Dieting Disturbances: Bulimia

by Angel Lynn Diamond | More from this Blogger

14 May 2009 06:37 PM

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 it difficult to control their eating habits. They will then binge and eat large quantities of food. They do not want to gain weight and in fear they want to expel all that they have consumed. They do this by purging. To purge a person will try to compensate for what they have already done. They feel badly about their eating and will either exercise excessively, use laxatives, make themselves vomit, starve themselves until the next "binge", or use diuretics. This leads to a vicious "binge/purge" cycle that is difficult to break.

The majority of bulimics are women, but bulimia can strike anyone regardless of gender, race, or economic status. As with anorexia, bulimia stems from stress and the ability to have control over one's own body. A bulimic, unlike anorexia, comes in all shapes and sizes. If you see a pattern of binging and purging with signs as noted above, it is likely that this person is a bulimic and they need to seek help for this problem. Some other tell-tale signs of a bulimic are clear looking teeth, reddened eyes, and/or swollen facial features.

If you feel that you may be bulimic then seek help immediately please. You need to talk to someone regarding your eating disorder. If you know someone that you feel may be bulimic gently encourage them to seek help. They will probably deny their problem, as they very well may not see it, but continue to help them anyway. Bulimia can affect the body in so many ways. It is essential for a bulimic to seek professional help before it is too late.

Angel Lynn writes in weight loss, single parenting, and health.

Learn more about Angel Lynn Diamond

I am a mom to my precious one and only, a nurse in a heartwarming adult living facility, and a freelance writer.

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