There's nothing wrong in wishing to look good. But we must remember that how we look is a combination of genes, physical activity and food. However, for millions of people, food is not the pleasant activity it should be. In fact, it determines several mentally-linked conditions.
1.Anorexia. No matter how thin he/she is, the one
suffering from this disease considers himself/herself obese when looking in the mirror. Anorexic people are obsessed with calories which, in turn, makes them skip meals and exercise harder when they surpass a number of ingested calories.
The main sign of anorexia is weight loss, but also hair loss, dry skin and osteoporosis; nails stop growing and a feeling of being overwhelmed sets in. In women, menstruation turns irregular and can even disappear for months; menopause installs early and spontaneous abortions can occur. Anorexia can also cause colitis and turn the metabolism upside-down.
Anorexia endangers your life. 10% of the anorexic women die because of an organic failure or other issues linked to anorexia.
Perhaps the most famous case of death by anorexia is that of Karen Carpenter (from "The Carpenters") in 1983.
2.Bulimia is a condition in which the person, instead of fasting, crams even 15,000 calories in two hours' time. Then, the person eliminates what she/he ate, by vomiting or taking laxatives/diuretics.
Usually, the patient eats secretly and, after consuming the food, experiences a feeling of guilt. The wrong use of the laxatives can destroy the gut bacteria, provoking inflammations and infections. Frequent vomitting can provoke dehydration, tooth decay, esophagus lesions and even heart insufficiency.
3.Polyphagy also implies a large intake of food, but the patient does not eliminate what he/she has eaten and that's why he/she can become overweight. Some of these patients fast or make rigorous physical exercising following eating sessions, thus managing to maintain their bodyweight, so that those around them do not realize they have a problem.
After cramming, these patients experience feelings of guilt and depression. Polyphagy can lead to diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and other conditions, also leaving deep affective scars.
The following are some signs of eating disorders:
- feeling of shame or discomfort about your food habits
- eating secretly
- food has become the most important thing for you
- you weigh yourself more than once daily
- you assume risks for slimming down
- induced vomitting or use of laxatives/diuretics
Of course, these disorders cause dependence and it is hard to get rid of them, especially as in many cases relapses take place. Usually, they are connected to low self esteem or a perfectionist character, with too high expectations from his/her own person. Teenagers, especially girls, are extremely sensitive about their looks, and the simplest teasing about their body weight or speed of fat accumulation can trigger eating issues.
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