Eating Disorder Recovery Reminders: Hanukkah Edition
Join Sophie Talmadge Silleck, LMSW, in exploring how we honor our cultural celebrations while in eating disorder recovery.
Tonight we celebrate the third night of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights!
Hanukkah is a celebration of a legend in which the oil that should’ve lasted only one night, lasted for eight whole nights instead, keeping people warm and fed much longer than was anticipated–a true miracle, some would say!
Fried Foods: Friend or Foe?
Cultural celebrations are often times of social gathering, which typically entails some good food. For Hanukkah, this often means getting together with loved ones over a spread of fried foods. Bring on the latkes and jelly doughnuts! Fried chicken, falafel, French fries… anything fried fits the bill to celebrate the holiday in its most traditional way. And lighting candles, of course.
While fried foods are undoubtedly delicious—and are a particular delight to those of us who enjoy sensory experiences with our food—they can also be difficult foods for those with a challenging relationship with food.
Fried foods have gotten a bad reputation within our culture. Diet culture has told us they’re “bad” and should be avoided. As a result, they tend to be a “fear food” for a lot of people. This can make Hanukkah celebrations stressful and more about navigating a complex relationship with food than enjoying being around family and friends.
But why do we listen to diet culture? Why do we let society and stigma get in the way of food that brings us pleasure? Food is not inherently bad or good, and we don’t need to listen to all the judgment that gets thrown around!
Hanukkah is a special holiday that reminds us to stand up for ourselves, celebrate the light in the dark, and find joy where we can. So stand up to diet culture and eat the food you want to eat! Enjoy the holiday and the delicious food that goes with it, without guilt or judgment.
Happy Hanukkah, from ATC to you!
Interested in exploring your relationship with food and dieting? Looking to work on the intersections of culture and eating disorders? Sophie is taking new clients! Read more about working with her here.
