Tonight’s Clinical topic was eating disorders, and the class centered around the NOVA Special Dying To Be Thin. It’s a little dated, but worth watch if you have some time. I found the segments on serotonin especially interesting. Experts say that those with anorexia may have a surplus of serotonin that promotes constant anxiety and a decrease in appetite. Skipping meals helps to reduce the anxiety, thus making the person want to eat less and less. Very interesting stuff. My professor made it clear that dietitians work with eating disorder patients for nutritional support only, and counseling and treatment should come from a psychologist and doctor team.
She brought us popcorn to enjoy with the movie
I had originally planned these snacks, but I ditched the LaraBar in favor of the popcorn. I got the pear at EarthFare this afternoon. Lauri and I walked for about an hour in the sunshine. It was a delicious pear!
I drove home alone because Kelsey was under the weather today 
And on the interstate I hit a DEER CARCUS! Ewwwwwwwww. I really hope its guts are not under my car because when I slowed down to a stoplight I could smell animal smell…
Despite the fact that I wasn’t that hungry from my ample snacks, I am still a ravenous person when I get home from class on Wednesday nights. I made this quick dinner and had a small piece of bread straight from the bag for an appetizer.
I got this from Trader Joe’s with high hopes, but it was a little on the canned soup flavor/oniony side. I probably won’t get it again. Pacific Soups rock!
With about a cup and a half of kale, ~2 tbsp leftover chickpeas and a few peanuts. And cinnamon!
And the highlight: Kelsey’s Pimento Cheese on High Five bread!! Although it was great melted the other day, I really liked it chunky tonight. It’s got a better texture. LOVE this PC!! This is going into my regular rotation of delicious things to have on hand.
In typical Wednesday night fashion, I dined on a tray while watching House Hunters.
I’m zonk tired from last night, so off to the pillows!
April Nguyen says
Woohoo! I think i’m the first comment! Anywho, must try cinnamon in soup! Usually I go for salt, pepper and garlic.
zestycook says
Kath… that soup looks good! You are a huge Kale fan. I have to get into that i guess to keep up with the crowd 🙂
Betsy says
I’ve been having some delicious pears lately too… but aren’t they out of season??
Sarah (Tales of Expansion) says
ewwwwwwwwww deer carcas!!! at least it was not a live one …
haya (living and learning) says
butternut squash/apple soup is the easiest thing to make yourself with *no onions*! it’s one of my favorite quick winter soups. i just cube up a squash, a couple apples, some chicken stock (or veggie stock if you wish) and some fresh pressed apple juice (+ salt and whatever). in a pot, boil till everything is soft (keep the lid on or off depending on how evaporated you want it). blend to desired smoothness. add all your extras and eat! it keeps pretty well in the fridge for quite a few days. no need to buy cartons!
Foodie (Fab and Delicious Food) says
The soup looks great!
Kath says
haya (living and learning) ,
The cartons are for late nights after class when you have no time!! Otherwise I make a mean butternut squash + kale soup 🙂
K
Sharon says
Looks great!
Marisa (trim the fat) says
Mmmm…pimento cheese on bread sounds delish!
Natalie says
Excellent soup combo!
WEEKLY BITE says
I love those soups!!
Kelsey Miles says
I don’t know if you’ve noticed but every time we even drive past road kill I quiver.. always have + always will… Had that have been me driving + my car it would have been a disaster… “animal smell”– you crack me up!!
Regan says
What a crazy coincidence?! Today in my developmental psychology class we watched this same movie.
Joy says
haha deer carcus.. gross! i hate seeing animals in the road 🙁 that soup looks delicious
Renee says
I watched House Hunters tonight too 🙂
Meg says
Very interesting about the serotonin. Sorry about the deer carcuss!
Oh She Glows says
The research on anorexia and other ED’s is fascinating…they are finding many links with certain genes too.
Lori says
Hi Kath!
Needles to say but please be safe during your trip!! I always get traveler’s insurance when I travel just in case!
Do people really eat road-kill?? 😛
Michelle (PinQue) says
Now I want popcorn at 10 at night!
VeggieGirl says
LARABAR!!
Amanda in Pittsburgh says
Where can I find Kale? I want to make it soooooooo bad after reading your posts, Kath, but I’m intimidated to find it in the store? Is it just next to the fresh lettuce in the produce section?
Marianne says
I want to say I’ve seen that film, but maybe I just recognize the title from something, or have only seen parts of it? I really am intertested in learning more about ED’s from a dietics position once I’m back at school, I think it’s an area I might be interested in working in one day. Although, I think alot of the various areas sound interesting in their own right.
And it’s awesome that your prof brought you popcorn!
Bec says
ew, a deer carcass! I hope your car smells ok in the morning 🙂
Sarah (lovINmytummy) says
Pacific Foods is by far the best soup ever. Red Lentil Curry. Dude. Seriously.
Mara @ What's For Dinner? says
SO glad you didn’t hit a live deer!! Might want to take the car for a wash tomorrow!
That soup looks fantastic!
Lisa says
Yikes! I’m glad you didn’t hit the deer when it was still alive.
Tyler (Raspberry Runner) says
ok, its official….i have a strong craving for pimento cheese! it has looked so delicious on your blog all week!
RachelD says
Kath, I just have to say that since you started featuring Great Harvest goodies I started stopping by the one next to were I work at least once a week. YUM! Their free samples make my breaks better. Thanks
Jennifer says
I never would have thought to dress up the box of soup! I would have just eaten it plain. That’s a really good idea!
Michelle T says
Kath your comment on my blog TOTALLY 120% made my day, even though it was simply “I added you to my blogroll!” 🙂 🙂 🙂 THANKSSS!!!!
Oh, and I love that you ditched the Larabar for popcorn, it made me grin. hehehe And I’m also glad you mentioned that you’d rather be sippin’ on Pacific’s soups. I ALMOST bought that TJ’s soup and regretted it all day until I read your post.
Hope you have a faaabulous day tomorrow dear! Thanks again for making my day!!
Michelle Hisae says
1. That’s pretty interesting science behind eating disorders.
2. I used to be addicted to House Hunters (ok, not addicted) when I was back at home and watched TV. I rarely watch TV now that I’m off at school!
Adi (Oatonomy.com) says
I have to admit, I don’t think I’d ever heard of pimento cheese before you posted about it this week!
Guess I’ve been living under a rock… hmm…
The Good Eatah says
I’ve never seen a pear like that before — it looks good!
I hit a deer once coming back from a soccer game at night. Well, a car beside me hit it and then it ricocheted onto my car. We both pulled over and the girl that hit it first was crying and yelling “I’m a vegetarian!”
It was one traumatizing night!
seelee live (for the love of peanut butter) says
I am really happy to hear the topic was on eating disorders. I know my RD has helped me a ton in regaining back a healthy relationship with food.
Your attitude is to die for. goodnight!
rebecca (unintuitiveeating) says
i totally disagree with your prof saying that an rd’s role in helping someone with an ed is solely to provide nutritional support. i’m recovering from an ed and have a nutritionist who is SO MUCH MORE than someone who counsels on food. in fact, it’s not that uncommon for the entire hour session to go by and i don’t mention any specifics about what i’ve eaten that week. she’s sort of a cross between a therapist and a nutritionist to me, with more focus on the food/physiological aspects of the disorder than my primary therapist. i’ve been to a couple nutritionists in the past who haven’t been very helpful– because honestly, i KNOW what to eat… that’s not why i am still working to overcome this disorder– but i don’t know what i would do right now without the support of my nutritionist…
sorry i got so heated on the subject!
Megan says
Wow that deer story was scary! I’m glad I don’t have a car here at school..
That pimento cheese and bread looks delicious–I need to find some around here!
Courtney (The Hungry Yogini) says
Yummy cheese and bread. No better combo!
Marissa says
Yummy looking soup!!
Caroline says
We watched that same special in one of my nutrition classes last summer. I agree that it’s a bit dated but very informative.
Agree that Pacific soups are superior to TJ’s. I just finished a box of the butternut squash–way more watery than Pacific’s.
Leah says
Cashew cookie is my FAVOURITE Larabar!! yum!
Want to send it my way since you didn’t eat it?? hehe.
You can send it to my Canadian address if you want to save on shipping! 😉
M says
Something about the fact your prof passed out a snack while you guys were watching a film on anorexia just doesn’t sit right, not sure why.
Skinny says
That is disapointing to hear about the TJ soup. I’ll have to try the Pacific.. About the deer..that’s awful!
Kath says
RachelD ,
Glad you stopped by!!
Michelle T,
Aw, I’m so glad I did 🙂
rebecca,
My comment was not to say that there aren’t RDs who specialize in eating disorders who are wonderful counselors, but that when we are finished with our basic training we won’t have all of the expertise needed (yes, some, but not all) to counsel and treat someone who is very sick with anorexia. It is the most deadly of psychiatric disorders and should be taken very seriously.
Leah ,
It’s one of my very favorites too!!
M,
I’m not sure what you’re implying, but the movie was over an hour and we don’t normally watch movies in class. Seems like popcorn + movie are a pretty typical pair.
Kath
Amanda says
I agree with you on the TJs soups. I find that I like the Pacific ones better because they tend to be thicker.
Popcorn during the movie is totally normal. Regardless of movie topic!
criticchicks says
what’s wrong with a little snack in class? sounds like a pretty nice prof. :o) yay popcorn.
M says
Oh, I don’t mean to imply anything. I couldn’t put my finger on what about it seemed unsettling to me, that’s why I wasn’t more specific.
I definitely don’t think it’s weird to snack in class, and it *is* nice of your prof to bring something in for you. The nature of the movie is what made it somehow different for me.
I remember we watched Schindler’s List in class, and the school provided ice cream sundae cups. Weird.
JA says
I found out about your blog through an eating disorder support website. Someone had posted your link and said “I wish I had this relationship with food.”
I read you everyday now and I know there are a lot of people from the support site that do the same. I’m working on my disorder and find your site inspiring. Thanks, Kath.
thepinkpeppercorn says
Thanks for the tip, and info about anorexia. I didn’t know that about the serotonin. Yikes, too bad about the deer!!! And a great way to zip up, and make the TJ’s soup better 🙂
Lauren says
Very interesting about the physiological explanation for anorexia – we never went over that in all of the psych classes I’ve taken!
Hope your car smells better soon.
rebecca (unintuitiveeating) says
thanks for the followup kath! i agree with your response. my nutritionist specializes in eds so that is mostly what she does, and her role is somewhat different from that of a rd who only counsels patients with diabetes and/or general nutrition. and even so, i don’t think she would want any of her recovering patients to work with her exclusively – she is for me only 1/2 of my “team,” with the other 1/2 being my actual therapist. also, my work with my rd is a bit different in that i’m not in the depths of the disorder, and so we can work on a different level. but if i was, i could see that an rd who was not specialized in the area of eds could be potentially harmful, given like you said, the seriousness of the disorder.
Kath says
JA ,
Glad to hear its been a positive influence!
Rebecca,
And I agree with you 🙂
Kath
Beadie @ What I Ate Yesterday says
I am about to see an RD that specializes in ED today, actually. I don’t know what it will be like but I do anticipate that it will be very different from meeting with my therapist or group. I am excited to start this process as part of my recovery, and like Rebecca, I do know *what* to eat, it is just doing it that is the issue. I think she will be a very important role in my treatment team.
Kath, do you have any interest in specializing in ED?
Kiersten says
I think I’ve seen Dying to Be Thin. It was made around the early 90’s, right? I didn’t like that one very much. I thought they focused too much on the media’s influence of EDs and didn’t really address other factors that contribute to EDs. The info about the serotonin is interesting though, I have read a lot of things similar to that which are pretty interesting.
Kath says
Beadie @ What I Ate Yesterday,
Good luck with your appointment 🙂
I don’t know what I’d like to specialize in (if anything) and would like to keep all options open. Although since I have a history of weight loss, I think counseling others in weight loss would be a good fit for me.
Kath
Danielle says
Everything looks great, I love watching house hunters, and property virgins. Great shows!
Jess says
Pacific Foods soups are the best! Even their canned kind is really good. Much better than any others, including Amy’s.
EatingRD says
I love watching house hunters! And HGTV in general because I like all the great ideas. I haven’t tried that Tj’s soup, but I have tried the roasted red pepper and tomato soup which is really good. I also mix in some sauteed chicken sausage, pasta and roasted veggies to jazz it up a bit.
-kristen
Alyssa says
Dying to be Thin is also a book on eating disorders, but it’s probably more updated than the movie.
Lola says
Surplus of serotonin??? I would have thought having low amounts serotonin would cause those symptoms.
Kath says
Lola ,
The withdrawal from eating reduces the serotonin, which makes them feel better and less anxious, so they do it again. It is strange to have the absence of something make someone feel “better” but when you have too much of something, that seems to be the case. Also, I think they said that it’s not ONLY the serotonin imbalance that causes the anorexia but that not eating may be spurred by something else (society, emotions, etc.) but that’s the trigger.
kath