Two Main Causes of Eating Disorders

The two main causes of eating disorders are fashion and culture. In other words, without fashion or culture, the pressure to be thin would not be so pervasive in modern society. For many years, fashion models have been as thin as possible, and people who weren't underweight (by health standards) were considered to be "too fat" to be models. If you just focused on the world of modeling, you would see the intense pressure to be thin taking its toll.

However, this has affected more than just models. Modern culture as a whole is constantly barraged with images of very thin women, and girls who see those models and view them as ideals of beauty are conditioned to think they are supposed to look like that. Then, once men are conditioned to see fashion models as ideals of beauty, they start to think that girls they date should look that thin too. Because of this, society's views on weight have gotten skewed, and even normal girls at a normal weight feel inadequate when they have to compare themselves to girls who are starving themselves and actually being noticed more by men.

However, there are other causes of eating disorders beyond societal pressures. Even though culture and fashion might have altered our modern perception of beauty and lowered the weight that is recognized as socially acceptable or socially ideal, in the end, we as individuals are responsible for our actions and how we interpret the input from the fashion industry. Another reason why girls often resort to eating disorders is because they need to feel like they have control over some part of their lives, and they can get a false sense of power when they are hurting their bodies.

This is a big reason why it is so challenging to help people who are desperate to be thin. If this is the only aspect of their life they feel they can control, then trying to help them doesn't involve just helping them get back to a normal weight. These victims are too intent on controlling something in their lives to let it go when someone mentions that they are looking too thin. Plus, by this point, they are often addicted to the actions they've took and it's no longer easy to reverse their habits.

One of the other major causes of eating disorders is a little thing called puberty. When a teen is getting older and her hormones begin to change, she is hit with the double whammy of being more emotional (i.e. more susceptible to depression) and simultaneously more influenced by peer pressure. The likelihood of developing an eating disorder is much greater when you are experiencing physical changes and emotional changes--plus, you're spending time around other teens who will often try to put you down to make themselves feel better. These factors all make an eating disorder more likely.

Finally, one of the other big causes of eating disorders is that someone simply doesn't like herself. Anyone who has low self-esteem sometimes deliberately harms herself by developing an eating disorder.

Autor: Emile Jarreau

Emile Jarreau, aka, Mr. Fat Loss is fascinated by health, nutrition and weight loss. For more great info about eating disorders for losing weight and keeping it off visit http://www.MrFatLoss.com.

Added: October 21, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Treatment For Eating Disorders in Adolescents

Eating disorders, unfortunately, are all too common in adolescents. Puberty is a time of massive change for kids. Not only are their hormones turning on, but their bodies are also starting to change too. A beginning awareness of their interest in the opposite sex, as well as the stern judgment of their peers, can lead some hapless children into developing an eating disorder to fit in or to adapt themselves to the modern definition of ideal beauty.

You should immediately seek treatment for eating disorders in adolescents, once you've found out they have one. The goal is to find a setting that is most convenient and comfortable for the adolescent. You can't underestimate the value of social networks to teens, and one reason they might resist treatment is if they think that their prolonged absence from school might cause people to hear about their eating disorder.

In large cities, there are often many clinics and intensive care centers that can help with eating disorders. While many of these can be very helpful, they are often residential programs where the adolescent is forced to stay in a hospitalization program, which is a major disruption to their regular lives. In smaller towns, they usually lack the large clinics and the wider variety of expert therapists.

So far, there is no standard practice when it comes to treatment for eating disorders in adolescents. However, most programs strongly encourage the involvement of the adolescent's family in the treatment process. Recently, five major guidelines were released on the treatment of adolescents for eating disorders. They are the following:

1. Diagnosis--Adolescents may have significant health risks associated with dysfunctional weight control practices.

2. Treatment--It should be a lower symptom levels than for adults.

3. Nutritional Management--This should reflect the patient's age, stage in puberty, and current physical activity level.

4. Family-based Treatment--Family should be considered an essential part of treatment of adolescents.

Assessment and Treatment of Adolescent--This should be done by a knowledgeable team of experts.

In general, an adolescent may be treated either in his or her own home, or at a local clinic. Typically, adolescents start in outpatient treatment with regular visits to both the medical and mental health providers, and then they progress to more intensive treatment once their conditions is better understood and they haven't responded positively enough to prior treatment.

It is critical to customize the treatment plan to each individual adolescent. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to treatment for eating disorders in adolescents. If you want to make sure to maximize the chance of helping an eating disorder victim, you have to personalize their recovery, including their diet, their exercise, and their therapy.

What some people fail to realize is that an eating disorder is as much a mental issue as it is physical. Most people recognize the problems inherent in developing an eating disorder, so it's important to approach the problem from their mental state and work from there.

If you or an adolescent you know is suffering from an eating disorder, it is in their best interest to seek immediate professional help.

Autor: Emile Jarreau

Emile Jarreau, aka, Mr. Fat Loss is fascinated by health, nutrition and weight loss. For more great info about eating disorders for losing weight and keeping it off visit http://www.MrFatLoss.com

Added: October 19, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Fast Food Nutrition

Fast food consumption today has reached an all time high. There are several reasons for it popularity. North Americans live a fast paced lifestyle and are often looking for a satisfying meal that is quick and convenient. Fast food is usually served immediately or within a few minutes and restaurants are only moments away.

There is another reason that these restaurants are so popular. Foods offered are high in unhealthy fats, carbohydrates and sugars which are very addictive with unpleasant side effects when consumed regularly. Regular consumers find that after a meal they experience unpleasant symptoms such as depression and foul moods that won't subside until they go back for more.

Most fast food addicts would love to discover that fast food helps shed pounds, increases energy and promotes long life. The truth is that it is so toxic that it cannot be considered a source of nutrition. Most people today consider fast food to be unhealthy but what most people do not realize is how dangerous it really is. It is the leading cause of obesity in North America which is closely linked to heart disease, stroke and cancer.

Thirty percent of North American children are obese today, which is a rise of fifty percent in the last twenty years. With the high availability of these foods and super sizes, kids are eating mostly unhealthy foods and eating too much of it. Eating a diet that primarily consists of empty nutrient, calorie dense food also effects behavior and intelligence.

One North American school concerned with the behavior problems and lack of academic achievement among student decided to remove fast food from the cafeteria and vending machines and provide only nutritious foods to see what impact it might have on the students. The change was remarkable. Those students that regularly ate in the cafeteria experienced a significant decrease in behavioral problems and increase in academic performance.

Fast food is loaded with carcinogens, contains toxins created from reused and reheated oils, it is calorie dense, low in nutrients and is the principle source of trans fatty acids. Trans fatty acids are man made fats which are more toxic to human health than saturated fats. An intake as low as one percent of total daily calories is considered to be a high risk for heart disease.

Many restaurants are working hard to satisfy public demand for healthier food choices. If fast food is a necessary part of your life, exploring these menu options may be the easiest and most effective method of breaking the habit.

Autor: Steve Pywell

All articles on health and fitness by Steve Pywell may be found at http://hubpages.com/profile/stevemark122000

Added: October 18, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Binge Eating - Why You Need to Stop and How to Do It

Binge eating is an incredibly destructive habit to your health. Eating too much causes you to gain an unhealthy amount of weight, risk your chances of becoming obese, keeps you from losing any weight at all, and negatively impacts your health in general. Do you really want to be tied down by such a trivial thing such as food for your whole entire life? Here is the reality of a binge eater; if you tend to eat way too much food on a regular basis then you are in turn risking your health and well being on a regular basis. Why do this if it is possible to easily control your eating habits through a technique that I am about to share with you?

As unrealistic as it may sound at this point if you are a binge eater, it is in fact possible to control excessive eating habits with "the push of a button". Now, obviously pushing a button won't get you anywhere in terms of controlling your appetite. What I am trying to get across to you is that a solution as easy as "pushing a button" is readily available to you when it comes to controlling your binge eating habits. Just imagine that for a second, a solution for controlling your bad eating habits and taking control of your life which is as easy as pushing a button...

So, what is this solution I am referring to? What I am referring to is a powerful, natural, and completely safe (depending the type you choose) option for curbing the appetite. Here it is: you take a natural appetite suppressant which has been proven to provide results without risking your health. That is all there is to it when it comes to suppressing your binge eating. If you take an effective appetite suppressant on a regular basis then you absolutely can take control of your eating. I must warn you though, it can be very difficult to find a legitimate appetite suppressant as the supplements in this industry are far from created equally...

Autor: John Acton

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Added: October 16, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

How to Stop Eating So Much - A Simple Way to Stop Binge Eating

If you are someone who tends to eat a lot of food or more than you know you should be eating then you know just how much of a bad habit it is. Eating too much is no good in just about every way. By eating too much you are more than likely going to gain weight, limit your ability to lose weight, and put your health at risk. Do you really want to get the point of obesity? Do you really want to feel guilt your whole entire life due to something that can easily be controlled through a technique I am about to share with you? The fact of the matter is that you CAN control your appetite...as long as you know how to do it correctly.

Stop Eating So Much With Ease...

Believe it or not, there is a very simple solution to stopping your excessive eating habits. In fact, it is a solution which basically does all of the work for you. And best of all, it is a solution that is completely natural. So, what is the secret to stop eating so much? It's called appetite suppression.

There are many ways to suppress the appetite but no method comes close to the ease and effectiveness of using an appetite suppressant. An appetite suppressant (depending on what type you get) will allow you to feel full, curb your appetite, and lose weight with almost no effort at all. It is THE most direct path towards stopping your excessive eating habits and taking control of your health. There is one big problem though when it comes to appetite suppressants...

You Need The Right Kind Of Appetite Suppressant If You Want The Right Kind Of Results...

In order to correctly curb your appetite and stop eating so much through the use of an appetite suppressor you will need a certain type of supplement. Any appetite suppressant supplement will not suffice. If you aren't going after the right kind of supplement then you are leaving yourself open to potential risks such as negative side effects, bad results, wasting your time and money, and above all harming your health.

Autor: John Acton

No need to worry though! I've done all of the work for you in regards to finding the right type of appetite suppressant for safely delivering the results you desire. All you need to do is click the link below in order to gain FREE access to two completely NATURAL options for stopping your bad eating habits. Believe me when I say that finding products comparable to these two in this industry is no easy task...

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Added: October 14, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

The Surprising Truth About Weight Gain, Body Image, and Eating Disorders

So much has been written on the topic of weight gain, eating disorders, and body image, and, by all appearances, the problem is getting worse. Statistics shows that 95% of women dislike their bodies and their physical appearance, and now this rampant dissatisfaction has extended to men as well. Once thought to be the focus of teenage girls, studies are showing that eating disorders are increasingly prevalent among middle-age adults, and even beyond.

Is this gnawing discontent unreasonable? With obesity numbers reaching staggering proportions, you may very well think disgust with one's physical appearance is a normal, and perhaps even a healthy problem to have, if it helps people change their diets and their lifestyles. Then, of course, there is the advent of ever-new disorders, such as pregorexia (compulsively restricting food intake during pregnancy, which impairs the healthy development of the fetus) and orthorexia (an obsession with eating healthy, organic foods).

Is there any solution to this ever-growing and ever-present problem? Or are we doomed to be a population condemned to ever-expanding waistlines, and an ever-increasing obsession with how we look and what we eat?

There is a way to end these ailments, whether you are overweight, or have a distorted view of your body, or find yourself obsessing when you need to order non-organic. Yet, contrary to popular opinion, the solution doesn't come from solving the problem, per se. Rather, the solution comes from seeing the problem as an opportunity. Now wait - before you silently yell obscenities at me (What do you mean my life-long affliction with food and with my body is an opportunity?!), and stop reading this article immediately - stay with me for just a second - give me a moment to explain what I mean.

As long as you consider your struggle to be a problem, you reinforce your belief that there is something wrong with you that needs to be fixed. If you are overweight, and especially if this has been a life-long or at least a long-term challenge, you probably have a story or two about what is wrong with you. It might sound something like this:

"I am lazy." "I just like food too much."

"I can't stay away from sweets."

"I have no self-control."

"I am a fat slob - I will never have the body I want."

Depending on your particular disorder, your story might also sound something like this:

"I must be thin."

"I will hate myself if I gain weight."

"I wish I had her body."

"If I eat, I will get fat."

"I must exercise all the time or else I will gain weight."

Now, in the beginning stages of body-image struggles and eating disorders, you may convince yourself that you do not have a problem, that everything is fine, and that you are perfectly normal. Yet after living in the mental hell described above for a while, you start to get a sneaking suspicion that something might be wrong. You get the notion that maybe you are not living with all the peace, tranquility, and love that is possible.

At this stage, you become convinced that you have a problem and are in need of a solution. You come to believe that something is inherently wrong with you. You know that there is more to life, that you are capable of something great, but you are stuck in a web of pain and suffering, not sure which way to turn. In my experience, having healed myself of a negative body image, eating disorders, and obsessive-compulsive behavior that lasted for well over a decade, I have found the following to be utterly transformative:

Your greatest struggle, your deepest pain, your most desperate confusion, holds the keys to your transformation. The secret is in shifting how you look at your problem. Instead of seeing it as a problem, consider it an opportunity. Now, it is up to you to discover the opportunity. It is easy for others to point out a problem to you, but you alone can uncover and in fact create an opportunity out of your adversity. Every challenge holds the keys to unlimited blessings; you need only become aware of your ability to transform your reality, and then stay open and alert to possibilities that come your way.

According to eastern wisdom, we all have within us the ultimate guru or teacher. This teacher is always with us, always calling us to discover our true greatness, our inner-being, that part of ourselves that is magnificent, grand, and wondrous, that part of ourselves urging us to live our very best life. Unfortunately, very few of us learn how to listen to this inner-teacher as children. As we go throughout life, we lose our connection to ourselves, becoming increasingly tossed to-and-fro by the challenges and adversities of life. Our life becomes a mess of problems and adversities.

These problems, whatever form they take, are opportunities in disguise. They are calling you home. The challenges you face grab your attention. When you don't listen, you find yourself stuck in a seemingly disastrous web of suffering, possibly unable to stop eating despite the health risks of your weight, unwittingly starving your own child because of your insecurities, refusing to eat after your recent divorce, or whatever form your particular suffering takes.

Yet you always have a chance to return home. You always have the opportunity to dive within yourself and connect with this inner-teacher. No matter how much pain and suffering you our experiencing in any moment, you always have the choice to stop, close your eyes, look within, and seek to discover the seeds of opportunity that are latent in your current adversity. So whether you, yourself, are struggling with excess weight, an eating disorder, a negative body-image, or any other problem, or if a friend or loved one is struggling, here are a few simple steps to help you connect with your inner-guide an unleash the opportunity that will transform your adversity into a great blessing:

• Consider the possibility that your problem, whatever it is, holds the seeds to opportunity. Just being open to this possibility will create a shift inside of you.

• Take the time to go within. There is no substitute for diving deeply within yourself. As the teacher Krishnamurti once said, "In oneself lies the whole world, and if you know how to look and learn, the door is there and the key is in your hand."

Traditionally, going within is accomplished through the practice of meditation. There are many different styles to choose from - the key is to make meditation a regular part of your daily routine. Regular meditation yields tremendous health benefits, both physically and psychologically, and it also helps you tap into your inner wisdom.

• Find a teacher, guide, or a coach who can help you explore your internal landscape. When you are at the beginning stages of getting to know yourself, when you are beginning this path of spiritual and personal inquiry, a teacher, coach or guide is extremely valuable. This person could be a psychologist, a spiritual teacher, a yoga instructor, or a life coach. Look for someone who understands where you are coming from and a person to whom you feel a connection. Often this emotional bond is the most important component in getting you the assistance you need.

Remember always: you can transform any adversity into opportunity. Your greatest pain and greatest challenge can be your greatest gift to yourself and to the world. Dive within and discover the keys to create a body and a life of your dreams.

Autor: Sarah Maria

Sarah Maria is a body-image expert who helps people feel great in and about their bodies and themselves. She shows people how to discover the beauty that is already inside of them, right now. Once they connect with this beauty, they will discover that anything is possible - that they can create a body and a life that they truly love. Learn about her book Love Your Body, Love Your Life, and sign up for her free e-zine at http://www.breakfreebeauty.com Begin to transform your body and your life today!

Added: October 12, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Anorexia - Five More Ideas on How to Give Your Anorexic Daughter Some Control

When your daughter is diagnosed with an eating disorder or has eating disordered behavior, she has a legitimate need for control. She thinks she is already in control, but you and I know the opposite is true. We also know we are not going to convince her of that in the early stages of the eating disorder. So what do you do to give her a healthy sense of control and not lose yours?

When you feel the resistance and the power struggle beginning, try to think about which behaviors indicate a positive quality. Here are a few ideas about what that could look like; and as I stated in the first article, it is important to use the word "respect" when talking to her.

1. I respect your desire to get well without help, and how much you eat and take care of your body will determine whether or not we seek outside help.

2. I respect your desire to be in good shape, and you will able to exercise more when you show me you are eating enough to sustain your body during increased exercise.

3. I respect your desire not to attend your appointment today, and as you are eating more we can schedule fewer appointments during the week.

4. I respect your desire to feel thin and beautiful, and you will have more power to decide how thin you want to be when I am sure you are seeing your body accurately when you look in the mirror.

5. I respect your need to have more control, and when you start listening more to your own voice instead of the eating disorder voice, you will have more choices about what and when to eat.

Be as natural as you can with these statements and don't overuse the word "respect." If you use it too often, the word will lose its power and she will get suspicious about what you are doing.

The other way to communicate respect is to behave in respectful ways toward her. When she refuses to eat, don't roll your eyes, sigh heavily or make an angry comment to your spouse. Firmly restate the expectation that she has needs to eat more and then engage in neutral conversation with the family.

It will take time and practice to learn to relate to your daughter in this new way, and you will see a big difference in her responses as you move toward her with more respect and give her a healthy sense of control. When you treat her with respect, which is also how you want her to treat you, she is more likely to give you the same in return.

Autor: Lynn A Moore Lynn A Moore
Level: Platinum
Lynn Moore is a licensed psychotherapist, parent coach, educator, and artist. She holds a Masters degree in Counseling and over 25 years experience in the ... ...

For a copy of my free e-book "Eating Disorder Basics for Parents" click here http://www.why-my-daughter.com/edb.html

Lynn Moore educates, coaches, and consults parents on how to help their adolescent with eating disorder behavior. She will guide you through the treacherous waters of deciding what kind of help you need and what you, the parents need to do and can do to help your child.

Added: October 11, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

How to Deal With Eating Disorders in Your Child

It is not uncommon to see a ten or eleven year old child getting treated for eating disorders. A child with eating disorder at this age may be suffering from the problem of emotional stress. He/she may inherit stress and anxiety from his/her parent. If your child has such a disorder, you may not know how to handle it. The problem becomes worse, if your child does not want to communicate with you freely.

If you identify that your child has an eating disorder, you need to remain calm. Most of the time, the parents become very nervous and make the child feel bad. This can aggravate the problem. It is often advisable to decide on the best possible action to help the child to get rid of this condition. You can write down some things before starting the conversation with your child. This helps to organize the thoughts of the child and to get a great solution.

It is important to make the child to communicate freely with you. You can achieve this by involving him/her in some family discussions. You can even let him/her know the family problems. If your child understands that his/her parents also face some emotional stress, he/she can realize that stress is not an abnormal thing. He/she may be then ready to communicate with you and reveal his/her own issues.

You need to make your child to get into an even tempered mood, so that he/she can communicate in a natural manner. You need to remember that creating an intense argument cannot bring the desirable results. Besides, it may make the situation worse. Intense arguments may even create gap between you and your child. Instead, you can try frank discussion that does not hurt your child in anyway. You need to make your child understand that you are there with him/her to help to come out of the problem. If he/she feels confident, he/she can be open in discussions.

Eating disorders are not simple issues and they need to be treated immediately. The only thing you need to know is to keep yourself calm and relaxed. You need to confront your child as quickly as possible so that treatment can be started early. Eating disorder can be cured easily and quickly, if the child is willing to take treatment. You just make your child to get out of his/her fear first and converse with him/her in a sense that there is nothing to panic.

Autor: Helen R. Miller

Helen R. Miller is a diet control fanatic, who has lost over 70 pounds of body fat. She shares her amazing story of how she did it through her weight and diet control blog.

Added: October 10, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Tips on Dealing With Food Addiction

You may have heard a lot on the dreadful effects of drug and smoke addiction. Food addiction is equally a killer as it has close links with the chemical imbalance in the brain. You may feel that food is not as much harmful as drug or smoke addiction is. However, if you eat too much of a particular variety of food, the result seems to be the same. It is a serious problem, as you cannot stop eating that particular food, even if you put in the best of your efforts.

You may have heard a lot on the dreadful effects of drug and smoke addiction. Food addiction is equally a killer as it has close links with the chemical imbalance in the brain. You may feel that food is not as much harmful as drug or smoke addiction is. However, if you eat too much of a particular variety of food, the result seems to be the same. It is a serious problem, as you cannot stop eating that particular food, even if you put in the best of your efforts.

Fortunately, it is possible today to change our brain chemistry and thereby our eating habits. Due to chemical imbalance in the brain, one may become addicted to a particular type of food. This process removes the addictive function and helps your brain to function properly.

There is a neurotransmitter called Dopamine, which helps you feel happy. Without dopamine, life may be miserable. If you are depressed, then it really means that you have a chemical imbalance in your brain and it restrains dopamine to function properly. This problem can be treated by taking some anti-depressants that allow your brain to release more dopamine. This can change your behavior and make you feel happy and good.

The type of food you consume can have a great impact on the functioning of the brain. Certain foods can release a wide range of chemicals in your brain. Even if you think of your favorite food and the taste of that, the chemicals are immediately released in your brain. This in turn increases the dopamine level and makes you feel contented. Some people accept that they feel satisfied, when the dopamine level increases and they stop eating. However, some others do not feel that very easily. They understand the dopamine rush as an ecstatic feeling. Such people are generally overweight, as they tend to eat that particular type of food as it makes them really happy.

If you eat food to feel good, eventually you become addicted to that food. In order to deal with this food addiction, you need to learn how to change your brain chemistry. You cannot lose your weight by simply following a diet program or an exercise regime. For any addiction, the brain looks for the dopamine rush in the form of a reward. If you experience the problem of food addition, it really means that you have trained your brain to get its reward from the food. If you take away this reward, your brain does not have any other choice. You can end your diet war with the help of neuroplasticity.

Autor: Helen R. Miller

Helen R. Miller is a diet control fanatic, who has lost over 70 pounds of body fat. She shares her amazing story of how she did it through her weight and diet control blog.

Added: October 9, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Healthy Weight Loss

Avoiding any of the eating disorder, discussed in this article, can make a world of difference to your health. The eating disorder can be categorized into three types, namely:

1. Bulimia Overeating: This is a type of eating habit, whereby you take in excess of food, and in order to avoid been overweight, you get rid of the excess food taken in by fasting, purging, vomiting or by taking laxatives in greater- than -recommended doses or you engage in strenuous exercise.

2. Anorexics Overeating: This is a eating habit whereby you often express fear of gaining weight and thus you often see yourself as becoming fat. Due to this, you normally take in little food. And sometime, if the need arise to you; you get rid of excess food either by purging, vomiting, fasting or excessive exercise. The true position is that you are under weight, by the virtue of the fact that you take in little food often.

3. Compulsive Overeating: This is characterized by a pattern of binge eating followed by dieting. In this type of eating disorder, you tend to lose the weight you gain in the binge phase, by dieting.

These eating disorders mentioned above, have a negative impact on your normal life style and a direct effect on you, both emotionally and spiritually. When we take in little or no food, for the fear of gaining weight, as the case with Anorexics, this may lead to severe consequences, since we cease to supply the body with the necessary nutrients its needs for proper functioning.

Fasting, induce vomiting, excess exercise and taking laxatives in excess, can affect your body in one way or the other, by producing an unhealthy side effect. While compulsive overeating will make you overweight.

Autor: Ikechukwu Austine Onyeka

Discover the simple ABC weightloss tips and practises , that will make a world of difference to your health by clicking here http://www.weightloss-getslim.blogspot.com/.

Added: October 7, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

What is Comfort Eating?

Comfort eating is a 21st century way of life for many women. With all the pressures of modern day life it has become the norm to seek out fast foods which are highly refined and full of sugar. These foods offer a short burst of energy and the feel good factor. This is quickly followed by a slump in energy and the process starts again.

So why do we comfort eat

With so many responsibilities it is hard to sit down to a proper meal where we savour our food and digest it so that we feel fulfilled. More often we grab a quick bite on the run and then feel that we have not had anything substantial to eat. These bad eating habits lead to us reaching for the biscuit tin or devouring a bar of chocolate with our mid-day coffee, when at work or after dropping the kids off to school or in between ironing. At the time this feels far more rewarding than a healthy breakfast. The rush of sugar gives us a high, however, this is short lived and when the feeling diminishes we reach out for the food that made us feel good if only for a short period. The cycle continues as we crave high levels of sugar in our diet.

Over the years as food has become more accessible to us we have used it for comfort and as a way of dealing with negative emotions such as stress, anxiety, unhappiness and depression. Eating is a pleasurable experience. Eating out with friends, enjoying your favorite food is a great experience and one that we should certainly enjoy. However, we have taken comfort eating to its extreme. At the drop of a hat reaching out for a treat that satisfies us even though it is no longer a treat but has become part of our daily intake of food.

Effects on Health

Comfort food has led to obesity. Most of us forget that our body needs food for energy so that we can survive, if we ingest more food than we burn off as energy it turns to fat and we pile on the pounds. Like Emotional eating and Yo-Yo dieting which also lead to obesity, Comfort eating is a major factor in health related matters such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.

Effects on Emotions

Once we are in the cycle of gaining weight we tend to turn to comfort food to make us feel better about ourselves, this leads to further weight gain, a feeling of failure and what do we do - yes we reach for the biscuit tin again!

TV and media have bombarded us with TV programs and cookery books full of high fat comfort food that reinforces your current thought process that it is ok to eat this type of food in abundance.

Ironically if we ate regular balanced meals across all of the food groups we would not feel the need to comfort eat as our bodies would be controlling sugar levels and the craving for this type of food would diminish, allowing us to have occasional treats, eat out with friends or a takeaway without gaining weight or feeling guilty. This would make losing weight and weight management much easier.

Autor: Karen Fullick Karen Fullick
Level: Basic PLUS
My name is Karen, I am happily married to Malcolm and we have a great son called Sam. I have been a successful business woman ... ...

My name is Karen, I am happily married to Malcolm and we have a great son called Sam. I have been a successful business woman for many years and I now own and run my own company. Like many of you I work and run the family home, arrange our social life and do everything to ensure we live life to the full. Well nearly everything, as up until recently there has always been something holding me back - yes you've guessed it - My Weight!

I have written a series of reports documenting my weight loss journey in which time I qualified as a Nutritional Therapist and made an amazing discovery to Fast, Effortless, Permanent, Weight Loss. To receive your free reports click on the following link: http://www.freetheslimyou.com.

karen@freetheslimyou.com.

Added: October 5, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Eating Disorders - A Dangerous Consequence of Childhood Eating Habits

Disturbances in eating that may arise during infancy or early childhood and then through adolescence are nowadays being recognized as a very severe source of distress and problems for the one suffering from eating disorders and for their families as well.

An increasingly high number of studies reflect the fact that eating problems actually come from the period when infants, start eating "grown-up" food. The main cause is that once beginning to eat like adults, toddlers tend to develop adult eating habits. That is why, it is very important that parents set an example by renouncing junk food and starting eating healthily.

In an attempt to raise awareness upon the problem of childhood obesity outbreak during the last decades, The American Heart Association offers a set of guidelines regarding a healthy diet, appropriate for 2 year old children. According to the organism mentioned above, children have to eat a variety of the following: fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beans, low-fat dairy products, fish and lean meat.

Another very important aspect is physical activity - exercising and avoiding to lead a sedentary life. Beyond just healthy eating, young children also need plenty of exercise in order to avoid becoming obese and developing associated health problems, but also to develop good social skills and networking abilities.

In what adolescents are concerned, researchers have identified several key factors that often determine them to engage in very serious weight control behaviours. Especially the overweight refer to self-induced vomiting, the use of diet pills, laxatives, and diuretics, as well as binge eating in search of physical, but probably most crucial, making a push to find psychological balance.

Overweight youth who have a poor communication with their parents and rely on magazine articles or TV shows about dieting and weight loss to outline their lifestyle and eating habits are more exposed and thus likely to suffer from eating disorders.

An international team of researchers actually investigated the link between watching TV for several hours a day and its influence upon diet. Their conclusions were based on observing patterns of 2,000 secondary school children.

The authors of the study came to the conclusion that those subjects who watched television for longer than five hour daily, consumed fewer of the recommended food (fruits, vegetables, ...). They preferred to have large amounts of snacks, fried foods, fast food, sugar-sweetened beverages. They were obviously prone to developing very unhealthy eating habits during their early adult life.

Although scientific research has been successful in areas including epidemiology, short-term treatment for Bulimia Nervosa (BN), and outcome in Anorexia Nervosa, there is an enormous amount of work that needs to be continued in the area of child and adolescent eating disorders.

Autor: Patrick Yves

Patrick Yves is a consultant who's passion is to give back by helping people improving their quality of life with a better nutrition.

Compulsive Over Eating
Eating Disorders

Added: October 4, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Emotional Eating - Conquering the Demon Within

Emotional eating is something many of us have experienced throughout our lives. Overcoming emotional eating is possible by first understanding what it is, why we do it and taking small manageable steps to eliminate the cause and regain our lives.

Emotional eating or comfort eating is a common way to suppress unpleasant feeling within ourselves. When overweight, many people perceive life would be great if they could just get thin. Life would be happier, they believe they would love themselves and consequently be loved more. However this does not always happen. In fact, looking better does little to combat the feelings of self worth instilled when an individual becomes ashamed of their physique. They still experience the feelings of being unlovable, unworthy and damaged. This can lead to disappointment and spiralling back down the road of emotional eating.

Firstly identify if YOU are an emotional eater. Does this sound like you?

-I try, but fail to maintain the body shape I want
-I feel I am out of control of my eating
-I eat when I am not physically hungry
-I turn to food when I am stressed or upset
-I use food as a source of pleasure or reward
-I think about food a lot
-I sabotage my efforts by eating
-I binge or graze eat
-I feel ashamed of myself and my eating
-Food helps me deal with my feelings

If any of these statements applies to you, then emotional eating could be what is stopping you from regaining your health and your life. Here we have identified 12 simple steps to overcome the obstacles and effects that emotional eating has on your mind and your body.

Give up Perfectionism - We live in an imperfect world. If you have a bad eating day, realise it is just one day and not the end determinant. Start again tomorrow.

Break out of the 'Being Nice' Trap - How many jolly fat people are crying inside? Many larger people allow others to violate their boundaries and insult them whilst they continue to smile. They often reach for the comfort food to deal with the hurt. Recognise that there is a difference between being nice and being humiliated.

Find another way - Sharing problems, journal writing, mediating, are all excellent ways of coping.

Find your focus - Become more aware of the goal you are trying to achieve and focus on it. Recognise that this is your goal and you set your own limitations. Dare yourself to be more than you think you can

Love yourself - Understand all that you are. Know your own shame, fear, anger, grief and so on. It does not matter how many 'diets' you have broken, how far you have let yourself go, the person within is loveable and the surface can be improved.

Your eating - How many times to we use factors out of our control as an excuse? Organise your meals in advance. Take your lunch to work or similarly if you are on the road, pack lunch to avoid the dreaded 'drive thru'.

Identify why You eat out of emotion - Is it boredom, loneliness, fatigue, anxiety, anger, stress or tension or the desire to be normal? There are many strategies that can help overcome these feelings. Make an effort to find out what to cause is so you can effectively control your outcome.

Seek inspiration - When you are experiencing unpleasant emotions, think of someone who has inspired you. Chances are they have done something that appeared difficult. If you have the strength to face up to your own issue, then you too could be someone who inspires others no matter what their battle may be.

Find a comfort food that is healthy - There are plenty out there. The fruit section of your supermarket is a great place to start, especially in summer.

Clear out the rubbish - If it's not there, you can't eat it.

Breathe - Meditation is an excellent way of dealing with suppressed or confronting emotions. When the desire to eat in an emotionally responsive way becomes so strong, try to step back, relax and breathe.

Factor in your favourite foods - If you recognise a certain food is something you can't say not to, factor it in to your daily allowance. Remember life is not perfect and by allowing that special treat it may just stop you from over doing it and heading back down the emotional eating spiral.

Autor: Karen McD

http://burnfatandbuildfitness.com

Added: October 2, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/