Season 9 of the podcast Chasing Life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the intersection of weight and health. We delve into a wide range of topics, including what weight really tells us about our health and new weight loss drugs.can hear here.
(CNN) — Actor and podcast host Jameela Jamil is perhaps best known for her role as Tahani Al Jamil, a charming and self-centered actress who shot to fame on the comedy series The Good Place. best known for.
Jamil is certainly attractive when measured by Western beauty standards. But despite her appearance, she is a vocal social activist, breaking down stereotypes, including those based on appearance, and calling out influencers and others who promote potentially harmful practices around weight and body image. I have made this one of my missions.
Jamil, who was born and raised in the UK, said he was honest in what he did. She said that when she was younger she suffered from an eating disorder.
“I've been anorexic for about 20 years,” she recently said on CNN's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta's podcast “Chasing Life.” “It's been a very sad and very bad journey, perpetuated primarily by our culture's obsession with female thinness. But I also feel that I'm not the best person because I'm a woman. I think there was also a desire to feel like I had some control in a world that didn't make me feel like I was the boss of my own destiny.”
View this interactive content on CNN.com
Much of Jamil's activist work is done through her i Weigh platform, which evolved from the Instagram account @i_weigh, which was launched in 2018. After considerable controversy, the platform has evolved into a community where diverse voices are given a virtual space to explore. A place where she and others can learn about social issues together.
“When I first came out[as an activist]in 2018, you know, as Tahani and as this glamorous actress, I think people were more skeptical at the time. I think they felt like they were doing this to jump into position,” jumping on a quick bandwagon to make a name for themselves. And six years later, I'm still in it. I'm still doing it. I am still fighting for people's rights. I'm still taking a big risk. I'm sacrificing my career to have this conversation in public,” she said.
Jamil said he has been in recovery from an eating disorder for about nine years, and points out that anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness and has few treatment options, for which he is extremely grateful. Stated.
A 20-year battle with anorexia left her with physical damage and potential consequences for her future health. “As you get older, you'll probably develop osteoporosis,” she says. “Because of what I did to my kidneys during my anorexia, only one kidney is functioning. My digestive system is malfunctioning. My teeth are the same as they were before my eating disorder. It's not.”
Jamil said she doesn't make judgments about bodies that others might consider too big or too thin.
“Anyone who appears to have health problems, whether they're incredibly underweight or weighing more than their body can handle, is usually a sign that something is out of balance. “And I think the cause of that imbalance is a lot of variation,” she said.
But she is troubled by the way society continues to glorify extreme thinness and rarely takes seriously people who are underweight, even when weight is discussed in the context of health.
“When we see someone who is very thin, we don't feel any anxiety. Often we feel a kind of admiration for that word, 'self-control.'” she says. “I've hurt myself far more by eating less than I have by eating too much, and both are the fault of our sick society. So when I see people with any extreme body type, I think, 'They're ashamed.' I never think, “I just need to be fooled.'' I need to go to them and tell them to do a better job,” she said.
Jamil said that more than her weight or looks, her motivation for what she does is not measured by her appearance.
“I think the main theme that guides my heart is mental health. I think it's the basis of every trial and tribulation that humanity goes through,” she said. “I think if people's mental health improved… there would be fewer wars between the sexes.” I think there will be less racism and less prejudice… There is a direct correlation between the deterioration of the mental health of our society and the increase in violence (and) violence against the self. ”
Jamil accuses governments around the world of making it nearly impossible for people to be mentally stable. “Because we're so stressed out, we're trying so hard to survive, we exist in such a scarcity mindset that it's hard to balance people in a world like this. Because it’s impossible,” she said. “As[psychotherapist]Esther Perel pointed out…we pathologize everyone – all behaviors are sick – but they are also symptoms of a sick society. Broken. It's society, not individuals.”
In a world that can often feel unbalanced, here are five things Jamil does to protect his mental health.
Learn to maintain a neutral body posture
Jamil sees his body as a vessel that transports his brain and spirit throughout life. That's not who she is.
“I practice body neutrality, which is completely, almost detached from my body,” she said. “I no longer consider this a reflection of myself. It's not a billboard for other people. That's not what they judge. It's not something I can judge. It's a vessel that carries my brain. – and now all I really care about is my brain (and) my mind.”
Although she has a job that puts a lot of emphasis on her appearance, she said she maintains that separation in her heart. “Sometimes I have to show up and present in a certain way, and when I'm doing that, I feel very disconnected from my body. I'm dressing the doll, not myself. It's like I'm changing. I separated my identity from my aesthetic. It took a long time, but it totally saved my life. Now, no matter how big I get, I don’t have to make decisions on my own, even if I get smaller.”
Jamil said he has better things to do than worry about his body. “I'd rather think about all the fun I can have before I die. I'd rather think about my friends. I'd rather think about the world and how I can be of help.” I think so,” she said.
Jamil said her contract stipulates that her photos will not be airbrushed (if possible) to protect her mental health.
“I don't like when people airbrush out my stretch marks. It's like I have to live with them,” she said. “I have to live with those flabby upper arms. I have to live with those noses and wrinkles. (So) please don't promote a version of me that doesn't exist…then you What I'm trying to say is…that the way I show up in life isn't enough.”
Not only that, airbrushing, or similar practices by non-celebrities, i.e. the use of filters on social media apps, also creates unwanted comparisons.
“Naturally, I find myself comparing myself to that image,” she says. “I don't want to see images of what I would be like if I were more attractive and perfect. That's not good for anyone. Look at the rise in mental health statistics. Look at the rise in eating disorders. Look at the rise in eating disorders. Plastic surgery. Look at the growing number of teens who want to.”
eat and drink intentionally
Choosing what to eat is not about aiming for a healthy weight or perfect figure.
“For me, I think the ultimate goal for people is to eat in a way that nourishes them and takes care of their bodies,” Jamil said. “We want our bodies to be seen as they really are. It's a do-or-die gamble that takes us to all our dreams and keeps us alive… Until the day we die. Therefore, we want to fuel our engines and not make extreme decisions based on psychological manipulation from society regarding how we should look. ”
Jamil said she is very careful about what she puts into her body.
“I now eat only for pleasure and longevity,” she said. “I don't deny myself anything, but I eat food that is whole foods and I source it very carefully. And I think very seriously about the types of chemicals that go into my body. Masu.”
“Look at your food sources!” she said.
To achieve peak performance and longevity, the vessels that carry our hearts and minds must be moved every day.
“I want us to really take care of ourselves,” she said. “We want you to exercise because you want to pump happy chemicals into your brain and increase bone density and heart health.”
However, Jamil admitted that her own exercise habits have room for improvement.
“I take a religious walk with my dog for an hour every day,” she said. “I don't really like exercise, so this is the only exercise I do. But I need to start strength training to build up my bone density again, so I'm working on finding more enjoyable ways to move my body.” But right now, I'm just walking religiously while listening to music.”
stand united
Jamil said we have more in common than we have differences, and whether the issue is lack of access to healthy food, out-of-control healthcare costs or climate change, people in our society “We can move the needle to make this situation better and better.” A safer place”—if we work together.
“One of the things I'm careful about is not making people feel as though this is something that we can't do anything about,” she said. “We can't do that while we're nitpicking ourselves and nitpicking each other. We have to organize and come together.”
“I think it’s important that we don’t feel powerless,” she said. “I don't want to look back 100 years and think, 'What a shame.' Now I want to fight against that.”
I hope these five tips help you stay sane and grounded in your body and appearance.Listen to the full episode here.and next week chase life podcast Time to immerse yourself in the joy of food.
