Technorati Tags: Anorexia, anxiety, body image, child, depression, fear, parent, signs, starvation, Symptoms, weight loss

In the United States, eating disorders are far more than prevalent – they’re epidemic. Today, 10 million women and girls have eating disorders and up to one million of them will die from the disorder.

Anorexia, perhaps the most devastating of these diseases, is characterized by self-starvation. People suffering from this disorder literally starve themselves to a state of severe emaciation, and even, death. Although anorexia revolves around food and eating, it is actually a psychiatric illness, not unlike depression or anxiety. As such, professional care is usually required to break the negative behaviors and addiction. Outpatient therapy is usually the first approach to treatment. For the best possible outcome, a woman or girl needs a treatment team. This includes: a primary care physician who can initially assess her medical condition, then monitor her progress; a nutritionist or dietitian who can help her with diet and weight gain; and a therapist who can help her understand the roots of the anorexia and learn new ways to cope with stress and problems in her life. If needed, a psychiatrist, support group or family therapist can be added to the team.

For approximately 70% of eating disorder patients, this treatment proves effective. However, for the other 30%, a higher level of care at an inpatient center is required. This means the patient must live at a residential treatment facility for an extended period of time. In terms of treatment, the American Psychiatric Association has suggested certain guidelines. These include a team approach to therapy, family involvement and treatment of the “whole” person, not just the eating disorder.

Remember, anorexia is an extremely serious disease. Therefore, if you have a friend or family member who may be struggling with anorexia, please get help. Contact Remuda Ranch Programs at 1-800-445-1900.

Technorati Tags: addiction, Anorexia, anxiety, depression, eating, epidemic, food, Other Eating Disorders, psychiatric, Remuda Ranch, starvation, therapy, treatment

There is no actual medical test for anorexia. This is why many professionals use the SCOFF screen, which asks the following questions:

• 1. Do you make yourself sick because you feel uncomfortably full?
• 2. Do you worry you have lost control over how much you eat?
• 3. Have you recently lost more than 15 pounds in a three-month period?
• 4. Do you believe yourself to be fat when others say you are too thin?
• 5. Would you say that food dominates your life?

A “yes” answer to two or more of these questions indicates an eating disorder may be present.

If a parent suspects that a child has anorexia, simple observation is important. If an adolescent is losing a great deal of weight, or a young child is failing to gain weight at an expected rate, something is probably wrong, especially if she has body image issues or possesses a genuine fear of gaining weight.

It is also important to detect changes in diet and eating habits. This extends to breakfast, snacks, and most importantly, dinner. Most parents already know how key it is for a family to share dinner together, simply as a bonding or catching-up time with one another. Dinnertime is also an opportunity to watch a child eat. This means that the parent needs to actually see the food being consumed. A common anorexia behavior is the ability to not eat, while all the time making others think the opposite. A standard technique is to slip food to the family pet, or hide it in a napkin, to be thrown away later. Often, food is pushed around on the plate, to make it appear as though there is less of it at the end of the meal.

If a child is underweight and continues to lose weight, it’s time to see a primary care provider for help.

If you or someone you know is struggling with Anorexia, please call Remuda Programs at 1-800-445-1900.

Technorati Tags: Anorexia, body image, child, diet, eating, medical test, questions, SCOFF, screen, tests, underweight, weight

The “whys” behind the disorder of anorexia are many and varied.  However, the result is the same:  the person is obsessed with losing weight and being thin; so much so, in fact, that she will go to any length to achieve the desired end.  However, the cost is high, due to the myriad physical complications associated with this disease.

When a woman has anorexia, her life is defined by dieting. She will try any fad diet that hits the market; unfortunately, not only do these diets rarely work, but they often backfire on the chronic dieter. For example, a woman may go on a quick weight-loss diet and experience the thrill of losing seven pounds in two days.  However, at best she has lost a pound or two of fat and five or six pounds of water, muscle and minerals. When she quits the diet, her body retains the needed water and minerals. Weight lost as muscle is frequently regained as fat. Over time, her body is composed of less muscle and more fat, even if her weight remains unchanged. Since fat tissue requires less energy to maintain itself than does muscle tissue, her basal metabolic rate decreases and caloric needs actually become less. Clearly, this is the exact opposite of what she wanted to achieve in the first place. Now, she must eat even less in order to lose weight. This makes future dieting even more difficult. This “yo-yo” weight loss and gain that results from fad diets is very stressful for the body, which finds it hard to adjust to such rapid changes.

In addition to the physical stress, this dieting cycle is psychologically stressful, and often leads to alternate bingeing and fasting behavior. When the woman goes off her quick weight-loss diet and sees the pounds returning, she becomes depressed. In her mind, she has failed again. To ward off these negative feelings, she may overeat or binge. This is followed by feelings of guilt or remorse for having “lost control” and she again fasts to regain control or to punish herself and to lose weight. The cycle of fasting and bingeing continues, and a pattern of healthy eating and exercise is lost.

Often, women with anorexia turn to laxatives, believing they will help in the weight-loss struggle.  Laxatives provide a false sense of security for the woman because they move food through the body more quickly. She thinks this translates into weight loss; but she is wrong. Laxatives do not prevent the calories from being absorbed. The temporary weight loss that is experienced after using laxatives is mostly due to loss of water, and will be naturally regained. Laxative misuse is harmful in several ways: they upset the body’s mineral balance; they lead to dehydration; they damage the digestive tract lining; and they burn out the colon, which usually results in severe constipation when laxatives are no longer used.

Another medication that is often misused is diuretics, or water pills. Because they increase urine excretion, they can cause a sudden weight loss.  A person who fails to distinguish between loss of body fat and loss of water may see this as a desirable effect and start using diuretics to lose weight.  But because the only loss induced is water, the only gain is dehydration. In addition to causing dehydration, diuretics are also dangerous because they can increase the loss of calcium, potassium, magnesium and zinc from the body. They can also cause a rebound retention of salt and water, making the body more sensitive to diet changes.

Diet pills are often taken to help with weight loss. The best-known prescription pills are Dexedrine and Benzedrine, but over-the-counter drugs are also misused. These reduce appetite, but only temporarily. Typically the appetite returns to normal after a week or two, the lost weight is regained, and the user then has the problem of trying to get off the drug without gaining more weight. These drugs are of little use in achieving and maintaining weight loss and can become dangerously addicting and cause abnormal heart rhythms that can be fatal.

Starvation symptoms include:

• Preoccupation with food
• Indecisiveness
• Sleep disturbance
• Loss of control when food is available
• Depressed immune system
• Water retention
• Binge eating
• Osteoporosis
• Fluid and mineral abnormalities
• Constipation due to low calories and fiber intake
• Slower emptying of food from the stomach, which can cause bloating and early satiety during a meal
• Modified sense of taste, leading to changes in appetite
• High cholesterol levels (This does not signify a cholesterol problem and does not warrant a low-cholesterol diet)
• Amenorrhea, related to overall malnutrition

Technorati Tags: Anorexia, bingeing, caloric needs, Complications, constipation, dehydration, diet, diet pills, dieting, disease, disorder, diuretics, exercise, fasting, laxatives, metabolic rate, starvation, Symptoms, thin, weight

Anorexia diagnoses are predicated on certain criteria.  According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), the following conditions must be present, in order for the determination of anorexia to be made: 

Low Body Weight

If a woman or girl is at 85% or less of what would be considered a normal body weight for her height and age, a problem could exist. This concern would be increased if she also refused to gain additional weight, to bring her up to what would be considered a normal weight.

Weight Phobia

This is when a person has an extreme fear of gaining weight. These individuals are terribly afraid of becoming fat, or even think they are fat, when they are not. It is often very difficult for people with this type of phobia to actually consume food, no less, gain weight.

Body Image Issues

Body image is how a person sees herself; how they experience their own weight or shape. When a woman or girl has a problem in this area, it usually means that what she perceives to be true is not only incorrect, but incredibly important to her. If it is suggested that she is underweight, she will absolutely deny it.

Amenorrhea

This medical condition is loss of the menstrual period. Amenorrhea is present when a female, who has already achieved puberty, quits menstruating for at least three months.

If you have questions about Anorexia, please call Remuda Programs at 1-800-445-1900. 

Technorati Tags: Amenorrhea, Anorexia, body image, body weight, conditions, diagnosis, disorders, Medical, mental, shape, underweight, weight phobia

Just as a car needs gas to run, the human body needs food to function correctly.Anorexia is contrary to health, often contrary to life. Anorexia is not just an extreme diet; it is a disease with a shockingly high mortality rate. Women throughout the United States die every year from this disorder. Though men can and do struggle with anorexia, the numbers are far lower than in the female population. The medical impact of anorexia is huge and includes:

Amenorrhea – Loss of Menstrual Cycle

Nearly all women with anorexia will experience amenorrhea, which is a cessation of the menstrual cycle. From a medical perspective, this condition is extremely understandable. The body is starving; it’s working very hard to keep one person alive on the meager food it is provided. The body knows it could not possibly sustain additional life, so it simply negates its own ability to reproduce. This infertility may be permanent. Although a woman’s ability to bare children usually returns once sufficient weight is gained, there is no guarantee.

Anemia

Human blood also needs certain nutrients to remain healthy and vital. Without sufficient nutrition, anemia occurs. Fortunately, once healthy eating becomes the norm, the condition resolves. 

Dry Skin and Hair Loss

Those with anorexia usually do not consume enough fluids and the result is dehydration. This causes the skin to become dry and flaky. The scalp, starved for protein and nutrients, often becomes bald or patchy. Conversely, hair growth steps up on other parts of the torso, which is an attempt by the body to keep itself warm.

Feeling Cold

Those with anorexia usually feel cold and it is not uncommon for their fingers to appear blue. This cold results from a lack of protective fat stores. In fact, their body temperature often registers a couple of degrees below what is considered normal and healthy: 98 degrees. 

Slowness of Thought/Brain Shrinkage

Most women with anorexia experience a retardation of thought; in effect, they find it difficult to think straight, and especially, think quickly. This is caused by calorie depletion. Once fuel is returned, so does quickness of thought. Another consequence of starvation is brain shrinkage; unfortunately, it is permanent. Studies show that anorexia can cause a drop in actual IQ. 

Osteopenia/Osteoporosis

Bones need calcium and other nutrients to remain strong and healthy. When deprived, these degenerative bone conditions result. Most bone loss is permanent, leaving even young women at severe risk of bone fractures and spinal curvature.

Heart Rhythm Abnormalities, Heart Attacks

When the heart is undergoing stress, electrolyte abnormalities can trigger arrhythmias. Of even greater concern, is the heart’s vulnerability. A starving body attacks its own muscle tissue in an effort to stay alive. The heart, which is a muscle, is not immune. In the case of extreme starvation, the heart simply stops.

The important thing to keep in mind is that many of these medical complications can improve once a person recovers from anorexia. And for those that don’t resolve, the sooner a person seeks treatment, the less severe the complication will be. If you or someone you know is struggling with anorexia, please contact Remuda Programs for Eating Disorders at 1-800-445-1900.

Technorati Tags: Amenorrhea, anemia, Anorexia, Complications, disease, Health, heart, Medical, Mortality, Nervosa, nutrients, osteoporosis, Remuda, starving

Anorexia is very hard to understand. It is not a diet, it’s a disease. Anorexia is a psychiatric disorder; its defining behavior is self starvation. Those with this disorder starve themselves to a state of severe emaciation, or even death. More people die from anorexia each year than any other mental disorder. Anorexia is addictive, once a person starts, it is very difficult to end the behaviors and go back to normal eating. This disorder impacts everything in an individual’s life: work, home, health, and members of the family.

Dieting is a key part of anorexia; and therefore, many of the most common symptoms surround food and dieting. Although a female with anorexia may have experienced a recent weight loss — 15% or more below her normal body weight – she diets constantly and complains that she feels “fat.” It is not unusual for those with anorexia to have an extreme preoccupation with food, calories, nutrition, and/or cooking.  She will probably talk about food a lot and weigh herself several times a day.Although a girl or woman with anorexia rarely consumes food, she denies being hungry. Naturally, this is not true at all. When she actually does eat, it is not unusual for her to engage in odd food-related behaviors. These include cutting food into little tiny pieces, only eating one food at a time, or placing unusual condiments on food items. Episodes of binge eating can also occur, simply due to a loss of control. Remember, these individuals are hungry, so when they finally give in and eat, it is sometimes very difficult to stop. 

Starvation is extremely taxing on the human body. To make things worse, those afflicted sometimes exercise to an extreme degree. As a result of inadequate nutrition and high levels of exercise, she will probably experience amenorrhea, which means loss of her menstrual period. Strangely, though the hair on her head may become very brittle and fall out, she may undergo unusual hair growth on her arms and legs; basically, this is an effort by the body to make itself warm. Another obvious ramification of malnutrition is dry, flaky skin. Although she may indicate to those around her that she is at the top of the world, depression is often a symptom of anorexia, as is slowness of thought and memory difficulties. This results from the brain’s inability to function without adequate nutrition.

Anorexia is an extremely dangerous disease, and as such, needs to be treated. If you know someone who displays these symptoms, please encourage them to get help. There is a great deal of good information on the internet or in copyrighted articles. Or you can contact Remuda Programs for Eating Disorders at 1-800-445-1900.

Technorati Tags: Anorexia, death, diet, disease, help, hungry, nutrition, psychiatric disorder, starve, Symptoms, weight