I got to this and I WHOOPED (in my head and not out loud because everyone else in my house is asleep):
"Health is a sociopolitical construct that reflects the values of society."
YESSSSSSS. Oh my goodness YESSSSSSSSSSSS. I love this so much. It's so right and incisive, and I hope it gets people asking alllll the questions, like "...and just what values does our society hold and what does that say about us."
Angel and Ani, thank you for all your work and for sharing it with us!!
I think about this a lot when people claim the Mediterranean diet is the best diet. Like, is it the olive oil or the universal healthcare? Is it the fish or the free childcare? Is it the fresh veg or the four weeks of paid holiday?
I haven't read or listened to this but I just read the notes from my CLEAR colonoscopy results. In the notes it says that I am "obese and ill-appearing." After the procedure, the nurse also made sure to sheepishly tell me that the dr included information on healthy eating "for me." I thought that would be the extent of the shaming - but this is just BEYOND. I am humiliated and angry and so sad. THANK YOU (in advance of reading this) for putting it out there and I'll be joining this fight in any way I can once I yell and scream and reason my way up the chain at this hospital.
ILL. APPEARING. Somehow that feels even more judgmental and pathologizing than obese?? I am so sorry you experienced that and please know we've all got your back as you have to advocate for yourself here.
Thanks so much for this! Really helpful to understand some of the history of HAES. Will share with our fledgling new organization focused on doctors and advanced practice providers, called Association for Weight Inclusive Medicine (https://weightinclusivemedicine.org/)
Loved loved loved this episode! I had not heard of this fab org, but will be recommending the org and its framework to my university health care departments ( and kinesiology one too…. I thought wow athletes are such a drain on health care resources! Of course no one is a ‘drain’ I get it, but it was kinda fun to flip that troll comment) -thank you for another mind-blowing episode.
The reframing that the healthcare system is (supposed) to be there to care for us not that we have to change to be cared for was such a good mind shift. It reminded me so much of reframing with clothing. The clothes do not fit my body, not my body doesn't fit the clothes. There's nothing wrong with my body, whether it be the clothing or the medical system, they aren't designed to actually care for all people and meet people where they are. Such good perspective.
This was a most helpful episode as I'm getting ready for a consult with an orthopedic surgeon in a couple of weeks. I have seen him before but it's been many years, and my own attitude about my body and intentional weight loss has drastically changed since then. We'll see what he recommends and if it's "surgery but only if you lose weight first" I'm ready to advocate for myself.
I just had this experience. My neighbor, a thin white male professor, praised his orthopedic surgeon and urged me to try him for an upcoming knee replacement (revising a 10 yo partial to total). Well, the guy said he couldn’t do it until I lost 30 lbs, which he claimed “you girls” could do in two months, no problem. I’m 65 and can’t even imagine what it would take to lose that kind of poundage. Last time I did that, six years ago, I gained it back with interest. Not to mention my exercise is somewhat restricted by MY FU’d knee! He also said I’d be in the hospital 1-2 days due to increased risk of infection (never mind that the hospital is a vector of contagion). Found another doc who never mentioned my weight and I’m having surgery at an outpatient center snd going home same day. Ortho guys tend to have this military idea of discipline and “fitness.” I wish you all the best!
Oof that sounds like a frustrating experience! My primary care doc is wonderful, she does not believe o*esity is a disease, and she's an outspoken advocate for weight neutral care among her peers. Ortho has always struck me as a very "bro" specialty, but it's not all sports medicine, even though it seems like a lot get into it for that aspect.
I'm hoping the fact that I have a recent surgery (appendectomy) without weight related complications can work in my favor, though I suppose one can argue that one was life saving where an orthopedic surgery is not needed to keep me alive. I'm trying to go in cautiously optimistic.
Adding to Virginia’s comment: What that doctor did was wrong!!! A subjective aesthetic judgment included with a specific internal medical procedure report is offensive and stupid and unprofessional and damaging and wrong. Dude’s there to evaluate colon tissue, that’s it. I’m so sorry you had to experience this mistreatment. We do indeed have your back.
I got to this and I WHOOPED (in my head and not out loud because everyone else in my house is asleep):
"Health is a sociopolitical construct that reflects the values of society."
YESSSSSSS. Oh my goodness YESSSSSSSSSSSS. I love this so much. It's so right and incisive, and I hope it gets people asking alllll the questions, like "...and just what values does our society hold and what does that say about us."
Angel and Ani, thank you for all your work and for sharing it with us!!
(Also YESSSSSSSS.)
Ahaha here for the whooping!
I think about this a lot when people claim the Mediterranean diet is the best diet. Like, is it the olive oil or the universal healthcare? Is it the fish or the free childcare? Is it the fresh veg or the four weeks of paid holiday?
I haven't read or listened to this but I just read the notes from my CLEAR colonoscopy results. In the notes it says that I am "obese and ill-appearing." After the procedure, the nurse also made sure to sheepishly tell me that the dr included information on healthy eating "for me." I thought that would be the extent of the shaming - but this is just BEYOND. I am humiliated and angry and so sad. THANK YOU (in advance of reading this) for putting it out there and I'll be joining this fight in any way I can once I yell and scream and reason my way up the chain at this hospital.
ILL. APPEARING. Somehow that feels even more judgmental and pathologizing than obese?? I am so sorry you experienced that and please know we've all got your back as you have to advocate for yourself here.
Ill-appearing????? Omg, that is awful. I’m sorry that happened to you😩
Thanks so much for this! Really helpful to understand some of the history of HAES. Will share with our fledgling new organization focused on doctors and advanced practice providers, called Association for Weight Inclusive Medicine (https://weightinclusivemedicine.org/)
Loved loved loved this episode! I had not heard of this fab org, but will be recommending the org and its framework to my university health care departments ( and kinesiology one too…. I thought wow athletes are such a drain on health care resources! Of course no one is a ‘drain’ I get it, but it was kinda fun to flip that troll comment) -thank you for another mind-blowing episode.
It really does tell on itself when we flip that troll comment!
The reframing that the healthcare system is (supposed) to be there to care for us not that we have to change to be cared for was such a good mind shift. It reminded me so much of reframing with clothing. The clothes do not fit my body, not my body doesn't fit the clothes. There's nothing wrong with my body, whether it be the clothing or the medical system, they aren't designed to actually care for all people and meet people where they are. Such good perspective.
This was a most helpful episode as I'm getting ready for a consult with an orthopedic surgeon in a couple of weeks. I have seen him before but it's been many years, and my own attitude about my body and intentional weight loss has drastically changed since then. We'll see what he recommends and if it's "surgery but only if you lose weight first" I'm ready to advocate for myself.
I just had this experience. My neighbor, a thin white male professor, praised his orthopedic surgeon and urged me to try him for an upcoming knee replacement (revising a 10 yo partial to total). Well, the guy said he couldn’t do it until I lost 30 lbs, which he claimed “you girls” could do in two months, no problem. I’m 65 and can’t even imagine what it would take to lose that kind of poundage. Last time I did that, six years ago, I gained it back with interest. Not to mention my exercise is somewhat restricted by MY FU’d knee! He also said I’d be in the hospital 1-2 days due to increased risk of infection (never mind that the hospital is a vector of contagion). Found another doc who never mentioned my weight and I’m having surgery at an outpatient center snd going home same day. Ortho guys tend to have this military idea of discipline and “fitness.” I wish you all the best!
Oof that sounds like a frustrating experience! My primary care doc is wonderful, she does not believe o*esity is a disease, and she's an outspoken advocate for weight neutral care among her peers. Ortho has always struck me as a very "bro" specialty, but it's not all sports medicine, even though it seems like a lot get into it for that aspect.
I'm hoping the fact that I have a recent surgery (appendectomy) without weight related complications can work in my favor, though I suppose one can argue that one was life saving where an orthopedic surgery is not needed to keep me alive. I'm trying to go in cautiously optimistic.
Thank you so much
Adding to Virginia’s comment: What that doctor did was wrong!!! A subjective aesthetic judgment included with a specific internal medical procedure report is offensive and stupid and unprofessional and damaging and wrong. Dude’s there to evaluate colon tissue, that’s it. I’m so sorry you had to experience this mistreatment. We do indeed have your back.
Thank you so much