The term Orthorexia Nervosa (from the Greek ‘ortho’ meaning straight, proper or correct) was first used in the late 1990’s to describe an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating. The term has not yet been recognized as an official diagnostic category, but never has there been more reason to consider making it so. There are increasing numbers of people who are taking healthy eating to an extreme, and the especially worrying thing is the young ages at which we are starting to see this. (In both genders). For these people, healthy eating has become a neurotic striving for perfection and purity. This tunnel vision ironically has a negative impact on other areas which are also important for their holistic health and wellbeing, such as relationships, mood state or simply the ability to relax and experience joy. Regardless of which specific diet is being followed, it results in them being controlled by food, rather than the other way round. Mood plummets with any small deviation from perfect, and lives and social interactions become increasingly constrained by rigidity. This pattern of course isn’t helped by a food and beverage industry that preys on our anxieties and body image issues. Ultimately however, the obsessions and compulsions serve to manage anxiety more than anything else. These people fail to see that their health – and yes, even their attractiveness – would ultimately be better served through managing their holistic selves better. So yes you should figure out what type of eating plan works best for you, and you should make this the default, but don’t obsess. To serve us best, our eating behaviours should ultimately sit comfortably and reasonably within the broader context of our values and lifestyle choices.