From eating disorders to gastrointestinal health to history

by Kate Sweeney
“We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.”
T.S. Eliot, from “Little Gidding,” Four Quartets (Gardners Books; Main edition, April 30, 2001) Originally published 1943.”
Here is a selection of resources from 2024 that may be helpful to you.
If you want to skip all the resources entirely, totally fine. I invite you to watch a hilarious video I found on FB reels. If you’re sick of getting messages via social media (esp if you’re a woman) about how to lose weight, how to optimize for health, how to get lean/cut/bulk, how to have a flat stomach, how to get enough protein, etc, etc, etc this ones if or you.
Podcast Resources:
Want to learn how to feed your family while letting go of diet culture? Bringing up kids who accept their bodies? Give this episode featuring my colleague, Diana Reid (The Global Dietitian), a listen.
Are you a clinician looking help your clients with autism or alexithymia do Exposure Response Prevention effectively? I found this podcast episode really helpful.
Want to identify your values? This is a favorite episode of mine that I share with many clients to help them do just that.
Interested in learning about Body Dysmorphic Disorder? OCD Stories has a great episode.
Struggle with high cholesterol? Cut through all the noise about dietary fats and listen to this podcast with my past advisor, Dr Alice Lichtenstein.
Books and Workbooks:
The Origins of You by Vienna Pharaon: This book is about our ‘origin wounds’ as Vienna Pharaon, a marriage and family therapist, writes in her debut book. The book defines 5 origins wounds and how they show up in lives as adults. The book discusses tools for repairing these wounds and how to communicate with partners, friends and family while doing so. A therapist recommended this book to some of my clients who have found it very helpful to learn about themselves and patterns they find themselves in, including around food. I agree the book is useful, it is easy to read and it is for anyone with a past.
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari: I read this book after the US Presidential Election and found it so helpful for putting current events in perspective. This book reviews humanity’s evolution as a species from creation to cognition to the present day technologies. It is an engrossing, easy-to-understand read that may help you gather perspective about our lives and understand the greater context of history, and of change.
Regular by Tamara Duker Freuman: This is Tamara’s second book. It is no-nonsense GI nutrition. She discusses a number of conditions that lead to bowel irregularity and details ways to help alleviate the issue. Tamara’s book is evidence-based and does not overpromise while being practical and effective.
Sick Enough by Dr Jennifer Guadiani: This is ‘the’ book for all clinicians, patients and family members when it comes to medical complications of eating disorders. Dr Gaudiani makes the information easy-to-understand for any audience and actionable for providers. If you work with eating disorders or want to educate yourself more on the topic as a client or family member, read this book. She covers why body size does not indicate health and addresses some of the digestive distress associated with eating disorders, plus many more topics!
The Art of Body Acceptance by Ashlee Bennett : Given I have some very creative clients who love to draw, I found myself attracted to exploring this book, which uses art to work on body image. I’m glad I got it and read through it! A mix of therapy and art, this book guides individuals through different exercises to help them cultivate awareness of their body story and history, as well as ways to view themselves in a more neutral or accepting light - to see themselves as the complex human they are, in a body they may not love, and can respect.
Everything I Know about Love by Dolly Alderton: This is a non-professional book recommendation. For any women millennials out there, this book may resonate. Filled with funny stories, desperate heartbreak and troublesome behavior, this book is an autobiography of sorts from the author, who struggles throughout her twenties (including with disordered eating) yet persists due to friendship, some therapy, insight and her writing. This book explores our sense of self and how relationships that are deep and enduring are so key for making our way in the world.
Enjoy the resources, and hope that you find some/one helpful. My hope in 2025 is to have a resources page that I add to over time.
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