For so many of us in recovery, being “healthy” creates quite a conundrum. Although we commit to health and desire the benefits that come from being healthy, it can be painfully difficult to hear the words: “You look healthy.” Here I open up about the trouble I had with this word, and how I eventually learned to expand my definition of healthy from one rooted in eating disorder thinking to one that aligns with recovery values.

A beautiful poem about healing and forgiveness by Dr. Jo, an anorexia survivor who now helps women celebrate their unique identities, boldly use their voices, and proudly take up space.

In a letter to the eating disorder that “came into our home, unannounced and uninvited” and affected a family member, guest contributor Barri Leiner Grant describes the tremendous grief she experiences as a result. In learning to acknowledge her own grief, Barri reaches out to other caretakers and family members, offering validation that their grief is also real and deserves time and space to heal.

In her 20s, guest contributor Rebecca Berg, MS, RDN (she/her/hers), became obsessed with exercise and controlling her food intake and weight, only to realize that she was experiencing an eating disorder at the very same time she was studying to become a Registered Dietitian. Rebecca bravely shares what it meant to her to acknowledge she had an eating disorder and how she reframed the stories that were keeping her stuck. Rebecca’s story is an invitation for everyone—including those in the helping and healing professions—to recognize that their struggles do not diminish their worth.

The health nut identity is far too common in our culture. It's often actually an eating disorder in disguise: orthorexia, an obsession with "healthy" eating. Caroline Young, MS, RD, LD, RYT, reflects on her years suffering from orthorexia and shares how she reclaimed her worth by letting go of her “health nut” mask.

In this month’s blog series, Niya Bajaj explores how the experiences of stigma and silence around mental health concerns, including eating disorders, impact how people seek help and how yoga therapy can support inclusive recovery.

Guest contributor Lora McCandless struggled with an eating disorder for many years, often feeling alone and unseen. Here, Lora shares how hearing the words “Be Kind to Yourself” for the first time set her on a journey to learning how to practice self-kindness in her recovery and in her life today as a mother, wife, and human.

Learn how the yoga philosophy of saucha can guide us to find inner clarity and freedom from overwhelm, what-ifs, and worry. Use the reflection prompts and guided meditations included in this blog to bring saucha into your recovery.

Guest contributor Tara Moon Christopher shares how stepping on the scale at her grandmother’s house at the age of 12 set in motion an eating disorder that consumed her life. Learn about the obstacles Tara overcame to restore her heart, mind, body, and soul and about the meaningful ways she is now giving back and supporting others today.