There is such a thing as too skinny.

Why do we allow the media to tell us what is beautiful and what isn't? Why are their messages so powerful and how can we get health communication messages to be just as powerful? Everyday we see hundreds of media messages that tell us what to wear, how to look, what to eat, what to buy, where to hang out, etc. Why is it that we don't see as many message about health? Things we can and should do to take care of our bodies. And if we do see any health message, why aren't they as powerful as other media messages? People will listen to almost anything the media tells them, why won't they listen to health communication messages? The media is so good at telling people that they should be skinny, but they don't say how to do it. This is where eating disorders come in. If only the media could tell girls that they need to be healthy instead of skinny.

There is a health skinny and there is a sickly skinny. The other day, Manpreet and I were watching a show about a 23 year old girl who was anorexic to the point where she was gonna die. Her twin sister was a healthy eater and of normal weight. The differences in their looks was appalling. Also on the same episode was girl who was shown going to the grocery store and having high levels of anxiety as a result of being around so much food. These are two extreme cases, I know, but it's happening more and more in our country. It's either anorexia or binge eating, but there is no healthy medium. This is what is happening as a result of the media's powerful messages that women should be skinny, because if they aren't skinny, they won't be pretty, and will never be loved, etc. etc. I think that the modeling world is slowly coming to their senses. Recently, Madrid and Milan both banned models from their fashion weeks if they were deemed "too skinny". Finally, something that sends a message that their is such a thing as too skinny. Now, this message needs to travel across the ocean to our country so that young women know that they don't need be a certain size to be "pretty".  And if only, the all powerful media could be the one to convey this message.