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Writer's pictureWendy Sterling
Feb 26, 20232 min read

Don't Let Sickness Derail Your Recovery

Sickness can be very disruptive for those with an eating disorder. ⁠

Even when a person has been in a solid place for awhile, sickness can rattle someone so seriously that it can be disorienting and even debilitating. Whether it’s the flu, Covid, or a stomach virus, even a few days of a suppressed appetite or altered eating pattern can be enough to begin the cycle of the eating disorder mindset.⁠

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Here are some things to consider: ⁠

1) Try your best to eat regularly every few hours (maybe even more frequently than usual). This means you might be eating 8 times a day, if you are unable to eat the usual size of your meals. ⁠

That might be hard for the ED (but too bad ED, you need to take care of yourself!). ⁠

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2) Hydrate. Water, and yes, juice, Gatorade. The ED might not like this, but that's okay, the ED doesn't have your best interest at heart. Enjoy soups! Check out Wendy's reel on making Tumeric Ginger Soup. Full recipe here. And make sure you add "enough" if consuming soups.

See examples:

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3) Calorically dense options will be helpful. This will help maximize nutrition in every bite. ⁠

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4) Consider less bulk during this time (fewer fruits and vegetables). Think of the Plate-by-Plate Approach guidelines ®(25% of the plate) as a good guide for fruits/vegetables. Juice and smoothies might be a simpler way to get in vitamins and minerals. ⁠ (Full book on the Plate-by-Plate-Approach® guidelines here. Adult version coming later this year!).


5) Keep a close eye on weight (if historically you have trouble keeping weight at an appropriate place for your body).⁠


6) Recruit support. Can someone help with meal prep? Food shopping?


Good luck - and get well soon!





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