When Bad Eating Habits Want To Creep Back . . .

Wow, here it’s been 30 years since I stopped my bad eating disorder habits and I’ve recently caught myself about to slip into a few bad habits again. Can you believe it?

While I’ve never been a smoker, I can only imagine it’s the same feeling as a smoker that’s quit or a reformed alcoholic. While you get better and stop bad habits, the “feelings” or the “urge” creeps back occasionally. I just didn’t expect it to happen when I’ve been so good for so long.

So, fellow sufferers, word of warning, even once you are better and your head is where it should be regarding your eating habits and impulses, be aware of WHY, WHEN, and HOW MUCH you eat at any given time. We are our own best police when it comes to how we eat. I don’t plan on EVER being in the situation I was in as a teen, so I’m very careful about how I look at food and why I eat which foods I eat.

Avoid stress (I know, I know, sometimes that’s hard!), get your sleep in, and stay vigilant about your eating habits.

Just saying . . .
Michelle

Eating Disorders and a Food Diary

More and more, we are hearing about the benefits of maintaining a food diary when you have an eating disorder. And it doesn’t matter which eating disorder you have, it can be made to fit anorexics, bulimics, or bingers.

It can be a very simple list of what food(s) you ate for the day, drinks, vitamins, what type of exercise happened when, and/or purging schedule. It can also be a very specific form where your moods, thoughts, and feelings are put to paper. It may be foods eaten, calories ingested, times purged, how much exercise, if you ate alone or with company, and the list goes on.

It is a very tangible way to keep track of the nutritional values that go on in your everyday life. Many athletes maintain one to ensure they get their optimal nutritional needs met each day.

Check around and ask your doctor if this may be a good idea for you. It can be a very good way to figure out if you have an eating disorder or not and may be the straw that helps you seek treatment for your disorder.

Why Is My Child Binge Eating?

Here is an article I just published at Bright Hub, where I am a contributing author, on “Why is my child binge eating?”

Why Is My Child Binge Eating?

Bulimia and Loss of Potassium

In previous posts here and at Effects of Bulimia, I’ve written about some long term effects about eating disorders. Repeated purging, in whatever form it happens, causes some serious damage to long term health.

Electrolyte imbalance alone can cause a loss of potassium that can damage heart muscle and increase the risk for cardiac arrest.

This is SERIOUS STUFF!

When I was a teenager, I never once thought about the health risks I was taking while I was hurling in the bathroom. All I knew is that I wasn’t happy and didn’t know what I was going to do. It was pretty much survive one day at a time in the best way I knew how.

Vomiting repeatedly over a period of time can cause inflammation of the esophagus and damage the salivary glands. It is erodes the enamel from your teeth and can cause gum disease. Tooth decay, loss of enamel, and crumbling teeth are common in bulimics.

These are just a FEW of the health concerns a bulimic could be facing in the future because of bulimic behaviors.

If YOU have an eating disorder and you want to turn your life around, it’s not hard to do. Just reach out to ONE person, just ONE, and get the help you need. Not only will you feel better very soon, but you’ll be protecting your future health.

Get happy and get healthy!
Been there, done that, and so thankful for what I have now,
Michelle

Warning Signs of Bulimia – Secretive and Withdrawing Behaviors

Some simple warning signs of bulimia may be secretive and withdrawing behaviors. Bulimia tends to be a very secretive condition. Normally, friends and family of the bulimic person do not realize that their friend has an eating disorder.

The purging, whether it is by vomiting, using laxatives or diuretics, or by extreme exercise is almost always a secret. People with an eating disorder withdraw, usually in slow degrees, from family, friends, school, and often from co-workers so it’s easier to hide binging and purging behaviors. Rarely are these eating behaviors shared with others, making this one sign a red flag for bulimia or other eating disorders.

Add in too much concern about body weight or size, possible cuts or bruising on the knuckles, bad teeth, and a habit of being in the bathroom immediately after meals, and a suspicion should be growing that someone has an eating disorder.

Someone needs help.

If YOU know someone who is exhibiting these behaviors, have a talk with them. Encourage them to seek help. There are too many long term Effects of Bulimia to want them to continue their harmful behaviors. They need help for their bulimia.

Three Key Features of Being Bulimic

There are three key features of being considered bulimic. They are:

* Regular out-of-control binge eating
* Inappropriate behavior such as purging, using laxatives, or excessive exercise to prevent weight gain
* Self-worth is totally and excessively influenced by weight and physical appearance

It’s important to note that bulimia doesn’t always involve purging—physically getting rid of the food from your body by throwing up or using laxatives, enemas, or diuretics. If you fast, exercise to excess, or go on crash diets, this also qualifies you as a bulimic.

So, looking at this very short post, is this something YOU are doing right now? Can you admit you might need some help to treat your bulimia?

There are some very long lasting effects of bulimia, please don’t wait for years and years before seeking help. Believe me, it’s been 30 years since I stopped and I still deal with the after effects every day. Get help, and get it NOW!

Effects of Bulimia – Health Complications

Here is an article I wrote for Ezine Articles a short while back that I think needs repeating. The Effects of Bulimia can be long lasting!

If you have been bulimic for a number of years, you may be doing more damage to your body than you can imagine. Read this to see some of the health complications that can come about when you have a long term eating disorder like bulimia.

Effects of Bulimia – Health Complications
By Michelle Lacroix Toro Platinum Quality Author

There are many effects of bulimia and the health complications can be varied in each individual. Bulimia is normally characterized by behaviors of binging and purging.

Binging can be defined as a large consumption of food in a short time period, but the word “large” can mean different things for different people. Some consider a large amount of calories to be binging while others may think a regular portion of food at a mealtime may be too much. Others may consider a piece of cake and ice cream at a party to be a binge. As you can imagine, the word “large” is relative to what each person believes to be “too much food at one time.”

Characteristically, after binging, the person feels so guilty, so bad about themselves, over their action that they feel the need to get rid of all the food they just ingested. This is where the purging behavior starts.

Purging can be defined as the elimination of food/calories by means of vomiting or using laxatives. Different individuals will use one method or the other and some will combine methods. This is very individual to each person. Binging and purging can lead to serious health complications. These health complications may at times be severe and even life threatening. The type of purging used may determine the severity of those health complications.

A person’s normal body functions are disrupted by the behaviors characterized by bulimia. Some of the more common complications of bulimia affect your cardiovascular, digestive, and dental health. The potassium levels in your body fluids can also be affected by bulimia and may lead to drug and medication abuse.

Some of the cardiovascular problems caused are rapid heart rate, irregular heartbeats, chest pains, imbalances in electrolyte levels, breathing problems, and possibly even cardiac arrest. Bulimia may also lead to low blood pressure, lightheadedness, fainting, and dizzy episodes.

Some of the digestive problems caused are swelling and sores in the throat and mouth. You may rupture the lining of your esophagus or stomach. Long term use of laxatives may lead to drug dependence and adversely affect the normal bowel functions. Pancreatitis, peptic ulcers, bloating, and stomach pain may also be health complications resulting from bulimia.

The acid coming back up from your stomach through your throat and mouth can destroy your tooth enamel and thus lead to more tooth decay and cavities. Your teeth may become more sensitive to hot and cold foods and become crumbly or fall out. Intensive work on the teeth may be needed to get them back to the condition they were once in before bulimic activity was initiated.

Bulimia may also cause loss of or irregular menstruation, mood swings, depression, kidney and liver damage, possible hair loss, and anemia. As you can see, the effects of bulimia can be MANY and are varied from individual to individual.

Bottom line, if you or someone you know, has bulimia, please get the information you need to get treatment. The time to get healthy again is NOW, not later. Get help, please.

I am a recovered teen bulimic.

It’s been 30 years since I stopped my bulimic behaviors and I am still dealing with health issues caused during that time even now, and on a daily basis.

The Effects of Bulimia can last for a long time! Please, if you or someone you know, has bulimia, get the information you need at http://squidoo.com/effectsofbulimia and get started on treatment.

Save your health!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michelle_Lacroix_Toro

Michelle Lacroix Toro – EzineArticles Expert Author

Bulimia and Detox Diets

Bulimia and Detox Diets don’t always go together!

People who have recovered from bulimia need to be careful when they go on diets later on in life. For me, it’s been going on 30 years since I displayed bulimic behavior and my weight has gone up and down as I’ve gotten older, had kids, got a sedentary job, then got active again, then sat on my can again . . . Life happens, you lose weight, you gain weight. No big deal.

However, when you have a history of eating disorders, dieting can become a tricky thing. It doesn’t take much to trigger behaviors and, bang, you are binging again and maybe purging. You have to be careful, real careful you don’t allow yourself to get back on the wagon.

I just turned 48 (yesterday, in fact) and I’m thinking of following the master cleanse detoxification diet. Three are 3 days to “ease into” the diet, 7-10 days of detoxifying with a “lemonade drink”, and then 3 days of “easing out” of the diet and getting into a healthy way of eating.

Now, I’m actually not going into this to lose weight, although I could definitely stand to lose 20-25 pounds (I’m a size 16, so, yes, I could stand to lose some weight), however, I really am thinking of detoxing for the health benefits more than the losing weight. I’m reading about all of the heavy metals that can accumulate through the years, the toxins and poisons that collect in our bodies and I want those GONE! While I don’t have crazy allergies or bad aches and pains, reading about all of the health benefits that detoxing can give a body have made me think that this would be a good thing for me to do.

So last night I bought my lemons/limes and pure maple syrup and tomorrow is the day! I’ll be checking back here and letting you know how the detox process is going (no, I won’t get gross!)

Wish me luck!
Michelle

Bulimia Getting You Down?

One characteristic, or effect, of bulimia is depression. When you are unhappy with yourself, your body, or your body image, it’s easy to become depressed. You keep to yourself, you don’t spend as much time with your friends, and you are probably starting to shut your family out.

You are spending lots of time by yourself wondering why you can’t be perfect or why you can’t be happy. Does this sound like you?

If so, try to think of just ONE person who you can talk to. It may or may not be a family member, a close friend, someone from school or work. It could be someone you know very well or someone you may not know well, however, it’s someone that you trust on instinct. Ask that person if they have a minute to talk. Share your feelings with them. If you can tell them about the Bulimia, that is best, but if you can’t yet, just talk to the person. Sharing thoughts and feelings will be good for you and help you feel better for a short time.

This is not going to make you feel better for long, but hopefully it will be long enough for you to think about getting some help. Read about the Effects of Bulimia and see if this is something you’d like to fix so you don’t have major medical health issues down the road. Getting help is often as easy as talking to the ONE person who is willing to stand by you while you seek a solution to unhealthy eating habits.

Take it from one who is dealing with daily health issues brought on by NINE YEARS of Bulimic Activity (ME!), it’s way easier to get help NOW than to be bulimic for years and then have to deal with health issues the rest of your life.

Talk to someone about your feelings, share your thoughts and start on the road to healthy living! Please?

I care about you and I’m sure many others do, too. If you’d like to email me, please feel free to write me at micsan07@gmail.com (write the words Effects of Bulimia in the subject line as I don’t open email from people I don’t know) and I WILL WRITE BACK TO YOU! I’ve been there and I’m more than willing to talk if you contact me.

People do care about you and you need to care about yourself, too.
Michelle

Bulimia Doesn’t Mean You Are Skinny!

I feel the need to address a concern I have about people’s perceptions about bulimia.

Bulimia is all about binging and purging (eating excessively in one sitting and then puking, using laxatives/diuretics, or excessive exercise). This condition is not about NOT EATING AT ALL or NOT EATING ENOUGH!

Many bulimics are perfectly healthy looking or overweight. Very few are toothpicks. Toothpicks are usually anorexic, although there are exceptions.

One of the downsides of bulimia is that, unless you are watching for the signs, it’s so hard to miss. Bulimics generally are very good about hiding their habits and, often, the family does not realize that someone they love has destructive eating habits.

So, looking at the skinniness of someone isn’t a good indication, except for anorexia, of whether they have an eating disorder or not. They’ll tend to be overweight more than thin.

Hope this helps.