12 | THE WITNESS
FEATURES
Atypical disorders are now the norm
JENNY DEAM
THEY’RE older. They’re wiser.
They’ve survived adolescence. Yet
more and more grown men and
women are suffering from anorexia,
bulimia and other dangerous, some-
times deadly, eating behaviours.
Women’s Health reveals the alarm-
ingly familiar risk factors.
For decades, the eating disorder
lexicon had two main entries: ano-
rexia and bulimia. But modern re-
search reveals that these fall woefully
short of encompassing the many fa-
cets of disordered eating.
In the early nineties, the American
Psychiatric Association introduced a
new diagnostic category: eating dis-
orders not otherwise specified (Ed-
nos). A catch-all label that includes
dozens of sub-diagnoses, Ednos ap-
plies to patients who don’t meet the
exact criteria for anorexia or bulimia
but still have very troubled relation-
ships with food or distorted body im-
ages. Today, Ednos diagnoses signifi-
cantly outnumber anorexia and buli-
mia cases. The atypical has become
the typical. Here are just a few atypi-
cal eating disorders.
Orthorexia
A fixation with healthy or righteous
eating. Orthorexics often eat only or-
ganic foods, eliminate entire food
groups or refuse to eat anything that
isn’t “pure”. Unlike anorexics, they
don’t necessarily think they’re fat or
strive to be thin; some are motivated
by a fear of bad health or a fixation
with complete control. “This plays
havoc with their self-esteem, as the
person often berates himself or her-
self,” said dietician and author Tabit-
ha Hume. Ironically, severe orthorex-
ia can lead to malnourishment.
Pregorexia
Extreme dieting and exercising while
pregnant to avoid gaining the 11 kg
to 15 kg of weight doctors usually rec-
ommend. “There’s more pressure on
women to look thin during and after
pregnancy,” said Hume. But pregor-
exia comes with serious problems.
What is making modern people fat?
OUR increased appetite for TV
and trans fats isn’t the only rea-
son we’ve gained weight, accord-
ing to a study in the Internation-
al Journal of Obesity. Dr Wayne
May gives other reasons our
waistlines are expanding. Who
knew?
Chronic stress
Stress can lead to relatively high-
er cortisol levels, which make you
more prone to central weight
gain, i.e. around the abdomen,
with a resultant higher risk for
blood pressure, diabetes and
cholesterol problems.
Medicine
Some medicines can cause
weight gain by either increasing
SUBSCRIBE TO
The Witness and YOU magazine
with this great discount combo deal.
Only
R191
per month
Email: subscriptions@witness.co.za | Call: 087 741 2650 | SMS: Witness to 31069
Drunkorexia is restricting food intake in order to reserve those
kilojoules for alcohol and binge drinking.
“For decades, the
eating disorder
lexicon had two
main entries:
anorexia and
bulimia.”
Starving mums-to-be are at risk for
depression, anaemia and hyperten-
sion, while their malnourished ba-
bies are often miscarried or born
with birth defects. “Mothers who
over-restrict during pregnancy often
deliver early, and the combination
leads to a severe problem, where the
child is born with a thrifty gene that
sets them up for diet-resistant obesi-
ty, diabetes and heart disease from
early adulthood onwards,” she said.
Binge eating
Compulsive overeating, often to deal
with negative emotions or stress.
Binge eaters consume large amounts
of food very quickly. Most sufferers
eat in secret to hide their habits.
Many feel powerless to stop eating
and are disgusted with themselves
afterwards; but unlike with bulimia,
they don’t attempt to reverse a binge
appetite (usual mechanism) or
slowing metabolism (unusual).
Culprits include anti-depressants,
antihistamines, diabetic meds,
mood stabilisers and steroids.
Plastic
Bisphenol-A (BPA) falls into a
group of substances called endo-
crine-disrupting chemicals —
found in our environment, food
and consumer products — that
interfere with metabolism. Stud-
ies have shown acute treatments
with BPA cause high insulin lev-
els, whereas longer-term expo-
sure causes insulin resistance
with chronically increased insulin
levels. BPAs seem to increase fat-
cell formation, but the extent to
which they contribute to obesity
R200
VOUCHER
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE
Terms and conditions apply.
by vomiting or fasting. While not all
patients are overweight, obesity, and
its related health problems, is obvi-
ously a risk.
Anorexia athletica
Addiction to exercise. Sufferers work
out well beyond the requirements for
good health, often to the point that
their gym time interferes with their
job or relationships.
“Instead of throwing up, so-called
compulsive exercisers purge kilo-
joules by working out religiously,”
said Dr Sari Shepphird. “Often, if
they don’t keep up with their rigor-
ous routine they feel tremendous
anxiety or guilt.” They’re also at risk
for potentially fatal cardiac problems
and depression.
Drunkorexia
Restricting food intake in order to re-
serve those kilojoules for alcohol and
binge drinking. A U.S. study found
that almost 30% of female varsity
students exhibit drunkorexic behav-
iour, “saving” their kilojoules for
booze in order to avoid gaining
weight or to get drunk faster. These
women are upping their chances for
alcohol poisoning, uninhibited sexu-
al behaviour and long-term conse-
quences like heart and liver diseases.
— Women’s Health.
is still unclear.
Older mums
Women who conceive later in life
are more prone to gestational di-
abetes, and children born to
these mothers will be more
prone to obesity and diabetes
(mere exposure to high glucose
levels in pregnancy means higher
risk).
Contraception
It’s been shown that women who
use the injection are more prone
to weight gain. But no hard evi-
dence supports the standard
combo pill resulting in similar
gains.
— Women’s Health.
Get The Witness
and YOU delivered
to your doorstep
and get a R200
voucher from
Celebrating the
distinctions
Last year’s
graduates set the
bar high for the
new students
with
JACKIE
CAMERON
TWENTY-FIVE international distinc-
tions for the students who graduated earli-
er this month was a remarkable feat — an
achievement the #20182019 intake has
taken on as a challenge.
Jackie Cameron School of Food &
Wine’s aspiring chefs’ examinations are
marked in London and the results are
awarded by City & Guilds, London.
Graduation was a celebratory affair
with guest-speaker Fee Halsted of Ard-
more Ceramics delivering inspirational
words that, I’m sure, will be taken into the
workplace. The students were gifted with
numerous useful tools such as an Oryx Salt
and Sunfoil pack, as well as a set of Steelite
mugs sent from London, Homewood
hand-crafted cutting boards and Jackie
Cameron School of Food & Wine branded
Wonderbags, courtesy of Sarah Collins.
The Culinary Equipment Company
Student of the Year, Cheri Kustner, was
also presented with the Waterford Wine
Award. Honours also went to Costas Chri-
sodoulou, who took the Champagne Val-
ley Best Baker and Overall Top Cake Icing
Award; Brynn Enslin, who won the Geo-
chem Hygiene and Kitchen Management
Award; Trizanne Kodi, who was presented
with the Del Trade Top Patisserie Chef
Award; and Georg Lens, who took the Elba
Overall Practical Student Award. I’m con-
fident they will all make a positive contri-
bution to the culinary industry.
And now to introduce you to Lance
Klipp, another of our most recent intake.
He is a St Charles College old boy. Born
and brought up in the Dalton area, he says
no one knows Dalton so he says he is from
Wartburg. Today he has chosen to share
one of his mother’s recipes. I’d be grateful
if you’d try the recipe and then e-mail the
school with your comments. Our previous
students found this to be a very beneficial
and helpful exercise.
With schooldays behind him, Klipp en-
rolled for a BCom in business manage-
ment and soon realised it wasn’t for him.
The time spent in digs meant cooking for
mates and that’s when he realised the
route his career would take. He enjoyed
the praise for the dishes he prepared and
in time friends would rather eat from his
kitchen than at a restaurant.
Their favourite meal was his chutney
and mayonnaise chicken — a dish his
mother would prepare after he had spent
a long day on the sports field.
Memories of aromas from the family
kitchen were relived and fellow students
Health-food imposters can fool even savvy runners
SPORTS nutritionists are constantly
asked about which foods runners should
eat to boost their performance or their
health, and which they should avoid.
But separating the good guys from
the nutritional offenders is not always
as simple as it seems; health-food im-
posters can fool even savvy runners.
“Some simply don’t add much benefit
and some can be detrimental to per-
formance,” said sports nutritionist
Heather Mangieri.
You know, for example, that bowls of
ice cream fall on the rarely-to-never end
of a runner’s diet spectrum, but some
seemingly innocent foods and drinks al-
so have a long history of committing
crimes against your physiology; they
should be given parole as an occasional
treat or, better still, kept locked up for
good.
Here’s what our jury of experts found
guilty.
• Flavoured yogurt
Dairy is a great source of calcium, po-
tassium and protein, but flavoured yo-
gurts are usually sweetened with sugar
— more than 30 g per serving in some
cases. “Stick with plain Greek yogurt,”
said Mangieri. It has eight grams of
natural sugar, plus 20 g of protein, per
serving.
• Multigrain bread
“Multigrain” simply means there are a
number of different grains in the bread
(as opposed to wholegrain, which
means all parts of the grain kernel are
used), so these loaves can still primarily
contain refined white flour.
“I’ve seen runners buy seven-grain
bread because they think it has more
nutrients,” said sports nutritionist Lind-
say Langford. “These may actually just
have more sugar and calories, and very
few whole grains.”
Look at the ingredients: the first item
should be wholewheat flour or another
wholegrain.
Lance Klipp.
PHOTOS: KAREN E. PHOTOGRAPHY
CHICKEN IN CHUTNEY AND
HOME-MADE MAYO
Yields: 2 portions
Ingredients
1 potato
half an onion
2 carrots
4 chicken pieces — 2 legs, 2 thighs
350 ml Mrs Balls original chutney
200 ml home-made or bought mayo
250 ml home-made or bought vegeta-
ble stock
1 Tbs good-quality Worcestershire
sauce
Oryx salt and pepper
insisted the dish be on the menu every sec-
ond week.
This is a tasty, everyday recipe that can
be enjoyed on a student budget.
With Klipp’s attention to detail, I’m
confident this recipe is as close to his
Peanut and almond butter can be a runner’s best friends, but the ingredients
list should feature nuts, salt — and that’s about it.
• Partially hydrogenated food
If you see partially hydrogenated oils on
an ingredients list, the food contains ar-
tery-clogging trans fats.
“They increase cholesterol levels and
the body can’t convert them easily to
energy, so they can also decrease ath-
letic ability,” said Langford. “Check foods
like margarine and biscuits — if some-
thing has partially hydrogenated oils,
skip it.”
• (That second) beer
Runners love to socialise over post-run
beers and you may even have raised a
glass to studies that found a pint won’t
do much damage and can even be of
benefit. But, as usual, there’s a caveat:
drinking more than one can hinder your
body’s ability to repair itself.
“Beer has carbs, so have one, but
don’t let it replace water,” said nutri-
tionist Jim White. That’s because alco-
hol is a diuretic, so it can leave you de-
Method
• Cut potato into quarters, roughly
dice onions and cut carrots into
thirds.
• Pre-heat oven to around 180° Celsi-
us.
• Rinse the chicken pieces leaving the
skin on.
• Mix 350 ml chutney, 200 ml mayo
and 250 ml vegetable stock and 1 ta-
blespoon Worcestershire sauce.
• Put chicken into oven dish and sea-
son with Oryx salt and pepper.
• Evenly add and place the potatoes,
onion and carrots, cover with chutney,
mayo and stock.
mother’s original as it could get. Guests
at the school are charmed by his manners
and comment on the gentleman that he
is.
It’s inspiring to watch him mature as
his confidence with food develops.
hydrated. In fact, drink extra water if
you’re imbibing.
• Energy drinks
Caffeine can boost performance and
make a run seem easier. But get your
buzz from a cup of coffee or an energy
gel. Research published in the British
Journal of Nutrition found that athletes
who used energy drinks did see slightly
improved performance, but were also
more likely to experience agitation, in-
somnia and nervousness for hours after
competition.
• Nut butter impostors
Peanut and almond butter can be a
runner’s best friends, if you’re buying
the genuine article. The ingredients list
should feature nuts, salt — and that’s
about it. If you prefer sweetened ver-
sions, opt for those with no more than
three grams of sugar per serving, said
Langford.
Flavourings such as cinnamon are
JULY 27, 2018
www.witness.co.za
• Put into oven for about one hour
and 45 minutes or until cooked.
• Serve with rice.
HOME-MADE MAYONNAISE
Yields: about 3 cups
Ingredients
3 egg yolks
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons warm water
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sunflower oil
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
Oryx salt and pepper
Method
• Whisk the egg yolks, mustard, garlic
and one tablespoon of warm water
very well until thick and creamy.
• While whisking, add both the oils
very gradually to form a permanent
emulsion. Adding the oil very slowly
prevents the mayonnaise from sepa-
rating and will result in a thick con-
sistency. A perfect consistency is
when a spoon can stand upright in
the final product. A lot of whisking is
required.
• Stir in lemon juice and another ta-
blespoon of warm water, and set
aside. Season well.
• Store in an airtight sterilised contain-
er in the fridge. Keep in mind that
raw eggs only last three days.
This recipe is so great because it is
made quickly with minimal effort and
so it’s ideal for students or even busy
parents.
This is a dish that I cook often and
all my friends say it’s their favourite
home-made dish.
• Jackie Cameron is the owner of Jackie
Cameron School of Food & Wine in Hil-
ton, KZN. Inquires: admin@jackiecamer
on.co.za and jackie@jackiecameron.co.za
• Food assistant and recipe developer:
Angelo Richard.
fine, but watch out for chocolate and
nut-butter spreads as some contain
more than 20 g of sugar and four
grams of saturated fat per serving (and
often, hydrogenated oils).
• Protein bars
“Many of my clients think they need a
protein bar or shake after they run,”
said nutritionist and exercise physiolo-
gist Felicia Stoler. “But that usually
comes at the expense of the carbs
and real foods they should be eating.”
Instead, eat a little protein through-
out the day, which is how the body
best absorbs it. If your diet includes
fish, chicken, dairy, veggies and whole-
grains, you shouldn’t have to add proc-
essed protein to your post-run routine.
• Sports drinks
Carb-rich electrolyte drinks can be life-
savers during runs that last an hour or
more. Too often, though, runners down
them during short runs or when they’re
not exercising at all.
“Their main ingredient is sugar, and
lots of it,” said Langford. “When you’re
sitting at work, they’re not giving you a
performance benefit — just added calo-
ries you don’t need.”
• Diet fizzy drinks
You know the full-fat fizzy stuff is a
bad-to-the-bone source of empty kilo-
joules and lots of other nutritional nas-
ties, but runners should steer clear of
diet drinks too. A study published in the
journal Nature found that artificial
sweeteners used in these drinks may al-
ter gut microbes in a way that increas-
es glucose intolerance, potentially in-
creasing the risk of diabetes.
And artificial sweeteners such as as-
partame can also cause GI distress in
runners, said White, as can carbonation.
“An occasional can won’t hurt you,” he
said, “but when people drink it regularly
and in place of water, the effects can
be devastating”.
— Health24.