Archive for September 2nd, 2005
Fish oil reduces risk of heart disease
Hundreds of studies have been done on fish or fish oils and their role in the prevention or treatment of heart disease. A review in the British Medical Journal recommends fish or fish oil supplements to prevent heart attacks, particularly in people with vascular disease. How omega-3 fats reduce heart disease is not known, but they are known to lower blood triglycerides and blood pressure, prevent clotting, are anti-inflammatory and reduce abnormal heart rhythms.
A word of caution on mercury
While it is recommended to eat one to two fish meals a week, it is wise to avoid fish high in mercury. Excess mercury appears to affect the nervous system, causing: numb or tingling fingers, lips and toes; developmental delays in walking and talking in children; muscle and joint pain; increased risk of heart attack.
Fish high in mercury include shark, swordfish (broadbill) and marlin, ray, gemfish, ling, orange roughy (sea perch) and southern blue fin tuna. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, women planning pregnancy and children up to six years old should avoid these fish.
If catching and eating your own fish, don’t fish in polluted waters. Bottom feeder species, such as catfish, may ingest more pollutants.
Types of fish cuts
The types of fish cuts available include:
* Fillet - the boneless flank of the fish.
* Dressed - with head and fins (entrails, scales and gills are removed).
* Steak - cross-sections taken from a dressed fish.
* Gutted - whole fish with entrails removed.
Healthy ways to cook fish
Healthy ways to cook fish include:
* Baking - make shallow cuts along the top of the fish. Put into a greased dish and cover with foil. Flavour with herbs, lemon juice and olive oil. Bake at around 180°C and baste frequently.
* Shallow frying - dry and flour the fish. Place a small amount of oil or butter in the pan. Fry the fish at a medium heat.
* Grilling - cut slashes into whole fish to help the heat penetrate the flesh. Place fish on a preheated grill. Baste frequently.
* Poaching - not suitable for flaky varieties. Place fish in gently simmering stock. Whole fish should be placed in a pan of cold stock, which is then slowly brought up to a gentle simmer.
* Steaming - put fish in a steamer or on a plate over a saucepan containing gently boiling water. Cover.
Cooking times for fresh fish
To estimate the cooking time of a fresh piece of fish, measure the meat at its thickest part. Suggested cooking times include:
* One cm thick - bake for 3 minutes, shallow fry for 4 minutes, grill for 5 minutes, poach for 8 minutes, steam for 3 minutes.
* Two cm thick - bake for 11 minutes, shallow fry for 7 minutes, grill for 6 minutes, poach for 10 minutes, steam for 7 minutes.
* Three cm thick - bake for 15 minutes, shallow fry for 10 minutes, grill for 9 minutes, poach for 12 minutes, steam for 11 minutes.
* Four cm thick - bake for 20 minutes, shallow fry for 13 minutes, grill for 11 minutes, poach for 13 minutes, steam for 14 minutes.
Cooking times for frozen fish
To estimate the cooking time of a frozen piece of fish, measure the meat at its thickest part. Suggested cooking times include:
* One cm thick - bake for 17 minutes, shallow fry for 7 minutes, grill for 12 minutes, poach for 10 minutes, steam for 5 minutes.
* Two cm thick - bake for 22 minutes, shallow fry for 11 minutes, grill for 15 minutes, poach for 15 minutes, steam for 11 minutes.
* Three cm thick - bake for 35 minutes, shallow fry for 15 minutes, grill for 24 minutes, poach for 22 minutes, steam for 13 minutes.
* Four cm thick - bake for 39 minutes, shallow fry for 18 minutes, grill for 28 minutes, poach for 28 minutes, steam for 16 minutes.
September 2nd, 2005
Australia’s leading health research body, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), suggests that Australians should eat more fish. This is because fish is low in fat, high in protein and an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids. Researchers worldwide have discovered that eating fish regularly - one or two serves weekly - may reduce the risk of diseases ranging from childhood asthma to prostate cancer. Healthy ways to enjoy fish include baked, poached, grilled and steamed.
Health benefits of eating fish
Regular consumption of fish can reduce the risk of various diseases and disorders. Selected research findings include:
* Asthma - children who eat fish may be less likely to develop asthma.
* Brain and eyes - fish rich in omega 3 fatty acids can contribute to the health of brain tissue and the retina (the back of the eye).
* Cancer - the omega 3 fatty acids in fish may reduce the risk of many types of cancers by 30 to 50 per cent, especially of the oral cavity, oesophagus, colon, breast, ovary and prostate.
* Cardiovascular disease - eating fish every week reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke by reducing blood clots and inflammation, improving blood vessel elasticity, lowering blood pressure, lowering blood fats and boosting ‘good’ cholesterol.
* Dementia - elderly people who eat fish or seafood at least once a week may have a lower risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
* Depression - people who regularly eat fish have a lower incidence of depression (depression is linked to low levels of omega 3 fatty acids in the brain).
* Diabetes - fish may help people with diabetes manage their blood sugar levels.
* Eyesight - breastfed babies of mothers who eat fish have better eyesight, perhaps due to the omega 3 fatty acids transmitted in breast milk.
* Inflammatory conditions - regular fish consumption may relieve the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and autoimmune disease.
* Prematurity - eating fish during pregnancy may help reduce the risk of delivering a premature baby.
Foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids
The recommended daily amount of omega 3 fatty acids from fish is 200-600mg and from plants it is 1-2g.
The following are approximate amounts of omega 3 fatty acids per 60g serve of varieties of fish:
* Salmon (fresh Atlantic) 1,200mg
* Smoked salmon 1,000mg
* Canned salmon 500mg
* Sardines 1,500mg
* Trout (fresh rainbow) 350mg
* Gemfish 300mg
* Blue-eye, shark (flake), salmon, squid 250mg
* Scallop or calamari 200mg
* Sea mullet, abalone 170mg
* Canned tuna 145mg
* Orange roughy or sea perch 7mg.
The following are approximate amounts of omega 3 fatty acids per 60g serve of other foods:
* Two slices of fish oil enriched white bread 27mg
* Lean beef or lamb 40mg
* One fish oil enriched egg 200mg
* Fish oil enriched margarine (10g) 60mg
* One regular egg 40mg.
The best source of omega 3 fatty acids is fish, rather than fish oil capsules.
Read More about Fish
September 2nd, 2005
The kids are screaming for a Happy Meal, your mouth’s watering but you can’t possibly go there and let yourself be sucked in by this “a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips” food. Or maybe you can - because our main fast food venues are catering for us more nutrition conscious consumers by marketing healthier alternatives. Here we suss the healthy options out; for both nutrition content and taste.
Mc Donalds
McDonalds have made many changes to their menu and offer a Penne Pasta Salad with Italian style chicken at a mere 266 calories. It has less than 5% fat and that includes the dressing. This looks gorgeous and has big chunks of chicken so, unlike some chicken salads, you won’t have to play that exciting game of spot the chicken!
If chicken doesn’t flap your wings, why not go for the Feta Cheese and Pasta Salad for 239 calories (dressing not included).
They also offer a fruit bag at 42 calories, that you can swap for chips to make a more nutritious Happy Meal.
For a great snack try their new strawberry yoghurt burst at 35p for just 21 calories (I haven’t made a typing error, it is a silly but fabulous 21 calories!)
Watch out for the additional dressings, they bump those extra hidden calories up. Ranch dressing is a whopping 251 calories, Caesar dressing an extra 143 calories and Balsamic dressing is 105 calories.
Burger King
Burger King is the ultimate king of healthy options. They have launched a range called Lighter Alternative (LA) which offers an LA Chicken Sandwich for 322 calories. Having tried this I can tell you it is a mouth wateringly tasty, succulent and filling and just what the diet ordered - guilt free and better nutrition than a greasy burger!
A warm Flame Grilled Chicken Salad for less than 140 calories can substitute the burger you’ve been longing for all day and a garden salad at less than 35 calories will boost the nutrition value.
Burger King’s French dressing is only 8 calories per serving, the yummy Tomato and Basil dressing only 19, the Honey and Mustard dressing is 32 calories, while the Caesar dressing is 161 calories. All of these, bar the Caesar dressing, are low in calories and can add that extra oomph into your crunchy salad.
Kentucky Fried Chicken
KFC are slowing following in the footsteps of these other fast food venues by offering a warm chicken salad for 256 calories without the dressing, and for an extra 32 calories you can add the low fat vinaigrette. They also offer a side dish of corn on the cob for only 150 calories.
Verdict
For me, there’s no comparison with what Burger King has to offer for both taste and nutrition. They are making a positive statement with their lighter alternatives and seem to be sticking to it. I can’t wait to see what else they come up with.
McDonalds seem to be getting there and have great snacks and the salad is good, although calorie wise it can’t beat Burger King or KFC.
KFC still needs to do some brushing up on good nutrition, and expand its range of healthy options, but like they say - it is finger lickin’ good!
September 2nd, 2005
Question: Why do food manufacturers add so much salt to processed foods? There are so many other excellent food preservation methods available.
Answer
Salt (sodium chloride) helps prevent spoiling by drawing water out of the food and depriving bacteria of the moisture they need to thrive. Salt is also an antibacterial agent, killing some bacteria that cause food spoiling.
At one time, salting was one of the only methods available to help preserve food. But today food manufacturers have many other methods. These include pasteurization, refrigeration and freezing, and dehydration and freeze-drying, irradiation and chemical preservatives. Each of these newer procedures has resulted in the need for less salt in foods — and in some cases, no salt.
So why is salt still added to processed foods? Here are some reasons:
* Salt makes food more flavorful.
* Salted foods such as soups seem thicker and less watery.
* Salt increases sweetness in products such as soft drinks, cookies and cakes.
* Salt helps cover up any metallic or chemical aftertaste in products such as soft drinks.
* Salt decreases dryness in foods such as crackers and pretzels.
Most Americans consume more than double the recommended daily amount of sodium — due in part to a heavy diet of processed foods. To reduce sodium in your diet:
* Eat fewer processed foods such as potato chips, frozen dinners and cured meats.
* Choose low-sodium or reduced-sodium foods.
* Don’t add salt to your food. Instead, use herbs and spices to flavor foods.
* Eat more unprocessed, fresh foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, poultry, fish and unprocessed grains.
September 2nd, 2005
Introduce new foods as soon as your child can handle them. You will have more success before 18 months, but even then it is not easy. Even in the best of circumstances it may take 10 to 15 attempts before a child is willing to eat, or even try, new foods. Offer them and let the child decide what to do with them. If you push too hard, or make a big deal out of a new food, you may inadvertantly create a power struggle. It helps if you yourself model enjoyment of the new foods. If your child sees that beets, for example, are an adult food, s/he may be curious about them and willing to taste. Don’t expect instant acceptance however, especially of stronger flavored items.
And speaking of foods with strong flavors, if you suspect your child may be a supertaster, accept that s/he will avoid certain items, probably for years and maybe forever, and move on. It is possible to be well nourished eating only bland food with little or no seasoning. Provide a selection of mild foods, and notice if your child is more willing to try them. If so, you may be living with a supertaster. It’s another human characteristic like red hair or brown eyes. Don’t fight it. Enjoy your child, idiosyncracies and all.
Worried that your child is not eating enough? Picky eating does not automatically lead to nutritional deficiencies and most picky eaters do consume about 1,000 calories a day, which is the recommended intake for toddlers. However, they often have too little variety in their diets. They won’t starve to death, but the sooner they begin to eat more healthfully, the better. In some cases food restriction can lead to permanently stunted growth.
Many picky eaters choose high-calorie, low-nutrient foods and little else. For example, their favorite vegetable is often french fried potatoes, overcomsumption of which can contribute to overweight and obesity.
Cheese, peanut butter, and ice cream are other favorite foods that can be part of a healthy, balanced meal plan, but they should not be the entire meal plan.
Some parents find incentives useful. For example, “You can have dessert if you eat your green beans.” Others find that bribes do not work. The child is happier avoiding the “icky” food than eating the desired one. Parents can experiment with incentives. If they work, custom tailor them to your child’s preferences. If they don’t work, give up on them.
Above all, refuse to engage in a power struggle. There is no way you can win, and continued attempts will only cement your child’s determination not to eat what you want him/her to eat. If you are concerned about life and health, talk to the child’s pediatrician. Since there are a few relatively rare psychological disorders that can manifest in food refusal, ask for a referral to a child psychologist or child psychiatrist.
* Sources
1. AAP 2004 National Conference & Exhibition: Session F170. Presented Oct. 9, 2004
2. Annals of the New York Academy of Science (Bartoshuk L. Ann NY Acad Sci. 1998;30:793-796)
3. Journal of the American Dietetic Association (Duffy VB, Batoshuk L. J ) Am Dietetic Assoc. 2000;100:547-555)
September 2nd, 2005
* An overview
Although it worries parents, picky eating is usually a stage that children outgrow, a normal part of childhood development seen in toddlers who are learning to be independent and enjoying the power of the word “No!” Needless to say, extended food refusal can drive parents to frustration and feelings of inadequacy, leaving them frantically searching for ways to get their kids to eat.
In less frequent cases, children are picky eaters from birth, consuming only small amounts of a few favorite foods. If parents do get food into them by tempting, punishing, manipulating or bribing them, results may range from tears to tantrums to physical distress; e.g., vomiting. Then well-meaning moms and dads, legitimately concerned about their children’s health, are left feeling even more frustrated, ineffective, anxious and guilty.
In the first situation, parents are faced with a power struggle. In the second, researchers are finding that physiology may play a part. It seems that about 25 percent of us are “supertasters,” people who have many more tastebuds than the general population. Supertasters find certain fruits (grapefruit in particular) and vegetables (especially broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower) intolerably bitter, avoiding them at all costs. Cooking does not diminish the bitterness. Children are more likely than adults to be supertasters, suggesting that the sensitivity to bitterness diminishes over time.
Supertasters make up probably a quarter of picky eaters, which leaves 75% engaged in developmental power struggles on their journey to adulthood and independence. What to do? Read on.
* What can parents do about picky eating?
The first step should be a comprehensive medical exam done by the child’s pediatrician. There are a few, fortunately not common, diseases and abnormalities that can present as picky eating. For your own peace of mind, let the doctor rule them out. If by chance something is found, then follow medical advice about treatment.
Chances are, the doctor will find nothing wrong with your child. Your next job is to realize that picky eating is very common. You are not alone; other parents are going through the same thing. Anywhere from half to two-thirds of children are picky eaters at one time or another. Parents of toddlers report that almost all of them eat selectively or ritualistically from time to time; for example, demanding peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches on white bread with the crusts cut off for lunch for months on end. Any variation is met with upset and distress.
Child psychologists recommend defining areas of responsibility. Parents are responsible for offering children a variety of healthy, tasty, nutritious foods and beverages. Mom and dad are responsible for creating enjoyable, peaceful, companionable and regularly scheduled mealtimes. Children, even very young ones, are responsible for eating — deciding whether or not to eat and how much to eat. The parents’ job is to present mealtime as an opportunity to enjoy food, pleasant conversation, and one another’s company. The children’s job is to learn how to participate in mealtime and contribute to the total experience. Arguing over food accomplishes nothing and can destroy opportunities to build relationships and personal responsibility for self-nurturing behavior.
Serve the food. If it your child eats it, great. Don’t comment or praise the behavior. Your words may trigger rebellion later if the child feels you have won the battle. If your s/he does not eat what is served, remove the food without comment. If the s/he says s/he is hungry between meals and asks for a snack, gently but firmly refuse to allow him/her to eat empty calories, explaining that snacks cannot take the place of healthy food, more of which will be available at the next mealtime. And then don’t give in. If you do, you have not just lost the battle, you have lost the whole war.
In addition, restrict access to fruit juice and soft drinks to four ounces per day or less because picky eaters are notorious for filling up on sweet liquids that help them avoid solid foods. Juice and pop by themselves cannot provide sufficient nutrition for health and growth.
More Advice in Part II
September 2nd, 2005
Many sports demand low percentages of body fat. In general, men have more lean muscle tissue and less fatty tissue than women do. Males also tend to have higher metabolic rates than females because muscle burns more calories faster than fat does. So women, who in general carry more body fat than men, with slower metabolisms and smaller frames, require fewer calories than men do.
All of these factors mean that women gain weight more easily than men, and women have a harder time losing weight, and keeping it off, than men do. In addition, women have been taught to value being thin. Men, on the other hand, usually want to be big, powerful, and strong; therefore, men are under less pressure to diet than women are — and dieting is one of the primary risk factors for the development of an eating disorder.
* Special concerns: wrestlers and quick weight loss
Everyone who uses drastic and unhealthy methods of weight loss is at risk of dying or developing serious health problems, but the deaths of three college wrestlers in the latter part of 1997 triggered re-examination of the extreme weight-loss efforts common in that sport. Athletes in other sports have died too; runners and gymnasts seem to be at high risk. The deaths of three young men in different parts of the U.S. in the late 1990s has put the problem once again before the public.
News reports say that the three were going to school in North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Authorities believe they were trying to lose too much weight too rapidly so they could compete in lower weight classes. The wrestling coach at Iowa State University has been quoted as saying, “When you have deaths like this, it calls into question what’s wrong with the sport. Wrestlers believe that, foremost, it’s their responsibility to make weight, and that mind set may come from the fact that they find themselves invincible.” They share that mind set with others who use dangerous methods of weight loss, both athletes and non-athletes.
Two of the young men were wearing rubber sweat suits while they worked out in hot rooms. One died from kidney failure and heart malfunction. The other succumbed to cardiac arrest after he worked out on an exercise bike and refused to drink liquids to replenish those he lost by sweating. One was trying to lose four pounds, the other six.
Wrestlers share a mentality with people who have eating disorders. They push themselves constantly to improve, to be fitter, to weigh less, and to excel. They drive themselves beyond fatigue. One coach reports that “wrestlers consider themselves the best-conditioned athletes that exist, and they like the fact they can go where no one’s gone before. The instilled attitude among these kids is that if they push and push, it’ll pay off with a victory.” No one expects to die as a consequence of weight loss, but it happens.
When a clamor arose for the NCAA to do something, to make rules prohibiting drastic methods of weight loss, a representative said, “We could make every rule in the book, but we can’t legislate ethics. That’s where the wrestlers and coaches have to put the onus on themselves.”
What price victory? It takes wisdom indeed to realize that in some circumstances the price is too high.
September 2nd, 2005
In a sense, eating disorders are diets and fitness or sports programs gone horribly wrong. A person wants to lose weight, get fit, excel in his or her sport, but then loses control and ends up with body and spirit ravaged by starvation, binge eating, purging, and frantic compulsive exercise. What may have begun as a solution to problems of low self-esteem has now become an even bigger problem in its own right.
* Statistics
Several studies suggest that participants in sports that emphasize appearance and a lean body are at higher risk for developing an eating disorder than are non-athletes or folks involved in sports that require muscle mass and bulk.
Eating disorders are significant problems in the worlds of ballet and other dance, figure skating, gymnastics, running, swimming, rowing, horse racing, ski jumping, and riding. Wrestlers, usually thought of as strong and massive, may binge eat before a match to carbohydrate load and then purge to make weight in a lower class.
One study of 695 male and female athletes found many examples of bulimic attitudes and behavior. A third of the group was preoccupied with food. About a quarter binged at least once a week. Fifteen percent thought they were overweight when they were not. About twelve percent feared losing control, or actually did lose control, when they ate. More than five percent ate until they were gorged and nauseated.
In this study, five and a half percent vomited to feel better after a binge and to control weight. Almost four percent abused laxatives. Twelve percent fasted for twenty-four hours or more after a binge, and about one and a half percent used enemas to purge.
Another research project done by the NCAA looked at the number of student athletes who had experienced an eating disorder in the previous two years. Ninety-three percent of the reported problems were in women’s sports. The sports that had the highest number of participants with eating disorders, in descending order, were women’s cross country, women’s gymnastics, women’s swimming, and women’s track and field events.
The male sports with the highest number of participants with eating disorders were wrestling and cross country.
* Male and female athletes: different risk factors
The female athlete is doubly at risk for the development of an eating disorder. She is subject to the constant social pressure to be thin that affects all females in western countries, and she also finds herself in a sports milieu that may overvalue performance, low body fat, and an idealized, unrealistic body shape, size, and weight. Constant exposure to the demands of the athletic subculture added to those bombarding her daily on TV, in movies, in magazines, and transmitted by peers, may make her especially vulnerable to the lures of weight loss and unhealthy ways of achieving that loss.
Males also develop eating disorders but at a much reduced incidence (approximately 90% female; 10% male). Males may be protected somewhat by their basic biology and different cultural expectations.
View Part II
September 2nd, 2005
* Binge eating disorder
A recent study reported in Drugs and Therapy Perspectives reports that about one percent of women in the United States have binge eating disorder, as do thirty percent of women who seek treatment to lose weight. In other studies, up to two percent, or one to two million adults in the U.S., have problems with binge eating.
* Eating disorders and substance abuse
About 72% of alcoholic women younger than 30 also have eating disorders. (Health magazine, Jan/Feb 2002)
* What about compulsive exercising?
Because anorexia athletica is not a formal diagnosis, it has not been studied as rigorously as the official eating disorders. We have no idea how many people exercise compulsively.
* Body dysmorphic disorder (includes muscle dysmorphic disorder)
Not yet an official diagnosis, but may achieve that status soon. BDD affects about two percent of people in the U.S. and strikes males and females equally, usually before age eighteen (70% of the time). Sufferers are excessively concerned about appearance, body shape, body size, weight, perceived lack of muscles, facial blemishes, and so forth. In some cases BDD can lead to steroid abuse, unnecessary plastic surgery, and even suicide. BDD is treatable and begins with an evaluation by a mental health care provider.
* Subclinical eating disorders
We can only guess at the vast numbers of people who have subclinical or threshhold eating disorders. They are too much preoccupied with food and weight. Their eating and weight control behaviors are not normal, but they are not disturbed enough to qualify for a formal diagnosis.
* Eating disorders in Western and non-Western countries
In a study reported in Medscape’s General Medicine 6(3) 2004, prevalence rates in Western countries for anorexia nervosa ranged from 0.1% to 5.7% in female subjects. Prevalence rates for bulimia nervosa ranged from 0% to 2.1% in males and from 0.3% to 7.3% in female subjects.
Prevalence rates in non-Western countries for bulimia nervosa ranged from 0.46% to 3.2% in female subjects. Studies of eating attitudes indicate abnormal eating attitudes in non-Western countries have been gradually increasing, presumably because of the influence, at least in part, of Western media: movies, TV shows, and magazines. Researchers conclude that the prevalence of eating disorders in non-Western countries is lower than that of Western countries, but it appears to be increasing.
September 2nd, 2005
What is binge eating disorder?
People with binge eating disorder often eat an unusually large amount of food and feel out of control during the binges. People with binge eating disorder also may:
* eat more quickly than usual during binge episodes
* eat until they are uncomfortably full
* eat when they are not hungry
* eat alone because of embarrassment
* feel disgusted, depressed, or guilty after overeating
What causes binge eating disorder?
No one knows for sure what causes binge eating disorder. Researchers are looking at the following factors that may affect binge eating:
* Depression. As many as half of all people with binge eating disorder are depressed or have been depressed in the past.
* Dieting. Some people binge after skipping meals, not eating enough food each day, or avoiding certain kinds of food.
* Coping skills. Studies suggest that people with binge eating may have trouble handling some of their emotions. Many people who are binge eaters say that being angry, sad, bored, worried, or stressed can cause them to binge eat.
* Biology. Researchers are looking into how brain chemicals and metabolism (the way the body uses calories) affect binge eating disorder. Research also suggests that genes may be involved in binge eating, since the disorder often occurs in several members of the same family.
Certain behaviors and emotional problems are more common in people with binge eating disorder. These include abusing alcohol, acting quickly without thinking (impulsive behavior), and not feeling in charge of themselves.
What are the health consequences of binge eating disorder?
People with binge eating disorder are usually very upset by their binge eating and may become depressed. Research has shown that people with binge eating disorder report more health problems, stress, trouble sleeping, and suicidal thoughts than people without an eating disorder. People with binge eating disorder often feel badly about themselves and may miss work, school, or social activities to binge eat.
People with binge eating disorder may gain weight. Weight gain can lead to obesity, and obesity raises the risk for these health problems:
* type 2 diabetes
* high blood pressure
* high cholesterol
* gallbladder disease
* heart disease
* certain types of cancer
What is the treatment for binge eating disorder?
People with binge eating disorder should get help from a health care provider, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or clinical social worker. There are several different ways to treat binge eating disorder:
* Cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches people how to keep track of their eating and change their unhealthy eating habits. It teaches them how to cope with stressful situations. It also helps them feel better about their body shape and weight.
* Interpersonal psychotherapy helps people look at their relationships with friends and family and make changes in problem areas.
* Drug therapy, such as antidepressants, may be helpful for some people.
Other treatments include dialectical behavior therapy, which helps people regulate their emotions; drug therapy with the anti-seizure medication topiramate; exercise in combination with cognitive-behavioral therapy; and support groups.
Many people with binge eating disorder also have a problem with obesity. There are treatments for obesity, like weight loss surgery (gastrointestinal surgery), but these treatments will not treat the underlying problem of binge eating disorder.
September 2nd, 2005
Can someone with bulimia get better?
Yes, a person with bulimia can get better. Different types of therapy have worked to help people with bulimia. This may include individual, group, and family therapy. A class of medicines, also used for depression, like Zoloft, has been effective when used with therapy. These medicines change the way certain chemicals work in the brain.
Can women who had bulimia in the past still get pregnant?
Bulimia can cause problems with a woman’s period. She may not get it every 4 weeks or it may stop. But researchers don’t think this affects a woman’s chances of getting pregnant after she recovers.
Does bulimia hurt a baby when the mother is pregnant?
If a woman with active bulimia gets pregnant, these problems may result:
* miscarriage
* high blood pressure in the mother
* baby isn’t born alive
* low birth weight
* low Apgar score, which are tests done after birth to make sure the baby is healthy
* during the delivery, they baby tries to come out with feet or buttocks first
* birth by C-section
* baby is born early
* depression after the baby is born
What should I do if I think someone I know has bulimia?
If you know someone with bulimia, you can help. Follow these steps from the National Eating Disorders Association:
1. Set a time to talk. Set aside a time to privately talk about your concerns with your friend. Be open and honest. Make sure you talk in a place away from distractions.
2. Tell your friend about your concerns. Tell your friend about specific times when you were worried about her eating or exercise behaviors. Explain that you think these things may show a problem that needs professional help.
3. Ask your friend talk about these concerns. She could talk to a counselor or doctor who knows about eating issues. If you feel comfortable, offer to help your friend make an appointment or go with her to her appointment.
4. Avoid conflicts or a battle of the wills with your friend. If your friend doesn’t admit to a problem, repeat your feelings and the reasons for them. Be a supportive listener.
5. Don’t place shame, blame, or guilton your friend. Do not use accusatory “you” statements like, “You just need to eat.” Or, “You are acting irresponsibly.” Instead, use “I” statements like, “I’m concerned about you because you refuse to eat breakfast or lunch.” Or, “It makes me afraid to hear you vomiting.”
6. Avoid giving simple solutions. Don’t say, “If you’d just stop, then everything would be fine!”
7. Express your continued support. Remind your friend that you care and want her to be healthy and happy.
September 2nd, 2005
What is bulimia?
Bulimia (buh-LEE -me-ah) nervosa, typically called bulimia, is a type of eating disorder. Someone with bulimia eats a lot of food in a short amount of time (called bingeing) and then tries to prevent weight gain by purging. Purging might be done in these ways:
* making oneself throw up
* taking laxatives, pills, or liquids that increase how fast food moves through your body and leads to a bowel movement (BM)
A person with bulimia may also use these ways to prevent weight gain:
* exercising a lot
* eating very little or not at all
* taking pills to pass urine
What causes it?
Bulimia is more than just a problem with food. Purging and other behaviors to prevent weight gain are ways for people with bulimia to feel more in control of their lives and ease stress and anxiety. While there is no single known cause of bulimia, many things may have a role in its development:
* Biology. There are studies being done to look at many genes, hormones, and chemicals in the brain that may have an effect on the development of, and recovery from, bulimia.
* Culture. Some cultures in the U.S. have an ideal of extreme thinness. Women may define themselves on how beautiful they are.
* Personal feelings. Someone with bulimia may feel badly about herself, feel helpless, and hate the way she looks.
* Stressful events or life changes. Things like starting a new school or job, being teased, or traumatic events like rape can lead to the onset of bulimia.
* Families. The attitude of parents about appearance and diet affects their kids. Also, a person is more likely to develop bulimia if a mother or sister has it.
What are signs of bulimia?
People with bulimia may be underweight, overweight, or have a normal weight. This makes it harder to know if someone has this disorder. However, someone with bulimia may have these signs:
Uses extreme measures to lose weight
* uses diet pills, or takes pills to urinate or have a bowel movement (BM)
* goes to the bathroom all the time after she eats (to throw up)
* exercises a lot, even during bad weather, tiredness, sickness, or injury
Shows signs of throwing up
* swelling of the cheeks or jaw area
* cuts and calluses on the back of the hands and knuckles
* teeth that look clear
Acts differently
* is depressed
* doesn’t see friends or participate in activities as much
Continue Reading about Bulimia
September 2nd, 2005
Can someone with anorexia get better?
Yes. People with this disorder can get better. The treatment depends on what the person needs. The person must get back to a healthy weight. Many times, eating disorders happen with other problems, like depression and anxiety problems. These problems are treated along with the anorexia and may involve medicines that help reduce feelings of depression and anxiety.
With outpatient care, the patient goes to the hospital during the day for treatment, but lives at home. Sometimes, the patient goes to a hospital and stays there for treatment. Different types of health care providers, like doctors, nutritionists, and therapists, will help the patient get better. These providers will help the patient regain the weight, improve physical health and nutrition, learn healthy eating patterns, and cope with thoughts and feelings related to the disorder. After leaving the hospital, the patient continues to get help from her providers. Individual counseling can also help someone with anorexia. Counseling may involve the whole family too, especially if the patient is young. Support groups may also be a part of treatment. Support groups help patients and families talk about their experiences and help each other get better.
Can women who had anorexia in the past still get pregnant?
It depends. Women who have fully recovered from anorexia have a better chance of getting pregnant. While a woman has active anorexia, she does not get her usual period and doesn’t normally ovulate, so it would be harder to get pregnant. However, she may get pregnant as she regains weight because her reproductive system is getting back to normal. After they gain back some weight, some women may skip or miss their periods, which can cause problems getting pregnant. If this happens, a woman should see her doctor.
Can anorexia hurt a baby when the mother is pregnant?
If a woman with active anorexia gets pregnant, the baby and mother can be affected. The baby is more likely to be born at a low weight and born early. The mother is more likely to have a miscarriage, deliver by C-section, and have depression after the baby is born.
What should I do if I think someone I know has anorexia?
If you know someone like Jen, you can help. Follow these steps from the National Eating Disorders Association:
1. Set a time to talk. Set aside a time to privately talk about your concerns with your friend. Be open and honest. Make sure you talk in a place away from distractions.
2. Tell your friend about your concerns. Tell your friend about specific times when you were worried about her eating or exercise behaviors. Explain that you think these things may show a problem that needs professional help.
3. Ask your friend talk about these concerns. She could talk to a counselor or doctor who knows about eating issues. If you feel comfortable, offer to help your friend make an appointment or go with her to her appointment.
4. Avoid conflicts or a battle of the wills with your friend. If your friend doesn’t admit to a problem, repeat your feelings and the reasons for them. Be a supportive listener.
5. Don’t place shame, blame, or guilt on your friend. Do not use accusatory “you” statements like, “You just need to eat.” Or, “You are acting irresponsibly.” Instead, use “I” statements like, “I’m concerned about you because you refuse to eat breakfast or lunch.” Or, “It makes me afraid to hear you vomiting.”
6. Avoid giving simple solutions. Don’t say, “If you’d just stop, then everything would be fine!”
7. Express your continued support. Remind your friend that you care and want her to be healthy and happy.
September 2nd, 2005
What is anorexia?
Anorexia (a-neh-RECK-see ah) nervosa, typically called anorexia, is a type of eating disorder that mainly affects girls and young women. A person with this disorder has an intense fear of gaining weight and limits the food she eats. She
* has a low body weight
* refuses to keep a normal body weight
* is extremely afraid of becoming fat
* believes she is fat even when she’s very thin
* misses three (menstrual) periods in a row—for girls/women who have started having their periods.
What causes it?
Anorexia is more than just a problem with food. It’s a way of using food or starving oneself to feel more in control of her life and to ease tension, anger, and anxiety. While there is no single known cause of anorexia, several things may contribute to the development of the disorder:
* Biology. Several biological factors, including genetics and other related hormones, may contribute in the onset the disorder.
* Culture. Some cultures in the U.S. have an ideal of extreme thinness. Women may define themselves on how beautiful they are.
* Personal feelings. Someone with anorexia may feel badly about herself, feel helpless, and hate the way she looks. She has unrealistic expectations of herself and strives for perfection. She feels worthless, despite achievements and perceives a social pressure to be thin.
* Stressful events or life changes. Things like starting a new school or job or being teased to traumatic events like rape can lead to the onset of anorexia.
* Families. People with a mother or sister with anorexia are more likely to develop the disorder. Parents who think appearance is very important, diet themselves, and criticize their children’s bodies are more likely to have a child with anorexia.
What are signs of anorexia?
A person with anorexia will have many of these signs:
* Looks a lot thinner
* Uses extreme measures to lose weight
* makes herself throw up
* takes pills to urinate or have a bowel movement (BM)
* takes diet pills
* doesn’t eat or follows a strict diet
* exercises a lot
* weighs food and counts calories
* moves food around the plate; doesn’t eat it
* Has a distorted body image
* thinks she’s fat when she’s too thin
* wears baggy clothes to hide appearance
* fears gaining weight
* weighs herself many times a day
* Acts differently
* talks about weight and food all the time
* won’t eat in front of others
* acts moody or depressed
* doesn’t socialize
Read Anorexia II
September 2nd, 2005
5. Make a commitment to exercise for the joy of feeling your body move and grow stronger, not to purge fat from your body or to compensate for calories eaten.
6. Practice taking people seriously for what they say, feel, and do, not for how slender or “well put together” they appear.
7. Help children appreciate and resist the ways in which television, magazines, and other media distort the true diversity of human body types and imply that a slender body means power, excitement, popularity, or perfection.
8. Educate boys and girls about various forms of prejudice, including weightism, and help them understand their responsibilities for preventing them.
9. Encourage your children to be active and to enjoy what their bodies can do and feel like. Do not limit their caloric intake unless a physician requests that you do this because of a medical problem.
10. Do whatever you can to promote the self-esteem and self-respect of all of your children in intellectual, athletic, and social endeavors. Give boys and girls the same opportunities and encouragement. Be careful not to suggest that females are less important than males, e.g., by exempting males from housework or childcare. A well-rounded sense of self and solid self-esteem are perhaps the best antidotes to dieting and disordered eating.
September 2nd, 2005
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