EDFA psychologist Chris Fowler answers your questions about eating disorders

When a loved one is diagnosed with an eating disorder it can throw ordinary people into a chaotic medical world and often times into the hospital system for what can be life or death treatment. It can be daunting and distressing.

Physios might not be the first profession that comes to mind when you are thinking about eating disorder care but in this latest episode of Strong Enough Senior Physiotherapist Sally Partington explains the unique set of skills that can aid recovery.

Have you ever heard the expression I’ve had a gutful or I’ve got a gut feeling about this? Or maybe the adage you are what you eat? Well like many old sayings there’s a real world link and today’s guest Accredited Practising Dietitian Kim Menzies is going to unpack for us the incredible connection between the brain and the gut - in fact the gut is now often called our ‘second brain’. There are often gastrointestinal problems linked to eating disorders. Some common gut issues can trigger disordered eating and in turn disordered eating can cause gut or stomach problems. Digestive issues during and after eating disorders are very common. This episode is an edited version of a special EDFA member webinar – if you’d like to access more resources like this then join EDFA or you can buy the new Strong Enough book written by carers just like you, who share lived experience tips and advice.

Katie Bennett Stenton is the kind of powerhouse you want in your orbit. This is a woman who manages crisis issues for a living so she’s cool, collected and compassionate. Deeply optimistic, she is a firm believer that grit and perseverance will overcome anything.

Eating disorder recovery can be a complex rollercoaster with many moving parts. And treatment can include a mix of medical monitoring, nutrition, medicine and most often some kind of therapy.