Can you identify with any of these scenarios?

You are working on a big project for your job and it is coming together nicely. You are pleased with your progress and confident that your boss will be too. All of a sudden, you want to eat…perhaps something sweet, salty and crunchy.

The bakery down the street is only a couple of minutes away. You ate lunch less than an hour ago so you aren’t really hungry. You can’t stop thinking of eating your favorite baked items. Why?

You are on your way to school to meet with your child’s teacher for a routine mid-year conference. Your child is excelling in school so you anticipate it will be a positive conference about your child’s progress. No reason to be anxious, right? On your way to the school, you drive by your favorite fast food restaurant. You aren’t hungry yet you are have this overwhelming urge to drive through for something they serve. You drive through for a “quick bite” and are a few minutes late for the conference. What happened?

You received good news and you want to eat; you feel anxious or worried and you want to eat; you are feeling down for no particular reason that you can identify and you want to eat. What is this voice that is similar to a recording playing over and over in your head? Sometimes this voice is screaming and so overwhelming for the urge to give in. This is head hunger or emotional eating.

What exactly does it mean to eat emotionally? Emotional eating is when we eat in response to situations and feelings other than true physical hunger. It is a way to alleviate or calm emotions such as worry, boredom, sadness, or stress. It is also the urge to change the way you’re currently feeling to another more comfortable feeling. For example, you feel anxious and you don’t know what to do with this emotion of anxiety. You turn to food to calm you and bring your anxiety down. Sometimes even positive emotions can cause the urge to emotional eating. It is important in not answering the voice to eat over your emotions is in your awareness of it. Be aware that emotional eating is triggered when you eat to feed a feeling, whether consciously or unconsciously, rather than feed a physical hunger. Imagine a signal light of Stop-Look-Listen!

STOP means that you need to take a pause. Even if you’re on your way into the kitchen or drive-thru you need to Stop. Think it through. Fast forward to how you’ll feel after you eat. You’ll feel regret, shame, and self-depreciation. Awareness is in asking yourself if it is really worth it? Taking the pause to Stop is very important to silencing the voice of emotional overeating.

LOOK means that after you’ve completed Stop, Look inside yourself. What are you feeling? What do you need? Food isn’t the answer. Look to use your drive to eat over your emotions as a barometer into what’s going on with you.

LISTEN means that you’ve identified what you’re feeling or the bothersome situation. Once you’ve identified the trigger to the drive to eat over your emotions, you can Listen and emotionally process the feeling or situation.

There are distinct differences between emotional eating and physical hunger are:

* If you are craving a specific food choice, and only that food will suffice (such as chips, cookies, pizza, or another unhealthy food choice), that is emotional eating. If you eat because you are experiencing physical hunger, you are open to food choices to satisfy that hunger.

* To eat because of uncomfortable emotions hunger strikes suddenly while physical hunger occurs gradually. Emotional hunger happens instantaneously and wants to be satisfied NOW. Physical hunger does not demand to be satisfied immediately and can be delayed.

* Emotional eating is usually a process that is ongoing and prolonged. You can’t seem to be satisfied and continue eating. The urge is driven by feeling a sense of fullness inside you and is not driven by physical fullness. One of the behaviors associated with eating over emotions is searching. You eat something and then search for more or something else to feel full and satisfied. With physical hunger, you can stop eating when you feel a sense of satiety.

* To eat from your emotions causes you to feel guilt and shame afterwards. Negative self-talk usually results after emotional eating. Eating in response to physical hunger does not result in negative emotions or self talk. Eating to satisfy physical hunger is an act of self-care and nurturing, resulting in positive feelings from taking care of yourself.

Food can be a welcome distraction. If you are worried, i.e., about your presentation or a parent-teacher conference, food can take you away from your worry and distract you from your feelings. The distraction is only temporary and the situation or feelings return. In addition to the situation or feelings that you initially emotionally ate to cope, you now have added the negative feelings from the emotional eating episode.

When we have a headache or a physical discomfort, we take medication. Eating out of your emotions is the same in that when we feel discomfort emotionally, we want to eat to stuff or bury the feeling or diminish the intensity. Food is for nourishment not for medicating! Emotional eating also serves to numb you and allow an emotional escape.

Here are some tips and what to do when you want to satisfy your head hungry by eating through your emotions:

*Identify the urge causing you to want to eat. Does it come on so rapidly that you haven’t recognized it previously? Instill a moment of pause (use the Stop-Look-Listen strategy) when the desire occurs. This will allow you the opportunity to deal with the situation and feelings causing the drive to emotionally eat.

*What is triggering the desire? Check in with yourself. What situation or feeling is most prominent at the time? Are you feeling worried, sad, overwhelmed, or angry?

*Distract yourself in a healthy, positive way rather than with food. Make a list of things you can do when you feel that urge to eat over your emotions. Call a friend, read a book, take a walk, watch a movie, listen to your favorite music, dance, go outside and change your environment from the house (and kitchen), indulge in a bubble bath, or take a nap.

*Feel the feelings. Feelings are temporary. They can be used as a gauge as to what is going on inside you that needs your attention. Feelings will pass when they are experienced and allowed to come and go.

Be proactive and develop strategies for conquering emotional eating. Write a checklist of activities you can engage rather than eat over your emotions. Many times the strongest compulsion for food occurs when you are feeling emotionally vulnerable. Many of us turn to food for comfort when faced with a situation, uncomfortable feelings, or looking to carve out time just for ourselves. Nurture yourself in other ways than food. Food is a temporary quick fix while self-comforting acts are long lasting. If you have given in to emotional eating, learn from it and start again. Make a plan by incorporating a new strategy for the future. Play it again - review the situation and feelings that you emotionally ate over and substitute another way of coping. Focus on the positive, healthy changes you’ve made in your life.

Empower yourself to silence the voice of emotional eating. Make your goal to be stronger than the pull of to eat over your emotions. Remember the answer to handling situations and feelings lies inside of you and not in a bag of cookies.

Cathy Wilson is a weight loss life coach. Cathy lost 147 pounds six years ago. Her passion is helping clients achieve their weight loss and life goals. Cathy works with clients to create a weight loss life plan that is customized to each client. Cathy is a member of the International Coaching Federation, International Association of Coaches, and Obesity Action Coalition.

Visit Cathy’s website: http://www.LoseWeightFindLife.com

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What type of person is more prone to having an eating disorder, in a sense you could say everyone. We have those who stuff their face with cream donuts and Chinese takeaways, and those who at the sheer sight of these yummies would throw a wobbler. Because we as individuals differ in personality shape and form so does our taste in food also. Some people like to eat it and others don’t. Let us focus on those who abstain. Anorexia is an eating disorder where a starvation course is purposely sanctioned by a sufferer. Anorexia usually starts in young people around puberty, primarily in teenage girls and men too.

Fear of putting on weight has anorexics live under threat from them self of ever living a healthy life or ever having a life to live. Extreme weight loss is the main display of an anorexic person. Weight loss is normally 15% under the person`s average body weight. This is an uncontrollable self inflicted condition. Anorexia has at times had people believe they are fat, so fat they died. Anorexics tend to take on excessive exercise, consume laxatives in great numbers and are inclined to avoid meals; they have an intense fear of being overweight.

Odd eating habits of the anorexic, like refusing to eat, not eating in front of people are the tell tale signs. An anorexic will avoid eating food but can handle it. It is known for them to cook meals for others. Help and support is urgently needed for the patient. Parents of a teen anorexic may struggle to get their child to see sense. The child may revolt and deny what they do or become angry. You must be patient and persuade them to talk to the doctor. Never push unless you want a major crisis on your hands with devastating consequences.

Anorexia has many symptoms, however not all may be experienced by one individual. Body weight that is inconsistent with age is one symptom; others are their build and height, absence of three following menstrual flows can be a sign, refusing to eat while others are present, weakness, fatigue , delicate skin , out of breath , compulsive calorie checking and consumption.

Health risks involved with this eating disorder are shrinking of the bones, mineral loss, low body temperature and irregular heartbeat. Anorexia is often confused with bulima, there is a great difference between the two so therefore the importance for your GP to check you over and determine which one is present to prescribe the appropriate medication/therapy.

Bulimia has a person eat large amounts of food and throw up. Anorexics do not eat big portions but vomit afterwards to empty the content of their stomach. Seek medical help sooner than later. Most common treatment for anorexia is counselling and consultations on dietary needs. Treatments will vary due to severity and the in-depth of the condition.

People who were once a shell of them self are now leading a normal life thanks to medical experts. We say normal because it is not normal not to eat. Counsellors are compassionate in understanding and help anorexics see this. Treatment procedures for this eating disorder can take time; it is not a condition which results in an overnight cure. Psychological counselling is a powerful approach to helping those who suffer; it helps decipher between both eating disorder symptoms and the fundamental psychological and cultural forces that may well have given cause to its beginning,

Young girls have been known to follow suit of models that host skeletal frames, not recommended and must be avoided at all costs. Fashion houses are now housing the larger model to walk the catwalk due to the fact that “Skinny is Unhealthy”. Just ask those who recovered and are now one of those people who love licking the cream of the doughnut..

Health Eating Diet http://www.spotthepimple.com
Skin Disorders http://www.remedy4wrinkles.com
Mental Health Conditions http://www.overcompulsivedisorder.com

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

Anorexia Nervosa is a serious condition where we can literally starve ourselves to death, thinking we’re fat. The disorder can stem from physical, psychological and, sadly, intentional causes. In this article, we’ll consider the different causes of anorexia, and discuss symptoms and treatment needs.

Physical Causes Of Anorexia: Studies are underway to determine if there is a genetic predisposition for anorexia, but short of that, any of a number of illnesses can actually cause a person to be anorexic. These include arthritis, colitis, kidney failure and cirrhosis of the liver. Also, advanced alcoholism and drug addiction can result in anorexia. If our diet is deficient in certain nutrients, like vitamins A, B3, or B8 we could develop anorexia as a deficiency symptom. Anorexia can be a medical drug side effect, too, so see your doctor. The cool thing about anorexia that had a physical cause is, once the physical condition is cleared up, the anorexia usually goes away, too.

Psychological Causes Of Anorexia: More difficult to treat are the psychological causes stress, depression and anxiety. In fact, anorexia nervosa is a severe anxiety over body weight. We actually see ourselves as being fat, even as we look in a mirror and see a body that’s wasting away from hunger, with bones sticking out. It’s this body image that’s at the root of anorexia. Even when medical treatment restores a normal body weight, until the body image is corrected, the person will just lose it all again.

Intentional Causes Of Anorexia: This is probably the saddest part of the anorexia story. Some people actually cause themselves to become anorexic, accidentally, through fad diets or worse, intentionally, through a sick idea that the “anorexic look” is sexy. There are websites and companies making money by promoting self-starvation as a weight management tool. This creates the mindset of the negative body image which is at the heart of the disorder. I’m all for web freedom, but I think websites promoting anorexia are as bad as those promoting kiddy porn, and for the same reason…they’re destroying lives.

Anorexia Symptoms And Treatment: Because the heart of anorexia is an irrational belief you’re fat, most people are unlikely to look in the mirror and say, “I’d better get to the doctor.” Since denial is a big part of the illness, the best way to see if you or a loved one needs to see a doctor is to take a self-test like this signs of anorexia nervosa quiz. Anorexia is never a self-treatment issue. You must see a doctor, get a proper diagnosis and get professional treatment. Anorexics, left to their own devices, often die. Often, treatment includes medical tests to determine the cause, food supplements to restore body weight, antidepressants or anxiety medicine and psychological therapy to get at the body image issue. How you see yourself is usually the key to the whole thing.

The cause of anorexia can be as simple as a vitamin deficiency or as complex as the human self-image. Often, those causes are physical, psychological and even intentional in nature. Whatever started it, anorexia is a serious condition that can be deadly if not treated. With proper treatment, though, recovery is very likely. If you suspect you or a loved one suffers from anorexia, get it checked by a doctor as soon as possible, so recovery can begin.

Glen Williams is Webmaster at E-Health-Fitness Nutrition Exercise And Illness Help and Founder of E-Home Fellowship (EHF), Co. He has counseled and helped people on life and health issues since 1987. You can comment on his articles at his Health And Fitness Forums.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Glen_D._Williams

A coaching conversation at work offers opportunities to delve into cause as well as effect. Coaching sets great store by asking questions, but of course that means we can never legislate for the answer. In my view managers who coach should develop an awareness of the signs of abnormal psychology so that they can spot problems early and bring in appropriate support. Consider for example, eating disorders.

The term eating disorder can apply to a variety of conditions but here we’ll consider two of the better known: Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa.

Anorexia Nervosa:

This condition is associated with a ‘wrong’ perception of body weight or shape. The sufferer will often perceive themselves as overweight and be fearful of putting on weight. Usually however, they would be deemed seriously underweight. Anorexia Nervosa is a very serious condition which can prove fatal.

Bulimia Nervosa:

Unlike anorexia the bulimia sufferer is normally within a normal body range but again will tend to have a distorted perception of body or size. The condition is characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by ‘remedies’ such as self-induced vomiting or taking laxatives.

A number of possible explanations for these disorders have been advanced:

Sociocultural Factors:

It is perhaps no surprise that these conditions are most prevalent in developed western societies that have an abundance of food and yet attach huge value to the notion of being slim. One study (Davies & Furnham, 1986) found that a research sample included significantly more people who wanted to lose weight than actually saw themselves as overweight. This suggests cultural pressure to achieve a certain body.

Psychological Factors:

Eating disorders tend to occur in young women. This may coincide with a loss of self-esteem which is often experienced at the same time of life. There are, of course, different perspectives within the psychology field:

Behaviourist - suggesting that slimming becomes a habit Psychoanalytical - suggesting that anorexia may be an attempt to suppress sexual impulses Humanistic - suggesting the conditions are connected to family relationships

Family Factors:

Eating disorders could be connected to family factors such as a history of obesity or an obsession with eating and weight.

Biological Factors:

Recent research focusing on the hypothalamus has suggested a biochemical explanation for these eating disorders. However it is difficult to differentiate between cause and effect.

Irrespective of the cause signs of either Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa must be taken very seriously as the effect on the sufferer and their family can be devastating. Consider for example, the famous case of the Carter family who ended up launching an historic legal battle to compel their anorexic daughter Vicki to eat.

What then of the coaching manager who uncovers these signs when coaching around day to day issues such as workload management or time keeping? My recommendation would be to focus on the main principles of coaching. Ask questions designed to raise awareness, generate responsibility and build trust then listen carefully and attentively to the responses. This is highly unlikely to make things worse and may actually do quite a lot of good.

After that, it’s a question of referring the coachee to the relevant professional. With this in mind, my recommendation is that coaching managers familiarise themselves with their organization’s welfare procedure.

Matt Somers is a leading voice on coaching in the UK where he writes, presents, trains and consults on all aspects of Coaching at Work. An author and regular conference speaker, he is currently producing a range of resources to help with the people side of working life; many of which can be accessed for FREE at http://www.mattsomers.com

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I know you are thinking right now “Why do I have bulimia? How can I overcome it? And why isn’t anything I tried before stopping it and has failed to help?”

You understand that bulimia is slowly killing you and ruining your life but you can’t stop. It seems like something inside you is stronger that your own will.

Do you want to know what this “something else” is?

Well! It is another part of your brain called the subconscious mind that not only is responsible for your feelings, emotions and non-conscious actions that keep you alive, but it can also work against your own free will.

It is the part of the mind that is responsible for our actions when we do something but we don’t know why we did it. Like when we get angry and explode, then we don’t know why we did it (when there is no conscious explanation for it).

The subconscious mind operates on feelings and senses. And very often people can’t even describe it logically. They just do what the subconscious mind wants.

So, the reason you have bulimia lies in your subconscious mind and to overcome bulimia you need to get rid off your subconscious blockages that always keep you being a bulimic against you will.

This is a major reason why conventional therapy doesn’t work in most cases, because they try to affect the conscious mind of the person only. They don’t change a person’s subconscious. That’s why when bulimics come back home from the clinic or doctor’s room they continue their distractive eating behavior unabated again and again.

One of the common subconscious blockages bulimics have is the “broken eye syndrome”. This is when bulimics see themselves fatter then they are and see their entire environment and other people in a different (wrong) way.

So, in order to overcome bulimia you should really find a way to change your subconscious mind and overcome these subconscious blockages that cause your bulimia.

Without working on your subconscious you will always come back to the same spot when you first started your bulimia and recovery becomes impossible, it is a never ending circle.

To conclude, if you have been unable to stop you bulimia it more that likely is a result of a subconscious emotional blockage. For example, the most common blockage is the “broken eye syndrome”.

If you have a subconscious emotional blockage preventing you from stopping the bulimia, you are unlikely to realize it. An example of this is a bulimic who doesn’t realize that they have “broken eye syndrome” - they see in a mirror a different picture from everyone else: basically their own mind is lying to them.

You are almost certainly not consciously aware of what the blockage is. For example again the “broken eye syndrome” - people are not aware of it, they truly believe that what they see in a mirror is the truth.

Subconscious self-beliefs cannot be identified and changed at the rational thinking level. For example, the “broken eye syndrome” gets worse and worse the longer you have bulimia, because the bulimic brain is constantly working on false information.

Identifying and eliminating your subconscious blockages is the best and really the only way you will ever overcome bulimia. More information http://www.bulimia-cure.com

Dr Irina Webster MD is the Director of Women Health Issues Program which covers different areas of Women Health. She is a recognised athority in the eating disorders area. She is an author of many books and a public speaker. http://www.bulimia-cure.com

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

The Healthy Eating Obsession

Steven Bratman, MD, is credited with coining the term orthorexia nervosa (ON) from the Greek word ortho, meaning straight and correct. It refers to a pathological fixation on eating healthy and beneficial (”pure”) food as a means of losing weight, overcoming chronic illness, or improving general health. At one time or another, most of us decide to change our diet to reach one of these three goals. When we reach our goal, we usually return to the old diets, but in moderation or combined with exercise.

ON individuals, however, do not. They adopt a diet that is radically different from the foods they have eaten in the past. The two most common diets are raw food (uncooked raw vegetables, fruits, and legumes) and fruitarian (only fruits, tomatoes and cucumbers). They rigidly police their diet until the pure foods are all they eat. Once that happens, they are constantly on guard against resuming old dietary habits. For most people, this is not an easy thing to do. Those that succeed become food snobs and look down on the misinformed wretches who eat French fries, cookies, pizza and ice cream. Moreover, ON sufferers feel compelled to lecture family and friends on the virtues of adopting a pure diet.

The term “kitchen spirituality” was coined to describe the effect that food has on ON individuals. Tiffany Reiss, Ph.D., an assistant professor in nutrition and exercise science at Bastyr University, says that orthorexia can lead to isolation, rigidity, and alienation. It can lead to a feeling of virtuousness. ON individuals feel that everyone should be eating as they do. They become like hermits.

Their diets are so rigid that they cannot eat meals anywhere but in their own homes. Eating pure food becomes an almost religious experience. These food acolytes often feel that the act of eating sprouts, umeboshi plums, and amaranth biscuits is as holy as working with the poor and homeless. Conversely, when an ON person slips up and eats regular food, it is perceived as a fall from grace and must be atoned for by the penitence of ever-stricter diets and fasts. The need to eat meals free of meat, fat, and artificial chemicals becomes the holy grail.

Because the desire for eating the proper foods assumes a central role in an acolyte’s life, Dr. Bratman believes that ON is similar to anorexia and bulimia. Bulimic and anorexic individuals focus on the quantity of food, while the orthorexic fixates on its quality. All three give food an excessive place in their lives. Dr. Bratman feels that ON can be overcome by convincing sufferers that their diet has important elements, but they have alternative choices. Sharlene Hesse-Biber, PhD, a sociology professor at Boston College, describes orthorexia as an obsession “that our bodies need to look a certain way….It’s not a healthy way to live.” Julie B. Clark-Sly, PhD, a psychologist at the Foundation for Change, agrees. “They say what they’re doing is healthy, but they fool themselves. It becomes an emotional disorder.”

Dr. Bratman has his detractors. ON is not listed in the clinical Diagnostic Statistic Manual (DSM-IV). There is no clinical guideline for this disorder. Dr. Diane Mickley, a spokeswoman for the Seattle-based National Eating Disorders Association, describes orthorexia as a psychiatric disorder. Kelly Brownell, PhD, co-director of the Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders, states that without research to back his theory, Bratman is simply another guy trying to make a buck off the health-conscious public. “They invent some new term, a new diet, a solution to a problem that doesn’t even exist. The burden should fall to the authors to prove that what they’re saying is correct before they start unleashing advice on the public.” Dean Ornish, MD, founder and president of the non-profit Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California said “I’ve never seen [orthorexia] in my clinic. Most people have the opposite problem; they don’t care enough about what they eat.”

Wayne Mcgregor has a degree in nutrition and dietetics, a diploma in fitness training, and a wealth of experience in helping people to lose weight and build muscle. His website provides hundreds of free weight loss articles, sample diets, tools and charts of calorie content of different foods.

http://www.weightlossforall.com

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What is Anorexia? And What is Bulimia?

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are psychological disorders which causes eating in a complex, compulsive way that disturbs the physical, mental, and psychological health of the individual.

A person suffering from anorexia harbors an obsessive, irrational fear of gaining weight, and will utilize extreme measures such as starvation or vomiting to maintain thinness. A bulimic individual consumes excessive quantities of food, feels guilty afterwards, then relieves the guilt by taking extreme measures to purge themselves of the food consumed.

Both disorders are typically observed among prepubescent and teenage girls. Men also suffer from eating disorders, but not at the same frequency as do women.

What are the causes?

A combination of social, psychological and biological factors.

Modern Western culture portrays the thin body structure as the ideal female form. A prevailing condescending attitude towards overweight individuals, and positive attention awarded to thin individuals make staying thin a priority to many young people. Sometimes the desire to be thin can lead to the development of an eating disorder.

A person suffering from either anorexia or bulimia usually holds a distorted image of his or her body. Certain traits such as obsessive behavior, perfectionism, and pessimism may also contribute to the development of eating disorders, as can traumatic experiences such as sexual abuse, bullying, or the death of a loved one.

Genetics may also play a small role in determining an individual’s susceptibility to anorexia and bulimia.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms are generally both physical and behavioral.

Physical symptoms include:

• Unusual and dramatic weight loss.

• Stunted growth

• Irregular or inconsistent menstrual periods in women

• Sunken eyes or dark circles around the eyes

• Pale complexion

• Excessively dry or chapped lips and skin

• Creaking joints and bones

• Anemia

• Headaches

• Fainting spells

• Constipation and diarrhea

• Oral hygiene problems such as discolored teeth, sensitive, swollen and bleeding cheeks and gums.

Behavioral symptoms include:

• Extreme exercising

• Social withdrawal

• Self-destructive behavior including substance abuse

• Refusal to eat in public

• Secretive behavior, especially when it comes to eating habits

• Moodiness

How is it treated?

Both anorexia and bulimia are most successfully treated with a combination of psychological and behavioral therapies and consistent emotional support from friends and family. But some natural remedies can also be helpful as well.

HERBAL TEAS created with calming herbs such as chamomile, comfrey, valerian root or mint (and sweetened with honey if so desired) have been proven effective in balancing emotions and reducing stress that may lead to eating disorders.

ZINC improves appetite. The consumption of 50 milligrams of zinc each day (thru diet and supplements) along with one to three milligrams of copper can increase the desire to consume food.

Upon a closer look, everything in live relates back to marketing. There is not one sector in human society which is not influenced by marketing.

Marketing in itself is neither bad or good, a bit like money, it is “Neutral”. However, marketing in the hands of “profit above everything” individuals or companies, can have the most detrimental, devastating effect on our society.

I could mention a few, but it would sound like I am writing an article about the conspiracy theory. Being concerned about general Health, and the ongoing epidemic of Obesity with its related health issues, makes me pick just one marketing campaign, which is the now famous term “Supersize” - and related Supersize Me.

Now, where is that term coming from?

Or even some other interesting questions, did they know, or should they have known what negative effect that had on the general population’s health?

Back to the first question, if I am not very mistaken, the term supersized is a marketing technique that was coined in the mid-90s by McDonald’s.

Staff would ask “Would you like that supersized?”

or

“Would you like to supersize that?”, after taking an order.

The idea behind this promotion is that for an extra few cents a customer could dramatically increase the size of their meal.

This marketing campaign was extremely successful, to put it mildly.

No doubt, commercially this is an extremely creative way to coerce someone to buy more. The customers have a positive feeling, because it seems to be good value. Unfortunately, that type of value is not very good for your hips. I guess we could ask, should a business have a conscious regarding their customers health.

I guess they would argue, that they can’t afford a conscious, and that they have to keep up with their competition, and finally they would argue, that the customers are responsible, the business just sells something.

From a health point of view, individuals, concerned interest groups and the government have to come up with a marketing concept, which makes the mention of the term > “Supersize Me” - a extremely negative term, and let it backfire and fly in the face of the originators.

Partly that has happened with the release of the movie > “Super Size Me” , a film by Morgan Spurlock, is generally credited with associating the term Supersize with obesity.

After its release, the term adopted this negative connotation.

Unfortunately the fall out is still with us, and lots of food items, have become bigger and stayed that way.

The next marketing campaign should be based on a term like ” Under Size Me”.

After all, healthy Diet concepts are really not that hard to understand, if you know the basic about: food, energy and conditioning, you should be fine and have no trouble staying on a healthy weight, and those basic principles should be taught at school.

When I grew up, my grandmother always used to say, stop eating before you are full, and you will always be healthy. That’s what I would call under-sizing.

Diet Principles may be easier understood, if you know how farmers fatten their animals; by feeding them lots of grains, or the technical term, carbohydrates.

Don’t read me wrong, it’s not that carbohydrates are bad, it simply that most have too much of it. Did you know that:

Carbohydrate is just a fancy word for Sugar.

See below the outline of a basic good balanced diet.

That will take care of the “Diet”, now, what about Energy?

The basic equation - energy in - energy out - is well known and understood, and makes perfect sense, in simple terms, don’t eat more than you require. for your normal daily activity.

And finally the term “Conditioning”, which may be harder to come to terms with than the other two.

We are all conditioned, one way or another, to food we grew up with, behaviour we adopted, such as comfort eating, and to make matters worse we have to throw in, addictions - allergies (yes you crave food you are allergic too) and other cravings.

To write about conditioning, may well mean to write a whole book, (Sorry no time to day ) but here it is in a nutshell.

Just be aware that you have been conditioned, and that taste is part of this conditioning, so are eating habits. Once you know that, it may be easier for you to not have certain foods to eat. Believe me, your life doesn’t depend on it. Just think, if you would have been born into a different culture, you would eat now totally different food.

With other words, statements, such a; I can’t live without my coffee” are conditioning. Believe me, you can, and while we are at it, here is another one, there is nothing wrong with healthy, wholesome foods, it actually tastes delicious, once again it is just a stupid marketing ( conditioning) campaign that health food tastes bad.

Take back control over your live, who is in charge here, the fast food industry or You?

Here is your strategy:

Adopt a good diet, it’s easy, lots of veggies, yes lots … some fruit, some lean protein, and moderate amounts of grains, such as Pizza - Bread - Cake - Pasta.

Stay active, Exercise, do some cardiovascular exercise - some weights, some stretches, do it every day. I do 100 squats while my soft egg is boiling, and I do some push ups too.. Yes, move .. become aware that you can do exercise everywhere.

Re-condition yourself, according to what you want out of live, if you like to feel fit and healthy, eat healthy, it’s your responsibility, and if you can’t do it yourself, get a group together.

Have a look at the diet now …

A Carbohydrate - Protein - Fat Ratio controlled Diet

A deeper understanding, backed by scientific data, of how food affects our metabolism has changed the way we think about diet.

Diet affects the processes of aging and of many disease states such as: Obesity, Arthritis, cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, blood sugar problems, skin problems and chronic fatigue.

Applying simple dietary rules has brought pronounced results for people who have been trying to lose weight for years. Food has a strong influence on the chemistry of the body.

The balance of protein, carbohydrate and fat in our diet …

….. determines the amount of glucose (sugar) reaching the blood.

“M” was an attractive, effervescent 18 year old girl when I first met her. As one of my roommates, she loved to be around her friends and talk non-stop. She also would steal several bags of Milanos double chocolate cookies from the kitchen cabinet; eat them all in one sitting, and not gain and ounce. She was hiding a huge weight-loss secret. She had diabulimia; the diabetic’s eating disorder. This disorder has joined other well-researched eating disorders such as Anorexia and Bulimia, and lesser known unstudied eating disorders like Wannarexia.

The facts:

Up to about 1/3 of young women and teens with Type 1 diabetes skimp or withhold on their insulin doses in a scary attempt to lose weight, according to new research out of the Joslin Diabetes Center. Girls and women who skip or skimp on these doses are more likely to suffer negative and serious side effects such as kidney failure, foot problems, and even death at a young age. In fact, diabulimia triples the risk of premature death about women who have diabetes.

Other studies on diabulimia indicate that these young women have higher rates of both nerve damage and eye problems.

In addition, young women with Type 1 diabetes are more than twice as likely to develop a full blown eating disorder (i.e. anorexia, bulimia) than women without diabetes who are the same age as them.

The Warning Signs:

* unexplained elevations in A1C values
* persistent problems with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)
* unusual/extreme concerns about weight and body shape
* an obvious change in food-related behavior
* exercise bulimia (extreme patterns of exercise)
* missing monthly period called, amenorrhe

The Risks:

* higher A1C levels
* higher risk of developing infections
* more frequent episodes of DKA
* more frequent hospital and emergency room visits
* higher rates and earlier onset of diabetes complications - nerve damage, eye disease, kidney disease and possible heart disease

What should you do?

The Strait Approach: Ask them about Diabulimia

Have they ever heard of diabulimia? Thought about it? Do they know the risks? Sometimes hearing about it or having a conversation about it can reveal what’s going on in the other person’s head.

The Direct Check: Verify their insulin intake

Is insulin being used? If insulin is being used correctly, there should be a consistent decrease in the bottle, insulin syringes used, and medical supplies discarded (i.e. alcohol swabs, gauze).

Weight Loss Monitoring: Witness side effects

Are they losing weight? Are they binge eating? Are they losing weight, showing signs of dehydration, exhaustion, depression, or ketoacidosis? If they are using insulin correctly and eating a healthy diet, they should have normal energy and typical and predictable weight patterns.

Intervention: Getting Help

Are you certain that there is a problem? If so, talk to the person who you believe to be affected by Diabulimia. Express your concern and your support. Turn to a trained doctor who can help the person deal with these very real issues. They typically do not go away by themselves.

Call the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) for more information or a referral (800-931-2237). They can also provide you with a referral if you fill out their referral form that is available on their website. You can also submit a question. Finally, parents, friends, and family members can also learn how to support their loved one through this trying time through the Parents, Family, and Friends Network.

As Powerful Parents, we all need to stay ahead of the curve and know what our children are doing. While we are making progress everyday to help our teens move forward and people speaking out on behalf of girls and women, we still have a long way to go. Let’s help our teens together.

Dr. Robyn Silverman is a child development specialist, body image expert, and parenting coach. Known as “The Character Queen,” she’s the creator of the Powerful Words Character Toolkit for children’s activity centers and families. She’s also an award-winning writer who presents nationwide. For information or to contact Dr. Robyn, please visit http://www.DrRobynSilverman.com or go to her Powerful Parenting Blog, at http://www.DrRobynsBlog.com

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

My younger sisters husband is 29 years old and suffering from bulimia. Bulimia in men is still quite uncommon but more an more men are suffering from it. His therapist made an interesting suggestion to be tested for hypoglycemia. He believes that this could be the solution for his problem.

Jake, my sisters husband, was struggling with bulimia for the last five years to a point where he had to get professional help. I told him that eating disorders are difficult to treat and that he must look for a therapist soon.

He was not too happy about this idea because of the costs involved. He also had to pay high dentist bills. But at some point he had no choice. His teeth were aching all time because of the gastric acid eroding his teeth. He was purging three times a day. He was desperate for help.

He finally went to a therapist who was familiar with this problem. He said that his problem might have more to do with a deranged biochemistry and not only with mental problems. He meant that a person who suffers from bulimia has often problems producing enough Serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter which helps us to feel happy. Serotonin is also closely connected with our eating habits.

There is a special test for hypoglycemia to find out if he has a Serotonin problem or not. The doctor was right, the test was positive. This was the first step in helping Jake to overcome his bad eating habits.

It will take a while until he will fully recover but now he has hope and optimism again. The therapist made an exact treatment plan with simple to follow actions steps for Jake. I hope bulimia will be a thing of the past for him soon.

Highly Recommended Reading:

What Is Bulimia

Bulimia And Anorexia

Annamarie Menge is an expert author on eating disorder topics. Her articles about bulimia, causes and treatments have been published on numerous web sites, forums, blogs and ezines all over the Internet.

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