Strong Enough by Eating Disorders Families Australia9 Sep 2025

Orthorexia: My obsession with healthy eating nearly cost me my life

When you hear from your loved one the words “I want to be more healthy” – it’s not what think of as a potential red flag for disordered eating or even something to worry about.

But for Jason Wood this desire to improve his health started his obsession with only eating healthy food, choosing the healthiest options and exercising, which escalated into an eating disorder that nearly killed him.

What is an obsession with eating health called?

It’s known as Orthorexia and it is fixation with eating “clean” or only eating food the person considers healthy.

“What had started as an innocent thing - I thought I was just going to eat healthy and take care of myself and prevent disease - very rapidly turned into something that nearly cost me my life,” explains Jason.

This is an edited version of a presentation Jason did for eating disorder carers as part of a webinar series run by Eating Disorders Families Australia. If you’d like to access more content like this then join EDFA, it costs as little as a cup of coffee a month.

Jason has also written a book called Starving for Survival.

If you have concerns and want more information about this or other early signs of disordered eating, then download the free Nourish Nurture Notice Masterclass.

#orthorexia

#obsessedwithhealthyeating

#edfa

#disorderedeating

#anorexia

#worriedabouthealthyeating

#bulima

#carersupportanorexia

#eatingtoohealthy

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