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Dieting Disturbances: Bulimia

We would all love to be thin or at least our “average” weight. We all want to look healthy and feel healthy. To diet and lose excess weight under these conditions is a good step toward becoming a healthier and more attractive person. To exercise to build our muscles and become more toned is also a step in the right direction for optimal health and appearance. Sometimes though dieting attempts become obsessive and the mentality of the person dieting becomes confused. Bulimia is one of several eating disorders. When a bulimic attempts to diet, like most of us, they find … Continue reading →

Eating Disorders and Our Relationship with Food

Did you know that binge eating is more common than anorexia or bulimia? A national survey was conducted by psychiatric researchers at Harvard University Medical School and McLean Psychiatric Hospital. Of the people surveyed, 3.5% of women and 2% of men were binge eating (eating beyond the point of fullness without vomiting). The results for those suffering from anorexia were .9% of women and .3% of men. Those suffering from bulimia were 1.5% of women and .5% of men. Nine thousand people were interviewed for this survey. It’s likely that the number of people suffering from these eating disorders is … Continue reading →

Coming Out and Being Honest

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I’ve spent the last 15 years underestimating a problem I have. Rather than confronting it, I believed ignoring it as in issue would make it go way. I struggle with obesity; I have an eating disorder. Unlike many other issues people struggle with, mine stands out obvious to anyone who sees me. It’s not that I’ve denied being overweight, it’s that I refused to make it an issue or define who I am. Instead I’ve tried to overcompensate, hoping to shine what’s inside me, that it might radiate and people wouldn’t notice my weight. I fear I’ve reached a point … Continue reading →

What is Bulimia?

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The late Princess Diana had the unenviable reputation of being the world’s most famous bulimic. Back in the 1990s when the rumors of her eating disorder were finally acknowledged by her in one of her many authorized biographies, she became the flagship for sufferers the world over. Bulimia is a disorder that strikes people from all walks of life, as the tragic story of Princess Diana clearly indicates. It affects one in six teenage girls and a slightly lesser percentage of women in their twenties. However as noted in a previous article (see The Desperate Housewives’ Syndrome), the condition is … Continue reading →

Are You a Food Phobic?

Phobias come in many forms and having a phobia about food is no exception. A food phobic is more than a fussy eater, although that would be the tag generally attached to such a person. Food phobia has little to do with more well-known eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia. So what exactly are the characteristics of a food phobic? Marcia Pelchat, a Philadelphia-based food psychologist states that a person with a food phobia dislikes the taste of certain foods to an excessive extent and avoids them wherever possible. This also applies to the texture of certain foods. … Continue reading →

What is Anorexia?

Rachel was 17 years old when she was first taken to her local doctor by her worried Mom for help. She looked older than her years— her lifeless eyes were shadowed, and her cheeks sunken. Her skin was pasty and stretched tightly across her cheekbones giving her a skeletal look. Her collarbones protruded sharply through her loose-fitting shirt. Despite her current appearance, Rachel still retained the traces of the beautiful young woman she had once been. Two years earlier Rachel had been “chunky”, as her best friend, Chloe, had one day innocently commented. It didn’t help Rachel that Chloe was … Continue reading →