Eating Disorder: Struggles w/ Body Image, Mental Health and Faith w/ Asma Elbadawi

*Trigger warning - this episode primarily focuses on eating disorders. If you feel the content discussed could be triggering, please either proceed with caution, or feel free to listen to any one of our previous episodes.*

“My journey towards self love has always been a difficult one. Just when I think I have conquered it, years, sometimes months later, new cracks begin to show.” 

If these words sound a bit familiar to you that is because they were written by the poet Asma Elbadawi who also happens to be today’s special guest. 

Asma’s poems are known for their rawness and their unfiltered truth when it comes to covering subjects such as mental health, racism and many other personal life struggles. 

On this podcast we have covered ED before in our first season, but in sharing Asma’s story today - you will realize that when it comes to being Muslim and having this specific struggle, there is no one experience. Adding the layer of being Muslim can make ED that much more difficult to face due to how little this is talked about in our community at times, how it can impact an individual’s ability to practice their faith and how they can feel overwhelmed when Ramadan approaches. 

To express my deepest gratitude in having Asma share her story would truly be an understatement. This conversation can be difficult to have due to the fact that this is an ongoing fight for Asma and many others who are going through this. 

In this conversation - Asma discusses how society has played a role in how she views herself physically and how these feelings were internalized ever since she was a little girl. It’s no surprise that society is obsessed with a woman’s body image - but it’s the harmful ways that some of us choose to cope with not feeling good enough that happens behind closed doors.

Asma also shares that the idea of control or lack thereof  is another component as to why she experiences bouts with ED. And so she also shares with us her relationship with her faith, her family and herself through this process and how we can do better as a community when it comes to being there for our loved ones who may be struggling with ED as well.

Enjoy and follow the pod on Instagram:
@unsweetenedandunfiltered

Follow Asma Elbadawi on Instagram:
@asmaelbadawi

Purchase Asma's poetry book here:
Belongings

Resource for ED Helpline:
NEDA