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Some believe they have Gaydar, and are able to sense if a person is gay or straight. Some believe they have Jewdar, and can detect if one is Jewish. Me? I have Anodar, and I have the ability to recognize when someone is struggling with an eating disorder. After I ordered my dinner last night at a fast-food style restaurant, I made my way to the cashier to pay. The girl who took my credit card made eye contact, and our eyes locked for a split second. In that second, I wished I could say to her, “I see you. I know what you’re thinking,Read More →

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The day I became a bat mitzvah at twelve years old, my parents enforced that I take on a new challenge and religious responsibility—to fast on Yom Kippur. This holiday was the most dreadful for me. Though I understood the significance of not eating or drinking on the Day of Atonement in Judaism, fasting was an unpleasant and gloomy day. That was until I developed an eating disorder. At the time of my eating disorder, I was restricting my calories to the extreme, and grasped onto any excuse as to why I couldn’t eat—I didn’t like the food, I wasn’t hungry, I had already eaten,Read More →

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I am the parent of a 4 1/2 year old with MULTIPLE life-threatening food allergies. I have lived the nightmare that no parent should ever experience—anaphylaxis—three times. When he was 21 months old a nice elderly woman in the daycare center at my gym was snacking on peanut butter crackers and offered him a bite. Here she thought she was being considerate and thoughtful by sharing her food. But, in reality she almost killed him. Over a matter of four hours, he had vomited, developed hives all over his body, and was gasping for air to get just a breath.  I live in Baltimore, butRead More →

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When I set out that summer of college to prepare for my sophomore season of soccer, I never in my wildest dreams anticipated that I’d be diagnosed with an eating disorder just months later. This is the exact reason I publicized my story and am doing everything I can to share my experiences. The more eating disorders are talked about and explained, the more likely we will recognize and label what we are experiencing. Naming the problem helps us identify it, and then leads way to treatment. And, early intervention is essential in helping to prevent serious psychological and health consequences. Elite athletes have aRead More →

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It was a cold day, and all I wanted was a coffee and muffin from Dunkin’ Donuts. So, I parked my car, walked in, and scoped out all of my options. There was only one muffin that was labeled reduced fat, which to me at the time would be the only possibility. But, I needed to know more. So, I asked the girl how bad the muffin really was for me. She took out a binder with the nutritional information, and handed it to me. The second I saw the number of calories that were in that “reduced fat” muffin, I gasped. “No thank you,”Read More →

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He was twenty-one months old when the most terrifying and traumatic incident happened. A sweet, innocent, and trusting baby boy, who had already overcome significant health obstacles, was offered a peanut butter cracker. The thoughtful old woman was just sharing her snack, and how would he know better than to take a bite? As his parent, I clearly didn’t do enough to protect him and keep him safe. At that young age, the responsibility to make every caregiver aware of his severe food allergies fell completely on me. My failure to do so wasn’t trivial—it almost cost him his life. We knew he had testedRead More →

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As a sophomore in college, I lived off campus in a 2-bedroom apartment with my roommate. We shared a kitchen, though, at the time, we did not share food. I was consuming very little food, exercising compulsively to burn off anything I did eat (and more), and was so obsessed with food that no other thought crossed my mind. I had been diagnosed with an eating disorder months prior, and I had finally agreed to start making changes toward a healthier lifestyle. The problem was, like most things, it was so much easier said than done. One of my challenges that particular week was toRead More →

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“Mommy. Mommy,” a sweet, innocent sounding voice called from his room. Austin’s early morning shout let me know he was awake, and ready to start the day.” I braced myself, and took a deep breath knowing it was the last respite until bedtime—a long twelve hours later. The anticipation of a new day gave me a feeling of unease. The stress involved in parenting a child with severe food allergies is intense. “Alright, let’s go down to eat breakfast, guys,” I said after getting dressed and teeth were brushed. My sons sat in their designated seats, and waited for me to pour cereal in their bowls I hadRead More →

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Let me share a quick conversation I had with my neighbor when I first moved into our new neighborhood 5 years ago… A couple of weeks before Halloween of 2012: My neighbor (all excited): What kind of candy are you going to pass out? Me: MY favorite chocolates. That way, whatever is leftover is mine! My neighbor: Are you going to give out Reese’s peanut butter cups? Me: Uhhhh, obviously! What is Halloween without Reese’s—my all-time favorite!!! My neighbor: Oh, I was just wondering. I decided not to this year because our other neighbor has a peanut allergy. Me: Well, then she can just take aRead More →

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If only I were skinny… I’d be so much happier. This is not the case at all. Actually, when I was my skinniest, I was the most unhappy I had ever been. I was clinically depressed, and was completely miserable. All I was able to think about was food and my body, and not gaining weight. I was trapped inside. I’d have so many more friends. See, it seems as though skinny people tend to be more popular. I worked so hard at attaining thinness that my personality completely dwindled to nothing, I had no energy, and I was withdrawn from everyone and everything. Clearly,Read More →