Wellness Is a Journey, Not a Destination: Cameron's Story
By Cameron Pettinato, Guest Contributor
The world is constantly changing before our eyes—evolving faster than we can process sometimes. As a 20-year-old college student finishing my undergraduate degree in public health and pursuing my graduate studies in human nutrition, I am constantly being bombarded with information; lectures from my professors, advice from my mentors, and more often than not, the steady flow of media constantly accessible in my right-side pocket. For some people, having the world at their fingertips poses immense benefits to their health and wellness journey; for many, including me, the sea of fad diets, fitness routines, and the all-too-common “eat this, not that” mentality can be the ideal topic to fuel obsessive eating behavior.
I grew up in a small town just outside of Scranton, Pennsylvania. I was never a quiet kid; I loved being with people and making connections. I was as extroverted as they come. I ran cross country throughout high school, and even joined the track and field team. I had developed a great group of friends, and began acclimating to academics and my adolescence as a whole—life was great. However, in the spring of my sophomore year, this changed drastically. I was suddenly riddled with frequent panic attacks, hand tremors, alternating bouts of hyperactivity and excessive fatigue—my brain was on fire and my body felt like it was betraying itself, all at the age of 16. After a slew of doctor’s visits and some of the toughest months of my life, I received the diagnoses of Graves’ Disease (an autoimmune thyroid condition) with associated Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)—two conditions that I would soon learn, feed off of one another.
Autoimmune conditions are difficult to treat; the medications prescribed to treat these conditions are often used to treat the symptoms of the condition rather than the root cause. The root cause of these disorders is often related to exposure to something that the body isn’t particularly fond of—whether it be food, stress, or environmental toxins. In my case, it was determined to likely be the result of diet or stress; however, there was no way of determining the cause for sure. Having this idea planted in my mind was the beginning of a restrictive pattern of eating that took years for me to really recognize.
Over the course of the next few years, I consumed dozens upon dozens of books, articles, podcasts, documentaries, and YouTube videos about specific diets, lifestyle choices, and exercise routines that were touted to cure any chronic disease and have people feeling their most optimized. While I learned a great deal of impactful information from this research (the factual, biological data), there was a common denominator shared between all of this media: the promises were generalized and improbable, and the modes of action were grossly unsustainable.
Worst of all, these fad diets and disease-curing lifestyles perpetuated the obsessive component of my anxiety disorder; I needed to see them succeed to prove a point to myself, no matter the cost. The caveat: they’re not designed for “success,” and “success” looks completely different for every individual.
The moral of this story is positive, though, I promise! While my relationship with food is and always will be complex and difficult, it has taught me more about myself and my life purpose than I ever could have hoped. My body and mind, like many others, is sensitive, and learning what works for me and makes me feel nourished and at peace took quite a bit of time, effort, and pain. Learning to listen to what my body was telling me became my main priority rather than listening to the convoluted information that mainstream media was feeding my brain.
I live a life with simple guidance in mind: eating the rainbow, trying to stick to my healthy habits at least 80% of the time, taking a day—or a week—off of exercising when I feel tired, and most importantly, being patient and introducing rest to my amazing body and mind when they are struggling (an afternoon nap or mediation session does wonders for me!). My own experience with health and wellness has ignited a deep passion for helping others navigate their experiences with food and fitness in the most holistic and anti-stigmatizing manner possible.
As I finish my undergraduate studies and enter into my graduate dietetic curriculum, I am ecstatic to be a part of the Yoga for Eating Disorders community and share my thoughts and intentions with beautiful, strong and likeminded individuals. I am still learning, and I look forward to continue learning through the stories of the amazing people in this community.
Born and raised in the suburbs of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Cameron is a third-year student at Temple University studying public health and nutrition. He will soon be entering his graduate studies in dietetics with the goal of becoming a registered dietitian. Cameron has the mission of becoming a clinician of integrity; a clinician that prioritizes providing fair and equitable care to all and seeing the patient in a holistic sense. He enjoys cycling, cooking, hiking, travelling, playing the piano, and exploring the city of Philadelphia while he lives there. Learning to support others in their journey with food, health, and wellness is Cameron’s life passion.
Born and raised in the suburbs of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Cameron Pettinato is a third-year student at Temple University studying public health and nutrition. He will soon be entering his graduate studies in dietetics with the goal of becoming a registered dietitian. Cameron has the mission of becoming a clinician of integrity; a clinician that prioritizes providing fair and equitable care to all and seeing the patient in a holistic sense. He enjoys cycling, cooking, hiking, travelling, playing the piano, and exploring the city of Philadelphia while he lives there. Learning to support others in their journey with food, health, and wellness is Cameron’s life passion.