In this episode, Nicola and Florence have a conversation with Dr Jennifer Gaudiani, known as Dr G, one of the few Internal Medicine Physicians who is also certified as an eating disorder expert, and the founder and Medical Director of the Gaudiani Clinic. The Gaudiani Clinic is a HAES (Health At Every Size)®-informed provider and embraces treating people of all shapes and sizes.
Together, they talked about Dr G's unique approach to support ED patients with good science and social justice, instead of condescension and assumptiveness. Dr G talked about the "cave person brain" survival mechanisms our bodies put in place to save them from starvation, and the epidemic of false health information out there. She also clarified why extreme dieting can lead to low resting heart rates and how to recognize the difference between an athlete's heart and a starved heart.
Dr G also reminded us that our bodies are not the problem, diet culture and thin privilege are. None of us should feel the need to change our bodies to fit a system rooted in privilege. And that, as such, we need to work to disrupt the system that identifies that only some bodies have privilege. Every body deserves abundant, satisfying, balanced foods according to taste and satisfaction, as well as treatment, self-compassion, self-care and body trust.
"If someone is eating restrictively in the name of health, and realizes their periods are missing and bone density is low, they now have proof that what they’re doing is not healthy for them. That whatever they’re doing is not done in the name of health, but that they’re in fact trapped into fear." - Dr Jennifer Gaudiani
Dr. Gaudiani’s first book, Sick Enough: A Guide to the Medical Complications of Eating Disorders, was released by Routledge in October 2018 and is available on Amazon.
To work with Dr Gaudiani and her team, reach out to the Gaudiani Clinic.
At the end, Florence mentioned a podcast about the Burnout book, please find it here.
To find support in your HA recovery:
Get the "No Period. Now What?" book at noperiod.info/book.
To make an appointment with Dr Rinaldi and get individual support to get your period back or improve your fertility, please go to noperiod.info/appointments
To make an appointment with Florence Gillet and get help with the body and mind changes happening in recovery please visit www.beyondbodyimage.com
You can find us on social media
No Period, Now What? on Instagram
No Period, Now What? Recovery Support Group
Beyond Body Image on Facebook
Beyond Body Image on Instagram
Amenorrhee_fr (HA recovery 100% in French) on Instagram
Email us via allin@noperiodnowwhat.com
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Editing by Steven Worlow
Original Music by the Andy Shulman Band "Lost & Found" available on Spotify.