Anorexia Tips.......................................

The most consistently serious medical problems of any psychological disorder are brought about by anorexia nervosa. Anorexia involves a struggle with food intake which is obviously necessary for the body to function. Thus, inadequate food intake causes the human body to be frail and to suffer in many ways.

Anorexia and its effects to the digestive system

It is not surprising to find out if the digestive system is affected by anorexia. After all, anorexia as an eating disorder involves little food entering the body. It creates problems with the digestive system since the body forgets how to digest food and eliminate wastes. A disruption of bodily processes on digestion and elimination can lead to constipation and abdominal distress.

Anorexia and its effects in the cardiovascular system

The heart is a muscle that requires constant replenishment. When the body is subjected to starvation then the body will respond by using the body’s muscles including the heart as supply for energy. It means that the heart itself changes and becomes less able to do its job. It is common for people with anorexia that the heart beats at an abnormally slow rate. The blood pressure, in turn, can become dangerously low. As heart rate slows and blood pressure drops then the risk of heart failure is very likely. Shock and irregular heartbeats can also be manifestations of anorexia.

Restriction of food intake is associated to restricting the intake of ferrous sulfate or iron. Thus, the body develops iron deficiency or anemia. The presence of anemia makes it difficult for blood to deliver oxygen to different parts of the body. This deficiency leads to fatigue and shortness of breath as well as prone to infections and heart palpitations.

Orthostatic hypotension is a possible symptom of anorexia because of a poorly functioning cardiovascular system. It is a sudden drop in blood pressure upon standing and sitting up including dizziness, passing out, blurred vision, headaches, and a pounding heart.

Anorexia and its effects to bones and muscles

There is a clear link between anorexia and osteoporosis or a severe loss of bone density. It is a consequence of inadequate calcium and vitamin D. Bones become dry and brittle when they lose mass thus making broken bones more likely. People with anorexia often have amenorrhea or the absence of menstrual cycle. Amenorrhea also increases the risk of significant loss of bone density which makes a 16-year-old student having bones as fragile as those of her 79-year-old grandmother.

When the heart as a muscle undergoes atrophy then there is a significant loss of physical strength. An inadequate intake of calories, vitamins, and minerals can also lead to impairment of the nervous system and its ability to relay commands to the muscles. Overall, atrophy of muscles means a loss of general body control.

Anorexia and its effects on the reproductive system

A female body requires a certain amount of energy to maintain a menstrual cycle. Without enough nutrition, a woman’s menstrual cycle stop or known as amenorrhea. It makes a woman unable to get pregnant. If ever a woman with anorexia is pregnant before she lost her cycle then it is less likely for her to reach a successful full term pregnancy on continued malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies. Consequences of anorexia that become more common are miscarriage, stillbirth, and chronic illness of death in children who are born.

Anorexia and its effects to the damage to the kidneys

The kidney is harmed when dehydration and a lack of vitamins to remove toxins from the body and maintain water balance. Kidneys are also placed at risk when there is low blood pressure. It is possible for kidneys to suffer permanent damage or to shut down completely under these conditions.

Anorexia and dangerous electrolyte problems

Nerve impulses require electrolytes for transmission between the brain and the rest of the body. When a person becomes dehydrated and malnourished then electrolyte gets out of balance especially lack of potassium. This deficiency leads to problems with everything from teeth to oxygen delivery to problems with the function of internal organs. The heart mainly depends on impulses from the brain for regulation. When there is electrolyte imbalance, it leads to cardiac arrhythmia which is one of the leading causes of death in eating disorders.

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Anorexia is a life threatening eating disorder that could take years to complete recovery. The path to self “rediscovery” is synonymous to the concept of recovery from anorexia. It takes a lot of support from family, friends, and community to overcome anorexia. Find out more on how to love yourself to overcome the battle with anorexia.

Anorexics often reports the advantages of complementing medical care with anorexia self help approaches. You can defeat anorexia nervosa with a combination of medical and psychological interventions. The thought of fighting the war against anorexia is a stressful health issue that can be resolved with the following strategies.

Healing the physical aspect

Anorexia nervosa can cause the most consistently serious medical problems of any psychological disorder. Food is substantially necessary for the body to function thus the absence or inadequate of food intake can yield numerous health problems such as digestive problems, weakened cardiovascular system, muscle and bone problems, reproductive system problems, kidney damage, dangerously low electrolyte levels, weakened immune system from starvation, dry skin, brittle nails, fragile, dry hair, and growth of “lanugo” or a soft layer of hair all over the body as an attempt to keep the body warm. It is important to undergo a series of laboratory tests and consult a physician on the current health status of an anorexic. In this way, nutrition counseling can be undertaken to determine the extent of the damage and possible medical intervention deemed best and suitable.

Negative body image

Anorexia perceives food to be a negative factor that contributes to a negative body image. Cognitive therapy can be used as a way to help you take control of your thought processes. Once you think food as indispensable nourishment then the healing process is initiated. Changing the behavior is a great challenge as a mind inclined to think of negative body image associated to food.

Eating disorders such as anorexia can be overcome when medical and psychological problems are addressed. Behavioral interventions are also needed to rehabilitate people with anorexia. There are complex thought that work on many different levels resulting to eating disorders. The self help plan you select should complement the medical and psychological interventions designed by your physician and psychiatrist. The sublimal mind is taped to deal with unreasoning behaviors where they start to from.

Psychological aspect

There is an undiscerning physique perception which is most often negative and exaggerated fat body image that most anorexics think they are. Even when they are stick thin, they strive to lose more weight. Self hypnosis is an illusory beam which can produce glorious results. It enables participants to daydream about themselves and replacing impractical images in a mind’s eye. When participants see themselves realistically then a reduction is expected to occur and gradually break the disastrous patterns of behavior.

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Anorexia is one of the eating disorders that involve extreme disturbances in eating behavior. Eating disorders involve distorted and self critical perceptions about weight, food, and body image. An anorexic has negative thoughts and feelings that serve as motivations for these damaging behaviors.

What is anorexia nervosa?

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by an illogical fear of becoming fat along with a relentless obsession of thinness. Anorexic people can go to extremes to possibly reach and maintain a life-threatening low body weight. The weight they lost does not matter thus the more the weighing scale dips, the more obsessed they become with food, dieting, and weight loss.

The main features of anorexia nervosa are:
1. intense fear of weight gain even being underweight
2. refusal to sustain a minimal and normal body weight
3. distorted body image or denies the dangers of a low weight

Two types of anorexia have been classified namely the restricting type and the purging type. Weight loss is achieved by caloric restriction for the restricting type such as drastic diets, fasting, and excessive exercise. The purging type eliminates calories they have eaten with the use of laxatives and diuretics or by vomiting.

Teenagers and young adults are most susceptible on having negative view on body image thus succumbing to the dangers of anorexia. They worry about their weight, what they eat, and how they look. The extra pressure of looking attractive and the extra pressure when their bodies are undergoing changes also pose risks of developing anorexia.

Warning signs and symptoms of anorexia

Anorexia is a serious condition that causes both emotional and physical damage. These people suffering from anorexia can be experts on hiding the problem. You can watch out for signs suggesting someone who can also be yourself for suffering with anorexia.

The early stage of anorexia is hard to define the differences between an eating disorder and normal self-consciousness, weight concerns, or dieting. A progressive and long time eating disorder makes it easier to spot.

Restricting food or dieting

Perhaps the most obvious warning sign of anorexia is restrictive eating behaviors. Be particularly wary when a family member or friend skip meals or make excuses to avoid eating. She or he may have excuses such as not being hungry, already eaten a big meal, or has an upset stomach. When he or she does eat, that person tend to obsessively count calories, read food labels, at only specific low-calorie foods, and weigh portions. A worst case scenario is when diet pills, prescription stimulants such as Ritalin or Adderall, or even illegal drugs are taken by an anorexic to speed up weight loss.

Bingeing

Some anorexics may eat normally around other people but binge in secret. They usually binge late at night or in a private place where they won’t be disturbed or discovered. The warning signs of bingeing include hidden stashes of high-calorie foods such as junk food and desserts, empty food packages and wrappers, or cleaned out refrigerators and cupboards.

Purging

Another way of drastic measures of an anorexic is to purge out from a binge or from a regular meal or snack. They purge by fasting, throwing, exercising vigorously or taking laxatives or diuretics.
The warning signs of purging include disappearing right after a meal or making frequent trips to the comfort room. They mask out the sound of vomit by turning on the faucet then use mouthwash, breath mint, or perfume to disguise the smell of “vomit breath.”

Distorted body image and altered appearance

By inspection of the physical appearance of a person, it can offer clues to an underlying eating disorder. Possible warning signs are significant weight loss, rapid weight gain, and constantly fluctuating weight. Other warning signs include a distorted self image or an obsessive preoccupation with weight.

When anorexia goes on unchecked, the health problems only get worse. Anorexia results to hair loss, infertility, stunted growth, osteoporosis, heart problems, kidney failure, and death. The other effects from purging include tooth decay and gum damage from malnutrition and vomiting, and damage to the larynx and esophagus from acid reflux. There are also cases of anorexics battling with depression, severe mod swings, and suicidal attempts and thoughts.

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