Anorexia nervosa
Introduction
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that causes people to obsess about their weight and the food they eat. People with anorexia nervosa attempt to maintain a weight that's far below normal for their age and height. To prevent weight gain or to continue losing weight, people with anorexia nervosa may starve themselves or exercise excessively.
Anorexia nervosa isn't really about food. It's an unhealthy way to try to cope with emotional problems. When you have anorexia nervosa, you often equate thinness with self-worth.
Anorexia nervosa can be difficult to overcome. But with treatment, you can gain a better sense of who you are, return to healthier eating habits and reverse some of anorexia's serious complications.
Symptoms
Some people with anorexia lose weight mainly through severely restricting the amount of food they eat. They may also try to lose weight by exercising excessively. Others with anorexia binge and purge, similar to bulimia. They control calorie intake by vomiting after eating or by misusing laxatives, diuretics or enemas.
No matter how weight loss is achieved, anorexia has a number of physical, emotional and behavioral signs and symptoms.
Physical signs and symptoms of anorexia include:
- Extreme weight loss
- Thin appearance
- Abnormal blood counts
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Dizziness or fainting
- A bluish discoloration of the fingers
- Hair that thins, breaks or falls out
- Soft, downy hair covering the body
- Absence of menstruation
- Constipation
- Dry skin
- Intolerance of cold
- Irregular heart rhythms
- Low blood pressure
- Dehydration
- Osteoporosis
- Swelling of arms or legs
Emotional and behavioral characteristics associated with anorexia include:
- Refusal to eat
- Denial of hunger
- Afraid of gaining weight
- Lying about how much food has been eaten
- Excessive exercise
- Flat mood (lack of emotion)
- Social withdrawal
- Irritability
- Preoccupation with food
- Reduced interest in sex
- Depressed mood
- Possible use of laxatives, diet aids or herbal products
How can I know if I have Anorexia Nervosa?
If you're experiencing any of these problems, or if you think you may have an eating disorder, get help. If you're hiding your anorexia from loved ones, try to find a confidant you can talk to about what's going on.
If you're concerned that a loved one may have anorexia, watch for these possible red flags:
- Skipping meals
- Making excuses for not eating
- Eating only a few certain "safe" foods, usually those low in fat and calories
- Adopting rigid meal or eating rituals, such as cutting food into tiny pieces or spitting food out after chewing
- Cooking elaborate meals for others but refusing to eat
- Repeated weighing of themselves
- Frequent checking in the mirror for perceived flaws
- Complaining about being fat
- Not wanting to eat in public
Food That Cure Anorexia Nervosa
- Eat 2-3 fresh Oranges a day.
- Eat at least 1 Apple a day.
- Boil 2-3 cloves of garlic in 1 cup of water. Strain. Add the juice of ½ a lime to this and drink 2 times a day, for a week.
- Make a paste of fresh Ginger. Add a pinch of salt and a drop of lime juice to ½ a tspn of the paste. Eat this 2 times a day for 1 week.
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