I'm not sure I agree: the difference between disease/disorder and "health" is pretty fluent. If we can't define this "diease" (and if there's no censensus and I'm sure there is none) we should work on a more pragmatical definition.
Well, maybe we could put together a questionnaire.
1) A dear friend bakes you a cake for your birthday. It does not fit your dietary requirements or caloric restrictions. Do you
a) refuse to have even the tiniest piece?
b) have only the tiniest piece and feel guilty with every bite?
c) have a piece and pretend to enjoy it for her sake?
d) have a piece and really enjoy it?
2) Aunt Ingrid brings her famous lasagna to a family gathering (or whatever else does not fit your restrictive dietary requirements).
Do you
a) Refuse to try it, knowing that it will make her unhappy.
b) Have a serving because you know it will make her happy - you can always compensate tomorrow.
3) Your supplements are running out and the new batch you ordered has not arrived yet. Are you
a) anxious about skipping some days?
b) not anxious?
4) Friends find it
a) N/A, you have driven away all your friends.
b) impossible to go out to a restaurant with you.
c) exasperating to go out to a restaurant with you.
d) difficult to go out to a restaurant with you.
e) easy to go out to a restaurant with you.
4) Friends find it
a) N/A, you have driven away all your friends.
b) impossible to cook for you.
c) exasperating to to cook for you.
d) difficult to to cook for you.
e) easy to to cook for you.
5) Friends open a great bottle of wine and everyone else enjoys it and comments on it. You
a) N/A, you have driven away all your friends.
b) comment that you believe it causes disease and premature aging.
c) refuse wine and just keep quiet.
d) enjoy some wine and participate in the discussion.
6) You like your yoghurt with your blueberries. You read that this combination may impede absorption of phytonutrients.
a) You immediately start separating your yoghurt and blueberry intakes.
b) You keep on as before but now every time you do this have this nagging feeling in the back of your mind.
c) You keep on as before and don't worry about it.
7) You hear that too much fructose may be bad for you. You like having a banana with your cereal, though.
a) You immediately eliminate bananas from your diet.
b) You only have half a banana now instead of a whole one, even though that leaves you somewhat dissatisfied.
c) You keep the banana but every time you have it this nagging feeling in your mind subtly reduces your enjoyment.
d) You keep the banana and enjoy it.
8) A beautiful girlfriend/handsome boyfriend invites you to eat cool whip (a processed fake whipped cream) off her/his body.
a) You refuse. You would never eat processed foods.
c) You oblige reluctantly.
c) You say to hell with it and enjoy every lick.
The answers are in order from bad (you have orthorexia) to good (no orthorexia). Any additional contributions welcome.
By the way, this is all tongue in cheek, in case someone didn't get it.
Edited by andre, 22 May 2009 - 10:49 PM.