This past weekend I was in San Francisco playing tourist. My wife had never been to the bay area before and as such I suggested that we at least visit Fisherman’s Wharf. We had a great time and we shared the chowder in the sourdough bread bowl that you see above. When in Rome…
The funny thing about this is that we don’t eat grains. We have chosen to follow a paleo-style diet and we typically do not eat bread at all. We made an exception for this regional iconic dish and we were happy that we did. The meal, however, got me thinking about a proposed condition called “orthorexia.”
Orthorexia is defined as an excessive fixation or concern with healthy eating or having a “correct diet” to the point that it is unhealthy or causes problems in one’s life. For example, if one’s dietary restrictions cause him/her to become malnourished or only able to eat at home, he/she might be considered to have orthorexia nervosa. Currently, orthorexia is not in the DSM-IV, which is the handbook of official psychiatric diagnoses; however, I think it is useful for helping put our dietary choices in perspective.
At Dan’s Plan, we aim to help individuals enhance their wellness by making better choices and by connecting the dots between their current values (good health, environmental concerns, animal welfare, etc.) and their food choices. I have chosen to not eat grains in an attempt to improve and sustain my health. However, I also believe in good food and the value of exploring different food cultures. In this way, I remain happy to have made an exception to share a warm bowl of chowder in a delicious sourdough bread bowl.