Several children with the onset of puberty become particularly conscious about their physical appearance. For numerous adolescents it becomes a fixation which is a chief reason behind certain eating maladies. These disorders might result in severe conditions of anorexia or bulimia which cause speedy changes in weight and consequently might hinder the normal day to day activities and harm the internal mechanism.
This ailment is more specifically prevalent amongst the members of the fairer sex, but boys are not exclusive to it either. In the United States according to research two out of every hundred kids might be at a risk. It may be several years before their family may suspect it as it is effectively concealed by the youngsters suffering from it. The chief causes are undefined and are mainly attributed to hereditary and mental issues.
There are mainly two major categories of this ailment. One is the group who is affected by anorexia whereas the other suffers from bulimia. People of the former category might be skinny but still suffer from a fright of becoming obese. Consequently they limit the intake of their diet and opt for strenuous workouts to stay thin. In contrast the sufferer's of the later category could have usual body weight or in certain cases might even be overweight. It involves the routine indulgence of eating and its riddance.
Its treatment revolves around the development of a positive behavior and approach towards food. This might be done with aid of a medical expert or a nutritionist and a regular analysis. The teenagers who are suffering from malnutrition might even be hospitalized until his or her condition becomes constant. The more early this condition is detected the better and quicker the chances of cure and the smaller the time span of the treatment/therapy will be.
Sarfaraz was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan, surrounded by traffic and technology. He writes mostly about diseases, the storybooks, futuristic columns, mysteries, as he likes to call it. He enjoys writing for web.
He wrote his first book (The Black Bodyguard of Stone-Pyramid) in 2003 and since then has provided the picture for 1 more title. His book was honored as a BEST SELLER.
Sarfaraz currently lives with his wife in Karachi near Seashore, about fifteen miles from the house where he was born.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarfaraz_Ali
Friday, November 7, 2008
Body Image, the She Devil As We See Her
Well, no. There are so many people for whom their body image is the one thing holding them back from the ability to be the person they want to be, dream to be and that absolute belief that they are not as good as anyone else in that room, being judged by others and have a total and clear picture of the person they think the others are seeing.
Body image not only stretches from what we see in the mirror ourselves, it's a 3 angle view.
Body image revolves around the 3 aspects of our "self".
1. The person you see in the mirror
2. The person you think your family and friends and those whom you feel comfortable with see
3. The person you think others see who have never met you before.
If one or 1 or all 3 of those parts of you is negative then this can in fact filter through to your self esteem, self belief, ability to interact with others, the way you read situations and how you believe others are responding to you.
Body image goes far past the skin depth - it goes into the very core of our belief systems and if you interfere with those then your perception of the world can change dramatically.
The way body image is dealt with in main stream medical intervention is often with direct psychiatric treatment, some of which can be effective but for others it is dealt with in the manner of a "disorder" on its own.
Frequently there is a misconception that this is the presenting problem - the distorted view of one's self which then leads to paranoia and depression, eating disorders etc. However, in order to deal with body image issues you need to look at the root cause of the problem, the one aspect of which, if you deal with that then the entire system and pattern of negative imagery and thoughts will collapse.
For a number of clients over the years, the initial problem started as a minor doubt. The same thing that most of us encounter at some time in that when we are in a specific state of mind, then our own internal image of ourselves will reflect the way we are feeling at that time. We then project that when interacting with others and in turn we get a less favorable response which then convinces us that our sudden negative view of ourselves must be correct.
From that one occurrence, an entirely new behavior is born. A filter of self doubt based on a image we held in our mind for a fleeting moment of time which is then confirmed by the reaction of others to us.
If I give you a simple example.
A teenager wakes up in a low frame of mind. The day before had been awful for her, her friends didn't have time for her, her boyfriend seemed to be more interested in someone else and her parents have other worries going on so no one seems interested in her. At that age, this is enough to be the world falling apart.
Her own self doubts begin to formulate putting her into a negative frame of mind. When she looks in the mirror, those insecurities change the perceived view of herself and she sees a less than perfect image. She concentrates on the parts of her she does not like which is in fact what she has been thinking about for the last hour anyway about her own personality.
When she concentrates on the negative aspects this then magnifies them and she focuses on what she doesn't want and doesn't like about her entire self.
She could feel unsure about many aspects and elements of herself and then also has a negative internal image. IE the picture she holds in her mind of herself which may be different from the one she saw in the mirror.
She then gets ready to go out - nothing looks right, nothing feels right so she then covers up to hide the imperfections she believes she has. When she does meet her friends, the image she believes they are seeing then cause her to be more withdrawn than usual.
Due to her change in her behavior and the way the girl is conducting herself with others, the reactions she gets from her friends is different, possibly distant or reserved.
So, she then has it confirmed to her that the negative image she believes they are seeing must be right due to the change in their attitude towards her and the spiral goes on.
There are so many ways this can go - eating disorders, social anxiety, aggressive behavior, low self esteem resulting in never achieving goals and so on.
So what has to change and what is the answer.
Well for each individual it is different. Frequently body dysmorphic disorder is not from a major traumatic event as so often stated. Normally there is no known "first event" and the client will state that it just started. Even with techniques designed to find the first event, there is nothing significant.
Also, each person has their own specific times and way that it occurs and almost always there will be situations where in fact it does not occur at all. It is purely individual and there is no fast and hard rule of thumb on how to treat body image issues except that it is the root cause, the self esteem issue which has to be addressed before any real effect can be made of the perception of the self.
If more time was spent on the evolution of therapy and work with the individual rather than various "authorities" looking to disprove the theories and treatment of others maybe more would and could be done in the main stream of body dysmorphia and related eating disorder patients in the UK and throughout the rest of the world.
We seem to forget about the individual and looking for the root cause, which when disconnected and dealt with will enable the rest of the chain to resolve, instead of following or disproving strict methods of others.
Only when the various main stream treatments become more flexible client orientated will our battle with the growing number of patients and clients begin to slow down. The amount of clients approaching me, having been through the normal medical system without success is rising. In the USA they have enlisted the assistance of other therapists from varying disciplines for input and treatment and we, in the UK are still stuck in the negative framework which in fact are moving us no further forward.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emma_James
Body image not only stretches from what we see in the mirror ourselves, it's a 3 angle view.
Body image revolves around the 3 aspects of our "self".
1. The person you see in the mirror
2. The person you think your family and friends and those whom you feel comfortable with see
3. The person you think others see who have never met you before.
If one or 1 or all 3 of those parts of you is negative then this can in fact filter through to your self esteem, self belief, ability to interact with others, the way you read situations and how you believe others are responding to you.
Body image goes far past the skin depth - it goes into the very core of our belief systems and if you interfere with those then your perception of the world can change dramatically.
The way body image is dealt with in main stream medical intervention is often with direct psychiatric treatment, some of which can be effective but for others it is dealt with in the manner of a "disorder" on its own.
Frequently there is a misconception that this is the presenting problem - the distorted view of one's self which then leads to paranoia and depression, eating disorders etc. However, in order to deal with body image issues you need to look at the root cause of the problem, the one aspect of which, if you deal with that then the entire system and pattern of negative imagery and thoughts will collapse.
For a number of clients over the years, the initial problem started as a minor doubt. The same thing that most of us encounter at some time in that when we are in a specific state of mind, then our own internal image of ourselves will reflect the way we are feeling at that time. We then project that when interacting with others and in turn we get a less favorable response which then convinces us that our sudden negative view of ourselves must be correct.
From that one occurrence, an entirely new behavior is born. A filter of self doubt based on a image we held in our mind for a fleeting moment of time which is then confirmed by the reaction of others to us.
If I give you a simple example.
A teenager wakes up in a low frame of mind. The day before had been awful for her, her friends didn't have time for her, her boyfriend seemed to be more interested in someone else and her parents have other worries going on so no one seems interested in her. At that age, this is enough to be the world falling apart.
Her own self doubts begin to formulate putting her into a negative frame of mind. When she looks in the mirror, those insecurities change the perceived view of herself and she sees a less than perfect image. She concentrates on the parts of her she does not like which is in fact what she has been thinking about for the last hour anyway about her own personality.
When she concentrates on the negative aspects this then magnifies them and she focuses on what she doesn't want and doesn't like about her entire self.
She could feel unsure about many aspects and elements of herself and then also has a negative internal image. IE the picture she holds in her mind of herself which may be different from the one she saw in the mirror.
She then gets ready to go out - nothing looks right, nothing feels right so she then covers up to hide the imperfections she believes she has. When she does meet her friends, the image she believes they are seeing then cause her to be more withdrawn than usual.
Due to her change in her behavior and the way the girl is conducting herself with others, the reactions she gets from her friends is different, possibly distant or reserved.
So, she then has it confirmed to her that the negative image she believes they are seeing must be right due to the change in their attitude towards her and the spiral goes on.
There are so many ways this can go - eating disorders, social anxiety, aggressive behavior, low self esteem resulting in never achieving goals and so on.
So what has to change and what is the answer.
Well for each individual it is different. Frequently body dysmorphic disorder is not from a major traumatic event as so often stated. Normally there is no known "first event" and the client will state that it just started. Even with techniques designed to find the first event, there is nothing significant.
Also, each person has their own specific times and way that it occurs and almost always there will be situations where in fact it does not occur at all. It is purely individual and there is no fast and hard rule of thumb on how to treat body image issues except that it is the root cause, the self esteem issue which has to be addressed before any real effect can be made of the perception of the self.
If more time was spent on the evolution of therapy and work with the individual rather than various "authorities" looking to disprove the theories and treatment of others maybe more would and could be done in the main stream of body dysmorphia and related eating disorder patients in the UK and throughout the rest of the world.
We seem to forget about the individual and looking for the root cause, which when disconnected and dealt with will enable the rest of the chain to resolve, instead of following or disproving strict methods of others.
Only when the various main stream treatments become more flexible client orientated will our battle with the growing number of patients and clients begin to slow down. The amount of clients approaching me, having been through the normal medical system without success is rising. In the USA they have enlisted the assistance of other therapists from varying disciplines for input and treatment and we, in the UK are still stuck in the negative framework which in fact are moving us no further forward.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emma_James
Monday, November 3, 2008
Anorexia Nervosa Treatment
The treatment for anorexia nervosa is often difficult and can take a long time. Some patients improve much slower then others do with many relapses during the recovery process. The treatment can be subdivided into immediate or long term anorexia treatment.
The immediate concerns of most people who present with anorexia nervosa is always low weight, nutrition balance and complications (like organs failure) due to long term starvation. All these have to be addressed first before long term psychological treatment can begin.
Some people who are a danger to themselves because they refuse to eat have to be hospitalized until they gain enough body weight to maintain their life. Many of these patients will need to have intravenous injections of highly nutritious products to replace their nutritional losses. If attempts to feed them fail they may need a tube inserted into their stomach to improve their nutritious status. The lengths of these treatments can vary depending on how the patients progress.
Long time psychological treatment should start while in the hospital. A team of professionals are normally involved including psychologists, counselors, social workers, nutritionists and medical doctors.
The team has to be very supportive and cooperative in their attempts to persuade the sufferer to take the treatment seriously and understand the importance of it. Many patients have to be forced into treatment against their desires (like emergency and life saving situations due to starvation and organs failure). This can hamper the sufferer's willingness for treatment in the first instance; but by building a trusting and supportive relationship with a patient over time can help to breakdown this barrier.
Psychotherapy starts when a trusting relationship with the patient has been established. A number of issues have to be addressed: body image, anxiety, depression, fears, eating habits and other concerns. The most difficult one is the body image issue because the person is absolutely obsessed with being thin and staying thin. Putting on weight which is crucial for recovery can become a major fear for the sufferer that is difficult to overcome.
Personality issues, coping strategies, relationship problems - all have to be looked at in the therapy sessions with the patient.
Lots of people improve by the time of their discharge from the hospital but the treatment for anorexia nervosa should not finish there. Relapses at home after hospitalization is extremely common, over 95% of all sufferers have some kind of problem. Actually much more people do relapse than those who do not, a scary statistic for the sufferer.
And here is where research has shown that family therapy and home treatments should be the first choice of help after leaving the hospital or clinic. Research has shown now that if a person does not have good home support and family involvement in their treatment, the person has a very slim chance for recovery.
Many parents and family members have no idea what it is they are supposed to do to help: what they should say to the sufferer and what they should not. Most uninformed family members still think that all the sufferer has to do is eat, and everything will be okay: but of course this is totally wrong.
Also family members do not know what kind of atmosphere in the house they should create to support the sufferer and make her/him understand that recovery is possible. It is here that most sufferers relapse because they are normally left to their own devices, simply because no one else has the slightest idea of what to do.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Irina_Webster
The immediate concerns of most people who present with anorexia nervosa is always low weight, nutrition balance and complications (like organs failure) due to long term starvation. All these have to be addressed first before long term psychological treatment can begin.
Some people who are a danger to themselves because they refuse to eat have to be hospitalized until they gain enough body weight to maintain their life. Many of these patients will need to have intravenous injections of highly nutritious products to replace their nutritional losses. If attempts to feed them fail they may need a tube inserted into their stomach to improve their nutritious status. The lengths of these treatments can vary depending on how the patients progress.
Long time psychological treatment should start while in the hospital. A team of professionals are normally involved including psychologists, counselors, social workers, nutritionists and medical doctors.
The team has to be very supportive and cooperative in their attempts to persuade the sufferer to take the treatment seriously and understand the importance of it. Many patients have to be forced into treatment against their desires (like emergency and life saving situations due to starvation and organs failure). This can hamper the sufferer's willingness for treatment in the first instance; but by building a trusting and supportive relationship with a patient over time can help to breakdown this barrier.
Psychotherapy starts when a trusting relationship with the patient has been established. A number of issues have to be addressed: body image, anxiety, depression, fears, eating habits and other concerns. The most difficult one is the body image issue because the person is absolutely obsessed with being thin and staying thin. Putting on weight which is crucial for recovery can become a major fear for the sufferer that is difficult to overcome.
Personality issues, coping strategies, relationship problems - all have to be looked at in the therapy sessions with the patient.
Lots of people improve by the time of their discharge from the hospital but the treatment for anorexia nervosa should not finish there. Relapses at home after hospitalization is extremely common, over 95% of all sufferers have some kind of problem. Actually much more people do relapse than those who do not, a scary statistic for the sufferer.
And here is where research has shown that family therapy and home treatments should be the first choice of help after leaving the hospital or clinic. Research has shown now that if a person does not have good home support and family involvement in their treatment, the person has a very slim chance for recovery.
Many parents and family members have no idea what it is they are supposed to do to help: what they should say to the sufferer and what they should not. Most uninformed family members still think that all the sufferer has to do is eat, and everything will be okay: but of course this is totally wrong.
Also family members do not know what kind of atmosphere in the house they should create to support the sufferer and make her/him understand that recovery is possible. It is here that most sufferers relapse because they are normally left to their own devices, simply because no one else has the slightest idea of what to do.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Irina_Webster
How to Stop Overeating - Self Hypnosis to Overcome Over Eating Problems
Overeating is defined as eating when not hungry or past the point of satiety. Most people don't realize they are eating more than they need to until they become obese and suffer health problems. The majority of people overeat from time to time but it becomes a problem when it happens regularly. Excessive eating causes a person to take in significantly more calories than are needed for daily functioning. These extra calories are stored as fat, increasing a persons overall body mass index (the measurement most commonly used to determine obesity).
Overeating Problems
Eating too much can lead to many health problems. Occasional overeating can lead to indigestion, stomach distension and bowel disturbance. The more serious problems associated with it come from regular overeating or compulsive eating. Compulsive eating can lead to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and many other problems. A compulsive eater is at risk for these conditions even if they are not yet obese.
Overeating and Obesity
When there are too many calories being consumed, as happens with some eating disorders, these calories are stored as extra fat. When a person is 20 per cent above the normal weight or has a BMI (body mass index) of 30 or higher, they are considered obese. One of the easiest ways to prevent obesity is to stop overeating.
Overeating Causes
In order to stop overeating, most people need to understand why they eat too much in the first place. Stop and ask yourself, "What is at the root of my eating problem?" In many cases, it has just become a habit. To stop overeating, you need to break the habit. Another cause of excessive eating is psychological in nature. Using food as a comfort, people use food to deal with stress, depression and anxiety. Although it is a temporary fix to those problems, it is often followed by feelings of guilt, shame and disgust.
Tips to Stop Overeating
Attempting to stop overeating can be a daunting task. Slowing down while eating, chewing each bite many times, helps to decrease the overall amount of food that is taken in at one sitting. Many people eat past the full stage because they are eating faster than their bodies can signal that they are full. Cut back on snacking between meals. Only eat when the food previously eaten has been completely digested. Change the food items that you eat; healthier food choices usually have lower calories and keep you feeling full longer.
Treatments For Overeating
There are many treatments available to help people to stop overeating. Getting to the root of the reason behind the overeating can sometimes be the first step. Some people find help by talking to their doctors, therapists or through self-hypnosis.
Self Hypnosis For Overeating
One of the advantages of self hypnosis is that it is the sort of self help that you can access in your own time. Indeed, most self hypnosis recordings are designed to be listened to at bedtime as you drift to sleep. A combination of techniques is usually used, from suggestion through to metaphor, and the good self hypnosis recordings will always offer you a money back guarantee. The reason that the guarantee can so readily be offered is that these recordings are generally quite effective, though to be fair they often do require repeated listening.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_C_Roberts
Overeating Problems
Eating too much can lead to many health problems. Occasional overeating can lead to indigestion, stomach distension and bowel disturbance. The more serious problems associated with it come from regular overeating or compulsive eating. Compulsive eating can lead to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and many other problems. A compulsive eater is at risk for these conditions even if they are not yet obese.
Overeating and Obesity
When there are too many calories being consumed, as happens with some eating disorders, these calories are stored as extra fat. When a person is 20 per cent above the normal weight or has a BMI (body mass index) of 30 or higher, they are considered obese. One of the easiest ways to prevent obesity is to stop overeating.
Overeating Causes
In order to stop overeating, most people need to understand why they eat too much in the first place. Stop and ask yourself, "What is at the root of my eating problem?" In many cases, it has just become a habit. To stop overeating, you need to break the habit. Another cause of excessive eating is psychological in nature. Using food as a comfort, people use food to deal with stress, depression and anxiety. Although it is a temporary fix to those problems, it is often followed by feelings of guilt, shame and disgust.
Tips to Stop Overeating
Attempting to stop overeating can be a daunting task. Slowing down while eating, chewing each bite many times, helps to decrease the overall amount of food that is taken in at one sitting. Many people eat past the full stage because they are eating faster than their bodies can signal that they are full. Cut back on snacking between meals. Only eat when the food previously eaten has been completely digested. Change the food items that you eat; healthier food choices usually have lower calories and keep you feeling full longer.
Treatments For Overeating
There are many treatments available to help people to stop overeating. Getting to the root of the reason behind the overeating can sometimes be the first step. Some people find help by talking to their doctors, therapists or through self-hypnosis.
Self Hypnosis For Overeating
One of the advantages of self hypnosis is that it is the sort of self help that you can access in your own time. Indeed, most self hypnosis recordings are designed to be listened to at bedtime as you drift to sleep. A combination of techniques is usually used, from suggestion through to metaphor, and the good self hypnosis recordings will always offer you a money back guarantee. The reason that the guarantee can so readily be offered is that these recordings are generally quite effective, though to be fair they often do require repeated listening.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_C_Roberts
Friday, October 31, 2008
Binge Eating Disorder - Do You Have It?
What exactly is binge eating disorder? It is defined as consuming large quantities of food within a very short period of time until the person feels uncomfortably full and/or sick. It is similar to bulimia except there is no form of purging involved following a binge episode.
Those who suffer from binge eating disorder usually feel out of control during an episode followed by guilt and shame afterwards. Most people who experience these binges use food as a way to numb themselves in order to deal with emotions that they are unwilling or unable to deal with.
Because we live in such a hurried, stress-laden society, binge eating has become more and more common. It is a way to cope with excess frustration, anger, anxiety, or grief. The majority of people who have binge eating disorder may suffer from chronic depression and other serious emotional problems.
Do you have binge eating disorder? There are certain symptoms that signify you may have the disorder if they occur more than occasionally.
-Eating too much food too quickly.
-Eating very large amounts of food whether you are hungry or not.
-Eating until you are sick or miserable.
-Feel excessive shame, guilt, disgust, anger and/or depression after bingeing.
-Know that your eating is raging out of control and feel helpless to do anything about it.
If you do suspect you have binge eating disorder, you are not alone. In the United States, it is the most common eating disorder. Most people who suffer from the disorder are severely obese but it can affect anyone. It is more common in women than in men.
Do you think you are a binge eater? If so, what can you do? The first words of advice are to avoid unhealthy diet practices like skipping meals, eating only certain foods, drastically limiting calories and/or cutting out foods that you love to eat.
These practices are unhealthy and dangerous and should never be used if you are trying to lose weight. The only path to effective and permanent weight loss is to follow a healthy diet and exercise program.
If you are challenged by a healthy weight loss regimen and suffer from depression, anxiety or other emotional issues, it is wise to seek professional advice from someone who specializes in the eating disorder field. They can help you find the right path to wellness.
There are many dangers associated with eating disorders, binge eating disorder, being no different. Binge eaters suffer from frequent illnesses due to the large volume of sugars and fats that they consume. These types of foods do not provide any nutrient value for the body, causing the body to break down.
This, in turn, increases the risk for many chronic diseases and conditions. The more you indulge in binge eating and the more overweight you are, the more you increase the risk for diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
If you suffer from binge eating disorder and feel helpless, remember, there IS help for you. Never be afraid to ask for it. There are professionals who are trained specifically in the area of eating disorders who are dedicated to helping you overcome the disease. Most people who seek professional treatment do very well.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Debra_Gropp
Those who suffer from binge eating disorder usually feel out of control during an episode followed by guilt and shame afterwards. Most people who experience these binges use food as a way to numb themselves in order to deal with emotions that they are unwilling or unable to deal with.
Because we live in such a hurried, stress-laden society, binge eating has become more and more common. It is a way to cope with excess frustration, anger, anxiety, or grief. The majority of people who have binge eating disorder may suffer from chronic depression and other serious emotional problems.
Do you have binge eating disorder? There are certain symptoms that signify you may have the disorder if they occur more than occasionally.
-Eating too much food too quickly.
-Eating very large amounts of food whether you are hungry or not.
-Eating until you are sick or miserable.
-Feel excessive shame, guilt, disgust, anger and/or depression after bingeing.
-Know that your eating is raging out of control and feel helpless to do anything about it.
If you do suspect you have binge eating disorder, you are not alone. In the United States, it is the most common eating disorder. Most people who suffer from the disorder are severely obese but it can affect anyone. It is more common in women than in men.
Do you think you are a binge eater? If so, what can you do? The first words of advice are to avoid unhealthy diet practices like skipping meals, eating only certain foods, drastically limiting calories and/or cutting out foods that you love to eat.
These practices are unhealthy and dangerous and should never be used if you are trying to lose weight. The only path to effective and permanent weight loss is to follow a healthy diet and exercise program.
If you are challenged by a healthy weight loss regimen and suffer from depression, anxiety or other emotional issues, it is wise to seek professional advice from someone who specializes in the eating disorder field. They can help you find the right path to wellness.
There are many dangers associated with eating disorders, binge eating disorder, being no different. Binge eaters suffer from frequent illnesses due to the large volume of sugars and fats that they consume. These types of foods do not provide any nutrient value for the body, causing the body to break down.
This, in turn, increases the risk for many chronic diseases and conditions. The more you indulge in binge eating and the more overweight you are, the more you increase the risk for diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
If you suffer from binge eating disorder and feel helpless, remember, there IS help for you. Never be afraid to ask for it. There are professionals who are trained specifically in the area of eating disorders who are dedicated to helping you overcome the disease. Most people who seek professional treatment do very well.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Debra_Gropp
Don't Wait to Stop Binge Eating
Throughout life, we can be easily motivated to do something when it is fun and exciting. When other tasks seem to be more fearful, we aren't so motivated to jump on it. Instead, we take our time and look to the other things that need to be taken care of immediately. In other words, we procrastinate.
Take a look at your life and see what things you have repeatedly procrastinated on accomplishing and think about what you are waiting for to stop binge eating disorder.
Does ending binge eating disorder just seem too hard?
Do you feel too overwhelmed and don't even know where to start since you've binged for so long?
Do you feel like you don't have what it takes to be successful at overcoming the urges to binge eat?
Are you scared because you don't feel strong enough to end binge eating disorder?
Do you wonder what your life will be like when you don't binge? What will you do instead of binge eating?
Procrastination on some things is fine. When it comes to other, more important things, like binge eating, it's not so fine. It's your health we are talking about. It's being able to play with your children. It's giving yourself completely to your husband or wife because you feel good enough inside. It's loving yourself. It's being able to travel. It's going to dinner with friends. It's SO much more than an eating disorder... and it's taking away your whole life.
Do the following things to help yourself be proactive against binge eating disorder:
Make a list of everything you want to do or wish you would do but don't because of binge eating disorder. Write down the small things that really don't matter, and be sure to capture the bigger ones that do. You know, the ones that are making you sit back and not have control over your own life.
When you are done, take a long, hard look at your list and see how your life is 100% affected by binge eating disorder.
Now, make another list.
On this list, let's pretend that you don't have binge eating disorder. Let's say that you have a week off from work and you can do whatever it is that you want. You don't have to worry about making sure your kids did their homework. You don't have to worry about paying bills. You don't even have to worry about having dinner on the table. Your biggest "worry" is how you will spend the next 7-days.
What will you do? How will you spend these days?
Now, for the biggest question there is... Why are you letting binge eating disorder hold you back?
I understand that there are many factors that can get in our way and cause stress and frustration. I get that it's not as easy as being on a vacation for a week... but, don't you think that you should allow yourself the freedom to do the activities you want to do? Don't you think it's time to stop letting binge eating disorder control you? Don't you want to enjoy life?
When you come to realize and accept that binge eating disorder is not going to control you anymore, you will start branching out more. You will find yourself saying "yes" to invitations. When you start to do new things, you will develop a new confidence. You will start pushing binge eating disorder to the back of your mind, instead of always being at the forefront. You will realize that you have the courage to stop this ongoing and exhausting battle with binge eating disorder.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristin_Gerstley
Take a look at your life and see what things you have repeatedly procrastinated on accomplishing and think about what you are waiting for to stop binge eating disorder.
Does ending binge eating disorder just seem too hard?
Do you feel too overwhelmed and don't even know where to start since you've binged for so long?
Do you feel like you don't have what it takes to be successful at overcoming the urges to binge eat?
Are you scared because you don't feel strong enough to end binge eating disorder?
Do you wonder what your life will be like when you don't binge? What will you do instead of binge eating?
Procrastination on some things is fine. When it comes to other, more important things, like binge eating, it's not so fine. It's your health we are talking about. It's being able to play with your children. It's giving yourself completely to your husband or wife because you feel good enough inside. It's loving yourself. It's being able to travel. It's going to dinner with friends. It's SO much more than an eating disorder... and it's taking away your whole life.
Do the following things to help yourself be proactive against binge eating disorder:
Make a list of everything you want to do or wish you would do but don't because of binge eating disorder. Write down the small things that really don't matter, and be sure to capture the bigger ones that do. You know, the ones that are making you sit back and not have control over your own life.
When you are done, take a long, hard look at your list and see how your life is 100% affected by binge eating disorder.
Now, make another list.
On this list, let's pretend that you don't have binge eating disorder. Let's say that you have a week off from work and you can do whatever it is that you want. You don't have to worry about making sure your kids did their homework. You don't have to worry about paying bills. You don't even have to worry about having dinner on the table. Your biggest "worry" is how you will spend the next 7-days.
What will you do? How will you spend these days?
Now, for the biggest question there is... Why are you letting binge eating disorder hold you back?
I understand that there are many factors that can get in our way and cause stress and frustration. I get that it's not as easy as being on a vacation for a week... but, don't you think that you should allow yourself the freedom to do the activities you want to do? Don't you think it's time to stop letting binge eating disorder control you? Don't you want to enjoy life?
When you come to realize and accept that binge eating disorder is not going to control you anymore, you will start branching out more. You will find yourself saying "yes" to invitations. When you start to do new things, you will develop a new confidence. You will start pushing binge eating disorder to the back of your mind, instead of always being at the forefront. You will realize that you have the courage to stop this ongoing and exhausting battle with binge eating disorder.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristin_Gerstley
Independence Day From Food
As we celebrate our country's independence, celebrate your own. From changing our lifestyle and our habits, we have changed our relationship with food. Rather than living as a slave and victim to food, we are now free and independent of the limitations of emotional eating. You are free! You are independent!
Reflect back on the times that you've binged and emotionally eaten, did you feel free? Did you feel like you were under the control of the food choices? Stop and think about it - under the influence of a cookie? Now, that's a dreadful thought. Be under the influence and control of your own influence and control. Don't allow a Twinkie to rule your life.
The constraints of emotional eating go beyond weight. Emotional eating results in excess weight. Excess weight and a large body size deteriorates our self-worth, self-esteem, create a feeling of being a victim, and we settle for less than what we deserve. Breaking free from the bonds of food is similar to giving yourself a second birth. It feels as though you've been reborn. We have become reborn to live the life we've always been meant to life which is full and meaningful, rich and rewarding.
The next time you are at a fork in the emotional eating road, give yourself a moment of pause. How do you feel when you give in to the food temptations and overeat, kicking in the cycle of eating emotionally? Do you want to follow the path of exercising your muscle of controlling your food choices and truly your life? Yes, sometimes it is difficult to stop the cycle of emotionally eating. It is comforting and can allow us to escape an uncomfortable situation. If we do it often enough, it creates a stronger muscle of resistance in succumbing to unhealthy food choices that make us independent of food.
You become more independent and your own person when you move away from emotionally eating. No longer do you need to live to eat but eat to live. You live your life complete with a variety of thoughts, feelings, emotions and you have the coping strategies to overcome the challenges you previously ate over. That is true independence.
I look forward to celebrating Independence Day, our liberties, our freedom, and what it means to me personally. I also look forward to celebrating my own personal Independence Day, my liberty from being a slave to food, my freedom from emotional eating, and what my life today means to me. I encourage you to do the same. You can have your own personal Independence Day every single day. You aren't limited to one day per year - celebrate your independence every single day.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cathy_L_Wilson
Reflect back on the times that you've binged and emotionally eaten, did you feel free? Did you feel like you were under the control of the food choices? Stop and think about it - under the influence of a cookie? Now, that's a dreadful thought. Be under the influence and control of your own influence and control. Don't allow a Twinkie to rule your life.
The constraints of emotional eating go beyond weight. Emotional eating results in excess weight. Excess weight and a large body size deteriorates our self-worth, self-esteem, create a feeling of being a victim, and we settle for less than what we deserve. Breaking free from the bonds of food is similar to giving yourself a second birth. It feels as though you've been reborn. We have become reborn to live the life we've always been meant to life which is full and meaningful, rich and rewarding.
The next time you are at a fork in the emotional eating road, give yourself a moment of pause. How do you feel when you give in to the food temptations and overeat, kicking in the cycle of eating emotionally? Do you want to follow the path of exercising your muscle of controlling your food choices and truly your life? Yes, sometimes it is difficult to stop the cycle of emotionally eating. It is comforting and can allow us to escape an uncomfortable situation. If we do it often enough, it creates a stronger muscle of resistance in succumbing to unhealthy food choices that make us independent of food.
You become more independent and your own person when you move away from emotionally eating. No longer do you need to live to eat but eat to live. You live your life complete with a variety of thoughts, feelings, emotions and you have the coping strategies to overcome the challenges you previously ate over. That is true independence.
I look forward to celebrating Independence Day, our liberties, our freedom, and what it means to me personally. I also look forward to celebrating my own personal Independence Day, my liberty from being a slave to food, my freedom from emotional eating, and what my life today means to me. I encourage you to do the same. You can have your own personal Independence Day every single day. You aren't limited to one day per year - celebrate your independence every single day.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cathy_L_Wilson
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Train Yourself to Stop Emotional Eating For Good
Our moods have a lot to do with our eating habits. Emotional problems, such as unemployment, divorce, or health problems can either decrease our appetite or encourage emotional eating. Even a simple change in our daily routine can sabotage our weight loss efforts. When we feel stressed or emotionally unstable we often look towards junk food for comfort. It has been well known that food serves as an excellent distraction from daily troubles. So what steps can you take to reduce your dependence upon emotional eating?
One way to stop emotional eating is to recognize true hunger. Often times when we are stressed, our hunger is only emotional. We are not really hungry but we still turn to food for comfort. This is why it is important to be aware whether your hunger is physical or emotional. For example, if you ate a couple hours ago and your stomach is not rumbling, then you are probably not hungry. Try to keep track of your meal times and judge for yourself whether you are in fact hungry.
Another way to reduce your emotional eating habits is to be aware of what triggers your hunger. Simply write down what you ate, how much you ate, when you ate, how hungry you were, and what emotional state were you in. By keeping track of these things you might be able to figure out some sort of an eating pattern. And lastly, try to look elsewhere for comfort. There are many different things which can just as easily occupy your mind. Try going for a walk, to a movie, or simply talk with a friend. So if you ever feel like emotional hunger has taken over your life, try to plan some enjoyable events for yourself in order to relieve some of the tension.
Lauren S. Johnson writes health articles about fitness and nutrition.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lauren_S_Johnson
One way to stop emotional eating is to recognize true hunger. Often times when we are stressed, our hunger is only emotional. We are not really hungry but we still turn to food for comfort. This is why it is important to be aware whether your hunger is physical or emotional. For example, if you ate a couple hours ago and your stomach is not rumbling, then you are probably not hungry. Try to keep track of your meal times and judge for yourself whether you are in fact hungry.
Another way to reduce your emotional eating habits is to be aware of what triggers your hunger. Simply write down what you ate, how much you ate, when you ate, how hungry you were, and what emotional state were you in. By keeping track of these things you might be able to figure out some sort of an eating pattern. And lastly, try to look elsewhere for comfort. There are many different things which can just as easily occupy your mind. Try going for a walk, to a movie, or simply talk with a friend. So if you ever feel like emotional hunger has taken over your life, try to plan some enjoyable events for yourself in order to relieve some of the tension.
Lauren S. Johnson writes health articles about fitness and nutrition.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lauren_S_Johnson
Anorexia - A Serious Problem Affecting Many People Nationwide
Anorexia is one of the most serious problem people face in the country. People struck with such disorders are affected both physically and mentally. Anorexia can come from variety of issues, from worries to stress. If left untreated, anorexia can be life-threatening.
Anorexia is basically one's will to starve, believing that it will sustain their needs. As stated before, this harmful disorder arises from any concerns regarding with emotions. If the person leaves it untreated, the worst case scenario that could occur is death.
So how do you tell if someone has anorexia? There are several signs that could easily be picken up to see if that person suffers from anorexia. One sign is that if he/she is underweight and tends to exercise vigorously. Of course, this sign does not necessarily tell you that anorexia is there, but it is still plausible nonetheless, because there are other signs to follow. Another sign of such distortion is that if the person feels fat, even though he/she is not fat. Albeit the person might be abnormally thin, if he/she still thinks he's/she's overweight, chances are that thatt person is suffering from anorexia. The third sign, which is the most important to deal with and that it is in women, is that if she stops menstruating.
Anorexia is a serious problem that has to be dealt with. If the person you know has any of the three signs mentioned above, then chances are that person might be suffering from anorexia.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Naeem_Patel
Anorexia is basically one's will to starve, believing that it will sustain their needs. As stated before, this harmful disorder arises from any concerns regarding with emotions. If the person leaves it untreated, the worst case scenario that could occur is death.
So how do you tell if someone has anorexia? There are several signs that could easily be picken up to see if that person suffers from anorexia. One sign is that if he/she is underweight and tends to exercise vigorously. Of course, this sign does not necessarily tell you that anorexia is there, but it is still plausible nonetheless, because there are other signs to follow. Another sign of such distortion is that if the person feels fat, even though he/she is not fat. Albeit the person might be abnormally thin, if he/she still thinks he's/she's overweight, chances are that thatt person is suffering from anorexia. The third sign, which is the most important to deal with and that it is in women, is that if she stops menstruating.
Anorexia is a serious problem that has to be dealt with. If the person you know has any of the three signs mentioned above, then chances are that person might be suffering from anorexia.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Naeem_Patel
Friday, October 17, 2008
Eating Disorders and the Media
It is proven now that media can influence the beginning of eating disorders in some people. This is evident especially in children and teens who can easily be lulled into the wrong image of what the human body is supposed to look like.
A very serious concern is that tiny little children as young as 8 year old are now contracting anorexia and the media are to blame. The images of thinness and unreal sexual images in the media do influence children's minds which in turn lead them into an eating disorder.
Early exposure to sexualized images encourage young women to see themselves as objects and value themselves for how they look rather then a whole person. Their values shift to the side where being beautiful and sexually attractive substitutes for being an individual with a strong sense of self. These inevitably lead young women to pursue thinness and artificial beauty that they see on the covers of magazines on TV and in the newspapers.
Very often girls have no understanding that what they're pursuing is only an unattainable image provided by the media to entertain their readers, attract buyers and sell the products they advertise or to send some other frivolous messages to the public.
So the beginnings of an eating disorder in young women can very often be connected to body dissatisfaction which is brought on by comparing their own body to the body images in the media.
For example, a recent survey revealed that 25% of Australian teenage girls would consider plastic surgery if they could and 2% already have had plastic surgery to change the way they look.
The other research was done on 4000 teenager girls' aged from 11 to 18 and found that more than 85% of them were unhappy with their body and would like to do or are already doing something about it.
The recent Botox survey revealed that women as young as 17 years old do Botox injection in order to prevent wrinkles. Breast implants have been done for women as young as 17-20 years old.
All the examples above shows that very many women nowadays think that fake women are much better than the real thing, based on the images that are portrayed in the media as being the norm.
To conclude, the media contributes a lot to developing body dissatisfaction and consequently eating disorders, by promoting fake unattainable images of women's bodies. To fight eating disorders it is important to educate the masses on the truth of how the media works to sell its advertising clients products.
Young women should be taught about balance and the truth of what is perceived to be beautiful and what real women are suppose to look like.
Even women like Marilyn Monroe who only a short time ago was considered to be the most beautiful woman in the world, would now be classified as a Big Girl by the media.
Is it any wonder so many young women are falling victims to eating disorders?
To learn how other people have manage to defeat their eating disorder as a consequence of dissatisfaction with their own body and about eating disorders and media go to http://www.mom-please-help.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Irina_Webster
A very serious concern is that tiny little children as young as 8 year old are now contracting anorexia and the media are to blame. The images of thinness and unreal sexual images in the media do influence children's minds which in turn lead them into an eating disorder.
Early exposure to sexualized images encourage young women to see themselves as objects and value themselves for how they look rather then a whole person. Their values shift to the side where being beautiful and sexually attractive substitutes for being an individual with a strong sense of self. These inevitably lead young women to pursue thinness and artificial beauty that they see on the covers of magazines on TV and in the newspapers.
Very often girls have no understanding that what they're pursuing is only an unattainable image provided by the media to entertain their readers, attract buyers and sell the products they advertise or to send some other frivolous messages to the public.
So the beginnings of an eating disorder in young women can very often be connected to body dissatisfaction which is brought on by comparing their own body to the body images in the media.
For example, a recent survey revealed that 25% of Australian teenage girls would consider plastic surgery if they could and 2% already have had plastic surgery to change the way they look.
The other research was done on 4000 teenager girls' aged from 11 to 18 and found that more than 85% of them were unhappy with their body and would like to do or are already doing something about it.
The recent Botox survey revealed that women as young as 17 years old do Botox injection in order to prevent wrinkles. Breast implants have been done for women as young as 17-20 years old.
All the examples above shows that very many women nowadays think that fake women are much better than the real thing, based on the images that are portrayed in the media as being the norm.
To conclude, the media contributes a lot to developing body dissatisfaction and consequently eating disorders, by promoting fake unattainable images of women's bodies. To fight eating disorders it is important to educate the masses on the truth of how the media works to sell its advertising clients products.
Young women should be taught about balance and the truth of what is perceived to be beautiful and what real women are suppose to look like.
Even women like Marilyn Monroe who only a short time ago was considered to be the most beautiful woman in the world, would now be classified as a Big Girl by the media.
Is it any wonder so many young women are falling victims to eating disorders?
To learn how other people have manage to defeat their eating disorder as a consequence of dissatisfaction with their own body and about eating disorders and media go to http://www.mom-please-help.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Irina_Webster
Eating Disorders Studies - What Has Been Found So Far?
Researching eating disorders is a relatively new field of medicine. Scientists still don't have a lot of data on a long-term recovery process from eating disorders. But many things about who is susceptible to the disease, how it starts and how it develops is known and that is what we will look at here.
According to the latest numbers there are very many people who meet the criteria for disordered eating - about 10%-15% of women. These include all eating disorders: anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and others. The most dangerous of all anorexia nervosa takes about 1%-1.5%. Bulimia nervosa takes about 5%-6% and the rest goes to binge eating, extreme dieting, obsession with body image etc.
More than half the women who have been anorexic will develop bulimia in the process of the disease. And nearly 80% of bulimics show anorexic behaviors also. To say in other words they swing between non-eating to compulsive overeating and purging all the time during the disease.
And the only dividing line between anorexia and bulimia is their weight. People with extremely low weight are considered to be anorexic. And people with normal weight or slightly overweight considered to be bulimics.
Recent studies have also found that women are prone to the disease much more then men are. Genetic predisposition to develop an eating disorder is also confirmed by many researches.
It was said that people inherit a special gene which is responsible for developing addictive (obsessive) behaviors.
It was also shown that people with certain personality traits are also more prone to eating disorders. These personality traits include perfectionism, avoidance of harm and impulsivity (or difficulty in impulse control).
The drive to thinness is broadly influence by the media. When women with certain personality traits and genetic make up are constantly exposed to images of waif-like models, slim actresses and stunning beauty icons they inevitably want to be like them.
When all the factors above converge in one person, she/he can develop an eating disorder.
To conclude, eating disorders are multiple -factor disorders. It takes a special genetic make up, special social influences and personality to develop the disease.
These complexities make the disease very difficult to treat and manage. Nevertheless, there are many cases of recovery from eating disorders and generally the disease is considered to be treatable.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Irina_Webster
According to the latest numbers there are very many people who meet the criteria for disordered eating - about 10%-15% of women. These include all eating disorders: anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and others. The most dangerous of all anorexia nervosa takes about 1%-1.5%. Bulimia nervosa takes about 5%-6% and the rest goes to binge eating, extreme dieting, obsession with body image etc.
More than half the women who have been anorexic will develop bulimia in the process of the disease. And nearly 80% of bulimics show anorexic behaviors also. To say in other words they swing between non-eating to compulsive overeating and purging all the time during the disease.
And the only dividing line between anorexia and bulimia is their weight. People with extremely low weight are considered to be anorexic. And people with normal weight or slightly overweight considered to be bulimics.
Recent studies have also found that women are prone to the disease much more then men are. Genetic predisposition to develop an eating disorder is also confirmed by many researches.
It was said that people inherit a special gene which is responsible for developing addictive (obsessive) behaviors.
It was also shown that people with certain personality traits are also more prone to eating disorders. These personality traits include perfectionism, avoidance of harm and impulsivity (or difficulty in impulse control).
The drive to thinness is broadly influence by the media. When women with certain personality traits and genetic make up are constantly exposed to images of waif-like models, slim actresses and stunning beauty icons they inevitably want to be like them.
When all the factors above converge in one person, she/he can develop an eating disorder.
To conclude, eating disorders are multiple -factor disorders. It takes a special genetic make up, special social influences and personality to develop the disease.
These complexities make the disease very difficult to treat and manage. Nevertheless, there are many cases of recovery from eating disorders and generally the disease is considered to be treatable.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Irina_Webster
The Appetite Hormone
A recent image study of the human brain actually shows that a hormone that is known for its ability to trigger appetite can stimulate parts of the brain to make food appear more appealing.
Ghrelin, the name of the appetite hormone, has a pleasure effect on the human sense and creates a happiness associated with food similar to those who suffer from drug addictions. Ghrelin encourages people to continue eating after the nutritional reasoning is finished and the stomach is already full.
"For hundreds of years, people used to think that you eat only because you're hungry," says study author Dr. Alain Dagher, an associate professor with the Montreal Neurological Institute of McGill University in Canada. "But we found that the actual system involves a drive for food that is not at all related to hunger."
"The reason for this," he adds, "is that almost every animal, including us, until very recently was living in a world where there wasn't enough food, so that the big risk is starving to death. This creates a real pressure to eat. And obtaining food is risky. It requires effort and putting yourself at the mercy of predators. So you need something to get you out of your cave, and the only way that's going to happen is if the food is attractive enough to get you to overcome those costs and risks. And we've found a hormone that does this by acting on the pleasure and reward centers of the brain and making food you see seem more appealing and more desirable."
Dagher and his colleagues reported their insights in the May issue of Cell Metabolism. They analyzed MRIs of activity in the brains of 20 healthy men while they observed pictures of food and drink. This was done 3 hours after they had eaten breakfast so that they weren't necessarily full nor hungry; all men viewed an initial series of 45 images during which they answered questions about their mood and appetite.
Immediately after the first viewing, 12 of the men received two injections of ghrelin, while the other eight men did not. The men then viewed a second set of 45 images after their blood was taken to observe the levels of the hormone in their bodies. It was concluded that more of the men who received grehlin injectionsreported hunger after looking at the second set of images than those who did not.
The increased hunger response correlated with an increase in brain activity in a broad range of brain regions associated with reward when viewing images of food and non-food "pleasure-related" items. The men who did not receive the ghrelin expressed no change in hunger over the course of the two viewing sessions and were less likely to remember the food imagery they saw following the viewings.
The researchers suggested that the findings could ultimately lead to treatments for obesity based on a disruption of the ghrelin hormonal effect.
"The problem today is that we have this evolutionary imperative to eat, but we now live in an environment where you don't have to spend any energy to get food," he noted. "Which means that it makes sense to think of appetite as a kind of addiction. So, if we want to address the fact that obesity is now the number one killer in the world, we're going to have to tackle the problem in the same way that we tackle cigarette smoking."
But Dr. Barbara B. Kahn, chief of the division of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, also spread caution that relating ghrelin-fueled overeating with drug addiction may be a disservice to the public.
"This study provides us with new information about additional ways in which this particular hormone may work," she said, "And overeating and drug addiction may converge on some of the same neurons. But other pathways are also involved. And from a biochemical point of view, the two are not the same thing. Drug addictions are much stronger. So to suggest that they are the same makes people feel that they can't do anything about overeating. That it's out of their control. So, I don't really buy that the parallel," added Kahn, "There may be aspects of overeating that may be related to aspects of addiction. But overeating is not just another addiction."
In the future, it may be valuable to have your grehlin levels checked or altered, but for now we'll just have to live with good old self-discipline and awareness.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Derek_Huizinga
Ghrelin, the name of the appetite hormone, has a pleasure effect on the human sense and creates a happiness associated with food similar to those who suffer from drug addictions. Ghrelin encourages people to continue eating after the nutritional reasoning is finished and the stomach is already full.
"For hundreds of years, people used to think that you eat only because you're hungry," says study author Dr. Alain Dagher, an associate professor with the Montreal Neurological Institute of McGill University in Canada. "But we found that the actual system involves a drive for food that is not at all related to hunger."
"The reason for this," he adds, "is that almost every animal, including us, until very recently was living in a world where there wasn't enough food, so that the big risk is starving to death. This creates a real pressure to eat. And obtaining food is risky. It requires effort and putting yourself at the mercy of predators. So you need something to get you out of your cave, and the only way that's going to happen is if the food is attractive enough to get you to overcome those costs and risks. And we've found a hormone that does this by acting on the pleasure and reward centers of the brain and making food you see seem more appealing and more desirable."
Dagher and his colleagues reported their insights in the May issue of Cell Metabolism. They analyzed MRIs of activity in the brains of 20 healthy men while they observed pictures of food and drink. This was done 3 hours after they had eaten breakfast so that they weren't necessarily full nor hungry; all men viewed an initial series of 45 images during which they answered questions about their mood and appetite.
Immediately after the first viewing, 12 of the men received two injections of ghrelin, while the other eight men did not. The men then viewed a second set of 45 images after their blood was taken to observe the levels of the hormone in their bodies. It was concluded that more of the men who received grehlin injectionsreported hunger after looking at the second set of images than those who did not.
The increased hunger response correlated with an increase in brain activity in a broad range of brain regions associated with reward when viewing images of food and non-food "pleasure-related" items. The men who did not receive the ghrelin expressed no change in hunger over the course of the two viewing sessions and were less likely to remember the food imagery they saw following the viewings.
The researchers suggested that the findings could ultimately lead to treatments for obesity based on a disruption of the ghrelin hormonal effect.
"The problem today is that we have this evolutionary imperative to eat, but we now live in an environment where you don't have to spend any energy to get food," he noted. "Which means that it makes sense to think of appetite as a kind of addiction. So, if we want to address the fact that obesity is now the number one killer in the world, we're going to have to tackle the problem in the same way that we tackle cigarette smoking."
But Dr. Barbara B. Kahn, chief of the division of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, also spread caution that relating ghrelin-fueled overeating with drug addiction may be a disservice to the public.
"This study provides us with new information about additional ways in which this particular hormone may work," she said, "And overeating and drug addiction may converge on some of the same neurons. But other pathways are also involved. And from a biochemical point of view, the two are not the same thing. Drug addictions are much stronger. So to suggest that they are the same makes people feel that they can't do anything about overeating. That it's out of their control. So, I don't really buy that the parallel," added Kahn, "There may be aspects of overeating that may be related to aspects of addiction. But overeating is not just another addiction."
In the future, it may be valuable to have your grehlin levels checked or altered, but for now we'll just have to live with good old self-discipline and awareness.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Derek_Huizinga
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Anorexia Side Effects
Anorexia is not just about weight loss and refusing to eat. Anorexia has major side effects on the mental, physical and emotional state of a person.
Contracting anorexia means getting a new life style, new coping strategies, new relationships, new thought pattern and a whole new way of living and none of it is good.
You can say that a new sufferer becomes like a completely new person, different from what she/he used to be.
One of the very distinctive side effects of anorexia is a distorted perception about themselves. It is related to their own body image, their self being and also how they perceive other people as well.
The main measurement of all becomes how skinny they are. Anorexics perceive that their worth is directly related to their weight. They feel and think the same way about other people also.
For example a 19 year old anorexic girl I was talking to said once:" I know that the more weight I lose the better and stronger person I become. I understand that all overweight people are lazy, fat and no good".
But the meaning of being overweight for her is far away from reality. She perceives even normal weight people as overweight, including herself. She was already only 49 kg (height 164cm) but she still saw herself like a fat and overweight person.
She sees this picture because of the other major side effect of anorexia called "broken eye syndrome". And because anorexics see a wrong picture of themselves and others they want to loose more and more weight and can't stop starving themselves and over exercising.
Their relationships with other people change a lot since they contracted their anorexia because they need to spend all their time counting calories, exercising and thinking over a new strategy to lose more weight. Plus anorexics become very judgmental and picky and loose interest in others and everything they did before. All these prevent them from having a normal relationship with others.
And the other side effect of anorexia is their changing respond to everyday stress. This encompasses everything that happens to them, anorexics respond by increasing their exercising time, cutting down on calories and withdrawing further away from other people.
To conclude, anorexia has many side effects on a person. And to stop these negative side effects it is important to change the sufferer's perception back to what it was before the anorexia.
If their perception is returned back to normal a person will be able to lead a good and healthy life again.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Irina_Webster
Contracting anorexia means getting a new life style, new coping strategies, new relationships, new thought pattern and a whole new way of living and none of it is good.
You can say that a new sufferer becomes like a completely new person, different from what she/he used to be.
One of the very distinctive side effects of anorexia is a distorted perception about themselves. It is related to their own body image, their self being and also how they perceive other people as well.
The main measurement of all becomes how skinny they are. Anorexics perceive that their worth is directly related to their weight. They feel and think the same way about other people also.
For example a 19 year old anorexic girl I was talking to said once:" I know that the more weight I lose the better and stronger person I become. I understand that all overweight people are lazy, fat and no good".
But the meaning of being overweight for her is far away from reality. She perceives even normal weight people as overweight, including herself. She was already only 49 kg (height 164cm) but she still saw herself like a fat and overweight person.
She sees this picture because of the other major side effect of anorexia called "broken eye syndrome". And because anorexics see a wrong picture of themselves and others they want to loose more and more weight and can't stop starving themselves and over exercising.
Their relationships with other people change a lot since they contracted their anorexia because they need to spend all their time counting calories, exercising and thinking over a new strategy to lose more weight. Plus anorexics become very judgmental and picky and loose interest in others and everything they did before. All these prevent them from having a normal relationship with others.
And the other side effect of anorexia is their changing respond to everyday stress. This encompasses everything that happens to them, anorexics respond by increasing their exercising time, cutting down on calories and withdrawing further away from other people.
To conclude, anorexia has many side effects on a person. And to stop these negative side effects it is important to change the sufferer's perception back to what it was before the anorexia.
If their perception is returned back to normal a person will be able to lead a good and healthy life again.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Irina_Webster
Acid Reflux - What is Silent Reflux?
It is a known fact that people sometimes do not realize that acid reflux is really a problem for them. This condition is known as silent acid reflux. It is not different from the common existing one. The diagnosis is quite difficult at time.
Usually, people believe that heartburn is not associated to this condition. However, in case of silent acid reflux, heartburn is not considered to be a symptom. You may find it very strange but an antacid or any other medication prescribed to reduce or prevent abdominal pain is also widely prescribed for silent acid reflux. This is actually caused by the same acid in the stomach that's responsible for causing heartburn.
Sphincter muscles are actually categorized in to two different sets that usually allow food and drink to get inside the stomach and function to prevent back up of stomach acid in to the esophagus.
However, there are times when the lower set of muscles do not perform the task and stomach acid tend to pass back up inside the lower part of the esophagus only. It is also true that the lower part of esophagus is not much sensitive to the acid inside the stomach as compared to the upper part of esophagus.
This is the reason that heartburn symptoms or those associated to acid reflux are absent. A whole set of varied symptoms is what actually leads people to seek medical attention and the medical practitioner prescribes a remedy for the disease.
Here are some common symptoms:
a) Hoarseness of voice
b) Trouble in speech especially in the morning
c) Difficulty in swallowing
d) Excess mucus in the throat
e) Drainage from the sinuses
f) Frequent feeling to clean up the throat
g) Frequent coughing
All the above mentioned symptoms are observed in patients with this condition because the stomach acid reaches and irritate the voice box and due to excess amount of acid inside the stomach.
According to a recent study that was duly published by the American College of Gastroenterology in the year 2005, it has been suggested that silent acid reflux may be the actual cause of sleep related problems in many people.
It also resulted in frequent wakefulness and symptoms close to a condition known as sleep apnea. Chronic snoring may also be a result of this condition.
Some of the remedies recommended for treating the disease include the following
a) Raising the head of the bed
b) Avoiding alcohol in the evening
c) Avoiding tobacco products completely
d) Eating the last meal of the day at least three hours prior to the bed time
Silent acid reflux has also been found in children. Under this condition, the child usually refluxes the contents inside the stomach and then swallows them back. This indicates that the stomach acid can easily damage or irritate esophagus lining. Consult your doctor on an immediate basis if you doubt the presence of this condition in your child.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bertil_Hjert
Usually, people believe that heartburn is not associated to this condition. However, in case of silent acid reflux, heartburn is not considered to be a symptom. You may find it very strange but an antacid or any other medication prescribed to reduce or prevent abdominal pain is also widely prescribed for silent acid reflux. This is actually caused by the same acid in the stomach that's responsible for causing heartburn.
Sphincter muscles are actually categorized in to two different sets that usually allow food and drink to get inside the stomach and function to prevent back up of stomach acid in to the esophagus.
However, there are times when the lower set of muscles do not perform the task and stomach acid tend to pass back up inside the lower part of the esophagus only. It is also true that the lower part of esophagus is not much sensitive to the acid inside the stomach as compared to the upper part of esophagus.
This is the reason that heartburn symptoms or those associated to acid reflux are absent. A whole set of varied symptoms is what actually leads people to seek medical attention and the medical practitioner prescribes a remedy for the disease.
Here are some common symptoms:
a) Hoarseness of voice
b) Trouble in speech especially in the morning
c) Difficulty in swallowing
d) Excess mucus in the throat
e) Drainage from the sinuses
f) Frequent feeling to clean up the throat
g) Frequent coughing
All the above mentioned symptoms are observed in patients with this condition because the stomach acid reaches and irritate the voice box and due to excess amount of acid inside the stomach.
According to a recent study that was duly published by the American College of Gastroenterology in the year 2005, it has been suggested that silent acid reflux may be the actual cause of sleep related problems in many people.
It also resulted in frequent wakefulness and symptoms close to a condition known as sleep apnea. Chronic snoring may also be a result of this condition.
Some of the remedies recommended for treating the disease include the following
a) Raising the head of the bed
b) Avoiding alcohol in the evening
c) Avoiding tobacco products completely
d) Eating the last meal of the day at least three hours prior to the bed time
Silent acid reflux has also been found in children. Under this condition, the child usually refluxes the contents inside the stomach and then swallows them back. This indicates that the stomach acid can easily damage or irritate esophagus lining. Consult your doctor on an immediate basis if you doubt the presence of this condition in your child.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bertil_Hjert
How to Completely Overcome Stress Eating in Just Ten Minutes
A simple way to overcome stress or stress eating... this easy process can be used at any time of the day. It is particularly effective when you are feeling overwhelmed with anxiety or when you come home after a particularly stressful day. As with any de-stressing technique, the more your practice the easier it will become.
Some people find it easy to deal with stress while others find it very difficult. This article is aimed at those who find themselves anxious or stressed and then turn to food as a way to get lost in eating and escape the tightness of stress. This process is excellent to use if you find it hard to switch off from the stresses of life.
Grab a pad of paper, a pen, and sit yourself down somewhere comfortable and quiet, where you are unlikely to be disturbed for a few minutes. Then sit down, and follow this simple six-step process to a more relaxed and self-empowered you.
Step 1. Breathe
Take a deep breath and hold it for a couple of seconds, then release it slowly and steadily. Then repeat this two or three more times.
Step 2. Acceptance
Notice your body and become aware of where you hold your tension, stress, and anxiety. Instead of trying to fix anything, let your current state of tension be entirely acceptable. It is what it is. Faced with uncertainty of what will happen next, it is normal to feel sad, frustrated, or overwhelmed. But whatever you are feeling, the first step is to accept things as they are. This is tricky business I admit, but let go of fighting, fixing, or running away from what you are feeling. Accept reality as it is right now.
Step 3. Pure Expression
Take out your pad of paper and pen, and for the next couple of minutes describe your current situation. How does your body feel? What is tight, tense, or constricted? What thoughts are going through your mind? What emotions are associated with your thoughts? This is not an occasion to analyze why things are the way they are, or how you are going to fix things, rather this is an opportunity of pure expression. Writing allows the adrenaline filled stress energy to begin moving out of your body.
Step 4. Offer Reassurance
Stress is a painful experience in which you believe that you lack the resources, time, or capacity to lead yourself through a situation. By losing yourself in food when you are feeling stress, you surrender your ability to act with personal power and effectiveness. To counter this belief and habitual response, let yourself know that you are safe no matter what is happening. Once you are done writing, reassure yourself that even if you don't yet know exactly how you are going to get through this stressful situation, you are capable of making wise decisions.
Step 5. Invite Positive Insights
Once again, take several deep, conscious breaths. Much of what you are feeling is an outpouring of adrenaline that puts you into a state of panic and reaction. Adrenaline makes the situation seem like an emergency, and it limits your choices to fight, flight, or becoming frozen in inaction. Remind yourself that no matter how it feels right now, it is not true that whatever is happening is an emergency. Decide that you will not make reactionary, limited, or fearful choices while in a pumped up adrenaline state.
One of the best ways to move beyond the adrenaline rush is to breathe. Breathing moves stress energy and brings you back into center. When you are feeling calmer, ask yourself, "If I were wise and loving, what step would I take to create a positive outcome for myself." Listen to what insights or intuitive hunches come. If you don't have any insights in the moment, that's okay. Assure yourself that you will know what to do when the time is right.
Step 6. The Process of Change
Take another deep breath and stand up. If you still feel the need to stress eat, then go ahead and do so. Engaging in this process is an experience. You participate not to put harsh pressure on yourself, but to show yourself that you can relieve stress in new ways, and that you can trust yourself to get through any situation. If you were not able to overcome the need to reach for stress eating the first time, or even the first fifty times, that's okay. You are still benefiting from the process. Letting go of self-doubt, or the stress that occurs with the expectation of failure, hurt, and disappoint doesn't happen overnight. Give yourself credit for trying something new.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Annette_Colby
Some people find it easy to deal with stress while others find it very difficult. This article is aimed at those who find themselves anxious or stressed and then turn to food as a way to get lost in eating and escape the tightness of stress. This process is excellent to use if you find it hard to switch off from the stresses of life.
Grab a pad of paper, a pen, and sit yourself down somewhere comfortable and quiet, where you are unlikely to be disturbed for a few minutes. Then sit down, and follow this simple six-step process to a more relaxed and self-empowered you.
Step 1. Breathe
Take a deep breath and hold it for a couple of seconds, then release it slowly and steadily. Then repeat this two or three more times.
Step 2. Acceptance
Notice your body and become aware of where you hold your tension, stress, and anxiety. Instead of trying to fix anything, let your current state of tension be entirely acceptable. It is what it is. Faced with uncertainty of what will happen next, it is normal to feel sad, frustrated, or overwhelmed. But whatever you are feeling, the first step is to accept things as they are. This is tricky business I admit, but let go of fighting, fixing, or running away from what you are feeling. Accept reality as it is right now.
Step 3. Pure Expression
Take out your pad of paper and pen, and for the next couple of minutes describe your current situation. How does your body feel? What is tight, tense, or constricted? What thoughts are going through your mind? What emotions are associated with your thoughts? This is not an occasion to analyze why things are the way they are, or how you are going to fix things, rather this is an opportunity of pure expression. Writing allows the adrenaline filled stress energy to begin moving out of your body.
Step 4. Offer Reassurance
Stress is a painful experience in which you believe that you lack the resources, time, or capacity to lead yourself through a situation. By losing yourself in food when you are feeling stress, you surrender your ability to act with personal power and effectiveness. To counter this belief and habitual response, let yourself know that you are safe no matter what is happening. Once you are done writing, reassure yourself that even if you don't yet know exactly how you are going to get through this stressful situation, you are capable of making wise decisions.
Step 5. Invite Positive Insights
Once again, take several deep, conscious breaths. Much of what you are feeling is an outpouring of adrenaline that puts you into a state of panic and reaction. Adrenaline makes the situation seem like an emergency, and it limits your choices to fight, flight, or becoming frozen in inaction. Remind yourself that no matter how it feels right now, it is not true that whatever is happening is an emergency. Decide that you will not make reactionary, limited, or fearful choices while in a pumped up adrenaline state.
One of the best ways to move beyond the adrenaline rush is to breathe. Breathing moves stress energy and brings you back into center. When you are feeling calmer, ask yourself, "If I were wise and loving, what step would I take to create a positive outcome for myself." Listen to what insights or intuitive hunches come. If you don't have any insights in the moment, that's okay. Assure yourself that you will know what to do when the time is right.
Step 6. The Process of Change
Take another deep breath and stand up. If you still feel the need to stress eat, then go ahead and do so. Engaging in this process is an experience. You participate not to put harsh pressure on yourself, but to show yourself that you can relieve stress in new ways, and that you can trust yourself to get through any situation. If you were not able to overcome the need to reach for stress eating the first time, or even the first fifty times, that's okay. You are still benefiting from the process. Letting go of self-doubt, or the stress that occurs with the expectation of failure, hurt, and disappoint doesn't happen overnight. Give yourself credit for trying something new.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Annette_Colby
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Eating Health - Does Extremely Healthy Eating Lead to Eating Disorders?
According to new research the promotion of healthy eating to fight obesity can drive some teenagers into eating disorders.
Also many adult women and men admit that the extremes of trying to eat healthy lead them into abnormal eating behaviors and later to a fully developed eating disorder.
So the question is how healthy for you is a "healthy eating plan" and diet?
From one point of view, it is good to make a healthy choice when you eat and it does help to fight obesity. But on the other hand there are people who get so obsessed with their eating habits that it becomes abnormal and absolutely out of control.
Most eating disorder sufferers say that their disorder started from a simple diet and trying to eat healthy. They also say that they became very emotional about their diet, weight and food.
For example here is a testimonial from a 24 year old woman who has been suffering from bulimia for the last 10 years: "It was very painful for me to hear people called me fatty and I began dieting. When I lost some weight people started complimenting me for the way I looked and it felt so rewarding that I only wanted to continue dieting and loosing more and more weight ... I really associated loosing weight with a reward and big personal achievements, so I thought the more I do it the better I will become. And I pushed myself into an extremely restrictive regiment of diet and exercise.
Every week I reduced my calorie intake and increased the exercise time. Sometimes I was very hungry and felt jealous towards people who could eat whatever they wanted. I started dreaming about food - of what I would eat if I could.
Once I cheated and ate much more food then I planned to do. I felt disgusted with myself. Then I went to the toilet and made myself sick. This gave me an instant relief to my strained feelings.
On the next day I repeated it again, and again it made me feel better. I thought I discovered a new way to eat whatever I want and at the same time stay slim. I thought it was my own invention but it wasn't and that was how my bulimia was born..."
This is a typical story of the beginnings of anorexia-bulimia. So the question is would these people have developed an eating disorder without initially going on a "healthy" diet and an extreme exercise regiment? Probably not!
In conclusion it is fair to say that eating healthy still should be a major part of overall health education in schools and in public education.
But teaching about balance regarding peoples eating habits is probably much more important than just healthy eating at all costs. Teaching balance is crucial for any health program if it wants to stop the spread of eating disorders.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Irina_Webster
Also many adult women and men admit that the extremes of trying to eat healthy lead them into abnormal eating behaviors and later to a fully developed eating disorder.
So the question is how healthy for you is a "healthy eating plan" and diet?
From one point of view, it is good to make a healthy choice when you eat and it does help to fight obesity. But on the other hand there are people who get so obsessed with their eating habits that it becomes abnormal and absolutely out of control.
Most eating disorder sufferers say that their disorder started from a simple diet and trying to eat healthy. They also say that they became very emotional about their diet, weight and food.
For example here is a testimonial from a 24 year old woman who has been suffering from bulimia for the last 10 years: "It was very painful for me to hear people called me fatty and I began dieting. When I lost some weight people started complimenting me for the way I looked and it felt so rewarding that I only wanted to continue dieting and loosing more and more weight ... I really associated loosing weight with a reward and big personal achievements, so I thought the more I do it the better I will become. And I pushed myself into an extremely restrictive regiment of diet and exercise.
Every week I reduced my calorie intake and increased the exercise time. Sometimes I was very hungry and felt jealous towards people who could eat whatever they wanted. I started dreaming about food - of what I would eat if I could.
Once I cheated and ate much more food then I planned to do. I felt disgusted with myself. Then I went to the toilet and made myself sick. This gave me an instant relief to my strained feelings.
On the next day I repeated it again, and again it made me feel better. I thought I discovered a new way to eat whatever I want and at the same time stay slim. I thought it was my own invention but it wasn't and that was how my bulimia was born..."
This is a typical story of the beginnings of anorexia-bulimia. So the question is would these people have developed an eating disorder without initially going on a "healthy" diet and an extreme exercise regiment? Probably not!
In conclusion it is fair to say that eating healthy still should be a major part of overall health education in schools and in public education.
But teaching about balance regarding peoples eating habits is probably much more important than just healthy eating at all costs. Teaching balance is crucial for any health program if it wants to stop the spread of eating disorders.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Irina_Webster
Eating Late Will Make You Fat - A Very Deep-Rooted Fallacy
Eating late at night does necessarily lead to gaining weight as long as you do not gain more calories than you can burn. Eating late can only you make fat when you take high-calorie, low-nutrient foods like snacks, burgers and chips. It is a very wrong idea that taking dinner in the night can make you obese. Therefore, most Americans try to skip their dinners in the night after they are late from work. But, you can take your dinner at whatever time you want in the night keeping an eye on the amount of your calories intake.
You should try to take healthy dinner less on fats and more on carbohydrates.
* Try to avoid potato chips and fries that usually accompany late night TV.
* Try to cut on the post-dinner desserts also.
Well, in any case the amount of calories that you consume has to be controlled when you eat during the day also. This deep-rooted idea that eating late can make you fact has emerged from the logic that a person definitely burns lesser calories than he consumes during his sleep due to inactivity. But, it is a less known fact that during slumber, a person' body produces a hormone called HGH (Human growth hormone) which aids in burning of fats and expedite the metabolism.
The fact of the matter is that the body is able to do better digestion in the night and has a higher metabolism than in the day time when a person is stressed due to work. Therefore, if the right quality of foods is taken in the night it can lead to maximum growth. Finally, the HGH factor makes sure that you cannot put on weight by eating late in the night. However, the HGH can also not prevent you from gaining pounds once you start taking more fatty foods in the night.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vineet_Chawla
You should try to take healthy dinner less on fats and more on carbohydrates.
* Try to avoid potato chips and fries that usually accompany late night TV.
* Try to cut on the post-dinner desserts also.
Well, in any case the amount of calories that you consume has to be controlled when you eat during the day also. This deep-rooted idea that eating late can make you fact has emerged from the logic that a person definitely burns lesser calories than he consumes during his sleep due to inactivity. But, it is a less known fact that during slumber, a person' body produces a hormone called HGH (Human growth hormone) which aids in burning of fats and expedite the metabolism.
The fact of the matter is that the body is able to do better digestion in the night and has a higher metabolism than in the day time when a person is stressed due to work. Therefore, if the right quality of foods is taken in the night it can lead to maximum growth. Finally, the HGH factor makes sure that you cannot put on weight by eating late in the night. However, the HGH can also not prevent you from gaining pounds once you start taking more fatty foods in the night.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vineet_Chawla
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
The Top 10 Steps For a Binge Eating Disorder Treatment
Anyone who has suffered from an eating disorder knows that it is difficult to overcome this condition. Binge eating disorder treatment may involve the individual attending a treatment center in order to solve the problem. Binge eating consists of over eating large amounts of food. It is difficult to stop this sort of destructive behavior. One issue encountered with this problem is that we all need to eat, so food is always going to be in the picture. This is why it can be difficult to treat this condition.
What steps are involved with binge eating disorder treatment? Well, to start with, here is a list of things that he or she should do to solve this serious eating problem:
1. Tell someone you have a problem
2. Get treatment or therapy
3. Limit the amount of food you have at home
4. Take part in relaxing endeavors
5. Do not beat yourself up emotionally
6. Start an exercise routine
7. Try to determine what causes your binge eating - record your findings in a journal
8. Do not skip breakfast
9. Do not go on a diet
10. Accept you for who you are and not for your appearance
Most people that suffer from this eating disorder will not be able to treat it without some form of binge eating disorder treatment. Plenty of clinics treat these issues. Talk to your family doctor, as they should be able to refer you to a clinic or getting you into therapy. Here is a list of some of the things a clinic will focus on for the individual that suffers from these disorders:
* Reduce the amount of eating binges
* Develop healthy eating habits
* Help the patient deal with guilt and shame associated with an eating disorder
* Develop a healthy outlook on yourself
* Treat the conditions that may be causing the eating problem such as depression or anxiety.
So, go ahead and make that first step in getting help if you have a problem with eating. Binge eating disorder treatment starts with telling someone. If someone, you know, may suffer from this condition, then talk to them and try to convince them to see a doctor.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Karlson
What steps are involved with binge eating disorder treatment? Well, to start with, here is a list of things that he or she should do to solve this serious eating problem:
1. Tell someone you have a problem
2. Get treatment or therapy
3. Limit the amount of food you have at home
4. Take part in relaxing endeavors
5. Do not beat yourself up emotionally
6. Start an exercise routine
7. Try to determine what causes your binge eating - record your findings in a journal
8. Do not skip breakfast
9. Do not go on a diet
10. Accept you for who you are and not for your appearance
Most people that suffer from this eating disorder will not be able to treat it without some form of binge eating disorder treatment. Plenty of clinics treat these issues. Talk to your family doctor, as they should be able to refer you to a clinic or getting you into therapy. Here is a list of some of the things a clinic will focus on for the individual that suffers from these disorders:
* Reduce the amount of eating binges
* Develop healthy eating habits
* Help the patient deal with guilt and shame associated with an eating disorder
* Develop a healthy outlook on yourself
* Treat the conditions that may be causing the eating problem such as depression or anxiety.
So, go ahead and make that first step in getting help if you have a problem with eating. Binge eating disorder treatment starts with telling someone. If someone, you know, may suffer from this condition, then talk to them and try to convince them to see a doctor.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Karlson
Overeating - Why You Might Be Overeating
If you're currently trying to lose weight, identifying whether or not there is some overeating at play becomes critically important.
Overeating is a big problem because weight loss will basically boil down to how many calories you've consumed versus how many calories you've burned.
If you aren't burning more than you are consuming, you aren't losing weight.
So, it doesn't really matter how great of a diet you are following, if you have a tendency to overeat and when do so, put yourself over your caloric balance, you will then gain weight.
There are many reasons why overeating can take place so determining what is at the root of the issue will really be a step in the right direction for overcoming this issue.
Here are three common reasons you may find this becoming an issue.
Oversized Dishes
If the food is there - you may just eat it. It's amazing how many people tend to lose track of how much food they are consuming when it's sitting there on their plate.
Far too many of us have the 'clean your plate' mindset, which basically means that if you are dishing up more food, you're therefore taking more in.
To quickly recover from this problem, buy smaller plates. It really can be that easy in some instances.
Eating Triggers
The next thing you should be doing is identifying the emotional triggers that will cause you to eat. This could be anything from stress, to being in a good mood, to feeling tired (when you really just need sleep), to whatever is applicable to you.
While identifying it definitely will not stop it from happening, but bringing it out in the open you can then address it much more easily.
Too Much Working Out
Finally, this last one may shock some people. If you work out with too much intensity, too often, this can actually serve to work against you.
You see, while you definitely do want to be getting good exercise sessions in, when these sessions become overly intense and you're not recovering from them, the body will tend to increase its appetite, trying to get you to eat more so that you supply more than enough reserves to recover.
The issue is that while you definitely do need fuel to recover, you don't need 'more than enough'. Plus, more often than not, more time is actually what you really need, rather than more food.
So, in order to keep hunger in check, workout with intensity, but also be sure you aren't overdoing it.
Keep these three factors in mind and then think of others that could be at play with you.
Overeating is a hard thing to stop once started, but step by step it is possible.
Learn more about successful dieting techniques and end to your battle with weight loss permanently.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shannon_Clark
Overeating is a big problem because weight loss will basically boil down to how many calories you've consumed versus how many calories you've burned.
If you aren't burning more than you are consuming, you aren't losing weight.
So, it doesn't really matter how great of a diet you are following, if you have a tendency to overeat and when do so, put yourself over your caloric balance, you will then gain weight.
There are many reasons why overeating can take place so determining what is at the root of the issue will really be a step in the right direction for overcoming this issue.
Here are three common reasons you may find this becoming an issue.
Oversized Dishes
If the food is there - you may just eat it. It's amazing how many people tend to lose track of how much food they are consuming when it's sitting there on their plate.
Far too many of us have the 'clean your plate' mindset, which basically means that if you are dishing up more food, you're therefore taking more in.
To quickly recover from this problem, buy smaller plates. It really can be that easy in some instances.
Eating Triggers
The next thing you should be doing is identifying the emotional triggers that will cause you to eat. This could be anything from stress, to being in a good mood, to feeling tired (when you really just need sleep), to whatever is applicable to you.
While identifying it definitely will not stop it from happening, but bringing it out in the open you can then address it much more easily.
Too Much Working Out
Finally, this last one may shock some people. If you work out with too much intensity, too often, this can actually serve to work against you.
You see, while you definitely do want to be getting good exercise sessions in, when these sessions become overly intense and you're not recovering from them, the body will tend to increase its appetite, trying to get you to eat more so that you supply more than enough reserves to recover.
The issue is that while you definitely do need fuel to recover, you don't need 'more than enough'. Plus, more often than not, more time is actually what you really need, rather than more food.
So, in order to keep hunger in check, workout with intensity, but also be sure you aren't overdoing it.
Keep these three factors in mind and then think of others that could be at play with you.
Overeating is a hard thing to stop once started, but step by step it is possible.
Learn more about successful dieting techniques and end to your battle with weight loss permanently.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shannon_Clark
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Eating Disorders In Teens
Eating disorders have long been a serious problem among people of all ages. However, this disease usually begins somewhere in the pre-teen stages of life, and although many adolescent boys suffer with this disorder, it usually affects and is much more severe in young girls.
People who do suffer from an eating disorder like to place blame on factors such as television and family life-styles. Although these situations do influence eating disorders, the basis for this disease lies within the person whom it is affecting.
Most girls and boys who suffer from an eating disorder usually are unhappy with themselves and their own performance in life. With girls, eating disorders may arise if they do not succeed in activities such as cheerleading or gymnastics, or if they do not seem to attract the attention of boys. Many girls believe that they cannot be beautiful unless they are thin, sometimes due to naturally thin girls that surround them both in real life and in fashion. For boys, causes may also result from sports that are weight orientated like wrestling.
There are two types of eating disorders called anorexia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa. The person who is anorexic will place herself on what she considers to be a “strict diet.” This diet usually involves cutting down calorie intake to an absurd level. The average person should consume around 1500 calories a day. An anorexic person will gauge her daily intake anywhere between a few hundred to less than 100 calories.
The bulimic person will usually try to restrict her diet. However, if she feels that she has eaten too much, she will induce vomiting or over-consume laxatives. Frequently, this sets off a pattern of binge eating and purging.
What Parents can do
There is a way of preventing your teenager being susceptible to these diseases. Allow your teenager to be on a diet, but monitor the diet plan with her.
If you notice that your teenager is concerned with his weight, do not brush it off as a phase. Instead, sit down with him and work out a dietary and exercise plan together. Help by purchasing healthy foods such as fruit, raw vegetables and salads. Show your teenager that it is OK to eat - it is just the types of foods he consumes that he must be careful about.
Understand that this is a mental disease, and grounding or punishing your teenager for having these disorders will only make things worse. If you believe your child may be suffering from an eating disorder seek professional help immediately. As the parent in situations like these, you may feel undermined or helpless, but understand that this disease greatly affects your teenager’s health and must be dealt with as soon as possible.
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
People who do suffer from an eating disorder like to place blame on factors such as television and family life-styles. Although these situations do influence eating disorders, the basis for this disease lies within the person whom it is affecting.
Most girls and boys who suffer from an eating disorder usually are unhappy with themselves and their own performance in life. With girls, eating disorders may arise if they do not succeed in activities such as cheerleading or gymnastics, or if they do not seem to attract the attention of boys. Many girls believe that they cannot be beautiful unless they are thin, sometimes due to naturally thin girls that surround them both in real life and in fashion. For boys, causes may also result from sports that are weight orientated like wrestling.
There are two types of eating disorders called anorexia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa. The person who is anorexic will place herself on what she considers to be a “strict diet.” This diet usually involves cutting down calorie intake to an absurd level. The average person should consume around 1500 calories a day. An anorexic person will gauge her daily intake anywhere between a few hundred to less than 100 calories.
The bulimic person will usually try to restrict her diet. However, if she feels that she has eaten too much, she will induce vomiting or over-consume laxatives. Frequently, this sets off a pattern of binge eating and purging.
What Parents can do
There is a way of preventing your teenager being susceptible to these diseases. Allow your teenager to be on a diet, but monitor the diet plan with her.
If you notice that your teenager is concerned with his weight, do not brush it off as a phase. Instead, sit down with him and work out a dietary and exercise plan together. Help by purchasing healthy foods such as fruit, raw vegetables and salads. Show your teenager that it is OK to eat - it is just the types of foods he consumes that he must be careful about.
Understand that this is a mental disease, and grounding or punishing your teenager for having these disorders will only make things worse. If you believe your child may be suffering from an eating disorder seek professional help immediately. As the parent in situations like these, you may feel undermined or helpless, but understand that this disease greatly affects your teenager’s health and must be dealt with as soon as possible.
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Eating Disorders - Causes, Treatment
People with an eating disorder eat in such a manner that compromises their physical health. The manner of eating may vary in ways: it may be excessive or very limited, or eating all the wrong foods. Among the known eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating rise as the most adamant cases particularly in western countries. Research sums up that over a span of one lifetime there are at least 50, 000 people who will die because of eating disorders.
Eating disorders do not discriminate on the basis of age, either. While eating disorders seem to be more common in young females, the fact is eating disorders can affect those in their elderly years, as well. More treatment centers are beginning to see women in the fifties and beyond and the unfortunate issue with eating disorders in the elderly is they become more deadly. Ten years ago a study done by the University of British Columbia concluded that 78 percent of deaths related to anorexia nervosa were that of older people. These eating orders also do not discriminate against race, either.
Eating disorders do not discriminate on the basis of age, either. While eating disorders seem to be more common in young females, the fact is eating disorders can affect those in their elderly years, as well. More treatment centers are beginning to see women in the fifties and beyond and the unfortunate issue with eating disorders in the elderly is they become more deadly. Ten years ago a study done by the University of British Columbia concluded that 78 percent of deaths related to anorexia nervosa were that of older people. These eating orders also do not discriminate against race, either.
Anerexia - Deadly Eating Disorder - Anorexia
The vicious eating disorder known to all as anorexia is one of the most deadly out there. More common in females than males, it's estimated that 1% of all teenage girls have this disorder, and that out of that 1%, up to 10% may die from it.
The individual with this disorder believes they are obese or overweight and have a very poor self-image of themself. In an attempt to quickly lose weight by whatever means necessary, people with anorexia have been known to starve themselves, take laxatives in order to expell food from the body, and it many cases extreme amounts of exercise. Any of these three are
enough to take a terrible toll on the body.
Don't confuse anorexia with bulimia. Anorexia is when a person refuses to eat (or eats very little). Bulimia is when a person consumes large amounts of food (binging) and then force themself to vomit in back up (purging). Both stem from an incredibly poor image of self and the person thinking or feeling extremely overweight, but they are very different diseases.
The individual with this disorder believes they are obese or overweight and have a very poor self-image of themself. In an attempt to quickly lose weight by whatever means necessary, people with anorexia have been known to starve themselves, take laxatives in order to expell food from the body, and it many cases extreme amounts of exercise. Any of these three are
enough to take a terrible toll on the body.
Don't confuse anorexia with bulimia. Anorexia is when a person refuses to eat (or eats very little). Bulimia is when a person consumes large amounts of food (binging) and then force themself to vomit in back up (purging). Both stem from an incredibly poor image of self and the person thinking or feeling extremely overweight, but they are very different diseases.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
4 Binge Eating Help Tips
Does thinking about food so much ultimately turn into a binge eating session for you? Does this sound like you?
You are sitting at home and you can't stop thinking about food. You get up look in the pantry, close the door, and look in the refrigerator. You don't know what you are looking for, but you feel obsessed with food, like you need to eat it because you are at home. You try not to eat it, because you know what will happen. It's the same cycle as always: A little bite of something will turn into a binge eating session.
This happens to many people. Harmless snacking initially turns into a massive binge eating moment and they feel like they just cannot stop. It's true that most of the time people do turn to food for comfort and because of some kind of emotional issue that happened to them in the past, but what about the people that can't relate to that? The people who really can't trace their binge eating to anything in their past? These kinds of people just know that they really enjoy food and feel like they can't stop eating, which always turns into a binge for them.
So when you want to learn how to stop binge eating and curb any cravings, what do you do?
Here are some tips that used to help me stay away from the pantry and focus on things other than food and binge eating:
1. Chew gum.
Many times we are bored and eating sounds like just the thing to do to pass time. Instead of leading to a potential binge with a trigger food, try chewing gum. The constant chewing of gum will trick your mind and you won't find that you are drifting off to snacking. You will find satisfaction with picking a gum that has a long-lasting flavor.
2. Do something.
Working from home I find myself in the kitchen just because it's convenient. It's the same thing with people who work at an office. The community candy bowl or the kitchen seem to just be convenient, and before you know it, you've consumed food that you weren't even hungry for. Instead of falling victim to convenience, why not remove yourself from the situation. If you are at home and the kitchen keeps calling your name, leave the house. Making the kitchen invisible to you will really help you to not snack as much and will definitely curb future binges.
3. Find motivation.
What motivates you to stay on track? Is there a blog that you visit regularly or a website? Do you have a friend that will keep you on track? Think about your motivation towards not binging and do it. Not only will you become motivated to not binge and snack, but it (hopefully) won't even be on your mind anymore.
4. Find the alternative.
This tip really worked well for me. If you start to crave a food, don't deprive yourself of it necessarily; just find a healthier version of it. If you are craving tacos, make them at home because they will be healthier. If you can't get sweets out of your mind, instead of reaching for the bag of chocolate, try an apple or another sweet fruit. Many times you will feel satisfaction because you are still fulfilling your sweet tooth... just in another way.
The next time you can't seem to stop obsessing over food, or if a craving just seems like it is too much, try some of the tips. They worked for me when I was thinking how to stop binge eating for myself and hopefully you will have success with them as well.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristin_Gerstley
Reduce Eating Disorders in Children
I'm sure many of you could tell me at least one story about your mother, father or siblings doing or saying something that contributed to your poor relationship with food and your body. My mother used to buy food that only she could eat. For example, she bought green, seedless grapes for herself only. My siblings and I could only eat the red, seed filled grapes from the backyard. My brother used to tell me I was fat and "why don't you exercise" (he was not asking a question). Although I don't blame my mother or my brother for my issues with food, their behaviors did contribute.
The truth is, our parents have a huge impact on how we see ourselves today: good or bad, fat or thin, pretty or ugly, etc. They certainly don't intend to hurt us but sometimes they do.
If you are a parent, I'm sure you try hard not to make the same mistakes as your parents and try to be aware of what you say and do. Below are some suggestions on how you can help your child have a healthy relationship with food and his/her body.
Teach your children to eat when they are hungry
Create a structure around food. Feed your children three meals a day with a couple of snacks. Try to keep meals at about the same time everyday and don't fight about how much your child has had to eat. Allow your child to have snacks in between well-balanced meals, but not so much that they aren't hungry at meal time. In addition, let them have desserts and other things they love. Children are much more in touch with their body's signals than many adults. Trust them to know what they need, to balance it with what they want, and to stop eating when they are full.
Avoid using food as reward, punishment, or to cover up feelings
Teach children that food is about fueling the body, rather than a way to feed emotions or as a reward for "being good." Most of my clients have these beliefs. When I talk to groups about food issues, I often playfully mimic a mother saying, "here, have a cookie, you'll feel better" to demonstrate this.
Don't Diet
One of the leading causes of eating disorders is dieting. The ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Eating Disorders) Newsletter, Summer 2001pointed out that "three of the most powerful risk factors for the development of an eating disorder are (1) a mother who diets, (2) a sister who diets, and (3) friends who diet. In addition, girls and women who diet severely [restricting food to excess] are eighteen times more likely to develop an eating disorder than non-dieters."
Discourage children from talking about other people's weight
Teach your children to see beyond how a person looks. Teach them to focus on a person's talents, abilities, hopes, values and goals. The days of judging someone based on the color of their skin or by their religion is over (or, at least we think it is). Yet, fat discrimination persists.
Don't comment on your own weight in a negative way
Nothing teaches "hate your body" more than hearing your mother or father do it. Your children's image of themselves is greatly influenced by you, the parent.. If you think you are fat (even if you are not), and see it as a bad thing, your child may eventually see themselves this way too.
Never comment negatively about your child's (or anyone else's) weight
Some parents think they are being helpful by telling their child to lose weight or no one will like them. I understand the desire to do this... after all, in our society this seems to be true. However, doing so can not only lead your child to feel deep shame about themselves but can continue to send the message that there is something wrong with fat people.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anne_Cuthbert
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Recovery program for eating disorders
Food Addicts Recovery Anonymous is a free 12-step program for anyone suffering from food obsession, overeating, undereating and bulimia. Weekly meetings are held 7:30 a.m. Saturday at Hillside Covenant Church, 2060 Magnolia Way, Walnut Creek. Call 925-683-0079 or visit http://www.foodaddicts.org.
Eden Medical Center
A preconception planning class titled "Starting Off Right" will be presented by Michael McGlynn, M.D. past chief of Eden's Department of OB/GYN 7-9 p.m. today. The free class is part of Eden's monthly pregnancy forums. At 20103 Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley. Register by calling 510-889-5078 or visit http:// www.edenmedcenter.org/events.
Stroke and osteoporosis screenings
Life Line Screening will offer stroke and osteoporosis screenings Wednesday. The screenings are fast, painless and affordable. Register for a Wellness Package with Heart Rhythm for $159. All five screenings are 60-90 minutes. Appointments begin at 9 a.m. Pre- registration is required. Call 888-754-1464 or visit http:// www.lifelinescreening.com
Yoga workshop
Lifestretch Yoga in Fremont host an "Introduction to Yoga Workshop" on Mondays throughout February starting today. Classes are from 10:15-11:15 a.m. All fitness levels are welcome. Cost is $40 for all classes. At 37353 Fremont Blvd. Call 510-796-YOGA or visit http://www.lifestretchyoga.com.
Hospice by the Bay
Gay Men's Grief Group continues through March 29, meeting from 10- 11:30 a.m. every Saturday (excluding Feb. 16.)
The eight week support group helps gay men cope with feelings of grief after the loss of a partner. Free for members, $160 nonmembers. Reservations required.
At 1902 Van Ness Ave., 2nd Floor, San Francisco. Call 415-487- 4313.
Elephant Pharm
Learn about the healthy nutrition and benefits of omega-3 supplements from Christopher Speed, from 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Physician and nutrition specialist Melina Jampolis speaks about the seven steps to successful and permanent weight loss from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Samara Freeman, PhD speaks on how to understand your gut and the importance of probiotics from 3-4 p.m. Feb. 17.
All classes are free. At 1607 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. Call 510- 549=9200 or visit http://www.elephantpharm.com.
-Stop by Elephant Pharm locations for a flu shot. Proceeds benefit Sutter Hospice Program. Preservative-free shots for pregnant women or nursing mothers are in limited supply for $30. All other shots are $25. Located in Berkeley: 1607 Shattuck Ave., 510-549- 9200. Walnut Creek: 1388 South California St., 925-658-5300.
1,000 MOMS Campaign
The group hosts its monthly meeting from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 8. Sponsored by the Cancer Prevention Coalition Bay Area office, the meeting aims to support and educate moms about vital health information. Free.
At the Centerville Presbyterian Church Dining Hall, 4360 Central Ave., Fremont. Call 510-589-3962.
Hats off America
The 10th annual Hats Off America Red T-shirt 10K Run/5K walk starts at 10 a.m. Saturday. Danville Mayor Candace Andersen will be the starter for the event. Entry fee is $35.
At 2101 Holbrook Drive, Danville. Call 925-855-1950 or visit http://www.hatsoffamerica.us.
Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous
The program is based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. There are no dues, weigh-ins or fees. The group meets 8:30 to 10 a.m. Sundays; 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Sponsored by the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center and Jewish Family and Children's Services of the East Bay. The program is free, but pre-registration is required. At the Summit Campus, Merritt Pavillion, Cafeteria Annex C, 350 Hawthorne, Oakland. Call 510-523-4361.
Free tai chi classes
Through the Fremont Adult School, instructor Sifu May Chen offers ongoing tai chi classes for adults of all skill levels.
Great Outdoor Tai Chi classes are from 8 to 10:45 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the Senior Center, 40086 Paseo Padre Parkway, Fremont. 510-790-6602.
Other classes at 4700 Calaveras Ave., Fremont:
-Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan Routine No. 24, 1 to 3 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays.
-Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan No. 42, 5:15 to 7:15 p.m. Mondays.
-Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan, 5:15 to 7:15 p.m. Wednesdays.
Call 510-793-6465.
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center
The weight-loss surgery support group "New beginnings" will be having meetings for people who have had or are considering weight- loss surgery. Pre-operative patients will meet from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month. Post-operative patients will meet from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month. Family and friends are welcome. Admission is free.
At 3100 Summit St., Suite 2600, Oakland. Call 510-869-8972.
-The Latina Breast Health Program hosts a free breast cancer support group for Spanish speaking women from 2 to 4 p.m. the first and third Monday of each month. Registration required.
At the Alta Bates Medical Center Summit Campus, Peralta Pavilion, Markstein Cancer Education and Prevention Center 430 30th St., Room 2810, Oakland. Call 510-219-3532.
Eden Medical Center
A preconception planning class titled "Starting Off Right" will be presented by Michael McGlynn, M.D. past chief of Eden's Department of OB/GYN 7-9 p.m. today. The free class is part of Eden's monthly pregnancy forums. At 20103 Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley. Register by calling 510-889-5078 or visit http:// www.edenmedcenter.org/events.
Stroke and osteoporosis screenings
Life Line Screening will offer stroke and osteoporosis screenings Wednesday. The screenings are fast, painless and affordable. Register for a Wellness Package with Heart Rhythm for $159. All five screenings are 60-90 minutes. Appointments begin at 9 a.m. Pre- registration is required. Call 888-754-1464 or visit http:// www.lifelinescreening.com
Yoga workshop
Lifestretch Yoga in Fremont host an "Introduction to Yoga Workshop" on Mondays throughout February starting today. Classes are from 10:15-11:15 a.m. All fitness levels are welcome. Cost is $40 for all classes. At 37353 Fremont Blvd. Call 510-796-YOGA or visit http://www.lifestretchyoga.com.
Hospice by the Bay
Gay Men's Grief Group continues through March 29, meeting from 10- 11:30 a.m. every Saturday (excluding Feb. 16.)
The eight week support group helps gay men cope with feelings of grief after the loss of a partner. Free for members, $160 nonmembers. Reservations required.
At 1902 Van Ness Ave., 2nd Floor, San Francisco. Call 415-487- 4313.
Elephant Pharm
Learn about the healthy nutrition and benefits of omega-3 supplements from Christopher Speed, from 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Physician and nutrition specialist Melina Jampolis speaks about the seven steps to successful and permanent weight loss from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Samara Freeman, PhD speaks on how to understand your gut and the importance of probiotics from 3-4 p.m. Feb. 17.
All classes are free. At 1607 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. Call 510- 549=9200 or visit http://www.elephantpharm.com.
-Stop by Elephant Pharm locations for a flu shot. Proceeds benefit Sutter Hospice Program. Preservative-free shots for pregnant women or nursing mothers are in limited supply for $30. All other shots are $25. Located in Berkeley: 1607 Shattuck Ave., 510-549- 9200. Walnut Creek: 1388 South California St., 925-658-5300.
1,000 MOMS Campaign
The group hosts its monthly meeting from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 8. Sponsored by the Cancer Prevention Coalition Bay Area office, the meeting aims to support and educate moms about vital health information. Free.
At the Centerville Presbyterian Church Dining Hall, 4360 Central Ave., Fremont. Call 510-589-3962.
Hats off America
The 10th annual Hats Off America Red T-shirt 10K Run/5K walk starts at 10 a.m. Saturday. Danville Mayor Candace Andersen will be the starter for the event. Entry fee is $35.
At 2101 Holbrook Drive, Danville. Call 925-855-1950 or visit http://www.hatsoffamerica.us.
Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous
The program is based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. There are no dues, weigh-ins or fees. The group meets 8:30 to 10 a.m. Sundays; 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Sponsored by the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center and Jewish Family and Children's Services of the East Bay. The program is free, but pre-registration is required. At the Summit Campus, Merritt Pavillion, Cafeteria Annex C, 350 Hawthorne, Oakland. Call 510-523-4361.
Free tai chi classes
Through the Fremont Adult School, instructor Sifu May Chen offers ongoing tai chi classes for adults of all skill levels.
Great Outdoor Tai Chi classes are from 8 to 10:45 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the Senior Center, 40086 Paseo Padre Parkway, Fremont. 510-790-6602.
Other classes at 4700 Calaveras Ave., Fremont:
-Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan Routine No. 24, 1 to 3 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays.
-Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan No. 42, 5:15 to 7:15 p.m. Mondays.
-Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan, 5:15 to 7:15 p.m. Wednesdays.
Call 510-793-6465.
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center
The weight-loss surgery support group "New beginnings" will be having meetings for people who have had or are considering weight- loss surgery. Pre-operative patients will meet from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month. Post-operative patients will meet from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month. Family and friends are welcome. Admission is free.
At 3100 Summit St., Suite 2600, Oakland. Call 510-869-8972.
-The Latina Breast Health Program hosts a free breast cancer support group for Spanish speaking women from 2 to 4 p.m. the first and third Monday of each month. Registration required.
At the Alta Bates Medical Center Summit Campus, Peralta Pavilion, Markstein Cancer Education and Prevention Center 430 30th St., Room 2810, Oakland. Call 510-219-3532.
The creative therapies and eating disorders
The creative therapies and eating disorders.
Ed. by by Stephanie L. Brooke.
C.C. Thomas
2008
292 pages
$64.95
Hardcover
RC552
As a cross-cultural survey indicates, eating disorders do not only afflict Western teenage girls. Brooke (sociology and psychology, U. of Phoenix) introduces 16 case studies employing the creative arts as individual and group treatment options for anorexia, bulimia nervosa, and related self-injurious behavior linked to psychological, developmental, biological, and cultural factors. Contributors treat adults, adolescents, and children with body image disturbances, depression, and obsessive-compulsive tendencies through modalities including art therapy, play therapy, music therapy, poetry, psychodrama, dance/movement therapy, the Sesame Approach blending movement and storytelling, and spirituality. The book includes definitions of terms, approach application tips, and examples of patient art.
Ed. by by Stephanie L. Brooke.
C.C. Thomas
2008
292 pages
$64.95
Hardcover
RC552
As a cross-cultural survey indicates, eating disorders do not only afflict Western teenage girls. Brooke (sociology and psychology, U. of Phoenix) introduces 16 case studies employing the creative arts as individual and group treatment options for anorexia, bulimia nervosa, and related self-injurious behavior linked to psychological, developmental, biological, and cultural factors. Contributors treat adults, adolescents, and children with body image disturbances, depression, and obsessive-compulsive tendencies through modalities including art therapy, play therapy, music therapy, poetry, psychodrama, dance/movement therapy, the Sesame Approach blending movement and storytelling, and spirituality. The book includes definitions of terms, approach application tips, and examples of patient art.
Eating disorder
Q I am a mother of a 10-year-old girl who is obsessed with weight loss. She is very thin for her age. She refuses to eat breakfast or dinner because she is afraid she will gain too much weight. I often find her in her bedroom looking in the mirror to see if her clothes are getting any smaller. I also find food hidden in her bedroom that I had given her to eat for dinner. Can you give me suggestions on how to end this obsession? Signed, "A Concerned Mom"
A Your concern for your daughter is clear and I'm glad you wrote. An eating disorder is an obsession with food and weight that harms a person's well being. Although we all worry about our weight sometimes, people with eating disorders go to extremes. People with anorexia are obsessed with being thin and do not want to eat. People with bulimia eat a lot of food at once and then throw up or use laxatives to remove the food from the body. Possible causes of eating disorders include feeling stressed out or upset about something in your life, or feeling the need to be "in control." If there are many stressors in someone's life, often what she eats is the only control she feels she has. Society and the media also put a lot of pressure on people to be thin, especially young, school-age girls.
Sit down with your daughter. Find out what's going on in her life. See if there is anything that's been bothering her. She may not open up to you right away, but just listen. Also, stay aware of the way your daughter looks. Is she so thin that she looks sick? Does her weight fluctuate a lot? Do you notice any of the warning signs of eating disorders, such as:
* Unnatural concern about body weight
* Obsession with calories, fat grams and food
* Use of medicines to keep from gaining weight
* Throwing up after meals
* Refusing to eat or lying about how much was eaten
* Fainting
* Over-exercising
* Not having periods
Realizing that your daughter may have a problem is a big step, and you should be commended for caring so much. Since eating disorders are a very complex and serious matter, it would be impossible to cover it fully in this column. What I'd like you to do is to seek professional help. Start with your family doctor, who can then recommend further help such as an eating disorder specialist or a psychologist. Good luck to you and your family.
A Your concern for your daughter is clear and I'm glad you wrote. An eating disorder is an obsession with food and weight that harms a person's well being. Although we all worry about our weight sometimes, people with eating disorders go to extremes. People with anorexia are obsessed with being thin and do not want to eat. People with bulimia eat a lot of food at once and then throw up or use laxatives to remove the food from the body. Possible causes of eating disorders include feeling stressed out or upset about something in your life, or feeling the need to be "in control." If there are many stressors in someone's life, often what she eats is the only control she feels she has. Society and the media also put a lot of pressure on people to be thin, especially young, school-age girls.
Sit down with your daughter. Find out what's going on in her life. See if there is anything that's been bothering her. She may not open up to you right away, but just listen. Also, stay aware of the way your daughter looks. Is she so thin that she looks sick? Does her weight fluctuate a lot? Do you notice any of the warning signs of eating disorders, such as:
* Unnatural concern about body weight
* Obsession with calories, fat grams and food
* Use of medicines to keep from gaining weight
* Throwing up after meals
* Refusing to eat or lying about how much was eaten
* Fainting
* Over-exercising
* Not having periods
Realizing that your daughter may have a problem is a big step, and you should be commended for caring so much. Since eating disorders are a very complex and serious matter, it would be impossible to cover it fully in this column. What I'd like you to do is to seek professional help. Start with your family doctor, who can then recommend further help such as an eating disorder specialist or a psychologist. Good luck to you and your family.
Friday, September 26, 2008
5 Ways You Can Help Yourself Heal Binge Eating Disorder
Binge eating disorder is described as having recurrent or frequent episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food in a short period of time with a feeling of being unable to control it.
Research in the field of eating disorders has come a long way in the past 25- 30 years. Professionals now know that stress, major life changes such as divorce, marriage, moving to college or getting a new job can all be factors that lead to binge eating disorder. It is how a person interprets situations and how they deal with stress that helps to avoid binging.
You don't have to be a victim forever with this disorder. You can take action and change your life. Here are 5 tips to start you on the path to recovery.
Healing Tip #1 - Reduce Stress
Stress is the number one reason we continue to binge. It is however, not usually the root cause of the disorder. Some kind of trauma usually sets the stage for an eating disorder and stress contributes to it. By reducing the negative stress in your life you can lessen the binge episodes while you work on the healing the root cause of your disorder. Here are some quick ways to reduce negative stress.
1. Try not to over-schedule your time. If you are saying "yes" to everyone who needs you to do a project because you can't say "no" then you have overscheduled yourself. You must learn to say "no". Consider outsourcing, having meetings to discuss plans and stating your opinions. Learn assertiveness training.
2. Avoid being a perfectionist. People don't expect you to be perfect and you shouldn't expect them to be either. Be flexible in your expectations of others.
3. Focus on what you want, not on what you don't want.
4. Exercise. Even if you walk around your block at a pace comfortable for you, this will increase your good hormones that make you relaxed and happy. You can clear your mind in just 10 or 15 minutes of exercise.
5. Treat yourself with appropriate rewards when you solve problems before they become bigger. By not procrastinating you can avoid stressful situations.
6. Use a breathing technique to lower your heart rate so you can think clearly. A quick lesson that you can use now is to put your right hand on your abdomen, right at the waistline, and put your left hand on your chest, right in the center. Without trying to change your breathing, simply notice how you are breathing. Which hand rises the most as you inhale? If your abdomen expands, you are breathing from your abdomen or diaphragm. If your belly doesn't move or moves less than your chest you are breathing from your chest. The trick to shifting from chest to abdominal breathing is to make one or two full exhalations that push out the air from the bottom of your lungs. This will create a vacuum that will pull in a deep, diaphragmatic breath on your next inhalation.
Healing Tip #2 - Stop Criticizing
You criticize yourself because you feel you are not good enough in some or many areas. Not being good enough, not having self-worth is 99 out of 100 times the root problem. It has nothing to do with food, control, money or relationships. If you don't feel good enough about yourself everything else falls short of your desired outcome. Think of how terrible that sounds when you say "I'm not good enough".
Write a list of what you think about yourself. Think of every negative thing you wrote on your list. You are essentially saying you aren't good enough. It's the bottom line; there's the problem. When you feel you aren't good enough that is exactly what you'll get. When you tell yourself enough times, over and over that you just don't measure up then you will eventually begin to truly believe that statement. Your subconscious will adopt that belief and pretty soon you will begin acting and thinking and saying things the way you are convincing yourself to be. This belief system needs to be challenged and changed.
Healing Tip #3 - Question your beliefs
Belief systems or the beliefs and values you carry are formed from other people's beliefs such as those from your parents, peers, mentors, religious leaders, teachers and society in general. Belief is the psychological state in which an individual is convinced of the truth of a proposition. Sometimes we just accept other people's beliefs without questioning whether we think they are right or wrong.
We grow up with beliefs that come from many different sources. They become very limiting and even though they may have served you well in the past, some of them do not serve you well any more and it's time to question them and clean house. Look at some of these limiting beliefs and ask why. Do they still hold true for you?
"My parents said it isn't proper"
"It's too hard"
"I don't have the time"
"I can't do that"
"My grandmother wouldn't allow that"
"I don't believe in that"
"I should never go against authority"
"Clean your plate at dinner"
"I don't have the skills"
Whatever we choose to believe becomes our reality. We think it is the truth. If you believe that you are too weak to overcome binge eating then that has become your truth or reality. But the belief is just a thought pattern dictating your current circumstances. You can choose whatever thoughts you want. You can choose to say "I live a healthy and abundant life." No matter what difficult situations you are facing it is only the result of an inner thought and you can choose what thoughts you want to have.
So how do you know that your current beliefs or belief systems are the truth and really what you believe in? You question them. You can take every single belief you have and write it on a piece of paper and next to it write the word why? What evidence do you have to make that belief true?
Healing Tip #4 - Learn meditation and visualization
Meditating is the practice of uncritically attempting to focus your attention on one thing at a time. Exactly what that thing is, is relatively unimportant and varies from one tradition to the next. Often the meditator repeats, either aloud or silently, a syllable, word or group of words. This is known as mantra meditation. Focusing on a fixed object such as the leaves of a tree or flower can also anchor the attention. Many people find that a convenient and relaxing point of focus is the rising and falling of their own breath. You can use anything as an object of meditation.
It is important to understand that the heart of meditation lies not simply in focusing on one object to the exclusion of all other thought, but rather in the attempt to achieve this type of focus. The nature of the mind is such that it does not want to stay focused or concentrated. You'll notice that a host of thoughts will appear and seemingly interfere with meditation. That's normal. Just push those thoughts away and bring your focus back. Remember, what we resist persists. The mind is going to try to do what you are telling it not to do...you might say to yourself "I won't think of anything except for this flower" but your mind hears "think of everything "! It doesn't recognize a negative word such as won't or don't. Instead, you could say to yourself "I choose to think of this flower". Give it a try.
You can have great success with meditating using positive affirmations. A wonderful mantra is "I am young, healthy and wonderful" Get into your relaxation mode by doing slow deep breathing and then take it to the next level by using your mantra and focusing on that one particular thought. Say it over and over again with each deep breath you take. Try this for 10 minutes a day and when you are finished you'll feel like a million bucks. You will then truly believe that you are young, healthy and wonderful. Your mind believes it so it becomes your reality.
You can use whatever mantra you like. It can be a sound like OM or a word such as ONE, or a phrase such as "I am one with the Universe." Or you could repeat something special to yourself like the name of your favorite animal.
At first, your time will be spent on relaxation and not as much on meditation. Try to begin with five or ten minutes a day and work your way up as you are comfortable.
Let's begin.
1. Select a position that is comfortable for you; either sitting in a chair with your legs uncrossed, in a yoga style position sitting on the floor with "full lotus" style, or just sitting cross-legged on a cushion on the floor.
2. Try to sit with your back straight but comfortable and let the weight of your head fall directly down upon your spinal column. You can do this by pulling your chin in slightly. Allow the small of your back to arch if you are sitting on the floor.
3. Close your mouth and breathe through your nose. Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth.
4. Close your eyes and focus on the place where your body touches the cushion or the chair. What are the sensations there? Next, notice the places where your body touches itself. Are your hands crossed? Are your legs crossed? Pay attention to the sensation at these places of contact. Finally, focus on the way your body takes up space. Does it take up a lot of space? A small amount? Can you feel the boundary between your body and space?
5. With your eyes still closed, take several deep breaths and notice the quality of your breathing. Is it fast or slow? Shallow or deep? Notice where your breath rests in your body. Is it up high in your chest? Is it in the midsection around your stomach? Down low in your belly? Try moving your breath from one area to the other. Breathe into your upper chest, then into your stomach, then drop your breath into your lower belly. Feel your abdomen expand and contract as the air goes in and out. Notice how the upper chest and stomach are almost still. This "dropped breath" is the most relaxing stance to meditate from. However, if you have trouble taking deep belly breaths, don't worry. Your breath will drop of its own accord as you become more practiced in meditation.
6. Begin saying your mantra silently to yourself. Say the word or syllables over and over within your mind. When your thought strays, note it and bring your attention back to your mantra. If you notice any feelings within your body, note them and return to the repetition of your own special word/s. You don't need to force it. Let your mantra find its own rhythm as you repeat it over and over again. If you have the opportunity you can begin to chant or say aloud your mantra. Let the sound of your own voice fill you as you relax.
Note: If using a mantra is not for you, you can also try using your breath as a focal point.
Healing Tip #5 - Use positive affirmations
Positive affirmations are wonderful! They are what keep you going when you are feeling sorry for yourself or if those tiny voices that you hear are trying to sabotage your best efforts. You know them - "I can't do it. I'm not strong enough. I'm afraid".
You can use positive affirmations combined with a real feel of enthusiasm to achieve in your mind what you truly want. In a way it is similar to using the law of attraction or just positive thinking. By using these affirmations and repeating them over and over to yourself, you then begin to believe and feel that they are true. Don't allow any room for those pesky voices that say otherwise.
You can write out your own positive affirmations to go along with your goals. Write them 10 or 20 times on a piece of paper and say them out loud with enthusiasm and joy that they bring you. Do this for a few days and then pick another affirmation you'd like to use. When you say your affirmations out loud you believe what you are saying to be true. Affirmations that are used consistently become part of your belief system and always produce results. Remember, what the mind believes, man can achieve.
Quietly saying your affirmations to yourself isn't going to be very effective. You want to engage your subconscious mind. It is a fact that your subconscious mind will believe what it is told through repetition and reinforcement. By adding some excitement or enthusiasm and speaking out loud you are using more than one of your senses; therefore you intensify the impression.
"I now accept a wonderful new job."
"I approve of myself"
"I love myself just the way I am"
"I am totally healthy"
"I have a wonderful and new relationship"
"I am at peace and at ease with myself"
"I have all the clients I need"
"I have everything I need within me"
"I have a happy slender figure"
"I experience love wherever I go"
"I am in the process of positive changes"
"I deserve abundance of life"
"I deserve to have or be _____ "(fill in whatever you wish here)
"I am open to more good and more experiences than ever before"
"I am totally open to experience great relationships"
"I am grateful for my good health"
"I always work for great people"
"I am at peace with food"
"I am open to new streams of income"
"I am open to and deserving of compliments"
"I succeed at whatever I put my mind to"
"I am healthy, whole and complete"
"All is well in my world"
"There are plenty of customers who want my services"
"Abundance is for everyone, including me"
"Money comes easily and readily to me"
You might notice that some of the affirmations are difficult for you to say. That is where your resistance is. Question WHY you are resisting.
Research in the field of eating disorders has come a long way in the past 25- 30 years. Professionals now know that stress, major life changes such as divorce, marriage, moving to college or getting a new job can all be factors that lead to binge eating disorder. It is how a person interprets situations and how they deal with stress that helps to avoid binging.
You don't have to be a victim forever with this disorder. You can take action and change your life. Here are 5 tips to start you on the path to recovery.
Healing Tip #1 - Reduce Stress
Stress is the number one reason we continue to binge. It is however, not usually the root cause of the disorder. Some kind of trauma usually sets the stage for an eating disorder and stress contributes to it. By reducing the negative stress in your life you can lessen the binge episodes while you work on the healing the root cause of your disorder. Here are some quick ways to reduce negative stress.
1. Try not to over-schedule your time. If you are saying "yes" to everyone who needs you to do a project because you can't say "no" then you have overscheduled yourself. You must learn to say "no". Consider outsourcing, having meetings to discuss plans and stating your opinions. Learn assertiveness training.
2. Avoid being a perfectionist. People don't expect you to be perfect and you shouldn't expect them to be either. Be flexible in your expectations of others.
3. Focus on what you want, not on what you don't want.
4. Exercise. Even if you walk around your block at a pace comfortable for you, this will increase your good hormones that make you relaxed and happy. You can clear your mind in just 10 or 15 minutes of exercise.
5. Treat yourself with appropriate rewards when you solve problems before they become bigger. By not procrastinating you can avoid stressful situations.
6. Use a breathing technique to lower your heart rate so you can think clearly. A quick lesson that you can use now is to put your right hand on your abdomen, right at the waistline, and put your left hand on your chest, right in the center. Without trying to change your breathing, simply notice how you are breathing. Which hand rises the most as you inhale? If your abdomen expands, you are breathing from your abdomen or diaphragm. If your belly doesn't move or moves less than your chest you are breathing from your chest. The trick to shifting from chest to abdominal breathing is to make one or two full exhalations that push out the air from the bottom of your lungs. This will create a vacuum that will pull in a deep, diaphragmatic breath on your next inhalation.
Healing Tip #2 - Stop Criticizing
You criticize yourself because you feel you are not good enough in some or many areas. Not being good enough, not having self-worth is 99 out of 100 times the root problem. It has nothing to do with food, control, money or relationships. If you don't feel good enough about yourself everything else falls short of your desired outcome. Think of how terrible that sounds when you say "I'm not good enough".
Write a list of what you think about yourself. Think of every negative thing you wrote on your list. You are essentially saying you aren't good enough. It's the bottom line; there's the problem. When you feel you aren't good enough that is exactly what you'll get. When you tell yourself enough times, over and over that you just don't measure up then you will eventually begin to truly believe that statement. Your subconscious will adopt that belief and pretty soon you will begin acting and thinking and saying things the way you are convincing yourself to be. This belief system needs to be challenged and changed.
Healing Tip #3 - Question your beliefs
Belief systems or the beliefs and values you carry are formed from other people's beliefs such as those from your parents, peers, mentors, religious leaders, teachers and society in general. Belief is the psychological state in which an individual is convinced of the truth of a proposition. Sometimes we just accept other people's beliefs without questioning whether we think they are right or wrong.
We grow up with beliefs that come from many different sources. They become very limiting and even though they may have served you well in the past, some of them do not serve you well any more and it's time to question them and clean house. Look at some of these limiting beliefs and ask why. Do they still hold true for you?
"My parents said it isn't proper"
"It's too hard"
"I don't have the time"
"I can't do that"
"My grandmother wouldn't allow that"
"I don't believe in that"
"I should never go against authority"
"Clean your plate at dinner"
"I don't have the skills"
Whatever we choose to believe becomes our reality. We think it is the truth. If you believe that you are too weak to overcome binge eating then that has become your truth or reality. But the belief is just a thought pattern dictating your current circumstances. You can choose whatever thoughts you want. You can choose to say "I live a healthy and abundant life." No matter what difficult situations you are facing it is only the result of an inner thought and you can choose what thoughts you want to have.
So how do you know that your current beliefs or belief systems are the truth and really what you believe in? You question them. You can take every single belief you have and write it on a piece of paper and next to it write the word why? What evidence do you have to make that belief true?
Healing Tip #4 - Learn meditation and visualization
Meditating is the practice of uncritically attempting to focus your attention on one thing at a time. Exactly what that thing is, is relatively unimportant and varies from one tradition to the next. Often the meditator repeats, either aloud or silently, a syllable, word or group of words. This is known as mantra meditation. Focusing on a fixed object such as the leaves of a tree or flower can also anchor the attention. Many people find that a convenient and relaxing point of focus is the rising and falling of their own breath. You can use anything as an object of meditation.
It is important to understand that the heart of meditation lies not simply in focusing on one object to the exclusion of all other thought, but rather in the attempt to achieve this type of focus. The nature of the mind is such that it does not want to stay focused or concentrated. You'll notice that a host of thoughts will appear and seemingly interfere with meditation. That's normal. Just push those thoughts away and bring your focus back. Remember, what we resist persists. The mind is going to try to do what you are telling it not to do...you might say to yourself "I won't think of anything except for this flower" but your mind hears "think of everything "! It doesn't recognize a negative word such as won't or don't. Instead, you could say to yourself "I choose to think of this flower". Give it a try.
You can have great success with meditating using positive affirmations. A wonderful mantra is "I am young, healthy and wonderful" Get into your relaxation mode by doing slow deep breathing and then take it to the next level by using your mantra and focusing on that one particular thought. Say it over and over again with each deep breath you take. Try this for 10 minutes a day and when you are finished you'll feel like a million bucks. You will then truly believe that you are young, healthy and wonderful. Your mind believes it so it becomes your reality.
You can use whatever mantra you like. It can be a sound like OM or a word such as ONE, or a phrase such as "I am one with the Universe." Or you could repeat something special to yourself like the name of your favorite animal.
At first, your time will be spent on relaxation and not as much on meditation. Try to begin with five or ten minutes a day and work your way up as you are comfortable.
Let's begin.
1. Select a position that is comfortable for you; either sitting in a chair with your legs uncrossed, in a yoga style position sitting on the floor with "full lotus" style, or just sitting cross-legged on a cushion on the floor.
2. Try to sit with your back straight but comfortable and let the weight of your head fall directly down upon your spinal column. You can do this by pulling your chin in slightly. Allow the small of your back to arch if you are sitting on the floor.
3. Close your mouth and breathe through your nose. Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth.
4. Close your eyes and focus on the place where your body touches the cushion or the chair. What are the sensations there? Next, notice the places where your body touches itself. Are your hands crossed? Are your legs crossed? Pay attention to the sensation at these places of contact. Finally, focus on the way your body takes up space. Does it take up a lot of space? A small amount? Can you feel the boundary between your body and space?
5. With your eyes still closed, take several deep breaths and notice the quality of your breathing. Is it fast or slow? Shallow or deep? Notice where your breath rests in your body. Is it up high in your chest? Is it in the midsection around your stomach? Down low in your belly? Try moving your breath from one area to the other. Breathe into your upper chest, then into your stomach, then drop your breath into your lower belly. Feel your abdomen expand and contract as the air goes in and out. Notice how the upper chest and stomach are almost still. This "dropped breath" is the most relaxing stance to meditate from. However, if you have trouble taking deep belly breaths, don't worry. Your breath will drop of its own accord as you become more practiced in meditation.
6. Begin saying your mantra silently to yourself. Say the word or syllables over and over within your mind. When your thought strays, note it and bring your attention back to your mantra. If you notice any feelings within your body, note them and return to the repetition of your own special word/s. You don't need to force it. Let your mantra find its own rhythm as you repeat it over and over again. If you have the opportunity you can begin to chant or say aloud your mantra. Let the sound of your own voice fill you as you relax.
Note: If using a mantra is not for you, you can also try using your breath as a focal point.
Healing Tip #5 - Use positive affirmations
Positive affirmations are wonderful! They are what keep you going when you are feeling sorry for yourself or if those tiny voices that you hear are trying to sabotage your best efforts. You know them - "I can't do it. I'm not strong enough. I'm afraid".
You can use positive affirmations combined with a real feel of enthusiasm to achieve in your mind what you truly want. In a way it is similar to using the law of attraction or just positive thinking. By using these affirmations and repeating them over and over to yourself, you then begin to believe and feel that they are true. Don't allow any room for those pesky voices that say otherwise.
You can write out your own positive affirmations to go along with your goals. Write them 10 or 20 times on a piece of paper and say them out loud with enthusiasm and joy that they bring you. Do this for a few days and then pick another affirmation you'd like to use. When you say your affirmations out loud you believe what you are saying to be true. Affirmations that are used consistently become part of your belief system and always produce results. Remember, what the mind believes, man can achieve.
Quietly saying your affirmations to yourself isn't going to be very effective. You want to engage your subconscious mind. It is a fact that your subconscious mind will believe what it is told through repetition and reinforcement. By adding some excitement or enthusiasm and speaking out loud you are using more than one of your senses; therefore you intensify the impression.
"I now accept a wonderful new job."
"I approve of myself"
"I love myself just the way I am"
"I am totally healthy"
"I have a wonderful and new relationship"
"I am at peace and at ease with myself"
"I have all the clients I need"
"I have everything I need within me"
"I have a happy slender figure"
"I experience love wherever I go"
"I am in the process of positive changes"
"I deserve abundance of life"
"I deserve to have or be _____ "(fill in whatever you wish here)
"I am open to more good and more experiences than ever before"
"I am totally open to experience great relationships"
"I am grateful for my good health"
"I always work for great people"
"I am at peace with food"
"I am open to new streams of income"
"I am open to and deserving of compliments"
"I succeed at whatever I put my mind to"
"I am healthy, whole and complete"
"All is well in my world"
"There are plenty of customers who want my services"
"Abundance is for everyone, including me"
"Money comes easily and readily to me"
You might notice that some of the affirmations are difficult for you to say. That is where your resistance is. Question WHY you are resisting.
A Daughter Skating On Thin Ice
I am the proud father of a beautiful teenage daughter. My daughter is a 17year-old teenager who achieves top grades, has qualified for the National Honor Society, has ice-skated competitively for almost 7 years, is active in sports, volunteer activities, school clubs, and is a model for her younger brothers(3: ages 2, 6, 12) and sisters(3: ages 4, 7, 14). She is a leader and example for her small, though close, group of wonderful friends. There is once exception: my daughter struggles with Anorexia Nervosa. Her life has completely been devastated the past 2 years by this ugly psychological and emotional and physical syndrome.
My daughter was competitively ice skating and competing in amateur tournaments and skills competitions since the age of 11. She loved the sport and the training and the atmosphere and competition. She was loved by her trainers and coaches for her work ethic and passion and by the age of 14 had her eyes on qualifying tournaments in the next two years for Olympic placement. Her eyes were wide, though realistic, and she wanted the chance to make this dream a possibility.
At one competition she placed far below her expectations and when speaking with another skater who shared the same coach she was introduced to the idea that in two years her hips would widen, her calves and ankles would get thicker, and her nimble, athletic lightness and flexibility could be lost to puberty. This skater explained that almost all competitive skaters were using laxatives to control weight issues. As my wife and I learned later, this was the beginning of our daughter's demise in becoming diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa.
The struggle since has been a torment. My daughter has lost over thirty percent of her body weight. During her peak competition scheduling she weighed approximately 120 pounds and was competing at a master performance level. Her weight today is barely 75 pounds. She is struggling immensely with the understanding that if she does not eat, the consequences are potentially dire. As parents we have searched for every option, therapist, doctor, or source to help us. Aside from the expert medical professionals, one on-line source was particularly helpful. Here my wife and I found a wealth of information and guidance on the appropriate questions to ask, background information on Anorexia Nervosa and related disorders, and up-to-date research about the latest innovations in caring for, and seeking to help a child with Anorexia.
The road ahead seems long and difficult. Our daughter still has not regained the weight she so badly needs to become healthy and the longer she continues to deprive her body of necessary resources the greater the possibility of permanent or irreversible damage. The symptoms have been far reaching including: loss of menstruation, continual distorted self-image, erosion of tooth enamel, and bowel and digestion problems. and numerous other complications. We found statistics hat showed that twenty percent of those diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa will remain chronically ill! We hope our daughter has the strength and we can help her to find the sanctity and peace she needs to recover.
My daughter was competitively ice skating and competing in amateur tournaments and skills competitions since the age of 11. She loved the sport and the training and the atmosphere and competition. She was loved by her trainers and coaches for her work ethic and passion and by the age of 14 had her eyes on qualifying tournaments in the next two years for Olympic placement. Her eyes were wide, though realistic, and she wanted the chance to make this dream a possibility.
At one competition she placed far below her expectations and when speaking with another skater who shared the same coach she was introduced to the idea that in two years her hips would widen, her calves and ankles would get thicker, and her nimble, athletic lightness and flexibility could be lost to puberty. This skater explained that almost all competitive skaters were using laxatives to control weight issues. As my wife and I learned later, this was the beginning of our daughter's demise in becoming diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa.
The struggle since has been a torment. My daughter has lost over thirty percent of her body weight. During her peak competition scheduling she weighed approximately 120 pounds and was competing at a master performance level. Her weight today is barely 75 pounds. She is struggling immensely with the understanding that if she does not eat, the consequences are potentially dire. As parents we have searched for every option, therapist, doctor, or source to help us. Aside from the expert medical professionals, one on-line source was particularly helpful. Here my wife and I found a wealth of information and guidance on the appropriate questions to ask, background information on Anorexia Nervosa and related disorders, and up-to-date research about the latest innovations in caring for, and seeking to help a child with Anorexia.
The road ahead seems long and difficult. Our daughter still has not regained the weight she so badly needs to become healthy and the longer she continues to deprive her body of necessary resources the greater the possibility of permanent or irreversible damage. The symptoms have been far reaching including: loss of menstruation, continual distorted self-image, erosion of tooth enamel, and bowel and digestion problems. and numerous other complications. We found statistics hat showed that twenty percent of those diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa will remain chronically ill! We hope our daughter has the strength and we can help her to find the sanctity and peace she needs to recover.
Emotional Eating
It is a fact that positive emotions create experience of Well-being. Pessimistic emotions, on the other hand, could induce a great psychological and physiological harm.
An outcome of negative emotions that has been in the news for a while now is emotional eating. It is not uncommon to see people consuming more than what they ordinarily would once they are under a lot of emotional suffering. This distress may have been caused by trauma, anxiousness, unhappiness, anger, loneliness, human relationship problems, or depression. In reality, an eating disorder is among the most visible symptoms of emotional disorders like clinical depression.
Emotional eating comes about when your emotions influence your eating habits instead of your stomach. Once you indulge in emotional eating, it is likely to add to your worries and your weight.
Emotional eating essentially means that you finish up eating without experiencing hunger. Individuals indulge in such behavior to attempt to comfort themselves, and turn over to food since it is readily accessible. Attempting to achieve freedom from such impulse it is like attempting to break free from a drug dependency - you have to draw a lot of effort to abandon the substance abuse.
Among the first steps that you must take to get over emotional eating is to try and distinguish between eating while hungry and eating for comfort. Learn to distinguish your hunger and recognize whether you are eating based on the demand of your head or your stomach. Eat only if you experience hunger.
Do not use eating to stamp down boredom and don't make snacking and sweets a habit, either. Remember, you are expected to 'eat to live' and not 'live to eat'. If boredom is something you are battling, employ different means of opposing the situation. Go out walking, visit a friend, or plainly pick up the tools and start a garden.
When next experience the urge to eat between meals, pick up an apple or a carrot. If you don't recourse to favorable comfort foods for a while, you will make a breakthrough in diminishing your urge for such foods with time.
Going to the gym will make you a lot more aware of your body and physical exercise boosts emotional health. While you might feel like eating afterwards you should assure that you select healthy foods.
Lack of sleep could head to lessened levels of leptin, the endocrine hormone credited for regulation of appetite by signaling fullness. Ensure that you receive decent relaxation each day.
If none of these work and you are ineffective to keep up your efforts, there could be a need to better your emotional health. Visit a counselor or psychologist to seek to unearth the reason of your binge eating, and research for leading natural remedies that are available with the reputation to provide help.
An outcome of negative emotions that has been in the news for a while now is emotional eating. It is not uncommon to see people consuming more than what they ordinarily would once they are under a lot of emotional suffering. This distress may have been caused by trauma, anxiousness, unhappiness, anger, loneliness, human relationship problems, or depression. In reality, an eating disorder is among the most visible symptoms of emotional disorders like clinical depression.
Emotional eating comes about when your emotions influence your eating habits instead of your stomach. Once you indulge in emotional eating, it is likely to add to your worries and your weight.
Emotional eating essentially means that you finish up eating without experiencing hunger. Individuals indulge in such behavior to attempt to comfort themselves, and turn over to food since it is readily accessible. Attempting to achieve freedom from such impulse it is like attempting to break free from a drug dependency - you have to draw a lot of effort to abandon the substance abuse.
Among the first steps that you must take to get over emotional eating is to try and distinguish between eating while hungry and eating for comfort. Learn to distinguish your hunger and recognize whether you are eating based on the demand of your head or your stomach. Eat only if you experience hunger.
Do not use eating to stamp down boredom and don't make snacking and sweets a habit, either. Remember, you are expected to 'eat to live' and not 'live to eat'. If boredom is something you are battling, employ different means of opposing the situation. Go out walking, visit a friend, or plainly pick up the tools and start a garden.
When next experience the urge to eat between meals, pick up an apple or a carrot. If you don't recourse to favorable comfort foods for a while, you will make a breakthrough in diminishing your urge for such foods with time.
Going to the gym will make you a lot more aware of your body and physical exercise boosts emotional health. While you might feel like eating afterwards you should assure that you select healthy foods.
Lack of sleep could head to lessened levels of leptin, the endocrine hormone credited for regulation of appetite by signaling fullness. Ensure that you receive decent relaxation each day.
If none of these work and you are ineffective to keep up your efforts, there could be a need to better your emotional health. Visit a counselor or psychologist to seek to unearth the reason of your binge eating, and research for leading natural remedies that are available with the reputation to provide help.
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