Understanding Eating Disorders: A Comprehensive List of Recommended Books
Those of us at Bloom Body & Healing recognize that the path to recovery from an eating disorder is deeply personal and can be very challenging. To help support you along the way, we've curated a collection of insightful books, each offering valuable perspectives and knowledge on eating disorders.
Brave Girl Eating: A Family's Struggle with Anorexia by Harriet Brown
In her book Brave Girl Eating, Harriet Brown shares the gripping story of her family's battle with anorexia nervosa. Through vivid and alarming descriptions, the author recounts her daughter Kitty's transformation from severe malnutrition to recovery. This intimate and powerful account sheds light on the devastating impact of a mental disorder that impacts over 18 million individuals in the United States.
Health At Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight by Linda Bacon, Ph.D.
Listen to your body's wisdom. Discover the pleasure in being active. Eat what you desire, when you desire, selecting enjoyable foods that nourish you. You too can experience well-being in your body right nowand Health at Every Size will demonstrate how.
Health at Every Size has been scientifically validated to enhance well-being and confidence. This initiative was assessed in a research study funded by the government, with its findings published in reputable scientific publications.
Beauty Sick: How the Cultural Obsession with Appearance Hurts Girls and Women by Renee Engeln, Ph.D.
In Beauty Sick, Dr. Renee Engeln, whose TEDx talk on beauty sickness has received more than 250,000 views, reveals the shocking consequences of our obsession with girls’ appearance on their emotional and physical health and their wallets and ambitions, including depression, eating disorders, disruptions in cognitive processing, and lost money and time. Combining scientific studies with the voices of real women of all ages, she makes clear that to truly fulfill their potential, we must break free from cultural forces that feed destructive desires, attitudes, and words—from fat-shaming to denigrating commentary about other women. She provides inspiration and workable solutions to help girls and women overcome negative attitudes and embrace their whole selves, to transform their lives, claim the futures they deserve, and, ultimately, change their world.
Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Anti-Diet Approach by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch
Make peace with food. Free yourself from chronic dieting forever. Rediscover the pleasures of eating.
The ultimate guide on eating disorders—now completely revised and updated—to cultivate a positive body image and achieve harmony with food, once and for all.
Body Kindness: Transform Your Health from the Inside Out--and Never Say Diet Again
This practical, inspirational, and visually lively book shows you the way to a sense of well-being attained by understanding how to love, connect, and care for yourself—and that includes your mind as well as your body.
Body Kindness is based on four principles.
WHAT YOU DO: the choices you make about food, exercise, sleep, and more.
HOW YOU FEEL: befriending your emotions and standing up to the unhelpful voice in your head.
WHO YOU ARE: goal-setting based on your personal values.
WHERE YOU BELONG: body-loving support from people and communities that help you create a meaningful life.
Life Without Ed by Jenni Schaefer
Jenni had been in an abusive relationship with Ed for far too long. He controlled Jenni’s life, distorted her self-image, and tried to physically harm her throughout their long affair. Then, in therapy, Jenni learned to treat her eating disorder as a relationship, not a condition. By thinking of her eating disorder as a unique personality separate from her own, Jenni was able to break up with Ed once and for all.
Sick Enough: A Guide To The Medical Complications of Eating Disorders by Jennifer L. Gaudiani
Patients with eating disorders frequently feel that they aren’t "sick enough" to merit treatment, despite medical problems that are both measurable and unmeasurable. They may struggle to accept rest, nutrition, and a team to help them move towards recovery. Sick Enough offers patients, their families, and clinicians a comprehensive, accessible review of the medical issues that arise from eating disorders by bringing relatable case presentations and a scientifically sound, engaging style to the topic. Using metaphor and patient-centered language, Dr. Gaudiani aims to improve medical diagnosis and treatment, motivate recovery, and validate the lived experiences of individuals of all body shapes and sizes, while firmly rejecting dieting culture.
Goodbye Ed, Hello Me by Jenni Schaefer
In "Goodbye Ed, Hello Me" Jenni shows you that being fully recovered is not just about breaking free from destructive behaviors with food and having a healthy relationship with your body; it also means finding joy and peace in your life.
Combining Jenni’s signature personal advice and unfailing encouragement along with valuable exercises you can do as you read, "Goodbye Ed, Hello Me" will give you the prescriptive tools to take the final steps in divorcing your Ed completely.
