Incorrect eating habits have pushed many of us towards harmful health conditions. This article highlights some serious complications of eating disorders.
Eating disorders are among the many disorders, that are dangerous and have a tendency to cause severe medical problems. This issue is common in people all around the world and includes males and females of all age groups. Eating disorders are acquired through eating excessive food or insufficient food. Such problems are influenced through the desire of becoming slim or gaining weight. Eating disorders cause great discomfort to the body and also develop emotional and physical imbalance. Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder are among the common health problems. These are mainly lifestyle related health problems which can be cured through therapies for eating disorders.
Complications of Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia is an eating disorder, where the patient rejects eating food, out of the fear of gaining weight. Face and skin of the anorexic people often appear to be pale and distorted. In anorexia, the patient feels hungry but refuses to consume food or maintains the consumption of 600-800 calories. In some cases, the patient will completely undergo starvation. The fear of putting on unwanted weight indicates a serious mental illness and takes a toll on the overall health of the person.
Many anorexic cases are observed in adolescent girls and is seen more in young women than in men. The method of using self imposed starvation has the tendency to effect and damage every organ of the body. The symptoms of anorexic people will differ as per the quantity of food consumed.
Symptoms of Anorexic Nervosa
☛ Rapid weight loss
☛ Fine hair growth on face and body
☛ Constant check on intake of fat and calories
☛ Excessive exercising
☛ Taking up rigorous diets
☛ Depression and lethargic
☛ Finely chopping the food and eating or preferring to eat alone
☛ Consuming different diet pills to induce self vomiting and getting rid of the calories
☛ Fatigue
☛ Dry hair and skin
☛ Brittle bones
Treatment
Treatment of anorexic patients aims towards getting back the health of the person and removing the fear of gaining weight. The diet of the anorexic patient must be drastically changed in order to achieve a healthy body. Inducing some nutritional food items, can help the patient to gain some physical strength and also make the person emotionally stable. In case of medication, Olanzapine has shown positive result which helps in gaining some body mass and also reduces the obsession of eating less food.
Complications of Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia patients, refrain from eating food for a certain time and later consume plenty of food. These patients then induce self vomiting methods to get rid of the gained fat and calories. This could severely harm the internal body organs. Constant vomiting causes stomach inflammation and causes the esophagus to rupture. This could also result into gastritis and pneumonia. Pills used to induce self vomit can cause brown spots on skin and erode enamel and dentin of the teeth.
Symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa
☛ Dehydration
☛ Gastric rupture
☛ Peptic Ulcers
☛ Constipation
☛ Weight fluctuations
☛ Decaying of teeth
☛ Swollen salivary glands
☛ Electrolyte imbalance
☛ Infertility
Treatment
The first step towards treating bulimia is to stop the cycle of binge and purge cycle. This will bring the body to normal food eating habits which will eventually lead to stability in mind.
Complications of Binge Eating Disorder
This is the fastest growing eating disorders among the Americans. This disorder occurs in those people who undergo weight loss treatment program. Binge eating disorder can occur in normal weight people and lead to obesity.
Symptoms of Binge Eating Disorder
☛ Consuming large quantity of food at one time
☛ Eating quickly when hungry and even when less hungry
☛ Eating when feeling depressed and bored
☛ Weight gain and obesity
☛ Often feeling guilty after eating food
☛ High blood pressure and cholesterol
☛ Gallbladder diseases
☛ Increased risk of heart diseases
Treatment
A well planned treatment for curing binge eating habits can always help people overcome such disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy, can help people with such disorders, to give up unhealthy eating habits. Even antidepressant pills can help these people overcome the problem of depression and boredom.
There are several causes of such eating disorders. Therefore, understanding the causes and adapting to a healthy lifestyle can prevent you from various eating disorders.