School, Eating Disorders, and Academic Achievement: A Formula for Failure

Most parents don't like to watch their children suffer. When parents encounter a suffering son or daughter they become solution-oriented, looking for the quickest means of alleviating the problem. Parents who have a child with an eating disorder are the same. Unfortunately, the problem in using this tactic with a child who suffers with an eating disorder is that the sufferer develops complicated and often distorted thought processes. As a result, what appears to be the logical and quick solution to a problem may produce the opposite effect in an individual with an eating disorder. In fact, an individual with an eating disorder can twist perfectly normal and loving statements into negative affirmations of self that trigger greater entrenchment into the eating disorder. Thought distortion in an eating disorder sufferer affects every aspect of their life, especially behavior and achievement in the socially intensive environment of school. One of the ways parents unknowingly promote increased entrenchment in their child's eating disorder is to encourage their continued and even enhanced involvement in school with hopes that it will eliminate the problem when, at the same time, the child is actively distorting the messages they receive because of the eating disorder.

THE PROFILE OF A TYPICAL EATING DISORDER SUFFERER

An eating disorder sufferer is a contradiction in behaviors. An individual who is deeply entrenched in a disorder displays a set of characteristics diametrically opposed to their behavior when not suffering with the disorder. They become listless, withdrawn, emotionally numb, unexpressive, disinterested in activities, anti-social, and incapable of concentrating. Once they work through their distorted thinking they revert back to their real selves - sensitive, intelligent, outgoing, involved in many activities that reveal their many talents, able to focus on multiple projects, and very giving and loving.

Amy is a beautiful and gifted senior in high school. She is a cheerleader, the English Sterling Scholar from her school, writes beautiful poetry and stories, and is very active in school affairs. Amy has rebounded from an eating disorder that completely disrupted her life. She writes,

"Eating disorders are born, raised, and sustained by negativity; it is the bitterness I experienced with my eating disorder that allows me to appreciate and savor sweetness much more than I did before... Like any addict or substance abuser...I refused to think I had a problem. Not until I had been hospitalized for nearly three months...did I realize the horrific consequences brought about by my eating disorder. It had made me into the person I strived NEVER to become: I fought with my parents, I said things I will forever regret, I lied, I stole, I slipped in my studies, I isolated myself, twice I was tempted with suicide....ultimately, everything I had worked for and wanted was either gone or going as a result of my eating disorder. I lived in a grey haze which never cleared and allowed the little light left in my life to wane systematically."

The contrast between ED behaviors and healthy behaviors are drastic and frightening. Parents who witness this transformation in their child's behavior, from a bright, energetic, and out going person to the opposite, react with a swift desire to alter the trend. Unfortunately, very often the tried and tested methods of eliminating suffering and changing undesirable behaviors are the very things that make the disorder worse. Telling a daughter, "You are beautiful and don't worry!" usually is interpreted as, "She feels she needs to say that because I am so ugly," and the command, "Eat all the food on your plate!" may be interpreted as, "My parents want me to be fat and unpopular at school."

THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

One of the most obvious evidences of something going wrong in the sufferer's life is the impact the disorder has on school achievement. The sufferer's normally very good grades start to slip. They begin to withdraw from activities and become more antisocial. They lose interest in school subjects and extracurricular activities. They lose their ability to focus on important projects, papers, and tests. They become much more sensitive to what is going on around them and what others may be thinking about them.

"I could not stay focused on my school studies. My concentration level was terrible and I could never read book assignments without my thoughts wandering. I was always too tired to stay awake, and more often than not my head was on the desk top sleeping. All of my energy went towards my eating disorder. It was first priority." - 19-year old woman

"My concentration level decreased, I skipped classes, isolated myself from friends, and didn't care about grades. I went from A's and B's to D's and F's." - High School Junior

School is a quick-paced, unrelenting, socially competitive, and demanding environment. When you combine this with the changes that are taking place in the lives and bodies of young men and women, it becomes a potentially threatening and frightening place. If an individual starts to wonder and worry about their social and intellectual status, the school environment can become a very intimidating place. For an individual suffering from an ED the school environment is filled with messages that can be twisted and confused. The whole experience can become too overwhelming to bear.

"My anorexia destroyed my concentration, my drive, my love of school, and my performance in classes. Education no longer played a vital role in my life. My anorexia preoccupied and consumed all of my time, leaving little time for school and studies. Anxiety-producing stress only exacerbated my anorexia, which, in turn hindered my performance." - College Freshman

Parents looking for the quickest and most logical means to alleviate the disruption of anorexia or bulimia causes in the family encourage their eating disordered child to become more involved and to work harder to display their natural talents and abilities in their school settings - Talents they know their children have because they have observed them for years. The child unable to cope with the negativity they sense all around them in school, reacts in the opposite manner and starts to withdraw and shut down even more. They know what they feel and are confused about their inability to cope with the seemingly simple solutions their parents offer. They very naturally start to believe that something is wrong with them, i.e., that they are a social outcast, unable to fit in, and undeserving of good things.

"My eating disorder destroyed school for me. I hate school and I sleep through anything. My focus isn't on anything but my eating disorder and so school is a waste of time." - 21-year-old woman

UTAH STATISTICS

Over the last year approximately 4000 junior and senior high school students in Utah County and Las Vegas Nevada have filled out an eating survey designed to assess ED behaviors. The results of the survey suggest that approximately 6% to 13% have already developed a diagnosable eating disorder; 30% to 35% have attitudes and beliefs about food and weight that fall into the abnormal ranges and that put them at risk for eventually developing an eating disorder. These findings document that there is a great need for effective education and prevention programs.

A TEACHER'S DILEMMA

It is important for teachers to understand the impact of anorexia and bulimia so they can pick up on the signs and consequences among their students. Since most students with anorexia and bulimia are very bright and talented it can be difficult for teachers to pick up student's subtle changes in feelings and attitudes before their academic performance suffers. Consequently, knowing that 2 out of 10 girls in their classes are at risk for developing an ED presents a dilemma about when to raise concerns about anorexia and bulimia. Thus, it is helpful to raise the subject matter at different times throughout the year in general fashion. Doing this will encourage students struggling silently with the pressures and stresses of life and school to talk to you or a school counselor in private before they develop eating disorder behaviors that disrupt academic performance. The fact that a teacher is willing to broach this subject in an open and general fashion can be perceived as a safe invitation for students afraid of negative consequences of an eating disorder to do something for themselves.

Another dilemma for teachers is often in how to approach a student about a suspected eating disorder that is disrupting personal and academic performance. Most girls with a disorder will deny, minimize, or lie about the problem when confronted directly. They often feel ashamed of who they are and their behaviors. It is important to not make direct accusations about concerns, but rather, gently talk about what you are seeing as a teacher and encourage them to talk to you, or someone else, when they feel more ready to do so. Raising the concern in their presence and then giving them room to come back to you, whether they are struggling with an eating disorder, depression or some other personal problem, will let them know that you have noticed, cared, and have offered a kind invitation to do something about it.

For the student more entrenched in the ED, another dilemma for a teacher is whether to tell other school personnel or the parents about their concerns. Sometimes parents are the last to see the eating disorder because they want to believe their daughter's responses to their questions. It is important to first talk to the student in private. Explain that you need to do something to help them rather than ignore or avoid the problem. Then give them some time to get back with you about who they are willing to let you talk to about the problem. For many girls with eating disorders it was the persistence and honesty of a significant other that led to their decision to seek treatment. For those girls who are too afraid or angry to admit to or address the eating disorder, it is very important to make more people aware of their problem including the parents so that teachers do not become silent collaborators of the disorder. The student may not be ready to change but they will know the secret is out.

POSITIVE STRATEGIES FOR TEACHERS

There are a number of things teachers can do to help their students:

Encourage counselors in schools to start support groups for those who struggle with eating problems and body image concerns. Develop working relationships with counselors who can do one-on-one work with students and who can refer to outside professionals. Encourage the school to have assemblies or combined classes where outside professionals and recovered eating disorder sufferers can do presentations for the students. Provide materials and information that students could review on their own. Conduct a school-wide awareness program during national eating disorder awareness week in February. Be sensitive to the reality that eating disorders are about psychological and emotional pain and conflict and not about food and weight. Actively give invitations and encouragement to students to get help to overcome their eating fears or disorders. Talk to other teachers informally to develop a network who can identify at-risk students and offer support to those identified students.

POSITIVE STRATEGIES FOR PARENTS

Parents can help their daughters by doing the following: Do not treat this problem as just an academic issue, but rather recognize the emotional roots of anorexia and bulimia. Be open to feedback from teachers, counselors and others who can help. Educate yourself on the causes, impacts, and treatments of eating disorders through literature, books, seminars, and the Internet. Talk to your daughter about what's underneath the disordered eating behavior, don't just focus on the eating patterns. Recognize the need for proper assessment, dietary counseling, medical consultation and outpatient and inpatient therapy treatment. Get involved in a parent support group. Talk about the issues and possible solutions to eating disorders with the whole family. Don't be fooled by a daughter's attempts to minimize and ignore the real problem, be firm about the need for recovery while being sensitive to not forcing the issues. Be a good role model around food, take care of yourself, don't blame yourself, and be patient. Recognize that recovery takes time and don't place unrealistic demands for a quick fix for your daughter's eating disorder.

THE EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY AT CENTER FOR CHANGE

A fundamental belief at Center for Change is that education is a basic right and opportunity for all human beings. Eating disorder sufferers are inhibited in their ability to take advantage of academic education opportunities. An individual with an eating disorder can forfeit their right to an education because of a basic belief in their inability to do what is necessary to meet educational goals and cope with the educational environment. At Center For Change we recognize that fundamental to the gaining of an education is the ability to: (1) take advantage of educational opportunities (i.e., have appropriate social, coping and learning skills), (2) maintain personal motivation for educational activities (i.e., learn to love education), and (3) believe in one's personal ability to achieve educational goals (i.e., believe in one's ability to cope with the environment in addition to meeting class requirements).

Center for Change incorporates an educational philosophy and program designed to help participants become able, motivated, and self-efficacious learners and continue their academic educational development. The goals of the educational program are designed to augment the intensive care the Center utilizes to overcome an eating disorder, thus providing a powerful and synergistic therapeutic and academic experience.

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Eating Disorders: How Slow Should I Go in Re-Feeding My Child?

What does "low and slow" mean when it comes to re-feeding your child? And will the "low and slow" philosophy get you the best results?"

Current American Psychological Association (APA) re-feeding guidelines for in-patient settings suggest starting with a lower amount of calories (1200 per day). Then slowly increase calorie amounts by 200 calories per day every other day; thus dubbed, "start low and go slow."

The University of California, San Francisco completed a study that was discussed in the Eating Disorder Review. They found that current re-feeding guidelines were not effective with a group of 35 mostly Caucasian girls. Even though 94% of the teens studied were given less than 1400 calories per day; the study did include diets that ranged from 800 calories to 2200 calories per day. This range was done in order to analyze the effects of increasing calories.

Eighty three percent of the teens on the lower calorie diets lost a significant amount of weight the first week of treatment and did not gain any weight until the eighth treatment day. Overall those who were on the low-calorie meal plans lost much more weight than those on the higher calorie plans.

The encouraging result is the teens getting higher calories initially had shorter hospital stays. Additionally; for every added 100 calories to the initial meal plan, there was one day less spent in the hospital.

The researchers believe that these results give reason to question the effectiveness of the current re-feeding guidelines. More specifically that the number of calories given in the first phase of treatment are too cautious (J Adolescent Health, January 2012).

Sorry for the dry research information; but I believe these results have great meaning for parents who are re-feeding at home. I hear from many parents they are afraid to increase their child's calories too quickly for fear they will push their child over the edge or make things worse.

The reality is though, this data shows moving too slowly can actually result in more initial weight loss and a deeper hole for your child to dig her way out of. It is important for you to work with a physician so she can help determine a safe number of calories for the initial meal plan. This will prevent any risk to your child's health as you begin to re-feed.

So "low and slow" may not be the most effective approach to get the best results. These are decisions you can make with the help of your treatment team; based on what you believe is best for your child and what you believe you can realistically accomplish.

Do you want to learn more about eating disorders?

If so, download my free e-book "Eating Disorder Basics for Parents" here http://www.why-my-daughter.com/edb.html

Lynn Moore educates, coaches, and consults parents on how to help their adolescent with eating disorder behavior. She will help you figure out what kind of help you need and what you can do to help your child.

Also look for Lynn's new book called "Girl Lost: Finding Your Voice Through Eating Disorder Recovery" at http://amzn.to/vfoSwL

This information is not a substitute for consultation with health care professionals. Each child's health issues should be evaluated by a qualified professional. Never read one article and try to implement what you read without more research and help; either from a coach or therapist.

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The Different Types of Eating Disorders

There are several types of eating disorders; each varies on the causes and effects, but all are synonymous in giving a negative effect to an individual's overall health. Eating disorder characterized as a series of abnormal eating, involving excessive or insufficient food intake that affects an individual's physical, emotional and psychological well- being. In the United States alone, large amounts of the population are affected with these three major types of eating disorder namely: Bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. These are the most common eating disorder affecting both males and females in the country. An estimated five to 10 million of females are affected and nearly 1 million of males are suffering in the country alone. Studies also proved that the risk for developing an eating problem is greatly higher in the Western part of the world, as compared to those in the other regions.

Individuals suffering from an eating disorder are normally in denial or not even aware of it. The problem normally revolves around self-image and on how an individual perceive a problem. Identifying the types of eating disorder can help in better understanding the steps needed to resolve it.

Bulimia nervosa: Characterized as the most common type of eating disorder, bulimics engage themselves in constant eating or purging with food in private, then resort to an inhumane way of getting rid of it through vomiting, taking laxatives or excessive exercise. The feeling of guilt comes into play after gorging with a small or large amount of food. Bulimics like all the other individuals with eating disorder are very secretive. They keep their disease in private because of embarrassment and low self-esteem. Individuals who engage in frequent dieting and show extreme concern with body weight and shape are also in great risk for this type of disorder.

Bulimia nervosa deals with self-image therefore making it harder to overcome. Proper treatment should be encouraged and strong environmental support is necessary to overcome this illness.

Anorexia nervosa: Characterized as a psychological disorder, Anorexia nervosa deals with individuals with an extreme concern about excessive weight or obesity and engages them in extreme dieting. The fear of gaining weight drives anorexics to eat less amount of food or drives them to the point of starvation and engages in extreme exercises to lose weight. As an effect, most anorexic suffers from severe health conditions and psychological problems, more likely similar to addiction. Studies suggest that causes of anorexia nervosa showed a genetic link. The part of the brain, hypothalamus in particular, plays a big role in developing anorexia nervosa. While other studies focus on the history of under eating in the early age. Individuals, who surrounded with an environment that defines "thinness" as beautiful, are those that are high risk of developing anorexia nervosa.

Binge eating disorder: Unlike any other types of eating issue, Binge eating disorder (BED) develops the greater chances of obesity or weight gain. An individual who over-eats constantly engage himself to bingeing in a short period even after a meal or feeling full. They eat voraciously until they feel the need to stop. The feeling of guilt and embarrassment will take place and will then put them in the state of depression. Depression and binge eating disorder goes hand and hand. Most individuals who develop binge eating disorder are those that are emotionally unhappy and those that are keeping negative feelings inside.

Females mostly adolescents, are the common victims of binge eating than males. Former studies proved that this is because female's struggles with pressures all at the same time, therefore making it hard for them move on and recover. As compared to males who find it easy to accept situations and move on.

All types of eating disorder bring negative effects to an individual's life. It is important to accept the situation and seek professional help to fight eating issues they you may have. Always remember that acceptance of the problem is the first step to recovery.

Kristin Gerstley is a former binge eater that now has a very healthy relationship with food. Since 2005, Kristin has helped thousands of people end binge eating  through her website:  http://www.endbingeeatingnow.com/.  You can also get free tips, information, and access Kristin's End Binge Eating Journal by joining her free newsletter.

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Medical Complications Stemming From Eating Disorders

Eating disorders plague millions of adults and adolescents. The three most common eating disorders in Americans are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by emaciation and malnutrition. Anorexia sufferers have a distorted image of their body and relentlessly pursue 'being thin' even when they are already grossly underweight. They obsess over food and drastically reduce their food intake, resulting in malnutrition. This process of self-starvation and malnutrition can have serious consequences. An individual suffering with anorexia nervosa is at an increased risk of heart failure, low blood pressure, fainting and dizzy spells, chronic fatigue, hair loss, muscle loss and weakness, brittle and weak bones, dehydration, kidney failure, and in severe cases (medical researchers estimate 10% of cases) death.

Bulimia nervosa is more difficult to readily observe in an individual since bulimia sufferers may not exhibit the same emaciated signs as anorexia sufferers. An individual suffering from bulimia nervosa obsesses over controlling food intake through cycles of binge eating followed by purging through excessive use of laxatives and self-induced vomiting. Medical consequences stemming from bulimia include chemical imbalances and depletion of important electrolytes needing in the body to keep the heart and other major organs functioning properly. Bulimia sufferers are at risk for gastric or esophageal rupture, tooth decay, digestive and bowel irregularity and irritation, ulcers, pancreatitis, heart failure, and death.

Binge eating disorder is somewhat similar to bulimia nervosa but without the excessive purging. Binge eaters consume large amounts of food in short periods of time, hide food so others don't know how much they are eating, and constantly obsess over food, letting it control their life. Individuals suffering from binge eating often experience the same medical consequences as clinical obesity. These conditions may include but are not limited to high blood pressure and cholesterol, and a proclivity toward developing heart disease, gall bladder disease, or type II diabetes.

It is crucial for individuals suffering from eating disorders to seek careful medical attention from a professionally licensed treatment center experienced in the complex issues surrounding disorders. Because disorders affect the mental and physical systems of an individual, due care must be attended to both. In order to achieve a full recovery, the symptoms, as well as the disorder, must be treated, and treatment for the physical as well as the psychological elements must be addressed. Eating disorders can have aggressive effects, but with proper treatment at an experienced and professional center, an individual's disorder can be handled and a full and lasting recovery can be achieved.

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Eating Disorders and Their Symptoms

Eating disorders are a group of serious conditions in which you're so anxious about food and body weight that you can often focus on little more else. The main important types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating problem.

Eating conditions can cause serious physical issues and, at most serious can even be life-threatening. Most individuals with eating conditions are women, but men can also have eating conditions. An exemption is binge-eating problem, which seems to impact almost as many men as women.

Eating conditions symptoms differ with the particular type of eating conditions.

Anorexia nervosa:When you have anorexia therapy, you're enthusiastic about foods and being slim, sometimes to the factor of dangerous self-starvation. Anorexia warning symptoms may include:
• An extreme fear of gaining weight
• Irritability
• Thin appearance
• Abdominal pain
• Low hypertension
• Dehydration Bulimia nervosa: When you have bulimia, you have periods of binging and getting rid of. During these periods, you typically eat a lot of foods in a short duration and then try to rid yourself of the extra calorie consumption through nausea or extreme work out. You may be at a regular body-weight. Bulimia warning symptoms may include:
• Damaged teeth and gums
• Irregular heartbeat
• Constant diet
• Self-induced vomiting
• Excessive exercise Binge-eating disorder:When you have binge-eating problem, you constantly eat extreme amounts of foods, but don't try to make up for this actions with workouts as someone with bulimia or anorexia might. You may eat when you're not starving and continue eating even long after you are irritatingly complete. After an extreme, you may feel bothered, which can induce a new circular of binging. Symptoms of binge-eating problem may include:
• Eating faster during binge episodes.
• Feeling that your eating conditions are out of control.
• Feeling frustrated, embarrassed or disappointed over the quantity eaten. Causes: The exact cause of eating disorders is undefined. As with other psychological diseases, there may be many causes. Main causes of eating disorders include: Biology:There may be genetics that make certain individuals more susceptible to creating eating conditions. In addition, there's some proof that this, a normally sourced mind substance, may impact eating habits. Psychological and mental health:People with eating conditions might have psychological issues that give rise to the problem. They may have low self-esteem, perfectionism, energetic actions and struggling connections. Society:Success and worth are often associated with being thin in popular way of life. Stress from peers and what individuals see in the press may fuel this wish to be slim, particularly among women.
Prevention:

Although there's no sure way to avoid eating conditions, some steps may help avoid eating disorders:

Enlist the help of your kid's doctor - At well-child trips, physicians may be in a good position to recognize early signs of diet conditions and avoid the development of full-blown sickness. They can ask kids questions about their dietary routines and fulfillment with their overall look during schedule medical sessions, for example.
Encourage healthier -dietary routines and avoid diets around your kids. Family cuisine routines may also impact the relationships kids create with foods. Consuming food together gives you an opportunity to educate kids about the stumbling blocks of diets, and motivate healthier eating.
Keep an eye on pc use -Because there are numerous websites that enhance anorexia as a way of life choice rather than a diet condition, it's important to observe your kid's pc use. You can do this by keeping the pc in a common location in the house, or by consistently verifying the pc's history page to see what sites your kid has visited.

For more related information, please visit Science Daily. Science Daily keeps track of the major research and discoveries across all spheres of scientific studies including physical sciences and biology, with an aim to provide detail-oriented insights into the world of scientific updates that happen on a regular basis.

Author works for OMICS Group. OMICS Publishing Group is built upon the principles of Open Access and is determined to provide free and unrestricted access of research articles to scientists around the world for the advancement of science and technology.

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How To Cope With Eating Disorders: Anorexia Nervosa And Bulimia

Extreme and dangerous weight loss methods and attempts to gain the "perfect"body are common these days, especially for teenagers. This is demonstrated by a 1993 study of dieting behaviour of teenage boys and girls, and conducted by La Trobe University in Melbourne, which found 48 percent of the girls and 26 percent of the boys had tried to lose weight by extreme methods characteristic of anorexia and bulimia. There is also evidence that body-image dissatisfaction and preoccupation with weight loss are becoming increasingly common in children, especially 9 to 12 years old.

Anorexia nervosa is often known as the "slimmer's disease" an inadequate term as it fails to express the serious and dangerous nature of this condition. The often-heard comment:"I wish I could have anorexia for a while" betrays a deep misunderstanding of the grip this disorder has on its sufferers. Anorexia nervosa is a horrible psychological and physical disorder which is potentially fatal. Up to 20 percent of severe anorexia sufferers may die from the disorder-- most commonly by not eating, electrolyte, abnormalities or suicide. The vast majority of sufferers are teenage girls though it is found in all ages as well as in males. Because it has such a strong effect on the person's thinking and behaviour, recovery is hard even with help-- and almost impossible without it. For this reason, the goals of recovery must include changing anorexic thinking and behaviour patterns, as well as regaining a healthy weight. Essentially there are two types of anorexia behaviour, though the same person may use both at different times.

The first is known as the "restricting" type of anorexia, as it involves self-imposed starvation by extreme dieting and fasting. The other is referred to as the "bingeing/purging" type because as well as restricting food intake, there are episodes of out-of-control eating and purging-- usually by vomiting or using laxatives. Both types usually include compulsive, excessive exercising. The full-blown clinical condition of anorexia nervosa has the following characteristics: The refusal to maintain or reach a minimum normal and healthy weight. This low weight is achieved mainly through self-starvation and excessive exercise. Appetite suppressants may also be taken. Vomiting or the use of laxatives, enemas or diuretics, is common. There is an intense fear of gaining weight or getting fat, even for underweight anorexics. This does not stop when weight is lost-- in fact, the fear and the compulsion to starve often intensify the lower the weight becomes. Anorexia sufferers are intensely preoccupied with thoughts about food and will become highly selective in what they will allow themselves to eat-- especially avoiding carbohydrates and fats. Meals, and how to avoid them, are planned hours before they are due. Sometimes the preoccupation with food is directed into preparing food-- often quite fattening food-- for others, especially family members, while the anorexic herself abstains. One Anorexic described this as "redistributing my fat quota".

Do you suffer from an eating disorder or any other eating symptoms? Are you searching for some sort of natural remedies for your eating disorder? Then don't despair just follow this link for a healthier you... http://vitaminssupplementsnutritionalmedicines.info/

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Why Do So Many People Suffer From Eating Disorders?

There is a tendency among us to look at eating disorders as nothing much to bother about. A vast majority of us don't give it the importance that it deserves. But the fact is that this disorder is very serious and causes both emotional and physical damage to the individual who suffers from it. There is a lot of information that is available about this disorder and if you feel that one of your loved ones is suffering from it you can identify the early warning signs which will help in the treatment.

People with this disorder follow rigid and absurd diet plans, gorge on food and this is mostly done when they are alone and in secrecy, keep counting calories and throw up after meals. It is common among people who have a low self esteem and are extremely critical of their body image. They may use food as a tool to gain control over their otherwise troubled lives.

There are various types of eating disorders and they can be classified as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder. The symptoms are found equally in both genders but it is generally considered a disease that affects more women than men.

In eating disorder anorexia the individual starves themselves due to the fear of gaining weight. These individuals may be underweight and reed thin but they live in a delusion that they are fat and this has even been found to be life threatening.

The signs of bulimia are a cycle of binge eating and purging. Individuals with this type of disorder gorge on food then indulge in a cycle of vomiting, fasting, taking laxatives and extreme exercises to lose the weight they presume that had accumulated.

In binge eating disorder individuals continue consuming food in spite of feeling full. They do feel guilty about the quantity of food they consume but are unable to stop this habit of theirs.

Help is possible if the early warning signs are heeded. The warning signs include:

Constant obsession with calories,Dieting and following absurd diet plans,Preoccupied with weight,Unexplained weight loss or gain,Avoid social situations where food is present,Rushing to the bathroom immediately after meals and taking laxatives and diet pills constantly.

The treatment for the disorder varies from one individual to the other and there are specialized clinics that offer professional help. It is very important that you do not rush in treating this disorder on your own as the entire exercise may backfire.

The treatment can also done through medication and counseling. The self esteem of the individual needs to be restored and this will help people get rid of this disorder.

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Epidemic in America: Eating Disorders

In today's society the pressure to become skinny or physically fit has caused an enormous rise in eating disorders among many men and women. The media plays a huge role in setting what a sexually appealing man or woman's appearance should entail, however these are not the ideal body figures. Forty-seven percent of girls in 5th-12th grade want to lose weight as result of magazine pictures. However, only about five percent of American females obtain this media figure look naturally. The desire to look like these models or actresses has driven the young people of America over the edge to a very unhealthy life style that is detrimental to the body.

The most common types of eating disorders are anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating-purging. Twenty-five percent of college aged women have admitted to using binging and purging as a weight control method and sadly Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents; this is when an individual denies the body the proper nutrients to give them strength and energy because of their fear of gaining weight. This disease has been known to impact mostly many young females. This is prone in many female athletes that are involved in long distance running, dance, gymnastics etc. because of the factor that the less the athlete weighs the faster and better they will perform. Also, many times athletes possess characteristics that relate to eating disorders because they may have higher expectations for themselves, competitiveness, and compulsiveness to become the best that this leads them towards body image distortion to become 'perfect.'

Some signs and symptoms are the female athlete triad syndrome. The three factors are disordered eating which has negative effectives on the energy output due to low energy input. Also, Amenorrhea is very common. Females who deny their body of the right nutrients will slowly begin to have a decreased or even nonexistent menstrual cycle. This will play a huge role in the future as to whether they may or may not be able to have children. The last factor is osteopenia. The female athletes may have early bone decay because they are not in taking enough calcium in order to keep strong bones; signs of stress fractures or broken bones are a red flag that the female's nutritional intake is off balance.

Not only do eating disorders affect women but men as well. About ten to fifteen percent of those with eating disorders are male. Many young men view the media with men that have six pack abs are seen as sexually appealing in society. These puts added pressure on the young male to impress others even though an average male does not have wash board abdominals or zero percent body fat. Eating disorders are found in many male athletes such as wrestlers who are concerned about their body weight. They are forced to deprive themselves of food in order to make weight for their next match.

This pressure from society has caused an epidemic in America; eating disorders are the highest mortality rate than any other mental disorder. The media needs to portray natural, healthy, men and women as beautiful rather than these unrealistic movie stars with no curves. It is essential for the young men and women of America to realize how beautiful and good looking they are by just being themselves. Knowing this, the young people of America need to have a revelation and gain some confidence, you are BEAUTIFUL!

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Body Scan Meditation for Eating Disorders

Body Scan Meditation includes going into a deep meditative state and scan your body while meditating. This kind of meditation not only slows down your brain waves, it also helps your brain to produce Oxytocin which is hormone of love and bonding.

Eating disorder sufferers don't have enough of this hormone produced and that is why they have so much problems with love and bonding.

Now, how to do this meditation?

Make sure that you are not driving, not walking and not operate any machinery as we are going to go deep into a meditative state.

The purpose of this meditation is certainly not just to relax.  The purpose is to know your body, to develop body awareness and awareness of your own thoughts and the mind. An equanimity, which is a term that means balance of the mind, composure, equilibrium. It means not reacting with either craving for what is pleasant ( food), or aversion for what is not pleasant. It means a form of acceptance, unconditional acceptance.

It is not a way of getting rid of unpleasant sensations. It is not a way of attracting pleasant sensations or pleasant experiences. It is a way of learning to accept whatever is there and get on with life. Relaxation becomes a byproduct of that, because when acceptance is increased, you relax.

Start by focusing all your attention to your nostrils, and look at the incoming and outgoing breath, as it comes in, as it goes out. Do not judge whether this moment is pleasant or unpleasant. Learn to be balanced, not reactive, neutral.

Move your attention to the top of your head and see whatever sensation you feel over there. You may not feel any sensation yet. Certainly you will not feel the subtle ones. There are millions of sensations on top of your head that your mind hasn't been sharpened enough to feel. In time this will come if you persevere. For now, you may feel perhaps some gross sensations, itching, ants crawling, pressure, temperature of some type. Anything, or maybe you'll feel nothing. It doesn't matter. It is still an experience. Not feeling anything is still an experience, therefore you just observe, no reaction.

If any thought overpowers you, maybe a recurring thought, then go back to the awareness of breathing in and breathing out for a few seconds, even half a minute if you can. If it's still overpowering, breathe slightly harder. Not too hard, slightly harder. We don't want you to hyperventilate. And then as soon as you are aware of the breathing again, the thought is gone, then start slowing down the breathing. And again, when you can slow down the breathing and you feel relaxed again, go back to the sensation where you left and continue scanning the entire scalp area. And then move to the forehead and survey the entire forehead area.

Survey the eyebrows. Start with one, continue with the other. Move down to the nose. Look at any sensation on the nose. Move further down to the mouth. Survey the lips, any sensations in your lips. Look at the tongue, any sensation on the tongue. Of course your mouth is closed, or the lips gently parted, but you are breathing through the nose. Look at the chin, any sensation on your chin. Move up to the left cheek, and then move aside to the right cheek.

If you have any sensation, don't get attached to it in any way, just move further. Move up to the left ear, and move aside to the right ear. Now survey the throat area, any sensation in the throat area. It can be anything, pain, strain, tingling sensation, itching sensation, pulling, throbbing, sweating. Any sensation is a sensation, it is an experience. Just observe.

Keep moving. When you finish surveying the throat area, survey the entire neck area and move to the left shoulder. In fact, you could start by any shoulder as long as you keep the same order all the time.

Survey the entire left arm and left elbow. Patiently and calmly survey the entire left wrist and left hand. Then go up to the right shoulder.

Move down to the right arm, and the right elbow. Move to the right forearm, and down to the right wrist and the right hand. Then move up to the upper chest area, the upper chest. Piece by piece. Then move down, piece by piece, survey the entire thorax and abdomen area.

If you feel your heartbeat and you interpret it such as that, then you are not looking simply at sensations. You are interpreting the sensations. Try to remain with the task of pure observation, no evaluation, no interpretation. Just observation.

Then move up to the upper back area and look at any sensation you may find in your upper back area. Very calmly, equanimously. And move down to the lower back area. Try not to get caught in your thoughts. As soon as you think something, quickly go back to the awareness of any sensation you were looking at, and move further. Maybe you haven't felt a sensation for some time, so the mind is bored.

Now keep moving down to the buttocks and survey the entire buttocks area. Start with the left, and once this is surveyed, then move to the right buttock. Move down to the left thigh and survey the entire thigh down to the left knee. Then move down to the left leg.

Even though there may be gross sensations like pain perhaps, or pressure, tension, be very still accepting every experience. Within the worst and most painful sensation, if you come across any today or another day, you will find that if you are very very still, there is an underlying current inside that sensation. An underlying sensation, a flow of very tiny little sensations running through.

Go down now to the left ankle, until you survey the entire left foot. Now go up to the right thigh and survey the entire right thigh, part by part. Keep moving, down to the right knee. The right ankle and the right foot.

You have now surveyed the entire body from the top of your head to the tip of your toes. Now start from the tip of your toes and go up back to the top of your head. Start from the left foot and move up to the left thigh. And then the right foot, move up to the right thigh. Then survey the buttocks, and the lower back. The upper back, and then the lower abdomen. The entire abdomen and chest. From the upper chest go up to the throat. And from the left hand go up to the left shoulder. From the right hand then, go up to the right shoulder. Survey then the entire neck area, and then the face, part by part, and the entire scalp area.

Scan your body entirely, as long as you can give it time. As you will practice correctly, your mind will become increasingly detached at the deepest level, at the level of body sensations. Remember, the most important thing is that all sensations and all thoughts are temporaryby nature. The impression that they remain is because we react to them, we reinforce them.  Reacting to it is only increasing reinforcement and conditioning in daily life.

What you do during this training will be reflected in your daily life. It is a very effective technique. Watch that as you practice, of course you will react, but watch that you react less and less, and the results are surprising.

Dr Irina Webster MD is a recognised athority in the eating disorders area. She is an author of many books on women health. She propagates mindfulness therapy and neuroplasticity as a treatment for eating disorders.

http://meditation-sensation.com/

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A Complete Review On Eating Disorders In The Western World

Although most eating disorder sufferers are women, many men are also affected-for them, compulsive exercising and body building often become the main focus. Other estimates are even more shocking. The American Anorexia and Bulimia Association claims that every year in the USA a million women fall victim to anorexia and bulimia and 150,000 women die from anorexia. Every year! Eating disorders seem to be much more common in modern, industrialised societies especially the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Africa-though the incidence is also increasing rapidly now in industrialised sections of less-developed nations. There is evidence that migrants from countries with a low incidence of eating disorders become more likely to develop an eating disorder after settling in their new country. In Australia, first generation descendants of migrants from Eastern Mediterranean countries have been found to be particularly high-risk group. Conservative estimates suggest that at any one time around 8,000 people are suffering with anorexia nervosa in New South Wales alone. Bulimia nervosa is known to be even more common than anorexia. The incidence in Australia ans New Zealand may be one of the highest, with their beach culture, and its associated emphasis on body-image, potentially being major factors in the development of anorexia and bulimia. The full-blown, diagnosed eating disorders are only the tip of the iceberg,however. What is especially disturbing is the dramatic increase in behaviours and thinking patterns that are just one step away from being an eating disorder but which are now becoming commonplace, especially in teenagers.

Many sufferers of anorexia and bulimia describe finding out about extreme dieting, starvation, vomiting and laxative abuse as supposed weight control methods from their school friends. These methods can appear very appealing at a time when the pressure to have the "perfect" body may never have been greater. Eventually this developes into the refusal to give up these methods for fear of losing "control" and getting fat. As the name indicates, eating disorders involve problems with eating-strictly limiting amount and types of food eaten, "losing control" and eating too much, or having to get rid of the food as soon as possible after it has been eaten. However, it is not only about eating. It is also about being unhappy with body shape, size or weight; and the destructive effect this has on self-esteem, relationships and ability to cope with life in general. How we think we look has become a crucial determinant of self-worth and happiness. In 1984, the US magazine "Glamour" conducted a survey through the University of Cincinnati which asked 33,000 women about their bodies. Seventy-five per cent considered themselves to be too fat, and 96 per cent said their weight affected how they felt about themselves. Almost half of them said losing weight would be a greater source of happiness than a relationship, success at work or hearing from an old friend. In a 1992 Cleo magazine survey of women and dieting over half of the respondents said they felt depressed about their weight, and 73 per cent felt envious about someone else's body every day.

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Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth and Pancreatic Disorders

An abbreviation for the Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth is SIBO. The symptoms of this condition are bloating, gas, sensation of elevated abdominal pressure and volume, diarrhea, or constipation, stomach cramps/pain, especially after meals. Numerous patients with SIBO have a history of taking many courses of the strong antibiotics, underwent abdominal surgeries, and they typically have fatigue and depression.

Thanks to relatively new diagnostic tests that measure the hydrogen in the exhaled air, SIBO can be more detected now. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth is not something new. Hundreds of years' ago European doctors treated gas, flatulence, stool problems, and pain after overeating. The name of this condition was dyspepsia, which means "bad digestion" in Greek. In the US, this condition is also known as upset stomach or indigestion. Many medical papers that reveal close connection between SIBO, Functional Dyspepsia (FD), and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) have been published for the last decade. Millions of Americans suffer from FD and IBS; take a lot of symptomatic OTC's or medications. Some of them have a label as psychosomatics and are treated accordingly.

Why does the bacteria reside in the small intestine? In normal condition, the first part of the small intestine - duodenum does not have living organisms. Mother Nature prevents harmful hungry invaders from gobbling our food and nutrients from our foods to starve us. Therefore, the small intestine is designed for digestion and assimilation of foods and not for the living of microorganisms.

The human body has complicated interrelated mechanisms to keep the duodenum almost sterile. The first strong guard of the gastrointestinal tract is stomach acid. Everything we eat moves into the stomach. Our food and water may have some bacteria, yeasts and parasites. High acidity in the stomach kills the microorganisms little can survive in this hostile acidic surroundings. If the production of the stomach acid is suppressed, or a small amount of the gastric acid is manufactured thus bacteria, yeast, viruses, and parasites may slip through into the small intestine causing many digestive problems.

The second guards are the pancreatic digestive enzymes and bile. Half of proteins and carbohydrates from our food and ninety percent of the fats are digested in the small intestine by the pancreatic digestive enzymes and bile. Mix of the pancreatic digestive enzymes and bile process everything that is not belonging to our body including the unwanted visitors such as microbes, yeast, viruses, and parasites. It happens only if the liver and pancreas produce the proper amount and good quality of the alkaline bile and pancreatic digestive enzymes.

Liver and pancreas are alkaline glands, which produce very alkaline pancreatic juice and bile. Alkalinity of these fluids is the core of the proper digestion, contrary, acidity kills the pancreas in many ways. It is known that pancreatic digestive enzymes and bile can work only in alkaline condition. Alkalinity of the pancreatic juice depends upon content of the bicarbonate and minerals inside this fluid and proper slightly alkaline acid-base balance in the blood.

To survive and make our heartbeat, lungs to breath, and brain to think the human body has to maintain constant slightly alkaline pH in the blood. Proper body's acid-alkaline balance vitally depends upon the minerals and bicarbonate, which we can get mainly from food and water. Unfortunately, the modern populations have an acidic life style. We eat acid-forming foods such as meat, sugar, white flour, and dairy, consume a lot of alcohol, medications, drugs, and keep sedentary life. It causes whole body acidity, called chronic metabolic acidosis. The big sufferers from the chronic metabolic acidosis in the body are alkaline digestive glands such as liver and pancreas. The chronic metabolic acidosis causes biochemical changes in the bile and pancreatic juice; thus antimicrobial actions of the digestive, pancreatic enzymes diminish so the bad bacteria, yeast, parasites can flourish into the duodenum. Due to the low amount and low quality of the acidic bile and pancreatic digestive enzymes, food is not digested, fermented by bad bacteria and yeasts, collected in the small intestine causing gas, gut's irritation and its porous, inner poisoning and all symptoms of indigestion; dyspepsia.

The third guard of the small intestine is the regular movement inside the small intestine. In a healthy situation, 2.5 quarts of bile, 2.5 quarts of pancreatic juices, 2 quarts of intestinal juice, and drinking water, moves into the small intestine every day. It washes the bacteria, yeasts, and parasites out of the small intestine so they cannot inhabit the gut. Both dehydration and chronic constipation can slow flashing actions of the gut, so there is the possibility for bad bacteria to colonize small intestine.

The fourth guard of the small intestine is the immune system. The healthy immune system destroys the unfriendly microorganisms inside the gut. In the Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth the immune system becomes exhausted causing a lot of allergic reactions', and food sensitivities'. Whole body acidity, alcohol, smoking, some medications and drugs, diabetes, chemotherapy, AIDS, Candida-yeast overgrowth, etc, devastate and weaken the immune system. A low immune system function leads to bacteria, yeast and parasites taking over the small intestine. Thus, Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth occurs.

The fifth, very important guard of the small intestine is friendly intestinal flora such as Lactobacillus Acidophilus that lives in the end of the small intestine close to the large intestine. Friendly intestinal flora suppresses growth of the bad bacteria and yeasts. Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth - SIBO happens if the proper balance between the friendly intestinal flora and opportunistic infection is broken.

All factors, which keep the duodenum sterile, are closely interrelated so the healing actions needs to be the focus on all the factors that lead to SIBO.

The common medical approach for microbial overgrow is to kill it by strong antibiotics.

It may provide temporary relieving. "Seek and destroy" is not this case. Killing bacteria in the gut without reestablishment of all the natural ways that control the Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth makes this condition unceasing.

Many nondrug methods of the treatment of the indigestion have developed over time. Nowadays, herbal remedies, healing diet, acupuncture, warm bath, abdominal massage, nutritional supplementation and many cleansing techniques have been successfully used by doctors and health practitioners all over the globe to help people with indigestion. The main goal is to restore the proper work of the largest digestive glands: pancreas and liver.

European doctors have treated patients with dyspepsia, excess gas, regular abdominal bloating, diarrhea or constipation, and abdominal pain for hundreds of years by using drinking healing mineral water. This healing modality is almost unknown in the US.

There are numerous healing mineral spas in Europe. Europeans have healthy vacations there. The famous healing mineral spa is in Karlovy Vary; the small town in the Czech Republic. From the 18th century, drinking water from the spring, or drinking water that was prepared from the genuine Karlovy Vary spring salt alleviated symptoms of indigestion. Karlovy Vary healing mineral water has the solid scientific and evidence based backup for its effectiveness and safety.

European doctors found that Karlovy Vary healing mineral water boosts producing and elimination of the bile, increases amount, enhances activity of the pancreatic digestive enzymes, and makes these fluids to be alkaline. This water hydrates the body, repairs damages of the GI tract, alleviates the chronic constipation, and promotes the growth of the friendly intestinal flora.

All these actions can restore the correct mechanisms to remain the small intestine clean from the bad bacteria, yeast, and parasites. Drinking water that's prepared from genuine Karlovy Vary spring salt can be beneficial in treating SIBO, which typically accompanies chronic pancreatitis, sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, indigestion after the gallbladder removal, after the upper part of the abdomen surgeries including bariatric surgery (weight-loss surgery), and dyspepsia after multiple courses of the antibiotics, steroids, and chemotherapy.

Restoration of proper balance of the friendly intestinal flora is critical for healing SIBO.

In case of SIBO, recommendation to drink yogurt or take probiotics does not have practical sense. At that time, the bad bacteria, yeast, and parasites occupied the gut's walls. If the parking lot is full by "bad guys", who do not want to go out, just tow away can help.

Some cleansing techniques such as drinking the healing mineral water that prepared from the genuine Karlovy Vary spring salt, colon hydrotherapy, healing diet, cleansing herbs, and intensive consumption of the human strains, living probiotics can help to restore proper, natural balance of the friendly intestinal flora. It is a process without counting on the "quick fix", and it has to be done under the supervision of knowledgeable professionals'.

The information on this article is presented for educational, informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for the diagnosis, treatment, and advice of a qualified licensed professional.

Peter Melamed, PhD received his medical education first as a registered nurse and then as a medical doctor in Russia. He took specialized training in anesthesiology, intensive care, and internal medicine. Working as a physician, he became interested in holistic healing through his clinical experience with herbs, acupuncture, healing mineral water, and internal cleansing. He was granted a license to practice acupuncture in Russia in 1978, and from that time, he combined conventional Western medical treatment with herbs, acupuncture, and other nondrug healing therapies.
In 1975, Peter Melamed established Biotherapy as a natural, holistic approach to healing. Biotherapy combines the wisdom of traditional Russian folk medicine, ancient Oriental medical therapies, and European naturopathy with cutting-edge Western technology.
After immigrating to the USA and passing all the exams, Peter Melamed succeeded in starting up a private practice in 1996 at the Biotherapy Alternative Medicine Clinic of San Francisco Bay Area.
He is the author of two books: 1. Natural European Way of Whole Body Cleansing. Karlovy Vary Mineral Water for Healing and Rejuvenation. 2. Healthy Pancreas, Healthy You.
Get more info at: http://www.biotherapy-clinic.com/gastrointestinal_disorders.html

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How to Treat Neurological Disorders in Children

Neurological disorders in children affect their nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves) as well as muscles. There are many different types of neurological conditions that require clinical care. There are several causes of developmental delay. One of the goals of the pediatric neurologist is to identify the cause of a child's neurologic or developmental problem.

Some signs that infants are not meeting their normal motor milestones include not being able to bring their hands together by 4 months, not rolling over by 6 months, having head lag when pulled to a sitting position after 6 months, not sitting by themselves without support by 8 months, not crawling by 12 months, and not walking by 15 months. Delayed motor development, with normal language skills, can be caused by a neuromuscular disorder or mild cerebral palsy.

There are different types of neurological conditions that affect the central and peripheral nervous system. These various types of neurological disorders can occur due to congenital (by birth), heredity, trauma, exposure to toxic chemicals, tumors and infections. Most of the common neurological disorders include development delays, severe headaches, seizures, abnormal increase in head size, muscle rigidity, lack of coordination, etc. Traumatic brain injuries can occur due to motor accident, near drowning accident, brain injury due to fall, etc. Certain neurological diseases occur due to infections like Ebola, malaria, encephalitis and meningitis. Genetics too plays an important role in development of neurological symptoms in children. These include hydrocephalus, anencephaly, autism, etc. If the mother was an alcoholic or drug addict, it may cause development of congenital neurological diseases.

There are certain neurological disorders symptoms that one should be aware of. If these symptoms are observed, you should consult a pediatric neurologist for further diagnosis. These symptoms in children include:

• Developmental milestone delay

• Abnormal head size

• Lack of coordination

• Sudden changes in mood or consciousness

• Muscle rigidity

• Tremors or seizures

• Persistent headaches in older children

• Loss of feeling and tingling sensation

• Muscle weakness

• Paralysis

• Loss of consciousness

• Memory loss

• Muscle spasms or convulsions

• Disorientation

Pediatric neurologist is a specialized doctor to treat and care for the exclusive neurological disorders related with children. Pediatric neurosurgeons are expert in performing complicated surgeries concerning the nervous systems of children. Most frequently these disorders results to brain blood loss and paralysis attack.

Using protective headgear can reduce your child's chances of developing neurological disorders resulting from injury. Also, if you become pregnant, take a prenatal vitamin that contains folic acid to lower your baby's chances of developing spinal bifida. The remarkable rise in autism has directed parents to be anxious of any symptoms of irregularity to their child. Indications such as not playing with other children, lack of communication and abnormal physical behaviors can cause parents to call the pediatric neurologist.

Article has been written and posted by a health advisor working at bookmydoctor.com, who also provides free of cost consultancy to patients and advise on various topics like Pediatric neurologist in Delhi By visiting the site, you can read articles on Neurologists in Delhi and Doctors in Delhi and For more information click the Hyperlink.

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