#91: Living with Chronic Illness in the Age of Wellness Culture
Chances are that either you -- or someone you love dearly -- has a chronic illness. As I've shared on the pod before, so much of my mental health conditions and disordered eating was driven and perpetuated by multiple chronic illnesses. And, perhaps not-so-ironically, disordered eating itself does a number on us both physically and psychologically, only worsening (if not creating) autoimmunity and other chronic health conditions.
This week, I'm speaking with a truly incredible woman (Lacey!) who was part of one of my group programs. Lacey speaks to her experience with Crohn's disease, the path to disordered eating, and the impact all of this has had on her relationship with her body. She talks us through the process of her own healing, and where she's going from here.
I can't wait for you to listen, because I know without a doubt that her story will resonate -- regardless of your own body story. Ultimately, we're all trying to figure out what it means to occupy a human body in a world that wants us to feel broken so that it can profit off of our shame, and the experience of chronic illness is no exception.
Topics we cover include...
Feeling abandoned by our body Crohn's disease and digestion
How anti-fatness shows up in our homes as children
The impact of Weight Watchers on our relationship with food
Our mother's disordered eating and how it shapes our own
Why diet culture targets those with chronic illness
How Lacey's body changed through the ebb and flow of her illness
What to do when our body feels out of control
Food fear-mongering in the chronic illness space
How chronic illness impacts our body image
Identifying as a "picky eater"
Feeling shame and anxiety over not wanting to eat certain "healthy" foods
How trauma impacts our healing and embodiment
Resources mentioned:
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Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy
Podcast Editing by Brian Walters
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