Articles on Anorexia and Bulimia
What is Anorexia?
Rachel was 17 years old when she was first taken to her local doctor
by her worried Mom for help. She looked older than her years- her lifeless
eyes were shadowed, and her cheeks sunken. Her skin was pasty and stretched
tightly across her cheekbones giving her a skeletal look. Her collarbones
protruded sharply through her loose-fitting shirt. Despite her current
appearance, Rachel still retained the traces of the beautiful young
woman she had once been… (Read
more)
Anorexia - Symptoms
and Treatment
Anorexia affects two out of every 100 teenage girls, although the disorder
does occur less frequently in other age groups and occasionally in males.
Signs and symptoms of anorexia include dry skin, brittle hair and nails,
and an intolerance of cold temperatures. The appearance of lanugo, or
downy hair on the face and body is common. Chronic low blood pressure
and a slowed heart rate are also typical. Cardiac, kidney, and electrolyte
imbalances are common and are often the cause of death… (Read
more)
What is Bulimia?
The late Princess Diana had the unenviable reputation of being the world's
most famous bulimic. Back in the 1990s when the rumors of her eating
disorder were finally acknowledged by her in one of her many authorized
biographies, she became the flagship for sufferers the world over… (Read
more)
Bulimia: Diagnostic
Criteria and Treatment
Bulimia is one of the most common psychological disorders affecting
young females. The primary characteristic of the condition is the consumption
of large amounts of food, usually junk food rather than healthy fruit
and vegetables. Just as important as the amount of food eaten, is the
experience of being out of control, i.e. the person cannot control the
binging incident at the time. In addition, there is an attempt to compensate
for the bingeing behavior in the form of purging, where the food consumed
is expelled by a variety of means… (Read
more)
Are You a Food Phobic?
Phobias come in many forms and having a phobia about food is no exception.
A food phobic is more than a fussy eater, although that would be the
tag generally attached to such a person. Food phobia has little to do
with more well-known eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia...
(Read more)