Recognizing and Treating Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are generally characterized by people who engage in extreme eating practices. Those who do have an type of eating disorder may either drastically reduce the amount of calories and food they eat or will eat a great deal more than what is considered average. Many eating disorder sufferers will start out by decreasing their overall food consumption until they reach a breaking point that triggers an out-of-control, downward spiral in regards to their eating habits. This disorder should not be compared to a diet as it is actually a compulsion that is dangerous when left untreated, making eating disorders fall under the same category as psychological issues. This is why the quantity of food eaten is not the main problem; it is the underlying issue that negatively impacts the patient’s health.

Eating disorders are broken down into two main types–anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa is a disorder that causes the sufferer to eat less food that what is considered healthy. Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder where people will eat food in huge quantities and follow their “binge” by vomiting, fasting for extended periods, exercising excessively, and other purging methods. Currently, there has been one more category added to the list–EDNOS, or Eating Disorders that are Not Otherwise Specified. Examples of these disorders include a binge-eating disorder like bulimia nervosa without the purging.

The most common age range to be most affected by eating disorders is adolescents to young adults. In a few instances, there are disorders that have an onset seen in childhood or even older adulthood. Females make up the majority of eating disorder patients. Most of the time, one of these eating disorders is coupled with another psychiatric disorder–anxiety, depression, or substance abuse. These people are also more likely to suffer from physical ailments like heat conditions and kidney failure that both lead to death.

Thankfully, all eating disorders have the potential to be treated and there are many types of treatments available to address every aspect of one of these disorders. Those who do receive treatment will have the opportunity to explore the root cause of their disorder, which is a crucial part of recovery that allows these people to face their psychological problems. Medical professionals in this area of expertise feel that both the psychological and physical issues should be addressed simultaneously. Usually, doctors will recommend their eating disorder patients begin living a healthier lifestyle by consuming small quantities of fruits and vegetables as well as a small amount of protein. Foods with high levels of zinc are also ideal for stimulating the appetites of bulimics and anorexics.

Parents, especially those of young girls, should keep a careful eye on looking for the symptoms of eating disorders in their children. Many adolescents become focused on their physical appearance and unhappy about their weight; this is normal. But their critical feelings can trigger an eating disorder. If a child does develop one of these disorders, they should seek treatment immediately because unaddressed eating disorders may lead to permanent health problems and even death.

Brent McNutt enjoys networking with healthcare professionals online. He also likes talking about Landau Scrubs and Landau Shoes and also likes writing articles about various topics.

Eating Disorders And Yoga Treatment

It was not so long ago that eating disorders, such as bolimia and anorexia, were thought to be purely the result of mental conditions. More recently, though, some physical factors have been attributed to these conditions. It is now thought that eating disorders can be triggered by a multitude of factors, in combination, including those of a psychological, behavioural, social, or biological nature.

How Can Yoga Help With Eating Disorders

As with many conditions, eating orders can better be dealt with through a calm and focused mind. Depression and low self esteem are problems often associated with eating disorders, and Yoga can help with both.

It has been proven that Yoga can reduce depression, restoring a state of balance and well being in the individual. Also, there are different yoga practices which encourage heightened levels of self esteem, and promote a positive view of your own body. These are crucial factors with eating disorders, and it has been shown that the application of yoga can significantly increase recuperation and healing. Through the elimination of self judgment, yoga establishes a strong connection between mind and body. This, of course, is the natural state of wellness. By re-establishing this strong connection, mind and body will work in harmony to repair the damage.

Regular yoga practice will increase the overall fitness level of the human body, improving the immune system and giving it a good chance of fighting illnesses. This is helpful with Anorexia, for example, because the sufferer’s body will experience lower energy levels, and the condition reduces bone density.

In dealing with eating disorders, the yogic system identifies them as a problem related to the first chakra. There are different yoga poses that can be used to balance it: eg. staff, crab, full wind, and pigeon. By using grounding postures (eg mountain, goddess, standing squat and prayer squat) strength and courage can be increased. What these postures do is to re-establish the strong mind-body connections, and through that connection help overcome many physical obstacles. For anorexia sufferers, most of the yoga back bending poses help reduce depression, while forward bends can calm the spirit and reduce anorexia’s effects.

Because the mental state has an important role in eating disorders, meditation can be used successfully to reduce negative and harmful thoughts and feelings. An active, well targeted, meditation practice should prove to be very effective. The yoga poses work best when external factors are shut out, and concentration is allowed to focus on your inner self. Giving special attention to breathing, and also to inner sensations, will transport you to a state of greater awareness and calmness. This new state will allow you to go on further to explore new concepts, and hopefully pursue new goals that may have been impossible before.

As with many medical conditions, being aware of the bulimia or anorexia problem, and showing a constant and strong desire to defeat it, is a great method to reduce their effect. It is likely that an early adoption of yoga practices would make the patient more aware of the problem, thus making a positive contribution to an early cure. However, these yoga techniques are more usually used in the recuperative stages of the illness. That is a pity because, as with all illnesses in which it can be beneficial, yoga works best in the prevention stage, when the negative effects are still low and easier to over come.

Over 10 million women and a million men are affected by different forms of eating disorders in the United States alone. Most of them are teens and the common illnesses are represented by anorexia and bulimia. The physical factors related to these illnesses have only been recently acknowledged as only mental factors were previously thought to be responsible for these conditions.

Eating disorders are triggered by a complexity of factors including social, biological, psychological and behavioral items. A calm and focused mind has a better chance of reducing the harmful effects of eating disorders. Yoga has been proven to reduce depression and recreate a state of balance and well being.

Different yoga practices encourage heightened levels of self esteem and promote a positive view of your own body. This is a crucial factor in eating disorders and has been shown to significantly increase recuperation and healing. By eliminating self judgment, yoga establishes a strong connection between mind and body, allowing the two elements to work together in decreasing any negative effects. Anorexia affects your bodys energy levels and reduces the bone density, creating unwanted negative effects at a physical level. Regular yoga practice also increase the overall fitness level of the body, giving it a good chance of fighting against illnesses.

The yogic system identifies eating disorders as a problem related to the first chakra and different poses are used to balance it: crab, full wind, pigeon, locust, staff etc. Strengths and courage can be increased by using grounding postures such as mountain, goddess, standing squat and prayer squat. The postures reestablish the strong mind-body connections and help overcome most physical obstacles. Most back bending poses help reduce depression and forward bends usually calm the spirit and reduce the effects of anorexia. As the mental component plays an important role in eating disorders, meditation can reduce harmful thoughts and feelings. An active, specifically targeted meditation practice will prove to be very effective. Less obvious results can also be obtain by using a general mediation technique.

The yoga poses work best when the exterior elements are left aside and concentration focuses on inner aspects of yourself. Paying special attention to breathing and inner sensations will take you to a state of calmness and increased awareness. This new state will allow you to go further an explore new concepts that will enable you to achieve goals that proved problematic in the past. Being aware of the problem and showing a constant and strong desire to change that is a great method to reduce the effects of bulimia and anorexia. An early adoption of yoga practices would make the patient more aware of the problem, thus contributing to an early cure. However, these yoga techniques are usually used in the recuperative stages of the illness. Most people suffering from anorexia or bulimia go through a strong denial stage, which aggravates their condition even more. As with all illnesses, yoga works best in the prevention stage of the problem, when the negative effects are still low and easier to eliminate. To learn more how to improve yourself visit the http://www.welcome-to-self-improvement.com site. Help Yourself While Helping Others In Need. 10% Of All Proceeds Are Donated To Help Support The National Childrens Cancer Society.

Eating Disorders and Pregnancy

Eating disorders are difficult and complex conditions that can be difficult to treat. The problems of eating disorders are compounded when the issue of pregnancy comes into play. Clearly, women who are suffering from an eating disorder should strive to enter remission before attempting to become pregnant. Pregnancy is a demanding time in any women’s life. In order to carry a healthy baby into full term, a woman who is expecting needs to store several nutrients, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates in their body. When these reserves of nutrients are not available, the mother can become severely malnourished, which can lead to several health complications. Other dangers associated with an unhealthy pregnancy include exhaustion, depression, and obviously, the fetus becomes susceptible to several serious health risks.

Most women can expect to gain an average of 25-35 pounds during the course of pregnancy. While most women understand that gaining weight is a normal part of pregnancy, women with eating disorders may find this aspect of pregnancy frightening. While some women may be able to deal weight gain and accept it as a natural part of pregnancy, other may plunge into a deep depression as they begin to experience weight gain. Pregnancy can be a challenging period for all women, but it can be an especially difficult time for women who are suffering from an eating disorder.

Each eating disorder has its own specific set of risks associated with pregnancy. Women who suffer from anorexia nervosa during pregnancy may not gain sufficient weight during pregnancy. Women with anorexia nervosa who become pregnant also have a much higher risk of having a baby with low birth weight, and all the related health complications that tend to accompany low birth weight babies. Women with bulimia nervosa may suffer from their own specific set of complications. The binge and purge cycle of bulimia can lead to several health complications, including chemical imbalances, heart problems, and dehydration. Another common eating disorder is binge eating disorder. Binge eating disorder comes with its own set of risks and difficulties. Many people with binge eating disorder have trouble maintaining a healthy weight. They may become overweight or even severely obese. Women with binge eating disorder who become pregnant may be more prone to developing gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, and have a greater chance of giving birth to babies who are high in weight.
During the fragile moments of pregnancy, the health risks associated with eating disorders only become more pronounced. Women who become pregnancy while battling an eating disorder are prone to depression, high blood pressure, dehydration, nutritional deficiencies, heart irregularities and other cardiac problems, complications with labor and nursing, and post-partum depression. Women who become pregnant while dealing with an eating disorder also put their babies at risk for several serious health risks. Health risks for babies born to mothers with eating disorders include low birth weight or overweight, problems with their respiratory system, premature birth, and they may be more prone to developmental problems than other young children.

Bulimia

Bulimia A Dangerous Secret

Bulimia is a type of eating disorder that the sufferer often keeps a well-hid secret. It has been said that bulimia is in fact the most secretive of all eating disorders. The individual suffering from bulimia learns to keep the eating disorder a well-kept secret, sometimes hiding their condition from public view for many years. The actress Jane Fonda, for instance, confesses to suffering from bulimia from age 12 to 35, when she was finally able to recover. The cycle of binging can be hard to get hold of once it has become established. Bulimia often begins innocently enough. Most of the time, the eating disorder begins when the individual begins to binge and purge as part of a diet to lose weight. Soon, the binge and purge cycle becomes firmly entrenched, and the bulimia patient may feel incapable of stopping.

Bulimia (also known as Bulimia Nervosa), is characterized by an over-preoccupation with food and weight, which results in out-of-control eating patterns, including binge eating and then compensating (or over compensating) for the binge eating.
Because compensatory behavior follows the binge-eating episodes, people with Bulimia usually weigh within the normal range for their age, sex, and height.
People with Bulimia often perform the binge eating and compensatory behaviors in secret, feeling disgusted and ashamed when they binge, yet relieved once they purge.

Bulimia was first recognized as a distinct eating disorder (separate from Anorexia) in the 1970s. In 1976, Bulimia Nervosa appeared in psychiatric diagnostic manuals for the first time.

It is currently estimated that between 1.1% to 4.2% of females living in Western society will suffer from some form of Bulimia at some time during their life.
Approximately one-sixth of Western people with Bulimia are male, so less than 1% of Western males will suffer from some form of Bulimia at some time during their life.

Symptoms

Bulimia is characterized by an over-preoccupation with food and weight, which results in various out-of-control eating patterns, such as:

• Binge eating, which involves the consumption of large amounts of food within a short period of time. These usually occur secretly, and the person may feel a sense of loss of control and shame following these episodes.
• Extreme attempts to compensate for these binges and avoid weight gain by one or more of the following unhealthy and potentially dangerous methods:
  • self induced vomiting,
  • misuse of laxatives
  • misuse of fluid pills (diuretics)
  • misuse of diet pills
  • misuse of enemas
  • intense, excessive and compulsive exercise, and/or,
    periods of overly strict dieting or fasting.
• Often a disturbed body image is also associated with Bulimia, for example: Undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation.

The binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors both occur, on average, at least twice a week.
Because compensatory behavior follows the binge-eating episodes, people with Bulimia usually weigh within the normal range for their age, sex, and height.
However, just as with Anorexia, people with Bulimia may fear weight gain, they may desire to lose weight, and they may feel intensely dissatisfied with their bodies.
People with Bulimia often perform the binge eating and compensatory behaviors in secret, feeling disgusted and ashamed when they binge, yet relieved once they purge.
In addition to the signs and symptoms for each type of Eating Disorder, a range of warning signs can also indicate the possible development of an Eating Disorder.
Initially, friends and family may suspect that a person suffers from Bulimia by observing one or more of the signs and symptoms of the condition regularly over a period of time, or by observing one of the warning signs of Eating Disorder in general .
A formal diagnosis for Bulimia usually requires that the binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors both occur, on average, at least twice a week over a period of at least 3 months.

Treatment

All Eating Disorders can be treated and a healthy weight restored. However, the sooner the Eating Disorders is diagnosed and appropriate treatments begun, the better the outcomes are likely to be. Eating Disorders can be highly complex, requiring a comprehensive treatment strategy which involves psychosocial interventions, nutritional counseling, medical care and monitoring, and perhaps even medication management. At the time of diagnosis, a doctor will need to determine whether a person health and well-being is in serious danger and may recommend immediate hospitalization.
The primary aim in the treatment of Bulimia sufferers is to reduce or eliminate binge eating and purging behavior. To achieve this, a range of treatment options may be required, such as nutritional rehabilitation, psychosocial intervention, and medication management.

In addition, establishing a regular pattern of non-binge meals, and improving eating attitudes, encouraging healthy but not excessive exercise, and resolving other relevant and co-occurring conditions, such as mood and anxiety disorders, are also essential components for the treatment of Bulimia sufferers.
A range of individual psychotherapies, such as cognitive-behavioral or interpersonal psychotherapy, group psychotherapy that uses a cognitive-behavioral approach, and family or marital therapy can also be effective in treating Bulimia.

In addition, psychotropic medications, which include antidepressants such as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), have proven helpful for weight maintenance and for resolving various mood and anxiety symptoms that are often associated with Bulimia. This is particularly true with sufferers who exhibit significant symptoms of depression or anxiety, or those who have not responded adequately to psychosocial treatment alone. These medications also may help prevent relapse or recurrence of the condition.
People with Eating Disorders often do not recognize or admit that they are ill. As a result, they may strongly resist treatments for their condition. Family members and other trusted individuals can be essential in ensuring that the sufferer receives needed care and continues with their rehabilitation. For some people, treatment may be long term.

Compulsive Eating Signs

Compulsive eating is characterized mainly by periods of impulsive bingeing or continuous eating. Purging (vomiting or laxatives) are not present, but there may be intervals of repetitive diets or fasts. Body weight can range from normal to severe obesity. Compulsive eating is a behavior driven by desire to reduce anxiety rather than by feelings of hunger. Obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors reduce anxiety and distress, but they create a self-perpetuating cycle. The eating activity provides temporary relief, but it is followed by further distress in the form of guilt, shame, and disgust. This often leads to a vicious cycle of binge eating and depression. Compulsive eating can be a behavior used to fill a void, suppress uncomfortable emotions, cope with problems or to create a state of numbness to everything that is going on. Triggers can be anxiety, depression, stress, boredom or loneliness, dieting, and low self-esteem.

Self-criticism will not stop the eating behavior. Diets make the problem worse. At first there may be some weight loss success, but with the hunger and restriction eventually comes a binge response. This overeating episode brings in feelings of failure and even more depression. Will power will not cure compulsive overeating. Creating rules around eating will not solve the problem. Compulsive overeating is a coping behavior that must be recognized as such and dealt with by learning and incorporating other behaviors which are at least as effective as eating.

SYMPTOMS OF COMPULSIVE EATING:

(This is not a complete list of signs and symptoms. Nor must a person have every symptom on the list to have compulsive eating behaviors.)

* Eating normally in front of others and compulsively overeating alone.

* Eating late at night or while others are asleep.

* Hiding a private stash of junk food.

* Unhappy with body weight.

* Always thinking about food.

* Eating to feel better.

* Not enjoying the food being eaten.

* Feeling out of control and unable to stop eating during binges.

* Continuing to eat even after feeling full.

* Becoming anxious while eating.

* A history of diet failures.

* Depression.

* Feels guilty and ashamed of binge eating.

* Worrying while eating.

* Eating frantically, barely chewing food.

* Hiding food.

* Eating secretly.

* Bingeing after a diet.

* Hunger creates a feeling of vulnerability and uneasiness.

If you recognize yourself as a compulsive eater – take heart! There is hope and there is healing. I believe that people with addictive eating behaviors are unique, creative, caring and sensitive individuals who need to find a connection back with their true inner spirit. Recovery occurs as an individual develops a sense of their own spirit and self and body, and a belief that their emotions are valid, important, and worth noticing.

Anorexia Statistics

Without a doubt, one of the most prevalent eating disorders within our culture today is the one that is known as anorexia nervosa. It’s a disorder which takes hold mentally within a sufferer, causing them to feel as if their body will never be as skinny as they want it to be. Those dealing with a case of anorexia can due much damage to their body and it’s an important problem to address. In this article, we’ll relay some statistics that we’ve found regarding this troublesome eating disorder so that you can get a good idea of how prevalent the disease is.
There are several different types of anorexia, and you may be shocked to find out that a full five percent of all women in America face a problem with one subset of anorexia. Coincidentally, as much as fifteen percent of all American women have unhealthy behaviors when it comes to eating. Few people realize exactly how many people face a problem with anorexia: five percent of all women account for one in twenty women having a definite problem with the disorder.

The stems of anorexia may occur when an individual is very young. The pressures that society places upon youth to be perfect specimens can really lead to a damaged self esteem that can cause a case of anorexia to occur. Studies have shown that as many as seventy percent of surveyed sixth grade girls started to become weight conscious between age nine and eleven. The study also showed that these girls often began dieting to curb their weight problems in middle school. Many argue that these pressures are too intense for our youth and that advertising should take a larger responsibility when it comes to marketing towards adolescents.
While females are most commonly associated with cases of anorexia nervosa, men may be affected as well. In fact, five to ten percent of all cases of anorexia are exhibited in men.

As noted before, many cases of eating disorders develop while an individual is young. A study was conducted that asked anorexic patients when they feel that they began suffering from the disorder, and the results showed that a full eighty six percent of all individuals with anorexia developed the condition by age twenty. Forty three percent of the patients surveyed stated that their problem began between age sixteen and twenty, thirty three percent became anorexic between ages eleven and sixteen, and ten percent began while they were ten years of age or below.
Eating disorders can be a very serious problem. It’s a sad statistic to consider, but as many as twenty percent of all individuals with eating disorders will die due to their condition. When the condition is addressed and treated, however, the mortality rate from an eating disorder drops to between two and three percent.
Now that you know more about how common anorexia can be and how badly it can affect the health of an individual, you can realize how important it is to treat the condition if it is present in you or a loved one.

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.