Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

Tag: Gluttony

  • Gluttony: rise, fall, and resurgence of a capital sin

    F. Gonzalez-CrussiChicago, Illinois, United States The notion of gluttony (gula in Latin, meaning throat, gullet) was born among the Desert Fathers. These were hermits who in the early Middle Ages chose to live in a harsh environment and in solitude, conditions they deemed most suitable for mystical contemplation. Among them, the monk Evagrius Ponticus (345-399…

  • The unconscious eater – the modern glutton

    Goutham Rao Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States It is a basic truth, well known to physicians and many others, that the size of one’s body is an accurate reflection of how much one eats. As a physician specializing in caring for overweight and obese children, I know how difficult this is for many to accept. Telling overweight…