Thinking About Eating Disorders

As health and wellness editors with young kids we worry about whether our kids are eating right or not, especially our daughters.  Society seems to place an unwritten rule on women that they must be thin or they are not attractive, sexy, successful etc… the list could go on and on.

Our Eating Disorders Information Portal is designed to contain all of our research we’ve done on eating disorders for your use and reference.  We all know someone who is too thin, or starves themselves to fit into the small clothes sizes. Most don’t think they have a problem and relatives sometimes don’t recognize it as a problem. There are many questions in the situation, the major one being do they have an eating disorder? If they do have an eating disorder, what type is it….anorexia, bulimia?

The interesting thing we found is it’s not just women who have eating disorders; men also have eating disorders and it is much hard for them to get the help they need. If you yourself have an eating disorder, or your helping a friend recognize they have an eating disorder, spend the time going through this information portal and start a plan today to find a solution to your problem, your life literally depends on it.

 

All About Anorexia

When it comes to the culture that we are experiencing today, high standards of beauty are pressured upon everyone in order to make them feel important. This is done simply for the fact that sex sells, and advertisers know it. By projecting impossible images for one to model their body after, companies can more accurately market to individuals who feel that they have a problem with the way that their body is. To that end, many feel such pressure to maintain a perfect body form that eating disorders may arise. One of the most commonly occurring eating disorders is known as anorexia nervosa, and in this article, we'll discuss the disorder in-depth in order to help you to understand it and so that you'll be able to see when someone you know is exhibiting warning signs.

Anorexia is a disease in which people basically starve themselves in order to lose weight. It's a mental disorder that most often occurs in adolescents, who feel added social pressure to fit into the 'norms' of society, which are often unachievable. A common aspect of those who are anorexic includes a body weight that is less than eighty five percent of what it should be for a healthy individual. Sufferers may resort to many different methods in order to lose weight, including over-exercising, the use of laxatives to decrease the calories that their body intakes, and extreme dieting, sometimes coupled with the use of weight-loss supplements. Those that are afflicted with anorexia are often never satisfied with the state of their body, and even those who are stick-thin may still feel fat.

When you are looking for the warning signs that one may have anorexia, there are a few things to consider. For one, a drastic amount of weight loss will be present within the individual. They may decline eating when in a public circumstance as to lead friends and family to believe that they simply aren't hungry. Girls who suffer from anorexia will experience a loss of their menstrual period, and when it occurs for at least three months in a row, anorexia is probably evident. A sufferer may also exhibit signs of weakness such as anxiety, a weakness of the body, and a shortness of breath.

The health effects that anorexia can have on an individual are quite drastic. Those who are afflicted often experience an amount of bone loss and mineral loss. They exhibit a lowered body temperature, and an irregular heartbeat can develop from the body's lack of nutrition. Growth may permanently cease after a period of time, and osteoporosis may occur. It's a relatively common problem within society, with one out of a hundred teenage girls in America developing a case of anorexia. Ten percent of these girls will die due to the disease's effects on the body, clearly illustrating the damage that it can do. Those with anorexia require a high level of support, and you may want to suggest your friend or family member who may be afflicted with the problem to discuss it with an eating disorder therapist. Doctors and counselors can be of great assistance when it comes to conquering an eating disorder such as anorexia.

Written by: Scott Parat