Eating Disorders - Three Ways to Approach Your Anorexic Or Bulimic Adolescent

It is not unusual for adolescents who exhibit eating disordered behavior to not want to talk. They are using the eating disordered behaviors to mask or distract themselves from thoughts and feelings they don't know how to express. Yet we expect them to put words to what they are experiencing.

It is challenging enough to get your teenager to talk, let alone one who has an eating disorder. So here are some tips for having discussions with your daughter or son.

Keep it short and simple. We adults have a tendency to overwhelm adolescents with words. Parents will often speak paragraphs or pages to their kids and are lucky to get one sentence back in return.

Sometimes as a therapist I will say something and I know immediately when I have lost them. I get the blank look and hopefully they will say, "Huh?" or "What did you just say?" I realize I used too many words and try to simplify it the best I can. You've probably seen that blank look too. Watch for it and adjust accordingly. The fewer words we use the better.

Adolescents get very frustrated when we adults talk them to death. Ask a short, simple question. "What was the hardest part of your week?" Then be quiet and wait for an answer. Don't fill the silence. My experience is that often adolescents need to think and if I will wait them out, they will speak and say what they are really thinking. We adults are too quick on the draw.

Don't expect long, in depth conversations. If they happen great, but often adolescents will talk in spurts in between silliness, silence or some other distraction. Just keep bringing them back on topic after the subject change. They are anxious and uncomfortable talking about their thoughts and feelings and this is one way they reduce their anxiety.

Make light of this and use humor. I often say to my adolescent clients, "There you go changing the subject again." or "Good try but you haven't answered my question yet." They will smile or laugh and I might say, "Yeah, you're busted." Just be laid back and don't treat it like it is life or death if they talk to you or not.

Try to keep times when you are having fun just that...fun. There is the reality of timing and catching your adolescent in a good frame of mind, but you don't want to spoil a really good thing either. Maybe a good way to look at it is to catch them when they are in a neutral space.

When you are having a good one on one time shopping, eating lunch, driving them to something they are looking forward to; fill their emotional tank with positive conversation and affirmation. Enjoy them instead of trying to use their positive mood to talk about difficult issues.

Autor: Lynn A Moore

Do you want to learn more about eating disorders?

If so, download my free e-book "Eating Disorder Basics for Parents" 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: January 30, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Preventing Eating Disorders - Parenting Your Teenager

Anorexia and bulimia are fairly common in America. 2% of teenagers have anorexia. 10% of college students have bulimia. At any given time, 10 to 20% of the population is estimated to have an eating disorder.

The thin obsession of our fashion industry and popular culture encourages eating problems in our most vulnerable girls. 50% of teenage girls are on a diet.

Eating disorders are life threatening. They can cause dangerous weight loss, heart attacks, and ulceration of the esophagus. There are other negative health consequences that are equally serious.

These disorders are addictive disorders. The longer they go on, the more entrenched and difficult to treat they become. Because of this, early intervention is crucial.

What are parents to do? It is important for parents to educate themselves about anorexia and bulimia. Know what early symptoms look like. You can find lists of signs and symptoms at the Healing the Psyche Site.

Anorexia and bulimia have some symptoms in common, such as secretiveness and preoccupation with food. But each disorder has its own unique symptoms as well.

Do not deny the symptoms of an eating disorder, if you see them in your teenager. Talking to your teen may not be effective because of the extreme secretiveness and denial characteristic of these disorders. Take you teen for an assessment to a professional who specializes in working with adolescents and eating disorders; a psychotherapist (MFT, LCSW or PhD), a psychiatrist or a medical doctor. Special training and skills are needed to recognize these disorders and treat them.

Remember that early intervention is crucial. With effective treatment - counseling, nutritional work and psychiatric treatment - most eating disorders can be stopped.

You will find a wealth of information about community resources for the treatment of teen emotional problems on Healing the Psyche Site. Treatment centers, nutritionists, psychotherapists, medical doctors and psychiatrists all work with eating disorders. Usually a treatment team approach is the most effective.

Autor: Sandra Lessenden

Healing the Psyche is a great website that offers many parenting practical tips, such as school problems, eating disorders, parent-child communication, drug and alcohol prevention and general family management. The website is maintained by a Walnut Creek Marriage Family Therapist who specializes in family therapy and working with children in the schools.

Added: January 28, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Drunkorexia - A Funny Name For a Serious Problem

Drunkorexia is not an official medically recognized term, but it is a real phenomenon that medical experts are seeing more and more. Basically, drunkorexia is exactly what it sounds like: It's the combination of eating disorder behaviors with alcoholism or binge drinking. Because both types of illnesses are dangerous and potentially life-threatening, combining the two raises serious issues. Alcoholism makes the body more likely to react negatively to eating disorders, and eating disorder behaviors make the body more prone to dangerous alcohol-related consequences.

Forms of Drunkorexia

1. Compensating for alcohol calories: Many types of alcoholic beverages can be quite high in calories, and anyone already prone to eating disorders is likely to be well-aware of this. And if someone has, say, bulimia, he or she may be tempted to purge to get rid of these calories.

2. Alcohol as replacement for food: While alcohol can be high in calories, it tends to be lighter than food. As a result, some people with anorexia or bulimia compensate for their under-eating by consuming alcohol, which diminishes feelings of hunger.

3. Morning-after binge eating: On mornings after a heavy drinking session, some people with eating disorders will go on a huge eating binge to combat the hangover effects. In some cases, this tends to lead to feelings of guilt, followed by purging.

4. Double binging: For some people with drunkorexia, food binges and alcohol binges often go together. When the person is under a lot of stress or is experiencing emotional difficulties, binging on both food and alcohol may be a way to help forget their problems.

A Problem at College

Drunkorexia is especially prevalent on college campuses, which have always been hotbeds for both eating disorders and binge drinking. We tend to view drinking as a more-or-less normal part of the college experience, but what we forget is that there is a certain percentage of the population who, for whatever reason, is not capable of limiting their alcohol consumption. Some college kids can drink on the weekends and be fine the rest of the time, but others, who are more prone to alcoholism, tend to have trouble stopping.

Meanwhile, college is also a time when young people are coming into their own and reevaluating who they want to be and how they want to look. That's the major reason why eating disorders frequently occur in college. Many young people want to achieve the beauty ideal as quickly as possible, so they resort to self-destructive behaviors.

Multi-Front Treatment

When seeking treatment for drunkorexia, the most important thing is for the sufferer to receive care for both sides of the disorder. Because the two may be deeply intertwined, neglecting to treat one side of the problem may cause it to return later on with a vengeance. That's why the sufferer needs to speak up and be honest with his or her doctor about both problems. It's also good to have family involvement, to assure that the treatment professionals are providing complete care.

Autor: Rodney Ian

Rodney Ian is a web entrepreneur, writer, and contributing editor of the Meds Available website. To read more health articles like this one, or to submit your own, visit Rodney's site at http://medsavailable.com.

Added: January 26, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

People With Anorexia Can Develop Many Secondary Problems

The signs of anorexia are quite obvious as someone with this disorder usually looks abnormally thin. He or she may go to extreme measures to lose weight by:

Making her or himself throw up
Taking pills to urinate or have a bowel movement
Taking diet pills
Not eating or eating very little
Exercising a lot, even in bad weather or when hurt or tired
Weighing food and counting calories
Eating very small amounts of only certain foods
Moving food around the plate instead of eating it

People with anorexia may also have a distorted body image show by:

Thinking she or he is fat
Wearing baggy clothes
Weighing her or himself many times a day
Fearing weight gain

Anorexia also sometimes causes people to not act like her or himself. She or he may:

Talk about weight and food all the time
Not eat in front of others
Be moody or sad
Not want to go out with friends

People with anorexia may have other psychiatric and physical illnesses that include:

Depression
Anxiety
Obsessive behavior
Substance abuse
Issues with the heart and/or brain
Problems with physical development

When a person has anorexia the body does not get the energy from foods that it needs, so the body slows down:

Brain and Nerves can't think right, fear of gaining weight, sad, moody, irritable, bad memory, fainting, changes in brain chemistry
Hair thins and gets brittle
Heart has slow rate, low blood pressure, fluttering of the heart (palpitations), heart failure
Blood: anemia and other blood problems
Muscles, joints and bones: Weak muscles, swollen joints, bone loss, fractures, osteoporosis
Kidneys: Kidney stones, kidney failure
Body Fluids: Low potassium, magnesium, and sodium
Intestines: Constipation and bloating
Hormones: Periods stop, problems growing, trouble getting pregnant. If pregnant, higher risk for miscarriage, having a C-section, baby with low birth weight, and post partum depression
Skin: Bruise easily, dry skin, growth of fine hair all over body, get cold easily, yellow skin, nails get brittle.

Disclaimer: This article is for information only. Please consult a professional health care provider for all health problems. This article is not meant to diagnose or treat individuals.

Autor: Connie Limon

Written by: Connie Limon Please visit my website for more information about eating disorders at http://smalldogs2.com/EatingDisorders

Added: January 25, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Eating Disorders - Why Does My Bulimic Daughter Binge Or Purge?

One of the truths it is important to understand is that our thoughts lead to emotions, and our emotions then lead to behavior. What does this look like when your daughter binges and purges?

For example, your daughter goes to school and evaluates her worth based on body size and physical attractiveness. She looks at all the girls who are thin, blond and beautiful...which I hear often by the way. When she compares herself, she never measures up in her mind.

Her first thought may be, "I could never look like that." Deep down within however, she may have a thought that says, "Maybe you could, you just have to stop eating." Or "You could be thin if you throw up whatever you eat." Notice the response to the first thought is not necessarily hers. It is in the third person and is commonly called ED for eating disorder.

Before we get too far down the chain of thoughts though, let's look at the emotion that follows that very first thought. "I could never look like that," could evoke many different emotions. For example: shame, disgust, disappointment, rejection, fear, hurt and depression are just a few. So first comes the thought, then the emotion.

In this situation she may feel rejected and disgust toward herself after the initial thought. Part of the problem is she does not know what to do or how to handle these emotions and that is why she turns to eating disorder behavior. It is a good distraction and it is more comfortable and within her control to think about how to avoid the next meal or plan where she can purge.

The behavior is in the planning stage because she is thinking and experiencing emotions that lead to the binge and/or purging behavior. The binge/purge does not happen in a manner of minutes like your daughter may believe. It can begin at any point, follow a familiar chain of thoughts and emotions and culminate in the eating disordered behavior.

The goal then is to identify the thoughts and emotions that lead to the binge/purge and to intervene as early as possible. Once the thoughts and emotions are identified, your daughter will learn she has more power, control and choice over her behavior than she realizes.

Autor: Lynn A Moore

Do you want to learn more about eating disorders?

If so, download my free e-book "Eating Disorder Basics for Parents" 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: January 24, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Binge Eating and Its Negative Affects

I know there are lots of people out there (myself included) who overeat on some occasions. I think everyone if guilty of this once in a while (think Thanksgiving). For many people though, overeating is a regular occurrence due to many factors, one of which is depression. Binge eating on a regular basis is actually a disorder that can have long-term negative effects on your health. People who binge eat feel a compulsion to do this and can't resist the urges. Binge eating is actually the most common eating disorder there is. To give you an example of binge eating compared to regular eating take a look at this:

A normal diet consists of 1,500-3,000 calories per day A binge diet can consist of 10,000-20,000 calories per day

Unless you exercise as much as Michael Phelps you should be nowhere near 10,000 calories per day. Eating this many calories per day can lead to gaining weight extremely quickly which can do a lot of damage to your organs, especially your heart. Typically binges do not last all day. In reality, they typically last about 2 hours. But just take a look at how many calories you can consume on a typical day binge eating is involved. Here are some behavioral and emotional signs and symptoms of binge eating:

Eating large amounts of food

Eating even when you're full

Eating rapidly during binge episodes

Feeling that your eating behavior is out of control

Depression

Anxiety

Frequent dieting without weight loss

Frequently eating alone

Hoarding food

Hiding empty food containers

Feeling depressed, disgusted or upset about your eating

No one knows what exactly causes a binge eating disorder but some factors include:

Biological. Biological vulnerability may play a role in developing binge-eating disorder. Both genes and brain chemicals may be involved. In addition, researchers are studying appetite regulation of the central nervous system for clues, along with gastrointestinal changes that might shed light on causes.

Psychological. Psychological and emotional characteristics may also contribute to the condition. You may have low self-worth and trouble controlling impulsive behaviors, managing moods or expressing anger.

Sociocultural. Modern Western culture often cultivates and reinforces a desire for thinness. Although most people who have binge-eating disorder are overweight, they're acutely aware of their body shape and appearance and berate themselves after eating binges. Some people with binge-eating disorder have a history of being sexually abused. If you suffer from binge eating and find you can't control it I strongly urge you seek medical advice. This can lead to serious health conditions if it isn't treated which includes high blood pressure, gastrointestinal problems, anxiety, heart disease, stroke, and many other conditions..

Autor: Ronald Cheli

Added: January 22, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Anorexia Nervosa - Symptoms and Treatments

Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder in which a person drastically limits the amount of food that he or she eats. This limiting of food intake can result in starvation, as well as an inability to remain at the minimum body weight considered healthy for the person's age and height.

People with anorexia nervosa usually have an intense fear of weight gain, even when they are not overweight, or are underweight. The combination of not eating enough food and exercising too much can result in severe weight loss.

While genetics and unrealistic views of body type may play a role, the exact cause of anorexia is unknown. However, anorexia seems to be more common among people who have relatives with the disorder. Anorexia nervosa is more common in females and usually occurs in adolescence or in young adults.

Some of the symptoms of anorexia may include:

Fine, limp hair

Depression

Extreme sensitivity to cold temperatures

Low blood pressure

Confusion or poor memory

Poor dental health (cavities)

Loss of body fat and muscle

Blotchy skin

People with anorexia may exhibit unusual behaviors such as quickly eating large amounts of food, going to the restroom right after meals, exercising excessively, and using laxatives or enemas to lose weight.

Treatment

Perhaps the biggest challenge in treating anorexia nervosa is in getting the person to recognize that he or she has an eating disorder. The goals of treatment are to first restore the person to normal body weight and normal eating habits, and then to address the psychological issues that go along with the eating disorder. The mental aspect of anorexia is perhaps the most difficult bridge to cross, however, it is the light at the end of the tunnel. Hypnosis has been shown to be helpful in this area, using the power of suggestion to cause a shift in the anorexia sufferer's way of thinking. In addition, psychological counseling may be needed. As always, consult your physician before beginning any type of treatment.

Autor: M. A. Rose

Anorexia Natural Treatment - Discover Alternative Remedies and Treatments that are Safe and Effective, Plus Wellness Tips to Help You Live a Better Life.

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Added: January 20, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

How to Cure a New Generation Disease - Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is an extreme condition of mind under which the concerning individuals are internally compelled to feel that they are getting overweight; consequently, they consume nominal food or at times skip meals. Initially, the individuals begin with normal dieting but with the passage of time as weight reduces, the desire to lose more pounds arises.

There are many factors that influence the human mind to switch from healthy dieting to full-fledge anorexia nervosa. For most of the individuals, self-starvation is the best way to control body weight. Hence, persons suffering from anorexia feel weak and are unable to control their abnormal dieting behaviors.

Unfortunately, anorexic people believe that their lives and health will be better, if they lose more weight. Hence, they feel good about themselves. But they are totally unaware of the fact that no dieting or weight loss can mend the negative self-image that has been created in their mind. Finally, anorexia leads to physical damage, emotional pain, and isolation.

But thanks to treatment centers that ensure successful treatment of anorexia nervosa. Primarily, the objective of anorexia treatment is to re-establish the individuals' body weight by giving them medicines along with balanced and nutritious diet. Since, many people refuse to accept the problem, therefore, along with medical treatment, they also need psychiatric treatment.

For the better treatment, there are a few treatment centers that provide 24x7 patient care services such as:

- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Cognitive behavior therapy
- Nutritional counseling
- Meditation therapy
- Recreation therapy
- Relapse prevention
- Aftercare

Hence, people suffering from anorexia can directly contact anorexia treatment centers and get treated on time. The sooner you identify your problem, the easier it is for you to recover.

Autor: Saurabh Porwal

For more information regarding: anorexia treatment and alcoholism treatment center; please visit: Womenstreatmentprogram.com

Added: January 18, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

3 Natural Eating Disorder Treatments You Can Do Today

You can blame it on society's evolving standards of beauty. Perhaps some people are just too pressured with their environment to perform or look a certain way. The bottom line is this: we are responsible for our own actions and decisions, and the moment we realize that, more and more people will slowly shift their thinking to achieving a healthier form or figure rather than envying what other people have. That is the greatest concern today as more people become obsessed with food and their bodily image. It is no wonder that the rate of people suffering from eating disorders are growing daily. Alarming as this may seem, we cannot overlook the bottom line previously mentioned, and that is it is all about perception. Once we get the wrong thinking out of the way, our society can slowly recover from the growing pains brought by pressure of looking a certain way.

This may seem pretty easy, but it s not. However, this does not also mean we always have to resort to seeking professional guidance for eating disorder treatment. Although in some extreme cases, professional intervention may help profoundly, it is still advised that we try the most natural interventions of all. Here are some ideas for naturally treating eating disorders.

1. Counseling Again, this does not have to be professionally done. You could help a friend or family member by allowing the person to discuss eating habits and self-esteem issues with you with a guarantee of confidentiality. This eating disorder treatment will certainly help the person unravel the reason behind his or her eating habits and you could help this person by listening and supporting him or her towards recovery. It is important that you know what to say or do prior to approaching the person, so reading about eating disorders would help prior to your conversation.
2. Nutritional and Exercise Programs Nutrition and exercise plays a big part in the person s healing process. We all know that with a proper and balanced diet, we can lose or gain and maintain a normal and healthy weight. Exercise helps bring out endorphins which keep the person happy and stress free. With a combination of these two, we could help those suffering from eating disorders to shift their thought towards being healthy rather than obsess about food and achieving others benchmark of the perfect body figure.
3. Support groups It always helps to involve the community in the faster recovery of the person suffering from eating disorders. There is no better eating disorder treatment than to have a supportive group made up of people who either have gone through the same experience and has recovered from the disorder or loved ones who are willing to help. Friends and families of the person suffering from food and body obsession make the most helpful group of people to uplift and encourage the person to recovery. Also, we could encourage the person to join groups of people who have been through the cracks and have risen above their illness to give light to others.

Autor: Jeffry Ryan

After years of struggling to control my eating disorder I found a treatment that worked. I am now trying to share this brilliant method with the world.

Added: January 16, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

5 Things You Need to Know About Eating Disorder Treatments

Some people make fun of stories about a lot of teenage girls or even adult women who suffer from this physical and psychological disease involving obsessive compulsion to eat excessively and purge. The growing fascination for a stick thin body is recently at its most alarming rate with young women dying from the lack of eating disorder treatment. This is further aggravated by society s blatant attempt to dismiss the growing number of people suffering from the disorder. Eating disorders should not be taken for granted and if you have friends and family whom you suspect may be suffering from this condition, it is time to intervene.

But before you do, you need to know some basic truths about eating disorders and the possible intervention that could help your friend or family member recuperate from either bulimia or anorexia nervosa.

1. Not all people suffering from an eating disorder are underweight. Other signs might be exhibited and you need to know what these are. There are the physical signs such as wounds and cuts in the middle as well as the forefinger. Consequently, a person who continuously purges after she eats may have ulcer or hyperacidity. Some behavioral symptom along with these signs is the constant obsession about her weight and bodily image. The person may also be a little too secretive about what she eats and may keep to herself after meals. Knowing these signs will help you determine which eating disorder she has and what possible treatment may be done.
2. Helping a loved one and seeking eating disorder treatment may pose as a challenge so you need to be equipped in handling objections and tantrums. You need to be very understanding as the person may go through a time of denial before finally admitting that she has this compulsion.
3. Seeking professional help is a good thing if the person does not want to talk to you or a family member. Counselors and therapists are prepared to listen, answer questions and they are equipped with counseling strategies to help unveil the cause behind the eating disorder. You can encourage the person to seek professional guidance as a last resort.
4. Taking care of the person s nutrition requirements and exercise plans would be the next best step in treating this disorder. Encourage the person that a healthy body is much better than what society demands of them to look like. You can go through the entire course with them and eat the same meals as well as buddy up in working out. That way, the person knows that she is not alone in battling this sickness.
5. Having a support group greatly helps in establishing that the person is not alone through her struggles. The primary support group in an eating disorder treatment should be her family. Next, you can find people who have the same experience and have recovered from an eating disorder. The person needs to gain the confidence and see that she can get through this. Seeing friendly faces as well as hearing from people who have recovered can boost the confidence level of the person and convince her that she is not powerless.

Autor: Jeffry Ryan

After years of struggling to control my eating disorder I found a treatment that worked. I am now trying to share this brilliant method with the world.

Added: January 15, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Bulimia Nervosa and Breaking the Cycle of Overeating and Purging

Bulimia nervosa is the eating disorder that deals with overeating. This usually leads to feelings of guilt and discomfort. In order to ease these feelings, the person suffering from this eating disorder purges by vomiting and using laxatives in order to get rid of the excess calories brought about by overeating. Bulimia nervosa is a serious condition as all eating disorders are because it is not only the physical condition of the person suffering from this disorder that is affected but the mind as well because of the extreme guilt and shame brought about by disorder. The episodes of uncontrollable need to eat may not be easy to overcome for the person suffering from bulimia and because most persons going through this kind of eating disorder become ashamed of what they do, they go through great lengths to hide their overeating and purging at all cost.

Because of the uncontrollable want to consume more food, people suffering from bulimia nervosa usually go through crash diets which only make them want to eat even more Because they restrict themselves from eating, what happens is that they succumb to overeating once the urge begins. When the person with bulimia decides to eat, the tendency is for them to feel as though they are total failures and they resolve to purge so as to make up for eating too much. In this case, purging becomes the way out for the person with the disorder as soon as another episode of overeating starts. They usually think that because they can make themselves lose the extra calories by purging it, they tend to lose their control over themselves even more.

Bulimia is commonly caused by poor body image, low self-esteem, dieting, major life changes, and biological factors. People with bulimia need professional help to overcome their unusual habit of overeating. The eating disorder treatment that is advised for this eating disorder involves the process of psychotherapy. The usual treatment choice for bulimia is the cognitive-behavior therapy which triggers the unhealthy eating habits and the negative thoughts that accompanies it. The eating disorder treatment for bulimia consists of breaking the cycle of bingeing and purging and changing unhealthy patterns based on weight.

In the phase of breaking the cycle of overeating and purging, the eating disorder treatment by therapy allows the restoration of normal eating patterns by stopping the vicious cycle of bingeing and purging. People suffering from bulimia learn to monitor their eating habits and avoid situations that may cause them to overeat again. When it comes to changing unhealthy thoughts and patterns pertaining to one s weight, the person is taught to explore the connection between eating and self-worth so as to get rid of the idea that everything about them refers to how much they weigh and what their body looks like. Interpersonal and family therapy can also be helpful for people going through this eating disorder. This is because the support coming from family members and friends can help resolve their interpersonal issues and may help them overcome it.

Bulimia is a condition that needs immediate treatment. For people undergoing this kind of eating disorder, the help and acceptance of the family and friends are very important While most people undergoing bulimia needs constant reassurance because of the guilt and shame they feel because of overeating, it is also important to seek medical and professional help to overcome their condition.

Autor: Jeffry Ryan

After years of struggling to control my eating disorder I found a treatment that worked. I am now trying to share this brilliant method with the world.

Added: January 13, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

10 Steps to Stop Emotional Eating

Emotional eating can add pounds and snacking is emotional eating. Resist the urge to add prepackaged snack foods like potato chips, ice cream or chocolate bars to the pantry. It's bad for you and it's bad for your children. Nibbling on snack food is hard to resist when sitting watching TV in the evenings, but there are lots of replacement foods that can be just as enjoyable, even for those who aren't trying to loose weight. Below are some tips that might help you cut down on emotional eating.

- Keep a glass of water in your hand when watching television. Water is important when trying to lose weight. It's cleansing and filling. It will lessen the cravings for snack food.

- Popcorn without the butter is a great replacement for potato chips or tortilla chips.

- Sliced vegetables like carrots, radishes or celery will give you that crunch you're used to when eating potato chips.

- Fresh fruits like oranges, apples, bananas will staunch the cravings for sweets.

- Dried fruits are also good snack foods, but don't overdo it. There are still sugars in dried fruits and because the pieces are small, there might be a tenancy to eat more.

- Blueberries are high in antioxidants and should be eaten by anyone hoping to loose weight.

- A handful of nuts is actually good for you.

- Don't be afraid to eat dry cereal as snack food at night. Choose only cereals with the lowest calories, preferably whole grain and sugar free.

- Don't give in to pre-packaged "healthy" snack food. These foods offer very little in the way of nutrients and they do contain sugars in the preservatives. Read the labels carefully. Whole and natural food has more to offer in the way of goodness.

- Taste your healthy snacks. Eat them slowly and enjoy them. Most people make the mistake of eating them to fast and not enjoying them or either putting a huge amount on their fork and having it all at once. If you eat to fast, you will want another snack soon but if you eat slow, you will not want a snack for hours.

Snacking is a hard habit to give up, but by making the adjustment slowly, replacing the potato chips a few nights per week with carrot sticks, cereal or popcorn, will make the complete change easier. You can not do this with having a negative attitude, you must know that you can lose weight and it begins with knowing you can and you will.

Autor: Eric L Knouse

Eric has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in diet, fitness and weight loss, you can also check out his latest website which provides great laptop deals.

Added: January 11, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Bulimia Effects on Intimate and Sexual Relationships

Bulimia affects many areas of a sufferer's life. One of the most affected is the area of relationships (especially intimate and sexual relationships).

The latest research found that:

- People with bulimia have insecure attachments to partners.
- Have poor quality or absent intimate relationships.
- Experience self-silencing, self-consciousness during sexual activity.
- Bulimic women attempt to change themselves trying to meet the perceived expectations of their partners.
- Bulimics often have a negative attitude to their partners and feel that they always attract a wrong person.
- Some bulimics completely avoid intimate relationships and substitute them with their bulimia.
- Many believe that if they had to choose between bulimia and an intimate partner, they would choose bulimia.

Why all these happen?

The answer probably would be that bulimia as a mental state is based on feelings of emotional secrecy, guilt, shame and anxiety. All these negative feelings override the emotions on which stable intimate relationships are built. It is obvious to everyone that it is impossible to create loving relationships out of guilty and shameful feelings.

Many sufferers treat their partners in the same way they relate to food and eating: unrealistically. They can literally "binge" on their relationships, having numerous partners and being promiscuous for some time but later on "purge" them up by being intolerable, rejecting, blaming everyone and ruin the good relationships they once had.

Refusing to grow up is also an important component of this illness. By changing her body and stopping her menstruation (a condition known as amenorrhea) the woman regresses to childhood and avoids the challenges of normal adults (this includes relationships, sex, having children and holding a job).
Some patients manage to get married and have children but their relationships don't bring them the proper satisfaction they normally expect from marriage. This can happen for a number of reasons:

1. Bulimics are unhappy with themselves.
2. Because of their insecurities and feelings of guilt they may attract a person with psychological problems also (insecure, unstable and addicted to something).
3. The addiction to binge and purge can go so far that it becomes unmanageable and their marriage can finish because of it.

Co-existing personality disorders and other mental illnesses also play the role in what bulimics do with their relationships. It is not uncommon when people with bulimia have obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, panic disorders, self-mutilation, alcoholism, drug addiction and other.

Having co-existing illness is an added complication for them developing intimate relationships even more so, often making it impossible to begin and/or sustain any relationships?
What is a solution for all of this?

By directing the person's attention away food, weight, body image and quieting the brain from "useless clatter "is a great first step to helping bulimics overcome their affliction.
Another way is to work with the subconscious mind of the patient, remove the subconscious blockages that caused the bulimia in the first place. They have to substitute bad bulimic feelings with positive constructive behaviours.

By doing this sufferers are able to revive their existing relationships which have turned sour due to their bulimia, or acquire new positive and healthy relationships with the person they like.

Conclusion: First and foremost the bulimic has to take a step back and realise that it is the bulimia that is destroying their chances of having a full and satisfying relationship.
Being sneaky and secretive about their bulimia is not conducive to having a successful relationship. Blaming their inadequacies on their partners and looking for the easy way out so they can continue with their erratic behaviour, will not help.

The sufferer has to start to consciously identify their feelings and analyse them to see if it is the bulimia that is talking. If it is then they have to dismiss it immediately and change these thoughts to better more positive ones.
Like: instead of thinking about all the negative things about their partner, think of all the good points they have.
The bulimic has to break their conceived pre-programming or the subconscious blockages that are holding them back. Mindful awareness has the best result in reprogramming the subconscious mind.

Autor: Irina Webster

Dr Irina Webster MD is a recognised authority in the eating disorders area. She is an author of a best-selling book "Cure Your Eating Disorder: 5 Step Program to Change Your Brain". To read more about eating disorders and mindfulness go to http://www.eating-disorders-books.com

Added: January 9, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Anorexia - What Role Does Anxiety Play in Your Daughters Eating Disorder?

Most parents have difficulty understanding what is going on in their daughters mind and why they would starve themselves, binge and/or purge. When you don't have an eating disorder it is not easy to grasp why these thoughts and fears are so strong and why it is so hard to change them.

There are multiple layers to understanding your daughter, and the emotion of anxiety is an important one. When she has the thought that if she eats a particular food she will get fat, the emotion that follows is anxiety and the resulting behavior is avoidance of that food.

Avoidance is a coping skill that works for her and relieves her of anxiety at least in the short term. The problem is the more she uses the avoidance, the more reinforced that coping skill of avoidance becomes because it relieves her of anxiety she does not otherwise know how to deal with.

This then becomes habitual to avoid any feelings of discomfort and anxiety. This particular food takes on increasing power to frighten her and she will avoid it at any cost. That is why when you are sitting at the table she asks if there is butter in the recipe, because she has placed it on her forbidden food list and this rule cannot be broken. If the rule is broken she will feel extreme anxiety.

Her thought and belief is that if she avoids this particular food she is safe; she will not get fat. The other belief is that if she does not eat it she will not feel anxious or scared. There is really little to no incentive initially to face her fear and eat the forbidden food because to do so would mean her worst fear will come true. Avoidance of anxiety becomes one of her primary goals, food causes her anxiety, and over time more and more foods are added to her forbidden list.

So the thought, "This will make me fat," plus the emotion of anxiety results in avoidance of any unsafe food. It is a vicious cycle that can only be changed when she faces her fears about eating the food on her forbidden list. Most girls need the help of a nutritionist who can help them develop a meal plan that includes these unacceptable foods. The nutritionist can also provide accountability that your daughter needs to actually try the foods she fears.

You need to learn how to coach her through these times when she does finally face these fears. Her anxiety will be overwhelming and she will fight to keep her rules that give her safety from anxiety and weight gain.

Autor: Lynn A Moore

Do you want to learn more about eating disorders? If so, download my free e-book "Eating Disorder Basics for Parents" 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: January 7, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Dealing With Emotional Eating Day by Day

Emotional eating or eating with your feelings will hinder your weight loss management. People who are trying to lose weight need to get to the root of why they are prone to emotional eating. If they can get passed this urge, they stand a better chance of losing the weight and keeping it off.

Most of the time, the urge to eat something has little to do with being hungry. And with emotional eating, those urges are cravings for foods that do little in the way of adding nutrition. They are comfort foods like potato chips or ice cream. When emotions take precedence, no other food will curb that need. It doesn't take much to trigger the urge either, and this is what makes losing weight so difficult.

Emotional eating adds pounds which only causes more emotional eating, and if the person doesn't get to the root of it, she will never be satisfied with her weight. Self-esteem will drop and she won't like herself very much. The feeling of guilt after every piece of cake will only bring on more emotional eating.

Emotional eaters need to get to the root of their problems. They need to discover the reasons for those urges. And those reasons vary from one person to another.

Keep a diary that includes how you feel that day and why you feel that way, as well as what you've eaten. In time you'll notice on good days, your food intake may be less. Or the bad food intake may be less. The pattern it reveals will help you recognize your urges.

Once you've recognized when those urges arise, you may be able to find another way to relieve it, like taking a walk, deep breathing, drinking a glass water. Do something that involves working with your hands. Anything that will divert your attention from the need for food.

Keep healthy alternatives in your food pantry. Don't shop on emotional days or on an empty stomach. If you do, your cart will be full of comfort foods.

Don't feel guilty when you slip up. It happens to everyone. Focus instead on a thinner, healthier you. Stay positive. Smile and stay active even on days you don't feel like smiling or moving. Don't validate the emotions with food, but validate them by working through them. Know they're there and you'll have a better chance of losing the weight and keeping it off.

Autor: Eric L Knouse

Eric has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in diet, fitness and weight loss, you can also check out his latest website which provides desktop pc deals.

Added: January 5, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Food Addiction Rescue Plan - Part One

One of the problems with food addiction is that it is a very personal compulsion. Unlike drugs, alcohol, or even cigarettes, food is necessary to the body's survival. That makes it unique in the world of addiction.

Cravings for any food can start at any time at any age for any reason. One thing holds true for everyone though. The cravings are real and there is always stress involved.

Which foods do you turn to when you get stressed out? Is it candy or chocolate or a bear claw or potato chips or ice cream? These are among the top choices for immediate relief from a food addiction assault.

But this is not the time to fight fire with fire. Whichever foods you crave when you find yourself unable to soothe your stress by any means other than eating are the foods you'll want to avoid.

What do I mean by avoiding them? Do not keep them in your house, or your car or some hidden spot where you can get to them in a hurry. Do not worry about substituting something healthier unless it is an activity not related to food.

Unlike with other addictions, food cravings pass eventually. If you have to drive to a store to buy the food you crave instead of reaching in the glove compartment or a secret compartment in your purse or briefcase, the craving will often pass before you can give in to it.

After all, it is the stressful emotional tension that creates the food cravings. When the tension lessens, there is an excellent chance that the food cravings will also weaken.

When an emotional trigger event strikes and the addictive feelings overwhelm you, you won't have time to think about what you should do next. Don't panic. If you have prepared a Food Addiction Rescue Plan and have it in place, you'll know exactly what to do.

Autor: Bernadette Greggory

An estimated 8 million Americans - seven million women and one million men - suffer from an eating disorder of some kind. If you want to learn more about food addictions and how to overcome them, click http://www.nomorefoodaddictions.com for a free e-book to get you started.

Added: January 4, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Anorexia Nervosa in Teenagers

During puberty, physical and psychological changes occur within the body through the activation of the hpothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, that induces and enhances the progressive ovarian and testicular sex hormones to which teenagers are subjected.

Teenagers explore and easily attract towards the changing trends of life- styles of the society.They provoke and imitate to the elegant images of models and their favourite movie characters with adorable body figures, hair cuts, and dressing sense. Some of them prevail the issue of body image to an extent,that it accomplish to psychiatric disorder known as anorexia nervosa.

Anorexia nervosa represents with eating disorder, often inadequate eating rather than loss of appetite.Those predisposing to such an illness, usually suffer from low self-esteem. They have poor opinion about themselves. They desire to have slim body, and so in order to maintain low weight eat less, than they would normally do.They have urge to eat,however suppress the hunger and undergo starvation. Some even follow weight control methods, such as, inducing vomiting,use of laxatives or diuretics to reduce body weight. Some believe doing excessive exercise, burns off the calories.

Anorexia nervosa is more commonly seen in females, almost 95%,than males.The effect of this condition manifests on psychological and bilogical constituents. Psychologically, they have difficulties in dealing with emotional issues,and try to cope by avoidance,or not interacting with others.They get easily irritated and upset. They show other psychological disorder problems, such as, mood disorder, anxiety disorder, and personality disorders.

Eating less have adverse effect on the body functions. Low haemoglobin and low count of calcium attenuate defensive mechanism of the body,and increase risk to infections. Abdominal pain and constipation are common complaints. Due to use of laxatives, and frequent vomiting,there is high risk of electrolyte imbalance.Sleep disturbance results in fatigue. Amenorrhoea is the cause of low levels of pituitary hormone, luteinising hormone,and follicular stimulating hormone required for normal menstruation.

Individuals suffering from anorexia nervosa deny to seek professional help, because thay consider having no problem with them. However, they need comprehensive approach of treatment,invoving medical care, diet and nutritional advise, and mental health care counselling.

Autor: Vidya Sankanna

Added: January 2, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Anorexia - How to Deal With it

Anorexia is thought of by most people as a funny and preposterous. Some anorexic patients are thought of as crazy because of the many ways that they try to avoid becoming "fat." Some anorexics eat pieces of paper or anything that is not even supposed to be edible. Although it may seem crazy, this disease is a serious matter. These people need help.

The best thing to do about people suffering from this disease is to deal with the root of the problems. If somebody you know or love is suffering from anorexia, here are a few tips that are aimed to help you deal with it:

1. You have to make sure that they get enough fiber. Fibrous kinds of food like oatmeal, fruits, vegetables and whole wheat products help regulate digestion if eaten regularly.
2. You have to make sure that they are getting the right amount of magnesium in their systems. It helps relieve stress and prevent their anxiety over their weight. Magnesium is usually found in health food stores.
3. You also have to make sure that they are getting their required daily vitamin intake. A chemical balance in their body would go a long way to making them normal again. The primary vitamins such as B, E and Zinc should be taken regularly.
4. Lastly, you need to make sure that they consume more sugar than usual. Although it is not advisable that you give them too much, you have to increase the normal amount taken by the body.

The above practical tips should in no way be taken as a medical professional advice. It is always imperative that the patient suffering from anorexia should regularly consult a doctor. With the right support group always at hand, the anorexic patient can be on the road to recovery.

Autor: Clade Johnson

You can learn more about Clade's http://15yearmortgagerates.org/ and new Pontoon Boat Parts by visiting his websites.

Added: January 1, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/