Wage War Against Bulimia and Anorexia - And Win!

In society today we have so much pressure put upon us to be thin, many people are under the illusion that thinness will bring about beauty, power and success in general. Weight control pills, crash diets and exercising like someone possessed have become so popular in order to achieve what's considered to be our ideal weight. However, the physical toll taken on our bodies whilst doing all these things seems to have been completely overlooked.

Due to the desire to be thin, anorexia nervosa and bulimia, both of which are serious illnesses pertaining to eating disorders and distorted opinions on weight and eating, are becoming widespread. There is concern for the youth of today and their obsession with weight and body shape which can be put down to many factors including media influence, societal dictates, peer pressure and a low self esteem.

Regrettably, whilst many people are worried about this, they are unaware of how to wage war against these eating disorders and come out triumphant. Listed below are some practical tips to help fight this battle.

Definition
Anorexia and bulimia are eating disorders but they are different from one another. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder where the person involved has distorted views about body image and is terrified of putting weight on. In severe cases where the condition is not treated, death may be the result. On the other hand, bulimia is when a person binge eats and then vomits, purges, fasts, uses laxatives or enemas and over exercises to make sure they don't put on weight.

So, how can we fight against such conditions?

1. We have all heard the saying "home is where the heart is" and this is very true. Healthy relationships among family members should be encouraged and children should be taught proper values ensuring they are less at risk of these types of illnesses. Longing for perfection and a lack of self esteem will not happen if parents give the necessary support, love and guidance to their children from the start.

2. Be aware of the signs and symptoms of anorexia and bulimia in order to recognize and treat them accordingly.

As far as anorexia is concerned the general symptoms include the following:

A deep fear of obesity
A distorted body image where the sufferer sees themselves as being fat when they already weigh less than they should
A loss of hair
A lack of menstrual cycle
Flaky and dry skin conditions
Hypothermia
Hypertension
Hyperactivity
Irritability and mood swings
Practicing perfection
Eating food cut into very small pieces extremely slowly
Spitting food out
Discarding or hiding food
Obsessive calorie counting
Following strange food rituals
The wearing of baggy clothes to hide the body
Becoming socially isolated
Suffering with depression

The bulimic person is likely to show these signs and symptoms:

Regular binge eating
Fluctuations in weight
Loss or deterioration of teeth
Purging
Abusive use of laxatives
A high liquid intake
Eating large pieces of food very quickly
A distinct lack of will power
A distinct lack of energy
A swelling of the parotid glands due to induced vomiting
Feelings of guilt
Irritability
Body shape and weight obsession
A mindset switching from depression to great happiness and back to depression again.

3. Use Psychotherapy - Engaging in psychotherapy is a vital step as far as treating bulimia and anorexia is concerned. Sufferers of these disorders may not know about this kind of treatment and some of those who do know about it may not be willing to give it a try without encouragement from others. Cognitive behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy are used in Psychotherapy treatments.

4. Medical treatment - this goes hand in hand with psychotherapy and it allows for a doctor to keep an eye on the vital signs of the patient, their hydration level and to help with the general negative effects forced upon the anorexic or bulimic body.

5. Put together a healthy eating plan. Enlist in the help of a licensed dietician in order to formulate a healthy eating plan with the right amount of calories to maintain a strong body.

Both anorexia and bulimia are complex problems affecting today s society. The first step to wage war and win against them is, without doubt, to raise awareness of the conditions and become knowledgeable about what can be done to help the sufferer.

Autor: Sunnez Madsen

Sunnez enjoys researching and writing articles on vast and varied subjects from massage chairs to teeth whitening

Added: December 27, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/