http://www.healthzine.org/feed/ http://www.healthzine.org/ Every day new articles and updated info on all your health, beauty and fitness concerns. Wed, 21 Jan 2009 09:16:24 +0100 Wed, 21 Jan 2009 09:16:24 +0100 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/symptoms-of-eating-disorders http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/symptoms-of-eating-disorders Sexy, glamorous and attractive is a “stick insect wearing eyelashes”, to quote from Bridget Jones. This is the common misconception proliferated by the media. Women who are easily swayed are compelled to fit in the mould of the skinny and scrawny persona, because this is what’s fashionable. The media’s tremendous influence on the psyche of the susceptible majority has massive consequences, one of which is eating disorders. Statistics pertaining to eating disorders have grown quite alarming. According to the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, 8 million Americans have an eating disorder, seven million of which are women, the remaining one million men. Two to three out of 100 women have bulimia, while 1 in 200 of American women suffers from anorexia. More than an eating irregularity, an eating disorder is primarily rooted on psychological factors. It is often low self- esteem and a distorted perception and unreasonable expectations towards oneself. Such a condition can have deep seated causes, those which need due attention and treatment. Or else much havoc can be instigated, health-wise and to the well-being in general. What are symptoms of eating disorders to be on the lookout for? It’s best that you be keen—you might be suffering from them yourself, or perhaps somebody close to you such as a friend or relative. There are varied and numerous symptoms of eating disorders. Some of them may manifest, some don’t. Others indicate an eating disorder, others otherwise. If it so happens that you suspect that you or somebody you know suffers from any of the symptoms, seeing the doctor is highly recommended. Symptoms of eating disorders may overlap with depression symptoms, yet another ominous condition. Drastically losing weight over a short period of time should be a cause for concern. So is obsessing too much about one’s weight. Being excessively concerned with fat and calories content in food signals an irregularity, along with being afraid to eat in other people’s presence. Low self-esteem, mood swings and covering up with baggy clothes to disclose one’s weight are possible symptoms of eating disorders. Bingeing and purging, and taking large doses of diet pills and laxatives are also classic indications. Physical symptoms of are constipation, difficulty in sleeping, loss of or excessive appetite and bruising under the eyes. Menstruation among females can be affected as well as the libido. Sufferers of this condition believe that their weight has a very significant influence on their lives. They are under the notion that their lives will be better and they will be happier if they lose weight. They are compelled and obsessed about losing weight, and at any cost they want to achieve it. Perennially they adhere to any and every fad diet. Symptoms of eating disorders can be disturbing. More discouraging is that they may not only beset adults, but even children. This entails responsibility on the parent’s behalf, especially if they suspect that their children are besieged by symptoms of eating disorders. An eating disorder, depending on the severity, usually does not go away on its own. Help and support are often necessitated. The distorted perception brought about by this illness can be debilitating, hampering a person’s health and happiness. The first step to recovery is determining and acknowledging the problem and help is subsequently sought. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:49:51 +0100 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/overeating http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/overeating Everybody needs to eat. It is essential for living and growth. How about overeating? A different story. Let’s just say, once upon a time there’s this teen age girl who makes eating her favorite past time. A heavy meal three times a day is just the minimum. You might associate her with Po, the best-loved panda from the movie Kung Fu Panda. She is not that humongous or something like Po just chubby and large for her age but they definitely have something in common—they eat when they are upset. Frustration is just one of the many root cause of overeating. For some, it is their way of expressing unwanted feelings inside them. Those that they can’t simply release through other means they know but to stuff their mouths with anything edible within reach even if they are not hungry at all. This is sometimes called emotional eating. What drives you to eat more is not the lurching sounds from your stomach but the raging feelings inside you. Anything that makes you upset fuels your desire to release that negative feeling. You really want it out of your system so instead of crying, hitting people or even fighting back you resort to eating. The logic behind overeating is the inability to find other safe and physically advantageous means to combat one of the forms of stress and that is frustration. One simply has to know that overeating does not solve their problems or it can even give rise to a new one. The ultimate solution to your frustration is to face it. However, if you are not yet prepared you have to compose yourself. Never do things that will make you feel sorry later on because you made abrupt decisions when you’re still blinded and confused. Aside from eating why don’t you pray or meditate to create serenity at the comfort of your homes or at your favorite spa? You can also consider watching movies, attend to concerts (if you are the party type), or if you want to be just by yourself pop up your most listened to records. Take note that some music has healing and soothing effects especially the classical ones. But if you really want to get somewhere, you can try a short walk on your favorite park (and if it rains you can stroll without an umbrella for a little bit of drama just don’t overdo it or some will think you’re nuts!) or even go out of town. Attend camps, retreats and other forms of social recreation to help your mind wander to other things even for a while. It really helps to try new things so that you can divert your attention. After you’ve done these kinds of things expect that what you felt before is not as bad as what you feel now. And if you are already prepared to face your frustrations, that’s good! You can think well when you’re not angry. Face that person, that fact or whatever it is that makes you upset and attain some closure. There are many ways to get even with frustration and the least that you could do is to harm yourself thru overeating. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Wed, 8 Oct 2008 09:17:40 +0200 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/conscious-eating http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/conscious-eating You’ve heard the question time and again: “Do you eat to live, or live to eat”? For many of us, our initial response would be to say “I eat to live”. Precisely we do- we eat food to fuel our bodies so that it is functional, and we “live”. But that is “living” in a mechanical sense. “Living” is actually more than moving around robotically. “Living” is feeling and reflecting, having the will to choose. How is it to eat to “live” in this sense? People eat food, but food has become the enemy for many of these people. They regard it as something which will make them look displeasing by gaining weight. So they struggle every now and then with food- limiting it, avoiding it to the point of hating it. With such a tendency, many have wondered where their will power has gone. It seemed that they are resigned to the idea that dieting is a struggle and eventually they will just have to give in. In the area of weight loss motivation, they have failed, and for them, this is an issue of will power. But the truth about weight loss motivation does not concern will power. The issue is about the inherent skills a person has lost while having gone on a diet. The problem lies not with food, but with a person’s attitude towards it. Going on a diet means labeling food as either “good” or “bad”. But even more so, dieting will make a person give up two very important skills- that of conscious eating and personal choice. When going on a diet, we listen to what others tell us about which foods are good and those we should eat. In the process, we give away our personal power of choice. Focus is significantly given to our bodies or how we look that we close down our instinctive ability to eat as required by our bodies. When dieting to lose weight, don’t we become preoccupied with foods we should have or not have? Don’t we have the tendency to obsess on our outer appearance? With these preoccupation and obsession we lose our ability to reflect inwardly. We lose touch of our skill to look internally and find peace and happiness. We project our focus and energy on keeping up with external factors and expectations. So what is conscious eating. Is it a diet plan or a weight loss motivation course? Conscious eating is more than paying attention to foods. Conscious eating is about keeping in touch with yourself and your instinctive skills. With conscious eating, you are able to reflect on your thoughts about yourself and not just food. On how different foods affect you and your body. How you feel when you are eating and after you have done so. It is in being aware that food is fuel, not a comforter. Most of all, conscious eating has to do with how you love yourself. These are among the skills of conscious eating which might have been lost while going on a diet plan. How do you regain these skills? The first step is to shed off the fear of food and instead learn to love it. Fear and negative emotions are often those which hold people trapped in old and unhelpful eating habits. Many of the people who engage in conscious eating often do not have to bother with weight or size issues. It is not so much that they look svelte or trim, but rather they revel in themselves, accepting their beauty regardless of which body size it is in. Instead of being preoccupied with what others or the society portray as the “perfect” body, they let themselves be. They are free and happy, and that is to live. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Tue, 29 Jul 2008 07:24:37 +0200 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/eating-right http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/eating-right Many people want to lose weight, and this is something worthwhile to strive for. Often, the primary reason for losing weight is for its cosmetic benefits. It’s basically about looking good being fit and trim and all. But for all they know, there is a more worthy reason for shedding off pounds and inches. And that is for achieving a state of optimum health. Nevertheless, it goes to say that being fit, trim and healthy brings countless rewards. In the aim of getting rid of fat and flab, however, a person must see to it that they are doing it the right way- the healthy way. That way, there won’t be untoward consequences on their health and their well-being will not be put to a detriment. In this sense, healthy weight loss is essential. Healthy weight loss comprises a good combination of healthy eating and regular physical activity- simply the basics. These health measures have to be incorporated into one’s lifestyle. And in fact, it should be their lifestyle. Take the case of healthy eating for weight loss. By this, it doesn’t mean that a person should go on a diet, or deprive and starve themselves. It doesn’t actually involve “suffering” for the sake of being healthy. The right diet to have the right health and fitness results is simply eating right. And what does “eating right” mean? It’s as simple as eating slowly and chewing food thoroughly. There is a scientific basis as to why this measure is effective. By chewing food thoroughly, a person will find that they are enjoying the food more. And even more, they will realize that they are eating less in the long run. In a matter of 20 minutes of doing this, the brain will send a message that the person eating is already full. On the contrary, if a person eats fast in 20 minutes, weight gain can eventually result. By slowly chewing food, food is easily broken down before it reaches the stomach. As a result, unnecessary food elements will be broken down easily and early on, and will not be likely to be deposited in the system. Losing weight is oftentimes just a matter of eating right. It is not only about what foods are eaten, but how they are eaten, and how often. Many people are under the idea that starving will make them have less intake of calories and would result in being thinner. But this tendency will only make matters worse. It is never a good idea to starve to lose weight. Keeping to what is right is more likely to make things easier. In eating to be fit and healthy, all it takes is to eat at the right time and to eat heartily- to enjoy and savor food. There really is no need to make things complicated for health and fitness. Health and fitness is for caring for and loving yourself, not punishing it. So in the endeavor of striving for health and fitness, teach yourself to be firm and disciplined, yet in a gentle and reasonable way. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Tue, 1 Jul 2008 05:23:22 +0200 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/eating-breakfast http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/eating-breakfast There was a time when I had a bothersome weight issue. I talked to my doctor about it and asked him for ways on how to lose weight. Healthy ways to lose weight coming from a doctor and not some fad or celebrity weight loss scheme. My doctor pointed out to me proper ways of eating wherein I felt I had my blunder. I had the tendency to skip breakfast, eat a little lunch and then have a large meal for dinner. Apparently, I was not doing it right. In fact, my eating pattern was a surefire way to store fat and gain weight. And indeed, too much belly fat was a problem for me. My doctor told me a formula for healthy eating and losing weight. He said “eat like a king for breakfast, like a prince for lunch and like a pauper for dinner”. Well, this is totally contradictory from what I used to do. The advice came from a doctor and he was a good one, so I thought I should try it out. Why is eating breakfast so important, and how can it help you lose weight? To shed off pounds and inches, you’ve got to turn your metabolism from being “fat storing” to “fat burning”. One of the ways to do this is making the habit of eating breakfast. Mind you, breakfast is actually the most important meal of the day. “Breakfast” as it is called because it literally means “breaking the fast”. From the time you had your dinner and slept until the next morning, your body hasn’t had food for a lot of time. You ought not to let your body go without food for more than three hours. And why is this? Doing so will basically shift your metabolism to “fat storing”. BUT if you continually feed your system nutrients, your metabolism will be in a “fat burning” mode, which is certainly much better. What has eating breakfast got to do with this? Eating breakfast is for you to break the fast the night before. You know what “fasting” means, right- going without food for a long time. You ought to know the relationship between time and your metabolism. The more time that goes after three hours would mean that your metabolism is getting slower. You can keep your metabolism constantly revved up to “fat burning” by eating portioned meals every three hours. Take note that it said “portioned meals”. Eating every three hours doesn’t mean that you have the license to eat anything as much as you can. These portioned meals have to be controlled and they should include the right food choices. So if you haven’t been doing it before, tomorrow is the day that you should start eating breakfast. That is, if burning fat, losing weight and being healthy are your goals. Dieting actually doesn’t have to be complicated. And most of all, it shouldn’t deprive you and make you suffer. There are easy and simple ways to lose weight, and most of all they are healthy. It all goes down to making the proper choice and means to get on the road towards health and fitness. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Mon, 2 Jun 2008 06:05:19 +0200 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/healthy-eating-tips http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/healthy-eating-tips So why is healthy eating important and why should you keep to it? For one thing, it has to do with your overall health and well-being. If you eat healthily, you are more likely to nourish your body with the right foods. And if you eat the right foods, you put in your body the right nutrition. So you will become well-nourished and your body will be boosted. Your immune system would be fortified and the functioning of your bodily system would be efficient. That’s talking about a good state of physical health for you. As you are in a state of physical health, you have more energy and vitality. That’s what proper nutrition can do, and there is more, in fact. If your body is nourished with enough and proper nutrition, your mental and emotional health will improve, too. Your mental functioning is enhanced. You are able to think well and quickly and you have better concentration. As for your emotional well-being, you become less prone to depression and emotional exhaustion. It’s because you are resilient to stress and you are able to cope well. That’s what healthy eating can do- promote your total wellness. Countless of healthy eating tips abound online and in other forms of media. It’s because people want to know more about this health measure. What is yet more appealing about healthy eating tips is that they are also guidelines on how to lose weight- and effectively at that. This is one rewarding factor if you eat healthily. Not only will you be healthy, but you would look good as well. You would be fitter and trimmer, and beaming with good health and positivity. Truly such is worth seeking after. So what are good healthy eating tips to help you achieve this purpose? A person who eats healthily actually does more than counting calories and reading labels. Or determining the fat content of foods. Healthy eating is actually more on attitude- about looking after yourself and taking good care of it. People who eat healthily basically have control and discipline. If a person is apt to eat healthily, chances are they are prudent in other things as well. They practice control with how they spend, for instance. Even with their sleeping habits, they can be doing it appropriately. But take the case of people with unhealthy eating patterns. It’s possible that they cannot put a rein on their spending, or their sleeping habit can get out of hand. Even with how they talk- it may be too much or otherwise. How you practice control with the basics of your life speaks of how you manage other areas. And eating is one of your foremost and basic mechanisms which you have to manage effectively. Choose to eat healthily by consuming a variety of nutritious foods. Make it a point to supply all of your body parts, especially your brain. Consuming ample amounts of healthy foods will keep your mind and body healthy. Your food choices must include those from different food groups. That way, your nutrient nourishment would be complete. To ensure that you get the nutrients you need, you can also opt to take vitamin and mineral supplements. For sufficient nutrient augmentation, Ultra Herbal Multivitamins is one of the best choices. Ultra Herbal Multivitamins is guaranteed to provide the basic and important nutrients which can aid in you attaining overall health. What’s more, it’s a natural product and more safe. Ultra Herbal Multivitamins is available in the Healthzine store where you can always get the best value. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Wed, 14 May 2008 14:32:05 +0200 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/emotional-eating1 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/emotional-eating1 Have you ever stopped for a while and wondered why you are eating? Sure, you might say because “I am hungry”. But did you know that there can be something more to it? Perhaps emotional issues- they can trigger you to eat, and unhealthily at that. There is such thing as emotional eating, and some people resort to it for a number of reasons. When somebody consciously or unconsciously turns to food to deal with feelings and emotions, then that’s emotional eating. You may be unaware, but these feelings might have been with you all throughout the day. It is only when the pace begins to slow down that you begin to notice them. When you don’t know how to deal with these emotions, you might eat. This is filling the void of your powerlessness with food. Something is definitely going on inside you. Often it could be boredom or stress. Or perhaps deep inside you, there is the urge to change the direction of your life. You might even be trying to avoid thinking of problems which you are unable to solve. And so you eat, because you want to create numbness to difficult feelings or situations. You want to fill a void, suppress feelings you are uncomfortable with, or even cope with stress. The following are the primary reasons why a person might be emotional eating. First is boredom and loneliness. These feelings are very hard to deal with, and so a person may try to cope with them through food. Through the pleasure of eating, they are able to numb themselves from these emotions. Unresolved anxiety and stress may also trigger it. When you feel an overwhelming sense of insecurity, then you might start eating. The same can be said when you feel powerless to change your life. When you have a perfectionist attitude or fear failing or making mistakes, then you might seek comfort with food. You may also do so when you feel trapped or overwhelmed and you feel you cannot move forward. Low self esteem or low self-image can also cause this problem. When you feel a sense of being “deprived” due to dieting or “being good with food”, then you might eat unhealthily. Feeling that you are undeserving of the abundance and pleasure that you enjoy can lead you to emotionally eat. And even more so, you may be feeling a gnawing emptiness inside. Indeed, all these can be powerful emotions. They can significantly influence how you think and feel. You might feel overwhelmed by them and you think you have lost control. For instance, you could be longing to improve your marriage. Or more so, you want more success at work. You could be wanting to express yourself more creatively. But certain factors get in the way of your achieving this. They might be lack of self-worth or low self-esteem. Underdeveloped self-leadership or ineffective stress management skills. You might be unable to see that you actually have the capacity to get what you want. Rather than dwelling in these feelings of disempowerment, you try to shift your focus on something – eating. Try to determine if you are emotional eating, and find out what triggers it. It may not be so easy, but once you’ve found out, you can address the issues and move on. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:20:28 +0200 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/binge-eating1 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/binge-eating1 It is normal to indulge in food on occasions, like during the holidays. People often connote food with good times, or celebration. But there is such condition when one overindulges in food. To what extent is this overindulgence? Well, in one sitting, a person may eat thousands of calories. Or for the entire day, they may eat non-stop. This is the case with binge eating. A binge eater due to their eating habit tends to be overweight. In fact, they could just eat and eat until they feel sick. As they have the tendency to be overweight, they are often unhappy. This in turn makes the situation worse. Their compulsion and loss of control to eat could be coupled by emotional issues. What’s more, certain physical ailments and conditions might go with them. Binge eating is actually overindulgence in food at its worst. Too much of everything is often not healthy, and so it is with food. Binge eaters are more apt to eat foods which are not nutritious. In most cases, they are savory and comfort foods. An underlying issue behind binge eating is that it’s most often a case of eating for comfort. And even more, the person concerned might also have a problem with alcohol. Looking at it from all angles, this common eating disorder is unhealthy in so many ways. People who binge-eat eat more foods than what normal people do in a week. Foods that they eat vary and might even change from day to day. Bingeing is a basic characteristic of bulimia, but unlike bulimics, binge eaters don’t purge themselves after eating. They often do not indulge themselves to vomit. Such is why they are more likely to be overweight. After indulging in foods for a day, some binge eaters sometimes starve for the next three or four days. They resort to this tendency so that they would remain in the same weight. Heart disease, diabetes and other medical conditions could go hand in hand with this disorder. They may be degenerating and chronic in themselves and can possibly lead to death. More so, the disorder can bring about mental and emotional problems. It can be an endless cycle of bingeing resulting to emotional issues, and emotional issues leading to more bingeing. Those with this disorder are usually emotionally charged about their weight. Thus, they could be prone to depression as well. All these said, this is one of the dangerous eating disorders affecting a large number of people today. It can affect anybody regardless of age, sex, race and economic status. People all over the world have heard of anorexia and bulimia, but bingeing is among the lesser known of weight loss disasters. If you think you are suffering from binge eating, it’s important that you seek help. This disorder is one which can be detrimental to your health. More so, it will affect you mental and emotional well being. People should strive to be healthy with their eating patterns and habits. That way, health and well-being, along with a good quality of life can be enjoyed to the fullest. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Fri, 4 Apr 2008 09:00:41 +0200 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/eating-healthy2 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/eating-healthy2 Obesity rates are rising to an alarming degree. Indeed, many people may have troubling weight issues. This could not so much be disturbing only in a cosmetic sense, but health-wise as well. Primarily, many people are concerned about the cosmetic disadvantages of being overweight or obese. With the “slim and trim are in” criteria for attractiveness, overweight and obese people may be disregarded. And so many are in for the battle against flab and pounds. And it’s because they want to look good, and their self-esteem and confidence may be largely dependent on it. But health experts have been advocating that weight loss schemes have to be done primarily for the purpose of attaining total health. Taking this into consideration, weight loss schemes should then be healthy, and people must strive for healthy weight loss. It should not merely be shedding off pounds at any cost, but there are factors to take into account, and they are crucial. Weight loss should not put one’s health to a detriment. It should not deprive them of essential nutrients, or more so, cause them to develop an eating disorder. Inherent to healthy weight loss is eating healthy. Many people strive to cut the flabs and pounds by starving themselves or skipping meals. These are not at all eating healthy measures. They would not only deprive one of nutrients, but they can lead to binge eating. And binge eating in itself would eventually lead to weight gain. Apparently, one’s “dieting” has served a purpose contrary to what is intended. But what of eating healthy and its significance? By eating healthy, it means eating healthy foods- the right foods- at the right time. This would not only lead to weight loss but better health as well. By the right foods, it means those rich in fiber and other essential nutrients. They contain less calories and they would cleanse the body, too. More so, they provide energy and boost the immune system. To sum it up, healthy foods cleanse and fortify. And this may well pave the way for better to optimum health. One’s diet to be sufficient has to contain ample fruits, vegetables, dairy and lean meat. That way, the body’s nutrient needs would be provided, and the body is sustained. One becomes more energetic and always on the go. Physical activity becomes delightful and one would take pleasure engaging in it. And many well know how crucial physical activity is for burning more calories. The formula for weight loss remains to be very basic and simple – more calorie output, less calorie input. Eating healthy is a major element in this along with regular exercise. Regular exercise is needed for the steady burning of calories until pounds are lost. With regular exercise, the body as a system is enhanced and boosted. It begins to have a more efficient functioning and it is fortified. Other than its physical benefits, exercise also improves mental and emotional states. The pillars of good health are very fundamental, and that’s eating healthy and having regular exercise. They both work towards optimum health in which weight loss is an added, pleasant reward. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Tue, 18 Mar 2008 05:37:17 +0100 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/symptoms-of-bulimia http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/symptoms-of-bulimia When it comes to eating disorders, one may well be aware of bulimia. Statistics have been shown pertaining to bulimia, but they might not really present an accurate picture. There might be actually more cases than presented, and this could be due to certain factors. One is that some bulimics may not be seeking treatment because they don’t think they have a problem, or it may be because they are too ashamed to seek treatment. Them having an eating disorder and for others to know, this may not be a good idea for some. But nevertheless, bulimia is among the most common of eating disorders. And an eating disorder is something which is not to be brushed aside. After all, it has to do with a basic human mechanism- eating. Through it, the body is nourished. The body’s nourishment can be something good or bad. And this depends on one’s eating choices and habits. When one has an eating disorder, it actually has so much more to do than bad eating habits. There could be something deep-rooted to it, like psychological and emotional issues. Such is why it may be difficult overcoming such a disorder, and professional help ought to be necessitated. What then of bulimia, and what are the symptoms of bulimia? The salient symptoms of bulimia are quite classic – bingeing and purging. It could be that one overeats and then induces themselves to vomit. This vomiting is intentionally triggered, and it might be through laxatives or enemas, diuretics and other similar purging methods. So when somebody in one’s midst constantly purges themselves after meals, then that is one of the sure symptoms of bulimia. One has to be keen about that in themselves, or those they live or interact with. That way, measures would be done, such as seeking help and treatment would be employed. Symptoms of bulimia often manifest when the sufferer is under stress. Stress can develop from any front, or it can be that it is an accumulation of events. Stress for bulimics can be in the form of family, work or school issues, developments on the social front and most of all a distorted body image. The classic bulimic symptom of bingeing in turn gives way to other emotional issues. In most cases, bulimics feel guilty of what they do, and after that binge and purge session, they would fall into a state of depression. Depression in itself does not of course necessarily point to being bulimic. But if it goes with other symptoms of bulimia, then it’s a cause for alarm. When depression and being moody follows vomiting after meals, then it’s a red light signal that something is wrong. There’s actually more to these symptoms of bulimia, and that is drastic weight changes. The binge eating often leads to weight gain, and the purging to being underweight. So when one goes from one end to the other in a short time, that is not normal or healthy at all. One must then be keen when these symptoms develop- bingeing and purging, depression and being moody and drastic weight change. They could all be pointing to an eating disorder. The problem then has to be recognized and acknowledged and treatment measures can be resorted to. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:02:44 +0100 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/eating-disorders3 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/eating-disorders3 Foremost among eating disorders are anorexia, bulimia and binge eating. There are also more commonly known ideas about eating disorders. Most are under the notion that eating disorders beset white female girls in their pubescent years. Eating disorders are more prevalent in the United States, they say. And when it comes to socioeconomic status, such disorders are predominant among the middle and upper class. But these are actually misconceptions about eating disorders. Most misconstrue that such disorders are exclusive to a certain age bracket, gender, country, ethnic background and socioeconomic status. But really, nothing can be farther from the truth. The fact is, eating disorders know no discrimination. Anorexia, bulimia and binge eating, they can possibly fraught anybody with their weight obsession, food issues and distress. People suffering from eating disorders actually have emotional and psychological issues brewing beneath them. As one can see, binge eating, anorexia and bulimia are more than a weight obsession and unhealthy eating patterns. They also have to do with depression and self-esteem issues among others. They are not exclusive to pubescent girls who are merely concerned about their weight and how they look. Males as well can suffer from eating disorders. The National Mental Institute cited that 5-15% of those with an eating disorder are males. And 35% of those who suffer from binge eating are of the same gender, too. Males are also at risk for developing anorexia, binge eating and bulimia, and not just females. And they can be of all ages, too. What are the risk factors for males acquiring an eating disorder? For one thing, there is their exercise status and their sexual orientation. When it comes to food issues and weight obsession, media plays a crucial role. The media is seen to imprint on the psyche of the general populace that “thin is beautiful”. So at all costs, everybody wants to be thin, to the point of being scrawny-looking! It may be surprising to note, too, that the elderly can suffer from an eating disorder. Eating disorder at this stage in life can become deadly. The University of Columbia was able to establish that 78% of deaths related to anorexia nervosa are among older people. Men and women of all races can also fall prey to binge eating, bulimia and anorexia. This is in contrast to what most people think that they are more common among white females. Nor are these disorders mainly found in the United States. The number of people in Argentina suffering from anorexia, binge-eating and bulimia is three times as greater than in this country. These disorders can also strike anyone regardless of socioeconomic status, not just the upper or middle class. Anorexia, bulimia and binge eating- these disorders, they know no discrimination. Whether it be of age, gender, cultural or ethnic background and socioeconomic status. They can strike anybody and anybody then should be wary. Anybody should be mindful of how they eat and inculcate a healthy perception of themselves. Because the danger of an eating disorder is always ready to pounce. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Mon, 4 Feb 2008 09:08:42 +0100 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/eating-disorders2 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/eating-disorders2 The total being is an intertwined relationship between the mind, the emotions and the body. When the mind is in distress, so will the emotions and the body. And if the emotions are bothered, most likely the mind and the body will be, too. The same is the case when the body is ill- the mind and the emotions can be affected. Many people suffer from emotional issues. They may be due to past traumas or present setbacks. Or maybe even their genetic make-up. Eating disorders are the possible physical consequences of emotional issues. Eating disorders are often the result of bad eating patterns. When a person has abnormal eating patterns which lead to eating disorders, then there is most likely some irregularities somewhere. Eating disorders are often resorted to by those who are in emotional distress. When one suffers emotionally, they may engage in binge eating. Food has become their source of comfort or relief. When one is emotionally hungry, they may fill that hunger with food. And food does bring comfort. With eating disorders however, food is mistakenly resorted to to relieve emotional distress. Eating disorders have two characteristics. It is either than one eats too much, as in binge eating, or one eats inadequately, such as in anorexia. There are some commonly known eating disorders. They are anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and compulsive eating. And these eating disorders are often rooted in emotional stress. When a person suppresses strong emotions, then it may lead to heavy eating or eating too much. They may use snacks or foods to indulge in so as to deal with emotional difficulties. People who suffer from eating disorders are often emotionally weak. Food has become their medium to relieve themselves. Undoubtedly, this is an unhealthy pattern. This tendency can lead to an eating disorder. And an eating disorder can lead to weight gain or ill health. Self-esteem issues are often the root behind eating disorders. Self-esteem issues also play a role in depression, drug abuse, alcoholism, self-injury and even suicide. And these conditions, especially depression, they often precede eating disorders. It is actually a perennial cycle. Depression leads to an eating disorder. And living with an eating disorder can result to more depression. It can be easy to get caught in this cycle. Eating disorders can only get worse as depression does and vice versa. For those suffering from eating disorders, the first means for recovery is to get emotional support. Especially for those suffering from depression. Depression negatively affects how a person eats, sleeps and feels. Depression can in fact be debilitating. It can be an emotional distress which can cause a person’s life to be in a disarray. Healthy living starts with having a healthy self-esteem. And self-esteem issues behind depression, they have to be properly addressed. That way, whatever consequences of depression can be dealt with, too. For a safe and natural means to deal with depression, Relagen can be effective. Relagen is a natural formula, and there is less likely to be side effects when taking it. Relagen is available through our store, and it is one of the proven products to promote total well-being. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Thu, 17 Jan 2008 09:50:38 +0100 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/overcoming-binge-eating http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/overcoming-binge-eating We all have bad habits that we want to overcome. Others do get lazy of course and just think of indulging despite the consequences. But if you are aware that you have to change a bad habit, then you are on the right path. You have the initiative. That is the first step, and that can go a long way. It’s also up to you if you let it go where you want to be. Or make you become what you want to be. Overcoming binge eating is a struggle that many people may be caught in. So many people out there have deep seated emotional issues. And they may resort to binge eating. Binge eating is when a person uses food to fill an emotional void. The void may never be filled, and so what then of food which is used to satiate it? Food may never fulfill that emotional need. And so too much food may be taken. Too much food equals to weight gain. Weight gain can lead to obesity. And obesity to ill health. Overcoming binge eating then is a quest that binge eaters must try to hurdle. But what is the first step to overcoming binge eating? In any endeavor, the principle of “mind over matter” is applicable. So it is with overcoming binge eating. A chronic binge eater may initially be scared of the idea of overcoming binge eating. But that fear is only in the mind. What is fear exactly. Fear is false evidence that appears to be real. And a person can get caught up in the thought that that false evidence is real. And they let that thought overcome them. Until they fail to even start trying to do something. Even when it comes to overcoming binge eating. But overcoming binge eating is possible. Binge eating is all in the mind. And so is overcoming binge eating. Overcoming binge eating is also a mind game. It takes the will of the mind when it comes to overcoming binge eating. When you say, “I can do it”, then most likely you can. When you think about overcoming binge eating as something impossible in the first place, then you have failed even before trying. But think, how long do you want to get caught up in binge eating. Binge eating feels good, but are you really happy with it? How do you feel after binge eating? Guilty, right? How long do you want to feel that guilt? This guilt which can go one forever. Or you can get in the struggle of overcoming binge eating. The struggle of overcoming binge eating is not an easy one. But is there any other solution to binge eating other than overcoming binge eating? It is overcoming binge eating, or wallowing in the misery of binge eating. Think of those as your two only choices. You can only choose that would make you become a better person. Just remember that the quest to become a better person is always worth it. It is a quest with all its struggles and rewards only for yourself. And it is sure to make living worthwhile and fulfilling. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Sun, 30 Dec 2007 14:50:08 +0100 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/healthy-food1 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/healthy-food1 People generally aim for health and fitness. In other words, they want to be energetic and free from illness, and they want to look good. Aiming for health and fitness is certainly a worthwhile endeavor. The rewards are basically worth it. But some people just want to lose weight. And at any cost at that- even at the expense of compromising their health. So they go on a crash diet. They starve, and then they binge. Such a tendency is really uncalled for. If they only keep to a healthy food diet, then they actually don’t have to go through all the trouble. The thing is, most people think that the concept of healthy food is passé. After all, living has become fast-paced. There are always processed and microwavable foods to help in coping with a hurried lifestyle. But so many things are compromised with hurrying. One of them can be health and a better quality of life. Eating is the foremost means of sustaining health. Thus, one has to be mindful of what they eat. Healthy food. To others, it may seem outmoded. But healthy food actually holds the key to so many doors. Healthy food can be the gateway to optimum health. To be energetic and free from diseases. To have a stronger immune system. Healthy food can also pave the way for weight loss. And it’s an uncomplicated weight loss measure at that. Now that’s the package of health and fitness all in the spectrum of healthy food. With a healthy diet, one doesn’t have to deprive themselves. After all, healthy food contains less calories. In fact, some of these foods burns fat. There are such things called negative calorie foods. They are healthy food in so many ways. Just by healthy negative calorie foods, one can lose weight. They gain nutrient nourishment, more energy and a fortified immune system at that. That’s an attractive package with healthy food. The key word with healthy food is “healthy”. And “healthy” means its safe. “Healthy” doesn’t sound scary at all, does it? “Healthy” is in fact what everybody should embrace. So it is with healthy food. A healthy diet should be a welcome incorporation into a scurrying lifestyle. With a fast-paced lifestyle, stress becomes inherent. Unhealthy food can only serve to aggravate stress. They inject more toxins to the body. But as for healthy food, they nourish and they rid the body of toxins. Most people eat just for the sake of filling in their stomach. They are unaware of the consequences of their behavior. Rather than giving nourishment, food has become a poison for them. Yes, food can be the cause of an illness. More so if it is unhealthy. But with healthy food, that is nourishment in its real sense. Nourishment which allows for growth, protection and sustenance. And well being. It’s as simple as going back to the basics. No need for complexities. With a healthy diet one is able to combat the hassles of modern living. It’s basically a case of the tried and tested against the growing demands of living. Healthy food has been tried and tested. It’s still the best bet and there’s no question about it. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Thu, 27 Dec 2007 10:18:14 +0100 http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/bulimia-nervosa http://www.healthzine.org/Eating-disorders/bulimia-nervosa Eating is certainly a pleasant sensual experience. Other than being a need, eating also satiates a person’s desire. Eating is in so many ways associated with emotions. There are people who eat when they are happy, which is common. After all, food is said to be a benefaction, so it is connoted with good times, or celebrating. And then there is emotional eating. A person is emotional eating to fill the void brought about by negative emotions. It also has psychological origins. Take the case of bulimia nervosa. Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder. And it can be a severe one at that. A person with bulimia nervosa has issues about self-control. Other than the obsession for weight loss and to be “thin”, that is. Bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa are often correlated with each other. There are those who would think that bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa mean the same. They are similar in a sense that they are both nervos’s. But then again, bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa are also different. Bulimia nervosa involves binge eating. A person with this eating disorder apparently consumes a hefty amount of food. It is then that they intentionally starve themselves after binge eating. They would either resort to excessive exercise, take laxatives or induce themselves to vomit. Binge eating and excessive exercise are actually within a broad spectrum. Due to this, there has been a set of criteria laid out to distinctly diagnose a person with bulimia nervosa. Rather than being underweight as in anorexia nervosa, a person with bulimia nervosa is otherwise. They are either of normal weight or are overweight. And a person with bulimia does not meet the diagnostic criteria for those with anorexia. With bulimia nervosa, a person has an uncontrollable urge for binge eating. They are compelled to eat voraciously especially during the binge itself. They would consume a larger amount of food than what a normal person does at one sitting. It is then that the bulimic will purge themselves of the recent food intake. This purging is often carried out by vomiting, taking laxatives or diuretics and exercising excessively. A person with bulimia is inclined towards this behavior in a pattern. If one tends to have this behavior twice per week for three months, then it could be a dreaded eating disorder. And it can be the appalling bulimia nervosa. A person with bulimia nervosa may be too focused on body image. By all means, they are desperate to appear thin. Bulimia nervosa has to do with food and eating habits. But its initial cause is due to psychological issues of lack of self-control. Bulimics appear to be compulsive eaters after which they feel guilty of what they do. The “binge” and “purge” session of bulimia nervosa can become severe. Oftentimes, this has to be disrupted by another person. Living with bulimia nervosa can be a struggle in so many ways. Those fraught by this eating disorder are in dire need of professional help. This ought to be rendered to them to safeguard their health, well-being and a better quality of life. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy.