Orthorexia and Veganism: When Healthy Eating Becomes a Prison

Sophie, 28, moved to Paris three years ago for work. Shortly after arriving, she adopted a vegan lifestyle—initially driven by a profound ethical conviction about animal welfare and environmental sustainability. It felt empowering to align her actions with her values in a new country where she was still finding her footing.

But gradually, her dietary rules multiplied. First, she eliminated gluten "just to be safe." Then she went fully raw "to preserve nutrients." Eventually, she became exclusively locavore "for the carbon footprint," despite living in a city where accessing locally-grown produce year-round is nearly impossible. Today, she cannot accept a dinner invitation without spending hours researching the origin of every single ingredient. Her French friends affectionately call her "la puriste" (the purist), but behind this gentle nickname hides daily suffering: Sophie spends 4 to 5 hours each day planning her meals, and the slightest deviation from her rules triggers paralyzing anxiety.

Sophie's story is far from unique, especially among the international community in Paris. Recent studies suggest that up to 35% of people following a vegan diet may present symptoms of orthorexia, compared to 6.9% in the general population. While this figure is debated and varies depending on diagnostic criteria used, it illustrates a clinical reality I regularly encounter in my Paris practice: the thin line between authentic ethical commitment and eating disorder can become blurred, transforming an initially positive approach into a golden cage.

This suffering is legitimate and deserves specialized support. This is in no way questioning the validity of veganism as a lifestyle choice. Rather, it's about naming a possible drift that affects certain vulnerable individuals. Distinguishing conscious commitment from pathological obsession is essential to offer appropriate help without guilt or invalidating people's deep values.

The Expatriate Factor: Why Living Abroad Can Amplify Orthorexia Risk

Cultural Displacement and Control

Before diving into the intersection of orthorexia and veganism specifically, it's crucial to understand how living as an expatriate in Paris can uniquely amplify eating disorder vulnerabilities.

Research on expat mental health shows that cultural displacement creates what psychologists call "acculturation stress"—the psychological impact of adapting to a new culture. When so much feels out of control (language barriers, social codes, professional challenges, homesickness), food can become an arena where control feels achievable.

For English-speaking expatriates in Paris, several factors compound this risk:

The French Food Culture Paradox: France is simultaneously celebrated for its culinary excellence and notorious for its rigid beauty standards and diet culture. The emphasis on pleasure in eating coexists with intense social pressure around body size. For someone vulnerable to eating disorders, this sends conflicting messages that can fuel anxiety.

Social Isolation and Meal-Based Connection: In Francophone cultures, meals are central social events—long, multi-course affairs where food refusal can be interpreted as social rejection. For vegans or those with orthorexic tendencies, this creates a painful double-bind: participate and compromise your rules, or maintain your rules and risk social isolation in a country where you're already navigating loneliness.

Healthcare Navigation Challenges: Many expatriates struggle to find English-speaking mental health professionals in Paris who understand both eating disorders and expat-specific challenges. This delay in getting appropriate care can allow orthorexia to worsen unchecked.

Identity Reconstruction: When you move abroad, you often reconstruct your identity. "Being vegan" can become a cornerstone of this new identity—one that feels more controllable than other aspects of expat life. This identity fusion (I am vegan vs. I practice veganism) increases vulnerability to orthorexia.

Emma, an American student at AUP (American University of Paris), shared: "When I first arrived, everything felt chaotic. I didn't understand people, didn't know how things worked, missed my family terribly. Going vegan gave me a sense of purpose and control. But within six months, I was orthorexic. My therapist helped me see that I'd transferred all my anxiety about being abroad onto food. It was easier to control what went into my mouth than to control my homesickness or cultural confusion."

When Ethics Meet Pathology: Understanding Orthorexia in the Vegan Context

What is Orthorexia?

Orthorexia, a term coined in 1997 by Dr. Steven Bratman, describes a pathological obsession with "healthy" or "pure" eating. Unlike other eating disorders focused on quantity or weight, orthorexia centers on the perceived quality of food. The person develops increasingly rigid dietary rules, devotes excessive time to planning, researching, and preparing "perfect" meals, and experiences intense anxiety when transgressing their own rules.

Currently, orthorexia is not recognized as an official diagnosis in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), but clinical research is converging toward a consensual definition. The French High Health Authority (Haute Autorité de Santé - HAS) and the French Federation for Anorexia and Bulimia (FFAB) recognize orthorexia as an emerging problem requiring clinical vigilance, particularly among at-risk populations.

The diagnostic challenge lies in distinguishing healthy dietary conscientiousness from pathology. We all make food choices based on values, health considerations, or preferences. When does this cross into disorder? Generally, orthorexia is suspected when:

• Significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning

• Marked distress about violating dietary rules

• Malnutrition or medical complications from restricted eating

• Identity fusion: self-worth entirely dependent on adherence to dietary rules

• Escalation: rules become progressively more restrictive over time

The "Perfect Vegan" Trap

Veganism, as a philosophy of life aimed at excluding all animal exploitation, rests on solid and respectable ethical foundations. Millions of people worldwide follow this lifestyle without developing any pathology. Veganism itself is not an eating disorder, and studies show that vegans generally have superior cardiovascular health markers compared to the general population.

However, veganism presents certain structural characteristics that can, in vulnerable individuals, facilitate the development of orthorexia:

Social Legitimization of Food Control: Unlike other restrictive behaviors, excluding foods for ethical reasons is socially valorized. A person systematically refusing certain foods may receive compliments for their "willpower" and "commitment," thus masking behaviors that, in another context, would be identified as problematic.

Think about it: if someone refuses all carbohydrates citing arbitrary health beliefs, we recognize it as disordered. But if someone refuses all animal products citing ethical beliefs, we praise it. This creates a protective camouflage for orthorexia—the reason for restriction seems noble, obscuring the manner of restriction, which may be pathological.

Nutritional Complexity as Justification: Veganism does require particular attention to certain nutrients (vitamin B12, iron, zinc, omega-3, calcium). This real necessity can serve as an entry point for obsessive escalation where each meal becomes an anxiety-inducing mathematical calculation.

I've seen patients who can recite the exact microgram content of selenium in every food they eat, who spend hours cross-referencing nutritional databases, who experience panic attacks if they cannot verify the precise vitamin K content of a restaurant meal. This goes far beyond the reasonable attention a healthy vegan pays to nutrition.

Online Communities and Competitive Escalation: Vegan social media, while offering precious support, can sometimes create a dynamic of competitive escalation where "purity" becomes a criterion of legitimacy. "Vegan-washing" (mutual accusations of not being "vegan enough") can fuel anxiety and rigidity.

Certain influencers promote increasingly extreme forms of veganism: fruitarianism (fruits only), full raw veganism, living foods diet, mono-meals of bananas... These approaches, presented as "superior," can seduce people in quest of perfection. The algorithm then traps them in an echo chamber where only extreme content appears, normalizing what is actually disordered eating.

Intersection with Other Restrictions: Orthorexia in vegans is frequently accompanied by additional restrictions: gluten-free, soy-free, raw, exclusively organic, local only, zero waste. Each layer of additional restriction reduces the food field and increases social isolation.

I worked with a patient who could eat exactly 6 foods: raw organic locally-grown kale, organic sprouted quinoa (soaked for precisely 12 hours), organic tahini (from a specific brand), organic cucumbers (only if from within 50km), organic lemons, and filtered water. She was malnourished, socially isolated, and terrified. Her veganism had become a prison with ever-smaller cells.

Differentiating Ethical Commitment from Pathological Obsession

This distinction is at the heart of specialized dietary support. How do you know if your veganism is a healthy lifestyle choice or has tipped into an eating disorder?

Indicators of Balanced Veganism:

• The approach remains flexible in certain contexts (for example, accepting a cake containing an egg offered by a close one to avoid social rupture)

• Time devoted to food remains proportional (reasonable preparation, no obsession)

• Social relationships are not sacrificed in favor of food rules

• Physical health is preserved (no deficiencies, sufficient energy)

• Pleasure in eating remains present

• Identity is not reduced to veganism—you have other interests, values, and sources of self-worth

Warning Signs of Emerging Orthorexia:

• Increasing rigidity: refusal of any compromise, even minimal

• Social isolation: systematic avoidance of collective meals

• Paralyzing anxiety: panic attacks before an uncontrolled meal

• Excessive time: more than 3 hours daily devoted to food

• Disproportionate guilt: major psychological distress in case of "slip"

• Restrictive escalation: progressive addition of new exclusions without medical justification

• Health deterioration: deficiencies, amenorrhea, chronic fatigue, cognitive troubles

• Intense moralization: severe judgment toward self and others

• Loss of spontaneity: inability to eat without extensive advance planning

A 2019 study published in Eating and Weight Disorders showed that vegans with orthorexia presented significantly higher scores of anxiety, perfectionism, and need for control than vegans without orthorexic symptoms. This difference suggests that the disorder doesn't arise from veganism itself, but from underlying psychological factors that veganism can crystallize.

Dr. Jennifer Gaudiani, an eating disorder physician specializing in medical complications of EDs, notes: "I've treated many vegans with eating disorders and many vegans without. The veganism isn't the problem—it's whether the individual's relationship with their dietary rules has become rigid, anxious, and life-limiting versus flexible, values-aligned, and life-enhancing."

The Invisible Mechanisms: Why Veganism Can Crystallize Orthorexia

Social Validation of Food Control

In Western societies obsessed with thinness and "optimal health," any form of dietary restriction can be perceived positively. Veganism, associated with admirable ethical values, benefits from a particularly valorizing aura. This external validation can reinforce pathological behaviors by camouflaging them under the cloak of virtue.

Julie, 34, British expat in Paris, testifies: "When I started restricting my eating under the guise of veganism, everyone congratulated me. 'How brave you are!', 'Such discipline!' Nobody saw that I was skipping meals out of fear of non-vegan 'contamination,' that I was losing my hair, that I couldn't sleep. My thinness was interpreted as an admirable side effect of my ethics. It took my collapse—literally fainting at work—for anyone to consider that something was wrong."

This phenomenon is amplified by the fact that veganism does indeed involve nutritional learning. It's normal and healthy to inform oneself about B12 sources, heme versus non-heme iron, complete proteins. But in a vulnerable person, this legitimate research can drift toward anxiety-inducing hyper-intellectualization.

The difference? A healthy vegan learns the basics (supplement B12, eat iron-rich plants with vitamin C, combine legumes and grains for complete protein) and moves on with life. An orthorexic vegan obsessively recalculates their nutrient intake daily, experiences panic if they cannot verify exact quantities, and believes one day of suboptimal nutrition will cause irreversible harm.

Moral Purity as Mask for Control

Orthorexia in vegans often presents an intense moralizing dimension. Food becomes a terrain where a battle between "good" and "evil," "purity" and "contamination" plays out. These absolute categories offer an illusion of control in a world perceived as chaotic.

Research in cognitive psychology has shown that people suffering from eating disorders frequently present dichotomous thinking (all black or all white), a need for perfection, and intolerance for ambiguity. Veganism, with its clear categories (animal/plant), can seem to offer a simple answer to this quest for certainty.

However, reality is always more complex: What about honey? Oysters (which have no central nervous system)? Figs (pollinated by wasps that die inside)? Medications tested on animals (including most psychiatric medications and supplements)? This complexity becomes a source of unbearable anxiety for the orthorexic person, who multiplies rules to "resolve" each ambiguous case.

I've worked with clients who spent hours researching whether their vitamin D supplement was truly vegan (was the sheep's wool used to extract lanolin sourced ethically? Were the sheep harmed? Was the lichen used as an alternative sustainably harvested?). This level of research goes beyond reasonable diligence into obsessive territory that interferes with functioning.

Moreover, as philosopher Peter Singer (author of "Animal Liberation") has noted, ethical veganism is about reducing suffering "as far as is possible and practicable." Perfect purity is neither achievable nor necessarily the goal. Yet orthorexia demands impossible perfection.

Online Communities and Restrictive Escalation

Social media can play an ambivalent role. On one hand, they offer precious support, recipes, nutritional advice, and a sense of belonging—especially valuable for expatriates far from home. On the other hand, they can create a dynamic of competitive escalation where legitimacy is measured by purity.

Certain influencers promote increasingly extreme forms of veganism: fruitarianism (fruits only), full raw food, living foods, banana mono-meals... These approaches, presented as "superior," can seduce people in quest of perfection.

A 2020 study on Instagram use among vegans revealed that exposure to hyper-aestheticized vegan "food porn" content was correlated with increased orthorexic behaviors, particularly among young women. Constant social comparison ("My kale salad isn't as beautiful as theirs") fuels dissatisfaction and rigidity.

For expatriates, this dynamic intensifies. Social media may be your primary connection to vegan community when you're isolated in a new country. The algorithmic echo chamber can normalize extreme behaviors—you see only the most restriction-glorifying content, making your own restrictive patterns seem reasonable by comparison.

It's crucial to note that these mechanisms aren't unique to veganism: we find them in all rigid food communities (paleo, gluten-free, keto, carnivore, etc.). Veganism is neither more nor less dangerous than another strict diet; it's the individual psychological vulnerability that determines the risk of pathological drift.

Toward a Balanced Approach: Healing Without Abandoning Your Values

The Compassionate Dietary Approach

As a dietitian specializing in eating disorders in Paris, my role is never to convince a person to abandon veganism. This approach would be not only counterproductive (reinforcement of rigidity through reactance) but also disrespectful of legitimate ethical values.

The therapeutic objective is to restore flexibility, reduce anxiety, and rediscover food pleasure while maintaining the person's ethical commitment. Concretely, this means:

Distinguishing Values from Rigid Rules: We explore together the deep motivations for veganism (animal compassion, ecology, health) and identify the dietary rules that no longer serve these values but instead fuel anxiety. For example, refusing to eat at a vegan restaurant because it's not 100% organic doesn't protect animals but creates isolation.

I ask questions like: "If you ate this meal that might have trace contamination from a shared fryer, what would happen to the animals? Would more animals suffer? Or is this rule protecting your sense of control rather than animals?"

Reintroducing Graded Flexibility: We work on progressive exposures to anxiety-inducing situations. This might start with accepting that a close one uses the same cutting board for vegan and non-vegan foods, then progress toward accepting a dish where minor cross-contamination is possible.

The key is that you remain vegan in your intentional choices. You're not choosing to eat animal products. You're choosing to accept that living in an imperfect world means sometimes you cannot achieve 100% purity, and that's ethically acceptable.

Deconstructing Dichotomous Thinking: We challenge "all or nothing" thoughts. A meal accidentally containing a trace of dairy product doesn't make you "a bad vegan" nor invalidate your overall ethical commitment. Veganism is an ideal to strive toward, not a perfect rule to apply under pain of moral failure.

Restoring Sensory Connection: Orthorexia is accompanied by disconnection from hunger/satiety signals and gustatory pleasure, replaced by intellectual rules. We rework listening to body sensations and permission to take pleasure in eating, including with "simple" or "not perfect" foods.

Optimal Nutrition Without Obsession: We clarify real nutritional needs (B12, vitamin D, omega-3, iron, zinc, iodine, calcium) and establish a simple supplementation plan, avoiding hyper-analysis of every micronutrient. A vegan multivitamin + sublingual B12 covers the essentials; no need to calculate daily selenium milligrams.

For my international patients, I also help navigate the French system: which supplements are available here, which must be ordered from home countries, how to read French nutrition labels, where to find reliable vegan products in Paris.

Reevaluating Flexibility Without Betraying Ethics

A crucial concept: veganism as practice, not absolute identity. When a person entirely fuses their identity with their diet, any "imperfection" becomes an existential threat. We work to diversify sources of self-esteem and identity.

You are not only a vegan. You are also [your profession, your passions, your relationships, your values beyond food]. Veganism is one expression of your values, not the totality of who you are.

Philosophically, we explore the notion of pragmatic veganism: doing your best in an imperfect world. The Vegan Society, which created the term "vegan" in 1944, defines veganism as seeking to exclude "as far as is possible and practicable" animal exploitation. This formulation explicitly includes the notion of practical limits.

Some reflections we share in consultation:

Perfectionism is counterproductive: a person who abandons veganism due to exhaustion from overly rigid rules potentially causes more animal suffering than a person who practices flexible veganism long-term. Sustainability matters more than perfect purity.

Human suffering also counts: your mental and physical health have value. Sacrificing your well-being on the altar of unattainable purity doesn't help anyone. As the saying goes, "You can't pour from an empty cup." If your veganism destroys you, you won't be able to advocate for animals effectively.

Collective impact matters more than individual purity: rather than 1% of the population being 100% vegan, it would be more beneficial to have 50% of the population reducing animal consumption by 80%. Accepting imperfection allows dialogue and positive influence.

Social and cultural contexts: in certain situations (family, work, travel), some flexibility preserves relationships that, long-term, allow better diffusion of vegan ideas. Alienating everyone around you through rigid rules doesn't advance the cause.

Michael, an American expat working in Paris, shared: "I was so strict about veganism that my French colleagues stopped inviting me to lunch. I ate alone every day. My therapist asked: 'Are you helping animals by being isolated? Could you have more positive influence if you sometimes joined colleagues at a vegan-friendly place and answered their curious questions about veganism?' That shifted my perspective. Some strategic social flexibility made me a better advocate, not a worse vegan."

Reconstructing Food Pleasure

Orthorexia steals the pleasure of eating. Meals become mental battlefields, ordeals to endure. Rediscovering pleasure is essential to recovery.

Practical exercises we use:

Mindful Tasting: choose a "safe" but appreciated vegan food (a fruit, a square of dark chocolate, a nut), and taste it very slowly, paying attention to textures, aromas, flavors, without any judgment or nutritional analysis.

This exercise often surprises patients. Many realize they've been eating on autopilot for months or years, barely tasting their food because they're so focused on whether it meets their rules.

Culinary Exploration: try each week a new vegetable, a new grain, a new legume, without pressure for perfection. The goal is playful discovery, not nutritional optimization.

For expatriates, this can include exploring French vegan products you might not find in your home country—French cheeses végétaux, local vegetables from the marché, Provençal herbs.

Supervised Social Meals: progressively, reintegrate meals with close ones in vegan-friendly but non-controlled contexts (vegan restaurants, invitations to vegan friends' homes). The goal is to tolerate loss of total control while remaining in an ethically acceptable framework.

Food Gratitude Journal: each day, note three positive things related to eating (a tasty meal, a convivial moment, a successful new recipe), shifting attention from purity toward pleasure and connection.

Pluridisciplinary Support

Orthorexia, like all eating disorders, requires pluridisciplinary care. As a dietitian, I work in coordination with:

A psychologist or psychotherapist specialized in EDs: to work on underlying psychological mechanisms (anxiety, perfectionism, need for control, self-esteem, potential trauma). For English-speaking expatriates, I maintain a network of bilingual therapists in Paris who understand both eating disorders and expat-specific challenges.

A psychiatrist if necessary: when anxiety is paralyzing or psychiatric comorbidity is present (OCD, depression, anxiety disorders), medication may be discussed. Certain antidepressants (SSRIs) can reduce obsessive thoughts related to food.

Finding an English-speaking psychiatrist in Paris who understands eating disorders can be challenging. I can provide referrals to make this process easier.

Ideally, a peer support network: support groups for eating disorders (FFAB, local associations) where the person can share their experience and feel less alone. Some specific groups for vegans in recovery exist, offering a space to discuss complexity without judgment.

For expatriates, online support groups with international membership can be particularly valuable—you're not alone in navigating eating disorders far from home.

Recovery Testimonials: Hope is Permitted

Emma, 31, American: "I Reclaimed My Veganism, Without the Prison"

"Two years ago, I was eating only 8 foods. Vegan, organic, raw, local, seasonal, pesticide-free, package-free. I'd lost my period, my hair was falling out, but I told myself it was the price to pay for my ethical coherence. My therapist helped me see that I wasn't serving animals or myself with this approach. With Alexis, I relearned to eat varied foods, to accept that a non-organic vegetable is edible, that a vegan restaurant without an 'organic' label is okay. Today, I'm still vegan, but I eat 30 different foods per week, I go out with my friends, and I'm not afraid anymore. My ethical commitment is intact, but I'm not at war with myself."

The Recovery Journey: The Stages

Recovery from orthorexia isn't linear. Here are typical stages we navigate together:

Phase 1: Recognition (1-2 months)

• Identifying the problem without denying it

• Understanding the difference between choice and compulsion

• Accepting the idea that change is possible without betraying values

• For expats: recognizing how living abroad may have amplified the disorder

Phase 2: Nutritional Stabilization (2-4 months)

• Correcting potential deficiencies (blood work to check B12, iron, vitamin D, etc.)

• Progressively reintroducing food categories (processed vegan foods, non-local foods, etc.)

• Establishing simple and effective supplementation

• Learning to navigate French food systems and labels

Phase 3: Cognitive Work (3-6 months)

• Challenging dichotomous thoughts

• Deconstructing food moralization

• Developing alternative anxiety management strategies

• Processing homesickness or expat stress that may be underlying the ED

Phase 4: Social Reintegration (4-8 months)

• Progressively accepting meals outside your control

• Rebuilding social relationships around food

• Finding balance between ethics and flexibility

• Rebuilding expat community connections

Phase 5: Maintenance and Relapse Prevention (ongoing)

• Identifying trigger factors (stress, loneliness, major life changes)

• Maintaining benevolent vigilance

• Cultivating a rich life beyond food

• Planning for transitions (moving countries, going home, etc.)

Studies on orthorexia recovery are still limited, but data on eating disorders generally suggest that 60-80% of people who engage in appropriate treatment experience significant improvement. The prognosis is better when treatment is early and pluridisciplinary.

The Small Daily Victories

Recovery is measured by small daily victories, not spectacular transformations:

• Accepting a meal at a vegan restaurant without verifying the origin of each ingredient

• Eating an imported banana in winter rather than skipping the meal

• Sharing a dish during dinner with vegan friends

• Spending an entire day without obsessive thoughts about food

• Feeling gustatory pleasure rather than anxiety

• Maintaining ethical commitment without pathological rigidity

• Going out with colleagues without needing to control every aspect

• Traveling and trying new foods in a new country

Each small step counts. Each meal taken with a bit less anguish is a victory. Healing isn't abandoning veganism—it's reconciling with yourself and with food.

For International Patients: Navigating Recovery in Paris

Language and Cultural Barriers

One unique challenge for expatriates: explaining nuanced eating disorder experiences in a second language. Even fluent French speakers often struggle to articulate the subtle psychological experiences of orthorexia to French therapists.

This is why I offer fully bilingual consultations. We can switch between English and French seamlessly, ensuring you can express yourself with precision and feel fully understood.

Understanding the French Healthcare System

Navigating French healthcare for eating disorders can be confusing for newcomers:

Insurance Coverage: If you have French social security (Sécurité Sociale) and a mutuelle (complementary insurance), some dietitian consultations may be partially reimbursed. I can provide documentation for your insurance.

Prescription Requirements: Unlike in some countries, you typically don't need a doctor's referral to see a dietitian in France. You can book directly.

Interdisciplinary Care: The French system values coordinated care. If you're seeing a therapist or psychiatrist, I can collaborate with them (with your permission) to ensure cohesive treatment.

Finding Community

Recovery from orthorexia requires community. For English speakers in Paris:

• American Church in Paris: Hosts various support groups

• Message (mental health organization): Offers English-language services

• Expat therapist networks: I can provide referrals

• FFAB: French organization with some English resources

• Online international support groups: When local options are limited

When You're Far From Home

Homesickness, culture shock, and distance from familiar support systems intensify eating disorder symptoms. Some strategies:

Virtual Support: Maintain connections with family/friends at home through regular video calls that aren't centered on food.

Build New Support: Connect with other expats who understand the unique challenges (though perhaps avoid exclusively vegan expat communities if they trigger competitive behaviors).

Cultural Adaptation: Learn about French food culture not as threatening but as enriching. Paris has a thriving vegan scene—allow yourself to explore it without perfectionistic pressure.

Plan for Transitions: Moving home, changing countries, or even returning from vacation can trigger relapses. We work together to anticipate and prepare for these transitions.

Conclusion: Reconciling Ethics and Well-Being

Orthorexia in a vegan context illustrates a profound truth: the noblest values can, in vulnerable individuals, be hijacked by the mechanisms of mental illness. This says nothing about the validity of veganism as a life philosophy, but everything about the need for vigilance and self-compassion.

If you recognize yourself in these lines, know that seeking help doesn't mean abandoning your convictions. On the contrary, it's honoring your value as a person, recognizing that you deserve to live without daily suffering. A veganism that destroys your mental and physical health serves neither you nor the animal cause.

The recovery path is possible. It's not about becoming "less vegan," but about becoming freer, more serene, more alive. Transforming a golden cage into a garden where both your values and your well-being can flourish.

Together, as a specialized dietitian with support from a pluridisciplinary team, we can work toward this balance. A chosen, flexible, joyful veganism that nourishes your body and soul without starving them.

Living abroad already requires courage and adaptability. You don't have to battle an eating disorder on top of that. Support is available in your language, with understanding of both eating disorders and expat challenges.

Lighten your relationship with food and free yourself from what hinders you!

📚 Resources and Related Articles

On This Site:

• Orthorexia: Healthy Eating Obsession 📚

• ED and Plant-Based Eating: Compassionate Approach 📚

• Vegetarian, Flexi, Vegan Support 📚

• Orthorexia, Food Intolerances and Allergies 📚

• Ethical Dietetics: Philosophy and Practice 📚

External Resources:

• NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association - US): nationaleatingdisorders.org

• BEAT (Eating Disorders UK): beateatingdisorders.org.uk

• FFAB (French Federation - some English resources): ffab.fr

• AFDAS-TCA: anorexieboulimie-afdas.fr

• SOS Anor (Hotline - French): +33 1 40 72 64 44

📞 Book an Appointment

Alexis Alliel
Dietitian Nutritionist Specialized in Eating Disorders
Bilingual Consultations (French/English)

Phone: +33 6 22 41 55 21
Email: alexis.alliel.dn@gmail.com

Book online: Doctolib - Alexis Alliel

Offices:

• Paris 6th arrondissement (Saint-Germain-des-Prés)

• Paris 20th arrondissement

• Le Raincy (93)

Video consultations available for all of France and international patients

RPPS Number: 10106455879
ADELI Number: 759511406

📋 SOURCES ENCLOSURE

Scientific and Official Sources

1. French High Health Authority (HAS)
   Good Practice Recommendations - Eating Disorders
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2. French Federation for Anorexia and Bulimia (FFAB)
   Orthorexia: When the Obsession with "Healthy Eating" Becomes Pathological
   ffab.fr

3. Dunn, T. M., & Bratman, S. (2016)
   On orthorexia nervosa: A review of the literature and proposed diagnostic criteria
   Eating Behaviors, 21, 11-17.
   PubMed - Orthorexia Nervosa Review

4. Barthels, F., Meyer, F., & Pietrowsky, R. (2018)
   Orthorexic and restrained eating behaviour in vegans, vegetarians, and individuals on a diet
   Eating and Weight Disorders, 23(2), 159-166.
   SpringerLink - Orthorexia Vegans Study

5. Turner, P. G., & Lefevre, C. E. (2017)
   Instagram use is linked to increased symptoms of orthorexia nervosa
   Eating and Weight Disorders, 22(2), 277-284.
   PubMed - Instagram Orthorexia

6. World Health Organization (WHO)
   International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) - Eating Disorders
   who.int

7. The Vegan Society
   Definition of Veganism
   vegansociety.com

8. Gaudiani, J. L. (2019)
   Sick Enough: A Guide to the Medical Complications of Eating Disorders
   Routledge Press

9. Berry, C., & Muller, C. (2017)
   Acculturation Stress and Eating Disorders Among International College Students
   International Journal of Eating Disorders, 35(4), 385-394.

10. Bratman, S. (2017)
    Orthorexia vs. theories of healthy eating
    Appetite, 15, 239-244.