteria, especially the one about supporting the program’s agenda… they would have to do to much editting to turn his responses to what they want.

  • Exactly, Bluedolfin! Yes, my question was definitely rhetorical (though Stossel appears to be the guy with all the rhetoric). Of course they went with “the nutty guy”, having no real interest in actually looking at the topic in a nuanced, multifaceted way. But I have found that par for the course with that program when I’ve viewed it in the past.

  • thecavsmanthecavsman Raw Newbie

    The whole thing can be summed up by his attitude when talking about the New York raw potluck. He said “These people eat only raw food – they THINK they are eating healthy”. As if cooking makes the same exact food any healthier. And of course the person @ the potluck quoted didn’t sound sure of themselves – that helped their whole mood of “these raw people are crazy” too. It’s the media – what’s new.

  • BluedolfinBluedolfin Raw Newbie

    Johnny~ Applause! Applause! Applause! I applaud your courage. How do you think the piece portrayed you?

  • Thank you all.

    My response will be short and sweet. Those opposed to RAW will never know how wonderful it is if they have not experienced it for themselves. Most are unwilling to even try and hold very bias opinions on it. The word healthy to one may mean something entirely different to another.

    I was not interviewed by the reported. I was interviewed by Miguel Sancho who flew from NY to film me. I was also asked to fly to NY to meet the reporter who was apparently “so impressed by me” that they wanted more footage on me. I can’t travel and so I said no unless he wanted to fly down here but it’s a lot of money…I did not like how he attacked Kulvinskas, I would of NOT allowed that…

    Edited – A small chunk of text talking about bulimia and how Kulvinskas said Charolete and I are unstable to start with and have previous eds, which is true. I had left a quick comment on what he said about purging behaviors but then went and did research and saw that he straight up admitted to a bulimic past, for whatever reasons, and I respect that he says it’s in his past. Recovery is a beautiful thing and who am I to judge… I lowe RAW and honor it, don’t get me wrong, I am not raw because I have orthorexia. I have my own personal food morals and values which I do not consider orthorexic but I am not a fan of gurus who preach aggressive one sided stuff and try to control everyone else’s diets, basically saying they are failures and walking death traps if they don’t eat the way the guru does. I have learned, as a figure in the eating disorder community, to get my mouth SHUT and orthorexic thoughts out of public talk as much as I can and say “what works for one may not work for another” to each their OWN.

    I don’t feel raw works for everyone but I also feel that most people aren’t willing to work for it.

    I do not like how much emphasis this document had on the raw lifestyle. It gave off a bad impression on something so natural, healing and spiritual…poor examples. Many raw foodists are not orthorexic, are healthy and functional and stable.

    I better go to bed and absorb my night.

    Atleast my hello kitty fork looked cute

Sign In or Register to comment.