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.

 

Determining Anorexia

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that many know about but few talk about. It's a disorder that can be very shameful, and difficult to conquer. Many anorexics may be in denial of their condition, and it can be tough to determine how serious one's feelings are towards their self image. In this article, we'll give you a basic idea of what anorexia is and help to explain when you might have a problem with the disorder.

Anorexia is, above all, a form of mental illness. That's not to say that anorexics are crazy; it simply alludes to the fact that the brain functioning of someone with the disorder is unhealthy. For that reason, it can be very difficult for anorexics to simply stop anorexic behaviors without outside help. To that end, here are some of the things that doctors look for when it comes to diagnosing anorexia. If you think that some of the criteria fit the situation that you are in, you may want to seek outside help for dealing with your nutrition.

Most doctors diagnose anorexia first and foremost by the weight that an individual is. If you are 85 percent or less of your recommended body weight due to a refusal to gain weight, a problem with anorexia might be present. This level of weight is extremely unhealthy, and it can result in serious damage to one's body. Another thing that doctors look for is a noted fear within the individual when it comes to gaining weight. They may be unnaturally fearful of being overweight, and these signs can really help to determine if one's obsession with weight is unhealthy. Also, if you tend to deny the fact that your body weight is insufficient, and you have low feelings of self worth, doctors may recommend treatment. Remember, anorexia is a problem that is rooted psychologically, and physically changing behavior patterns alone will not be a sufficient solution. If you feel that you may be facing a problem with anorexia, you should at least give yourself the privilege of speaking with a doctor or an eating disorder counselor about your problem.

If you think that a friend may be anorexic, there are some warning signs that you may be able to note. Those with the disorder will often avoid questions about their weight as well as they can, and may get angry if you try to discuss the issue with them. Also, they may avoid eating in public as to disguise their diet. If you see some of these warning signs, do your best to get your friend to a physician. If you wait too long, the damage that the disorder does to the body can become so severe that it can be tough to recover from them, and the use of an IV may be employed to try to bring your loved one back to health. The danger that eating disorders present are many, so addressing the problem is paramount to keeping your friend in proper health.

Written by: Scott Parat