Overview

An eating disorder is a compulsion to eat, or avoid eating, that negatively affects both one's physical and mental health. Eating disorders are all encompassing. They affect every part of the person's life. According to the authors of Surviving an Eating Disorder, "feelings about work, school, relationships, day-to-day activities and one's experience of emotional well being are determined by what has or has not been eaten or by a number on a scale." Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the most common eating disorders generally recognized by medical classification schemes, with a significant diagnostic overlap between the two. Together, they affect an estimated 5-7% of females in the United States during their lifetimes. There is a third type of eating disorder currently being investigated and defined - Binge Eating Disorder. This is a chronic condition that occurs when an individual consumes huge amounts of food during a brief period of time and feels totally out of control and unable to stop their eating. It can lead to serious health conditions such as morbid obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.

Monday, January 4, 2010

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/

Posted by admin at 1:10 PM

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