Eating disorders are on the rise in North America. While many people think they are the result of a conscious choice influenced by culture alone, this is not the case. Recent research demonstrates that eating disorders are illnesses with psychological and neurobiological roots.

Remember back in the good ol’ days, before the internet, when the only access we had to celebrity scandals (like who wore what, or who was caught cheating with so-and-so) were those incredibly educational magazines that lined the grocery store checkouts?

Sleep is something that we often take for granted. For some people, going to sleep is just a matter of lying down and closing their eyes, but for others, it takes a lot more work and effort. Then there are those who suffer from sleep disorders and whose life revolves around trying to get to sleep.

First off, right off the top, it needs to be stated that this article is no substitute for medical assistance and support, and neither is it intended to be a self-diagnostic tool. Eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder), body dysmorphia, and hypergymnasia (when one exercises excessively) are all cases where working with a professional is absolutely critical to safe and healthy recovery.

We’ve all been nagged at by our parents to eat our fruits and vegetables. And we’ve all heard the saying that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Fruits and vegetables even make up the largest arc in many countries’ official Food Guides, with recommended daily servings of 7-10 for individuals aged 19-50.

As of late, a popular health concept that has hit the main stream is intermittent fasting, a pattern of eating where individuals go without food for periods of time within a week. There are no food restrictions. However, there are restrictions around what time a person can eat. Non-caloric beverages such as water, tea, and coffee are also allowed at any time.