A joyous wake up call just blasted stereotypes about women completely out of rigid cultural perceptions.  It happened on the Britains Got Talent show.  Susan Boyle, the wrong age, shape, size, and in the wrong hair style, makeup, dress and shoes according to cultural dictates of what constitutes desireable women, ploughed into the hearts and minds of everyone who heard her sing her audition piece, "I dreamed a dream,"from Les Miserables.

Away with rubbish!

Recently I received a letter from a woman who said she was in a lonely minority of women who developed full blown bulimia after becoming 40 years old. (I hope she posts her letter on this blog so you can read her story in her words.) (She did. Please see her post and my response in the comment section below).

Elusive numbers and false beliefs Numbers are elusive in eating disorder statistics. Many people with eating disorders never let themselves be seen or known in a way that will allow their presence to be counted. Every woman over forty who has ever been in my practice for eating disorder recovery believed she was a shameful exception. This belief is not true.

Mindless Munching is the topic of a Wall Street Journal May 13, 2008 article by Melinda Beck.

Mindful Eating Her article, "Put a End to Mindless Munching," is a credible piece on mindful eating. I’m glad to see this perspective on eating move into greater public awareness via this well respected news publication. My gladness has several aspects. One, information about paying attention to the specific details of your eating experience may help you develop a valuable exercise that can bring you to a normal and healthy way of being present for your genuine experience and genuine body need for nourishment. When you practice mindful eating you can discover what food can offer you. The other deep yearnings you have that are not satisfied by food are then exposed so you can learn to address those needs in a more life enhancing way.

Recovery from an eating disorder is difficult and arduous and requires commitment as well as time and resources.

Add to that the challenge of rising up from under the barrage of cultural forces that encourage eating disorder symptoms. Then, you get a glimpse of the courage and stability required to make healthy choices regardless of cultural messages.