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Shelly Bar MD

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Eating Disorder Specialist
Internal Medicine & Adolescent Medicine

Outpatient Treatment:
📍 Los Angeles & Newport
💻 Telehealth medicine

10/31/2026

🎃 This Halloween, let's be mindful of how we make space for one another.

For someone navigating eating disorder recovery, attending a party, sharing a meal, or simply getting ready for the evening may require more emotional effort than others realize.

Sometimes, what makes a gathering feel safer is not a grand gesture, but the little things: offering food without commenting on how much someone eats, complimenting a costume without making it about body shape, and allowing someone to step away without asking them to explain why.

We don't always know what someone is working through. And while we cannot anticipate every trigger or discomfort, we can be thoughtful about the environment we create.

Instead of commenting on someone's body, focus on making them feel welcome. Instead of drawing attention to their food choices, let them enjoy the company. And instead of assuming everyone is having the same experience, approach others with curiosity, patience, and compassion.

You don't have to understand someone's entire experience to make them feel respected and included.

This Halloween, let kindness be something everyone gets to experience. 🧡

10/28/2026

Did you know eating disorders can affect kidney health in ways that aren’t always immediately noticeable?

The effects can extend beyond what we see on the surface. Research highlights how nutritional restriction and compensatory behaviors may contribute to kidney injury and other medical complications.

Raising awareness matters because these complications may go unrecognized, especially when someone’s outward appearance doesn’t reflect the severity of their medical condition. A person can look well and still need medical evaluation.

Understanding these risks helps us approach eating disorders with greater awareness, compassion, and attention to the whole person—not just their relationship with food or body image.

Educational content only. Individual assessment and treatment should be guided by a qualified healthcare professional.

Reference

Puckett, L. (2023). Renal and electrolyte complications in eating disorders: A comprehensive review. Journal of Eating Disorders, 11, Article 26. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-023-00751-w

10/23/2026

If someone with an eating disorder experiences recurrent near-fainting or loses consciousness, medical assessment is important.

Urgent evaluation is particularly important when fainting occurs with chest pain, palpitations, seizure-like activity, significant injury, or persistent abnormal vital signs.

EARLY WARNING SIGNS

Before fainting, someone may experience:

• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Feeling weak or suddenly tired
• Blurred or tunnel vision
• Nausea
• Sweating or feeling clammy
• Ringing in the ears
• Feeling their heart race
• Difficulty staying upright

Recognizing these warning signs early can help prevent injury and identify medical instability before a more serious event occurs.

10/21/2026

Sometimes, the hardest part of being an athlete is giving yourself permission to slow down. ❤️‍🩹

If resting makes you feel guilty or stepping back feels like falling behind, remember: your health is part of your athletic potential, not a barrier to it.

You don't have to figure this out alone. If you're experiencing persistent fatigue, recurrent injuries, or changes in your menstrual cycle, reach out to your healthcare professional. Early assessment can help you understand what your body needs and how to move forward safely.

You deserve care that supports both your health and your goals.

10/17/2026

Sometimes, the most telling part of a person’s relationship with food isn’t what they eat, but how much mental space eating takes up.

Can they adjust when plans change? Enjoy a meal without feeling the need to compensate afterward? Make a food choice without spending the rest of the day questioning it?

These experiences deserve attention, especially when they begin to interfere with daily life, relationships, or the ability to feel at ease around food.

Not every structured eating habit is a sign of an eating disorder. What matters is the context, the distress involved, and how much freedom a person feels they have.

The goal isn’t to eliminate structure. It’s to recognize when structure stops serving someone and starts controlling them.

10/14/2026

Eating can feel overwhelming for reasons others may not see.

If you're struggling, start by telling someone you trust what has been difficult lately. If eating continues to feel distressing, consider reaching out to an eating disorder-informed healthcare professional for support.

If someone you love is struggling, check in without commenting on their body or food choices. Ask, “What has been feeling hardest for you lately, and how can I support you?”

You don't have to have the perfect words or all the answers. Start the conversation. Offer support. Help make the next step feel less lonely.

Reference:

Schalla, M. A., & Stengel, A. (2019). Gastrointestinal alterations in anorexia nervosa—A systematic review. European Eating Disorders Review, 27(5), 447–461. https://doi.org/10.1002/erv.2679

09/26/2026

A CBC can provide an important window into the hematologic effects of malnutrition in anorexia nervosa.

One retrospective study of 101 admissions for anorexia nervosa found that hemoglobin, white blood cell, and platelet counts could decline substantially during the early refeeding period. The study also found that lower BMI was associated with lower WBC counts at admission, while hematologic abnormalities could become more pronounced several days into hospitalization.

The mechanism is thought to involve bone-marrow hypoplasia and gelatinous marrow transformation associated with severe malnutrition.

Importantly, the CBC should not be interpreted as a standalone measure of nutritional status. A normal CBC does not exclude clinically significant malnutrition, and abnormal values warrant consideration of other contributors, including infection, volume status, micronutrient deficiencies, and other medical conditions.

References:

Funayama, M., et al. (2022). Journal of Eating Disorders, 10, 64. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-022-00586-x

Loisel, A., et al. (2022). Eating and Weight Disorders, 27(8), 3797–3801. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-022-01478-4

09/23/2026

Recovery is not simply about food or weight. It’s about gradually reclaiming attention, relationships, experiences, and parts of life that the eating disorder may have taken up.

Healing can create more space between what you feel, what your eating disorder tells you to do, and what you ultimately choose to do. And that space matters. 🤍

09/16/2026

Medication safety in eating disorder care means considering the whole person, not just the medication list.

Alcohol and other substances can affect alertness, coordination, cognition, blood pressure, and overall safety — even when there isn’t a classic drug–drug interaction.

Creating space for open, nonjudgmental conversations about substance use can help patients feel supported rather than judged, while allowing clinicians to identify potential risks and offer individualized guidance.

These conversations are not about blame or assumptions. They are opportunities to build trust, support informed choices, and keep care centered on the patient’s safety and well-being.

Ask with curiosity. Listen without judgment. Support with compassion.

Reference:

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2026). Olanzapine tablets: Prescribing information. DailyMed. DailyMed – Olanzapine prescribing information

09/11/2026

🍎🍯 Shana Tova!

As a new year begins, we’re wishing you moments of hope for what’s ahead.

A new year doesn’t have to mean becoming a “better” version of yourself.

For someone recovering from an eating disorder, progress may look quieter: eating consistently even when it feels difficult, taking rest without earning it, responding to your body’s needs, and letting go of rules that once felt necessary.

Recovery is not about starting over. It’s about continuing to build a life where food, movement, and your body take up less space—and you have more room for everything else that matters.

Here’s to a year of continued healing, support, and progress, one step at a time. 🤍

Address

10309 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 300
Los Angeles, CA
90025

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13104319208

Website

https://www.shellybarmd.com/

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