All About Anorexia
When it comes to the culture that we are experiencing today, high standards of beauty are pressured...

Weight Loss, Diet, Health, Fitness, And Eating Disorders: 7 Steps To Taking Control Of It All With The Ultimate Self Help Book
Reprogramming the Overweight Mind: 7 Steps to Taking Control of Your Subconscious has become the...

Eating Disorders: A Teenager Needs Advice
Dear Dr. J. I am 16 years old and I think I think I have an eating disorder. My mom loves me...

Factors that May Contribute to Eating Disorders

Current Info on Eating Disorders

Eating Disorders Ebook

Eating Disorder Sitemap

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Important Eating Disorder Information

All About Anorexia

Bulimia eating disorder

Bulimia Statistics

Eating Disorders: A Teenager Needs Advice

Eating Disorders And The Use Of Yoga In Prevention And Treatment

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Eating Disorders: What Exactly Are They?

Obesity & it's relationship to Anoraxia, Bulimia and other eating disorders.

Yoga Therapy for Eating Disorders

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Helping a Loved One With an Eating Disorder

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Thinking About Eating Disorders

Allow me to tell you the story of a friend of mine.

A young teenage girl we know recently suffered through the death of her mother and consequently had to be faced with being raised by her father in whom she was petrified of. Did I mention she was to be in charge of raising her 6 younger brothers and sisters.

She was always thin, but now weighs 90 pounds. She doesn’t think she has a problem and her father doesn’t think she has a problem. There are many questions in this situation, the major one being does she have an eating disorder. If she does have an eating disorder, what type is it….anorexia, bulimia?

It’s clear she needs help, others have tried, however her father prevents any intervention. The question becomes, what is causing the eating disorder? That’s why I assembled this collection of articles and ebooks on eating disorders. Hopefully, you…the reader, might see yourself or someone you care about in the articles to come. Perhaps you might see that you are experiencing the symptoms discussed for anorexia or bulimia. Maybe you binge eat.

In a society that is increasingly placing standards of beauty upon the youths of our population, people are at more of a risk than ever when it comes to developing an eating disorder. The celebrities in television and the media display stick-thin figures which can create a high standard of beauty that can lead to many problems with an individual’s self esteem. When coupled with the fact that an obesity epidemic is overtaking much of the modern world, it’s important to have a full understanding of the eating disorders which are prevalent in society today in order to be able to catch the warning signs when an individual you know is afflicted.

This truly is a life and death discussion. Admitting you might have an eating disorder of some type is the first step in finding a solution to your problem. I pray that you might listen to the voice inside your head as you read the following material.

 


Factors that May Contribute to Eating Disorders

Eating disorders represent a range of complex afflictions that can difficult to understand. In fact, health professionals today do not have a complete understanding of eating disorders. Why? Eating disorders are unique because they touch on almost all aspects of an individual's life: they can affect a person's health, psychological wellbeing, and social life. Most health professionals agree that eating disorders are caused by a combination of socio-cultural, biological, family, and interpersonal factors. Here is a brief overview of these different factors that health professionals suspect may be responsible for the onset of an eating disorder in some individuals. Remember, every patient is different, so many of these factors may not come into play for some individuals with eating disorders.

Socio-cultural factors that may precipitate the onset of an eating disorder has to do with the media images presented to the public regarding beauty, health, and weight issues. Even the casual observer can find evidence for the fact that our media culture is obsessed with physical appearance, and issues such as weight loss, slowing the aging process, and the general pursuit of physical perfection. Of course, such perfection is impossible, and very many people are not able to achieve the rail-thin standards that are promoted in the media and popular culture. These socio-cultural factors, some experts suggest, may provide the impetus for some individuals who develop eating disorders.

Biological factors that may be responsible for the onset of an eating disorder include a genetic predisposition to certain hormonal imbalances. These include a predisposition to an imbalance in serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is involved in brain function, sleep patterns, and mood. Another biological factor that researchers have identified as possibly contributing to the onset of an eating disorder is a propensity in some patients for reduced blood flow to the temporal lobe.

Interpersonal and family factors may also contribute to the onset of an eating disorder. Interpersonal and family factors may include a troubled personal life, including an inability to cope effectively with feelings and personal relationships, a difficulty expressing emotions, substance abuse or alcohol problems, and low self-esteem due to bullying or teasing. A troubled family life can also contribute to the development of an eating disorder. Families that are overcritical or put pressure on certain family members to lose weight can contribute to the development of an eating disorder. Also, children often mirror their parent's unhealthy patterns. Parents who magnify the importance of their physical appearance may be unconsciously sending an unhealthy message to their kids. Also, researchers have found that families with a history of sexual or physical abuse may also be more prone to developing eating disorders.

Other individual factors that can contribute to the development of an eating disorder may include depression, anxiety, and issues related to self-esteem. Also, researchers have found that major life changes can greatly contribute to the onset of eating disorders. Death in the family, change in employment, moving, starting college, the end of a relationship-all of these can trigger the onset of an eating disorder if a person is vulnerable.

Written by: Scott Parat

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Eating Disorder Symptoms in the News

08/28/2010
Psychologist dispels myths about eating disorders
A common opinion about anorexia is that it's about trying to get skinny. It's not, said psychologist Lisa Petersen, co-owner and clinical director of a center in Sacramento that treats eating disorders.

Psychologist dispels myths about eating disorders

09/02/2010
Exercise bulimia difficult to detect
Excessive exercise, calorie restriction can lead to serious health problems As a high school sophomore, Brett Zorich was a record-setting track star. Ultimately, however, her fiercest opponent turned out to be herself.

Exercise bulimia difficult to detect

09/02/2010
Rare illness left teen unable to eat for 7 months
Teen Gentrie Hansen was constantly starving, but she couldn’t eat or drink a thing because of gastroparesis, a rare disease that paralyzes the stomach. But after a surgical procedure, she is recovering. The 14-year-old talks about her struggle — and the meal of her dreams. Stomach - Surgery - Health - Gastroparesis - Conditions and Diseases

Rare illness left teen unable to eat for 7 months

09/02/2010
Rare illness left teen unable to eat for 7 months
Teen Gentrie Hansen was constantly starving, but she couldn’t eat or drink a thing because of gastroparesis, a rare disease that paralyzes the stomach. But after a surgical procedure, she is recovering. The 14-year-old talks about her struggle — and the meal of her dreams. Stomach - Surgery - Health - Gastroparesis - Conditions and Diseases

Rare illness left teen unable to eat for 7 months

09/02/2010
Going Back To School Met With Mixed Emotions
Millions of students at all grade levels, from elementary to high school to college, will head back to school and many times this is met with mixed emotions. Not because the "summer fun" has ended, but because school adds new pressures into the mix, with many kids focusing on trying to be popular, and some just to even fit in. Many times these pressures can manifest physically, with young men ...

Going Back To School Met With Mixed Emotions

09/02/2010
Exercise bulimia difficult to detect
Excessive exercise, calorie restriction can lead to serious health problems As a high school sophomore, Brett Zorich was a record-setting track star. Ultimately, however, her fiercest opponent turned out to be herself.

Exercise bulimia difficult to detect

09/02/2010
Rare illness left teen unable to eat for 7 months
Teen Gentrie Hansen was constantly starving, but she couldn’t eat or drink a thing because of gastroparesis, a rare disease that paralyzes the stomach. But after a surgical procedure, she is recovering. The 14-year-old talks about her struggle — and the meal of her dreams. Stomach - Surgery - Health - Gastroparesis - Conditions and Diseases

Rare illness left teen unable to eat for 7 months

09/02/2010
Exercise bulimia difficult to detect
Excessive exercise, calorie restriction can lead to serious health problems As a high school sophomore, Brett Zorich was a record-setting track star. Ultimately, however, her fiercest opponent turned out to be herself.

Exercise bulimia difficult to detect

09/02/2010
Rare illness left teen unable to eat for 7 months
Teen Gentrie Hansen was constantly starving, but she couldn’t eat or drink a thing because of gastroparesis, a rare disease that paralyzes the stomach. But after a surgical procedure, she is recovering. The 14-year-old talks about her struggle — and the meal of her dreams. Stomach - Surgery - Health - Gastroparesis - Conditions and Diseases

Rare illness left teen unable to eat for 7 months

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