Johawesomenny asked:


It doesn’t make any sense to me. If it is forced, then doesn’t the person have the willpower to stop themself? Don’t take me wrong to any bulimic people, I’m not trying to offend you. I’m just confused. But seriously, I don’t understand how it can be classified as a disease, when ideally the person could just stop.

When it comes to childhood eating problems many times the parents are the last ones to know that their child is battling an eating disorder. Although you would assume that they are in a perfect position to be involved often times because of their childs privacy issues the childhood eating problems become unnoticeable. As parents we want to nurture and protect so once the eating disorder is recognized we have no choice but to be actively involved. But How?

The first thing that must be done is to be supportive and be sure that your child knows how much you love them. Both parent and child want to live happy, healthy, normal lives and in many cases that may involve therapy. So it is important that the parents involvement is in sync with health professionals plan for recovery. It is the parents involvement that will help the recovery process for the simple fact that they see the day to day routines.

Be The Observer

There is only so much that can be accomplished in the therapist office, testing will give results only after the disease is into a medically necessary stage, so it is up to the parents to note the childhood eating problems. Eating disorders are diseases that quite naturally are going to appear around meal times. Pay special attention to how they do or do not eat. Do they come up with lame excuses not to eat such as they ate at a friends house? Do they push their food around the plate making it appear as if they ate some of their meal? Are they eating their meal or just nibbling here and there? Are they the last to arrive to the table at meal times and the first to leave? Do they get antsy or show signs of depression at meal times? This parental involvement is critical to your childs recovery because no one else is around to be the observer.

Some parents have difficulties being the observer with childhood eating problems because they feel as though they are being too controlling and are afraid of causing a negative reaction. They feel as though they are intruding in their childs privacy and start believing that the eating disorder is their fault. Parents need to know that the eating disorder and lack of proper nourishment effects their childs rational thinking.

Nurture Your Child To Better Health

If there ever was a time for parents to be nurturing now is the time. They must understand that the childhood eating problems are affecting their childs ability to function under normal conditions. Until they become more self sufficient they need their parents whether they want to admit it or not. Don’t feel as though you are controlling them because you are not. You are showing them unconditional love that will be appreciated once they become more responsible with their eating habits.

By: James Rouse

About the Author:

It is proven now that media can influence the beginning of eating disorders in some people. This is evident especially in children and teens who can easily be lulled into the wrong image of what the human body is supposed to look like.

A very serious concern is that tiny little children as young as 8 year old are now contracting anorexia and the media are to blame. The images of thinness and unreal sexual images in the media do influence children’s minds which in turn lead them into an eating disorder.

Early exposure to sexualized images encourage young women to see themselves as objects and value themselves for how they look rather then a whole person. Their values shift to the side where being beautiful and sexually attractive substitutes for being an individual with a strong sense of self. These inevitably lead young women to pursue thinness and artificial beauty that they see on the covers of magazines on TV and in the newspapers.

Very often girls have no understanding that what they’re pursuing is only an unattainable image provided by the media to entertain their readers, attract buyers and sell the products they advertise or to send some other frivolous messages to the public.

So the beginnings of an eating disorder in young women can very often be connected to body dissatisfaction which is brought on by comparing their own body to the body images in the media.

For example, a recent survey revealed that 25% of Australian teenage girls would consider plastic surgery if they could and 2% already have had plastic surgery to change the way they look.

The other research was done on 4000 teenager girls’ aged from 11 to 18 and found that more than 85% of them were unhappy with their body and would like to do or are already doing something about it.

The recent Botox survey revealed that women as young as 17 years old do Botox injection in order to prevent wrinkles. Breast implants have been done for women as young as 17-20 years old.

All the examples above shows that very many women nowadays think that fake women are much better than the real thing, based on the images that are portrayed in the media as being the norm.

To conclude, the media contributes a lot to developing body dissatisfaction and consequently eating disorders, by promoting fake unattainable images of women’s bodies. To fight eating disorders it is important to educate the masses on the truth of how the media works to sell its advertising clients products.

Young women should be taught about balance and the truth of what is perceived to be beautiful and what real women are suppose to look like.

Even women like Marilyn Monroe who only a short time ago was considered to be the most beautiful woman in the world, would now be classified as a Big Girl by the media.

Is it any wonder so many young women are falling victims to eating disorders?

By: Irina Webster

About the Author:

ohareness asked:


Could anyone who has previously suffered, or is still suffering for Anorexia or Bulima please share there storys with me. Or any one who knows someone who has been through it.

Thanks – and good luck in your recovery if your still fighting x

WashingtonPost asked:

Nineteen-year-old Sarah Siskin died from bulimia in 2003 after fighting to control her eating disorder for seven years. Her parents, Alan and Barbara Siskin, and sister, Leah, reflect on Sarah’s life six years after her death. Video by Megan Rossman / The Washington Post … bulimia “eating disorder” family “Sarah Siskin” “Alan Siskin” “Barbara Siskin”

Anorexia nervosa is one of the most prevalent and dangerous eating disorders known to man. It is known to many in that it is characterized by the sufferer refusing to eat and losing extreme amounts of weight until they often resemble nothing more than a skin covered skeleton which can often lead to death in the most severe cases.

The stages of anorexia can be different for different people but they all follow a similar pattern in that the symptoms and effects worsened as time progresses. Anorexia nervosa is a treatable disorder, but there is no known specific cure. It is important to note the different stages listed below and their characteristics so that you can begin to identify if you or someone you know is suffering from this condition. In either case, seek treatment immediately so that the condition does not worsen.

Stage One of anorexia may simply resemble someone deciding to take part in a rigorous exercise program. They may exercise every day but simply appear as a fitness conscious individual.

Stage Two occurs when the individual begins obsessing not only about exercise, but food as well. This can be constantly talking about what they had to eat or how long it’s been since they had their last meal.

Stage Three is often characterized by the sufferer obsessing about trying to eat the fewest calories possible in order to still have energy to exercise and lose additional weight. This may be weeks or months and actually having the disorder and physical characteristics such as looking gaunt or pale or having circles below the eyes may exist.

Stage Four may be recognized as the person begins obsessing about their appearance in the mirror in a very public way. This may be pulling up their shirt to see how many of the ribs they can visibly count, or looking at their back to see if their spine or other bones are showing. Many people work to keep this condition private so friends and family may never witnessed this personally.

Stage Five shows just how much of a downward spiral can occur because of this harmful disorder. As anorexia progresses, one of the symptoms is that the sufferer will begin to gauge how many days they can go without eating before they faint. At this stage, fainting is common. Friends and family should certainly take notice and begin to seek treatment for this individual immediately. At this stage, the disorder has truly taken hold and the ones suffering may be completely helpless to do anything about it.

Stage Six and beyond simply sees the downward spiral continue, often at a rapid pace. Fainting spells, bloody noses, incredibly thin physiques, and extreme lack of energy are common characteristics of later stage anorexia.

Please keep in mind that the above stages are guidelines and indicative of many, but not all sufferers of anorexia. The most important thing to look for is long-term weight loss coupled with obsessive behaviors about exercise and food. It is extremely important that if you think you or someone you love may be suffering, seek treatment immediately. Anorexia kills, don’t let this happen to you or anyone you know.

By: Emile Jarreau

About the Author:

Mananamanda asked:


I am 42 and have been bulimic since I was 19. My health hasn’t suffered at all and I’m of normal weight, but I **** myself for wasting so much food and I desperately want to stop. I don’t have money for therapists and I can’t wait months on an NHS list. Does anyone know any good self help books I could get on amazon, or any good web resources? Thanks!

SW212 asked:


I am concerned about a family member who has recently admitted to being anorexic for almost a year. She consumes between 1200-1500 calories a day and works out for about 40 minutes each day as well. She would like to overcome this by adding more calories into her diet gradually while trying to maintain her low weight, but is very resistant to seeking professional help. While this plan may not be ideal, any help she can recieve will be better than nothing. Any suggestions?

sodabeentjes asked:

WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES – Rtl dossier: Onze dochter eet niet! (nu compleet!!) Documentaire over een meisje met anorexia, zij is inmiddels genezen

Sarah asked:


I am recovering from an eating disorder, I am trying to eat around 1200 calories a day. I workout everyday, I have the Bowflex so its mostly weight lifting. I do it for about an hour. Maybe skipping a day here and there. If I workout and burn around 150-200 calories (lifting weights) then do I need to eat another 200 calories during the day, or is that how I will maintain my weight??