When healthy eating becomes unhealthy thinking, you’ve crossed a line. Orthorexia—obsessive focus on “clean” eating—creates anxiety, social isolation, and paradoxically poor health outcomes. Research by Bratman identified this pattern: declining social events, intense guilt over deviations, rigid ever-tightening rules. Health includes mental health. A sustainable approach is imperfect, flexible, and doesn’t consume your life.
This companion covers when healthy becomes unhealthy, the perfectionism trap, finding balance, and loosening the grip. (4 min read)