The earlier a person with a meticulous type of eating disorder is diagnosed and treatment is begun, the sooner their weight can be restored to a normal level for their age and height.

What causes a particular type of eating disorder to manifest itself from the occasional suffering realized by a good number of the population into a serious illness is a subject still unlock to debate among professionals. One true fact that is agreed upon, however, is that regardless of what type of disorder is being suffered, they are all dangerous.

Two of the common disorders, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa have been classified as illnesses, whereas the third type of eating disorder, binge eating, falls into the group of dangerous and possibly uncontrollable, but has not been classified as an illness.

The special effects of anorexia nervosa are obvious as the person loses so much weight they may perhaps appear to have paper-thin skin stretched over their bones. People suffering this type of eating disorder strongly believe that they are still overweight no matter how little they weigh and strive only to lose more weight.

Some consider binge eating may be a predecessor to bulimia nervosa and should also be classified as a type of eating disorder illness, as people will tend to eat even when they don't feel hungry. They feel the necessary to ingest food to the point that no more could possibly fit. They may then feel sickened with themselves and eat more to comfort themselves.

Bulimia nervosa sufferers will as well eat large portions of food, but with this type of eating disorder they will eliminate themselves following binge eating episodes. By means of diuretic or abusing laxatives helps them get relieve of the food they just ate, as does intentional vomiting, making the effects of this type less noticeable.

Since they get rid of the overindulgence food, their weight usually does not usually show as with a person who does not purge, their loss of indispensable vitamins and minerals that can make this a dangerous type of eating disorder just the same as anorexia nervosa.

What is Known As The Nighttime Eating Disorder?

There are numerous different types of eating disorders, and one of these especially is that of the nighttime eating disorder. It is a condition which is characterized by a lack of appetite in the morning and then a problem of overeating at night.

It is dissimilar from other disorders such as binge-eating and bulimia; individuals with such disorder devour relatively small snacks at night but far more often whereas individuals who suffer from binge-eating or bulimia have very large and infrequent binges.

There are handling methods that can be used in regards to this disorder, and this treatment would involve such things as counseling and making sure to pay attention to your own detailed medical and nutritional needs. As well, consider that the treatment should be tailored to the individual and will be different according to both the severity of the disorder and in regards to the patient's particular problems, needs, and strengths.

What is a Pica Eating Disorder?

A pica eating disorder is characteristically defined as the constant eating of nonnutritive substances for a period of at least one month at an age in which this type of behavior is developmentally improper, for instance a toddler. Fundamentally it is sporadically broadened in order to include the mouthing of nonnutritive substances as well.

Besides, a pica eating disorder can include the ingesting of many unusual substances, such as: clay, dirt, sand, stones, pebbles, hair, feces, lead, laundry starch, pencil erasers, ice, fingernails, paper, paint chips, coal, wood, plaster, light bulbs, needles, and string for example.

This disorder is considered as being a severe behavioral problem, in that it can result in significant medical squeal. It has also revealed to be a truly predisposing factor in regards to accidental ingestion of stuff such as poisons, for the most part in reference to lead poisoning, for instance.

A simple way to overcome stress or stress eating... this easy process can be used at any time of the day. It is particularly effective when you are feeling overwhelmed with anxiety or when you come home after a particularly stressful day. As with any de-stressing technique, the more your practice the easier it will become.

Some people find it easy to deal with stress while others find it very difficult. This article is aimed at those who find themselves anxious or stressed and then turn to food as a way to get lost in eating and escape the tightness of stress. This process is excellent to use if you find it hard to switch off from the stresses of life.

Grab a pad of paper, a pen, and sit yourself down somewhere comfortable and quiet, where you are unlikely to be disturbed for a few minutes. Then sit down, and follow this simple six-step process to a more relaxed and self-empowered you.

Step 1. Breathe

Take a deep breath and hold it for a couple of seconds, then release it slowly and steadily. Then repeat this two or three more times.

Step 2. Acceptance

Notice your body and become aware of where you hold your tension, stress, and anxiety. Instead of trying to fix anything, let your current state of tension be entirely acceptable. It is what it is. Faced with uncertainty of what will happen next, it is normal to feel sad, frustrated, or overwhelmed. But whatever you are feeling, the first step is to accept things as they are. This is tricky business I admit, but let go of fighting, fixing, or running away from what you are feeling. Accept reality as it is right now.

Step 3. Pure Expression

Take out your pad of paper and pen, and for the next couple of minutes describe your current situation. How does your body feel? What is tight, tense, or constricted? What thoughts are going through your mind? What emotions are associated with your thoughts? This is not an occasion to analyze why things are the way they are, or how you are going to fix things, rather this is an opportunity of pure expression. Writing allows the adrenaline filled stress energy to begin moving out of your body.

Step 4. Offer Reassurance

Stress is a painful experience in which you believe that you lack the resources, time, or capacity to lead yourself through a situation. By losing yourself in food when you are feeling stress, you surrender your ability to act with personal power and effectiveness. To counter this belief and habitual response, let yourself know that you are safe no matter what is happening. Once you are done writing, reassure yourself that even if you don't yet know exactly how you are going to get through this stressful situation, you are capable of making wise decisions.

Step 5. Invite Positive Insights

Once again, take several deep, conscious breaths. Much of what you are feeling is an outpouring of adrenaline that puts you into a state of panic and reaction. Adrenaline makes the situation seem like an emergency, and it limits your choices to fight, flight, or becoming frozen in inaction. Remind yourself that no matter how it feels right now, it is not true that whatever is happening is an emergency. Decide that you will not make reactionary, limited, or fearful choices while in a pumped up adrenaline state.

One of the best ways to move beyond the adrenaline rush is to breathe. Breathing moves stress energy and brings you back into center. When you are feeling calmer, ask yourself, "If I were wise and loving, what step would I take to create a positive outcome for myself." Listen to what insights or intuitive hunches come. If you don't have any insights in the moment, that's okay. Assure yourself that you will know what to do when the time is right.

Step 6. The Process of Change

Take another deep breath and stand up. If you still feel the need to stress eat, then go ahead and do so. Engaging in this process is an experience. You participate not to put harsh pressure on yourself, but to show yourself that you can relieve stress in new ways, and that you can trust yourself to get through any situation. If you were not able to overcome the need to reach for stress eating the first time, or even the first fifty times, that's okay. You are still benefiting from the process. Letting go of self-doubt, or the stress that occurs with the expectation of failure, hurt, and disappoint doesn't happen overnight. Give yourself credit for trying something new.

Eating late at night does necessarily lead to gaining weight as long as you do not gain more calories than you can burn. Eating late can only you make fat when you take high-calorie, low-nutrient foods like snacks, burgers and chips. It is a very wrong idea that taking dinner in the night can make you obese. Therefore, most Americans try to skip their dinners in the night after they are late from work. But, you can take your dinner at whatever time you want in the night keeping an eye on the amount of your calories intake.
You should try to take healthy dinner less on fats and more on carbohydrates.

* Try to avoid potato chips and fries that usually accompany late night TV.

* Try to cut on the post-dinner desserts also.

Well, in any case the amount of calories that you consume has to be controlled when you eat during the day also. This deep-rooted idea that eating late can make you fact has emerged from the logic that a person definitely burns lesser calories than he consumes during his sleep due to inactivity. But, it is a less known fact that during slumber, a person' body produces a hormone called HGH (Human growth hormone) which aids in burning of fats and expedite the metabolism.

The fact of the matter is that the body is able to do better digestion in the night and has a higher metabolism than in the day time when a person is stressed due to work. Therefore, if the right quality of foods is taken in the night it can lead to maximum growth. Finally, the HGH factor makes sure that you cannot put on weight by eating late in the night. However, the HGH can also not prevent you from gaining pounds once you start taking more fatty foods in the night.

It is a known fact that people sometimes do not realize that acid reflux is really a problem for them. This condition is known as silent acid reflux. It is not different from the common existing one. The diagnosis is quite difficult at time.

Usually, people believe that heartburn is not associated to this condition. However, in case of silent acid reflux, heartburn is not considered to be a symptom. You may find it very strange but an antacid or any other medication prescribed to reduce or prevent abdominal pain is also widely prescribed for silent acid reflux. This is actually caused by the same acid in the stomach that's responsible for causing heartburn.

Sphincter muscles are actually categorized in to two different sets that usually allow food and drink to get inside the stomach and function to prevent back up of stomach acid in to the esophagus.

However, there are times when the lower set of muscles do not perform the task and stomach acid tend to pass back up inside the lower part of the esophagus only. It is also true that the lower part of esophagus is not much sensitive to the acid inside the stomach as compared to the upper part of esophagus.

This is the reason that heartburn symptoms or those associated to acid reflux are absent. A whole set of varied symptoms is what actually leads people to seek medical attention and the medical practitioner prescribes a remedy for the disease.

Here are some common symptoms:

a) Hoarseness of voice

b) Trouble in speech especially in the morning

c) Difficulty in swallowing

d) Excess mucus in the throat

e) Drainage from the sinuses

f) Frequent feeling to clean up the throat

g) Frequent coughing

All the above mentioned symptoms are observed in patients with this condition because the stomach acid reaches and irritate the voice box and due to excess amount of acid inside the stomach.

According to a recent study that was duly published by the American College of Gastroenterology in the year 2005, it has been suggested that silent acid reflux may be the actual cause of sleep related problems in many people.

It also resulted in frequent wakefulness and symptoms close to a condition known as sleep apnea. Chronic snoring may also be a result of this condition.

Some of the remedies recommended for treating the disease include the following

a) Raising the head of the bed

b) Avoiding alcohol in the evening

c) Avoiding tobacco products completely

d) Eating the last meal of the day at least three hours prior to the bed time

Silent acid reflux has also been found in children. Under this condition, the child usually refluxes the contents inside the stomach and then swallows them back. This indicates that the stomach acid can easily damage or irritate esophagus lining. Consult your doctor on an immediate basis if you doubt the presence of this condition in your child.

Treating eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating can overlap one another because the causes can be quite similar for any eating problem. These disorders are growing across the country.

Anorexia and bulimia are psychological problems that are manifested by the numerous social influences pushed on women that require them to be thin like a supermodel. Binge eating can sometimes be attributed to issues of not being able to cope with stress or life changes.

There are many ways of treating eating disorders. However, it can be quite difficult to overcome a disorder if this type. In most cases, the sufferer cannot overcome the problem on their own. The most important step is that the individual must talk to someone and seek some form of treatment. The treatment may involve admission to a clinic, taking part in support groups and consultation with a psychotherapist or psychologist.

When treating eating disorders, many experts recommend that both the psychological and physical issues be treated at the same time. Experts also recommend that sufferers of anorexia or bulimia start eating small amounts of fruits and vegetables along with adding a small amount of protein to their diet. Food that is high in zinc is also a good idea as it can help to stimulate the individual's appetite.

When treating eating disorders, experts usually find out that the problem was attributed to such things as low self-esteem, sexual abuse, peer pressure, lonely, inferiority complex or other forms of abuse. Some experts also believe that a lack of zinc in the diet can lead to an eating disorder.

Treating eating disorders is very important because often these problems start out as psychological problems but will quickly advance into a serious medical condition from either over eating or not eating enough at all.

In conclusion, treating eating disorders is a process that usually involves being treated for a psychological condition. It is not easily treatable but it can be treated successfully over time.

So how emotional are you over food? People who are VERY food unaware can easily make poor food choices because they are just not paying attention to what they eat. They won't overeat, but nor will they choose good quality nosh. They wait till they are hungry and could almost choose food randomly. Other people regard food just as a source of fuel. They skip meals because they literally forget to eat and it will only be that gnawing hunger in their stomach that drives them to food. Read on to discover how you can feed your emotions with more than just food.

I'm assuming, if you're reading this article, that overeating might be something you do. It could be for the sheer love of food (let's not knock it; one of the great pleasures in life is eating). And we all do that occasionally - we need our family celebrations and feast days. But if you find that you eat so much that it affects your weight and your health, then emotional eating is the problem.

People who overeat because they've simply got into bad habits can usually correct that fairly quickly and once they start paying attention to their food they will shed the pounds quite easily. They have got into the habit of eating poor foods, but given new dietary suggestions they can change their eating habits quite easily. For them, their bad habits are simply a result of inattention and once they focus on their food they can easily eat well.

Bur perhaps for you, food is more than just a source of fuel and nutrients. Do you find yourself choosing a food because you "deserve a treat"? And do you need that treat every day? If you find this happening to you and if you have difficulty dieting or maintaining your weight at the end of a diet, you are an emotional eater.

You, too, wait till you are hungry before your eat. Trouble is, this is not true physical hunger. You may well feel hungry because you are getting physical signals from your body and your brain interprets these signals as hunger. But your need to eat may have little to do with calories or nutrition. So, obviously, after eating when you get that "full" signal from your tummy you may ignore it. Perhaps you have ignored it for so long that you no longer get the "full" signal. And then you can just keep on eating because your emotional hunger can go on forever.

Where does Snow White fit into this?

Well, do you eat when you are Happy, Grumpy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, Dopey or needing a Doc(tor)?

It is so easy to use food to feed the emotions when what you might need is a hug, a chat with a friend, a walk in the sunshine, a refreshing cup of tea (the British cure for a crisis), or some type of physical activity! Or perhaps you need some sleep, a good laugh, or a rest.

So... when you feel like overeating, what are you really feeling? And how else can you deal with that emotion?

Take action...and decide what you can do instead of eating. You can feed your emotions with so much more than food. And you can really enjoy your food and not feel guilty when you eat!

Comfort eating has little to do with our need for food and everything to do with our need for love and happiness. The happier we are, in life, the less we reach out for food inappropriately. The more we love ourselves the greater our emotional stability. The more emotionally balanced we feel, the less we need to use food as a substitute for comfort and happiness.

Of course, happiness for most people is not a permanent state of being. However we can make a choice, in our lives, to fill each day with as much happiness as possible.

We also have a choice about how we handle the things that make us unhappy. The fact is that unhappiness is a state of mind that generates uncomfortable, stressful emotions, which many of us then try to bury with food. What we are missing out on is the lesson those emotions are there to tell us. They are actually the needle of our internal barometer, indicating to us when we are off course.

· Stress in our daily lives is indicating that our life is out of balance and needs us to give ourselves some 'Me Time' or family and friends time

· Stress caused by difficult relationships with friends, family or work colleagues indicate that we have something to learn about ourselves that the other person is mirroring back at us

· Stressful situations that cannot be changed by anything we say or do and that only wind us up more and more as we experience or think about them. Let go of your battle with 'What is' where it is outside your influence to change it

To get back on track or stay on a course for happiness and reduced comfort eating, there are 6 Key things we can do...

1. Make the choice to seek and focus on happiness every day

2. Acknowledge the things that are outside our influence to change and let go of them or they will continue to cause stress, pain and upset

3. Practice noticing your thoughts as they focus on negative past events and remembrances. These are gone and cannot be changed but they will cause unhappiness if you allow them to. Let them go by bringing all your attention to the here-and-now.

4. Practice labelling your thoughts into categories such as judgmental, fearful, depressive, guilty, helpless, worried, lonely, jealous, sad or anxious. Let them go by creating and taking actions to overcome them. It is in the inaction that unhappiness lies.

5. Practice noticing when you are focussed on fears and worries of the future. Acknowledge that these things have not occurred as yet and may never do so. Let go and stop wasting the happiness of the moment on things that may never be, or take action to prevent your fears materialising.

6. Practice Mindfulness, living in the moment as much as possible, without past or future thoughts. See the joy, beauty and happiness in whatever you are doing, no matter how mundane.

Happiness is your birthright, isn't it time you claimed it for yourself and reduced your comfort eating in the process?

Whilst it is not yet to be found in any diagnostic manual, Dr. Steve Bratman coined it Orthorexia-- meaning 'righteous appetite' -in 1997. These are people who are focussed, but obsessively so, on apparent eating well. They inspect food labels and read obsessively about nutrition. The health of what they eat takes up inordinate amounts of time.

Their social circle may shrink as their eating well health habits become progressively narrower. Friends often become bored with hearing about the nutritional value of food, fasting and ways of cleansing the body. And they're often tired of the moralising and lecturing that sometimes accompanies the eating well attitudes of orthorexics.

Sufferers can't go out with the same freedom they once used to because they aren't able to control the quality of the food they order. Organics are in and pesticides are out. Fats, sugars and processed foods are out. So is eating well a bad thing now? Is it bad to not want to put pesticides and other unhealthy elements into your body?

Of course not, but there is a line where even 'healthy' eating becomes 'unhealthy.' There's a line between wanting to eat well and being obsessed.

How does the eating well dilemma start?

For some it starts as innocent food therapy e.g. no longer having dairy products because of a postnasal drip and then when that works, it may progress to cutting out other foodstuffs.

For others it may start for spiritual reasons and a steady slide leads to progressively more foods being struck off the list as they strive for purity. It can even take on a type of kitchen spirituality.

Orthorexia causes confusion and frustration

For many health professionals it can be confusing: they may be presented with a gaunt person with serious food issues, yet they'll insist they are not striving for thinness - how they look isn't the be-all and end-all to them.

For the Orthorexic it can be frustrating: why does this health professional think they are anorexic, they aren't worried about calories, or about how much they weigh, all they want is to eat well and be healthy. They don't avoid food because it's fattening, they avoid it because it's too fatty! They feel mis-understood: they're only on a mission to make the world a healthier place.

What Anoreixa and Orthorexia have in common

• Both can look emaciated and at their most extreme both can die from starvation.
• They often start their slippery slide and as their attempt to eat well and become more healthy.
• Both Orthorexics and anorexics develop fine black body hair and struggle to keep warm
• For women sufferers their menstrual cycle ceases.
• Both become more and more isolated as their eating well food rules become more stringent
• Both groups feel self-righteous and better than other people who don't eat as well and who in their view are weak-willed.
• Both groups maintain and iron-clad willpower only to break down (usually in secret) and binge on all the very foods they would normally not be caught dead eating followed by enormous guilt and self-disgust.

Although the physical affects of both orthorexia and anorexia look the same, and although they have a lot in common -what lies behind the extreme gauntness differs. Anorexics want to 'be thin', Orthorexics want to 'eat well.'

If you suspect you may have bulimia or another eating disorder or been diagnosed with bulimia nervosa, there are some steps you can take to get headed in the right direction and these are some of my best tips to help you recover. You can control your eating habits and prevent your emotions from controlling your life. Think of bulimia (and/or anorexia) as addictions or habits that you can take into your own hands.

Continuing on in any overeating, gorging, binging, purging, vomiting, taking laxatives, taking diuretics, fasting or compulsive eating can severely affect your health and cause permanent health problems that can't be reversed. Stop any damage now!

Health problems or bulimia symptoms or side effects can include sore throat, eroded tooth enamel, swollen lymph glands in the neck and under the jaw, sensitive teeth, acid reflux issues, colon problems from laxatives, kidney problems from diuretics and dehydration.

The first step is to admit to yourself that you have a problem whether you're a teen or adult, male or female. Do not keep it secret. See your doctor as soon a possible for a complete physical so you can determine what you current state of health is. You need to find out if you have any health conditions that need to be attended to. Avoid taking drugs or medications, if possible, and try to pursue your road back to health naturally. Let your family members know and your closest friends too, if possible, to enlist their support.

It's important to get counseling from experts in bulimia nervosa to get to the cause of your bulimia and how to treat your bulimia. Your doctor may have some referrals. If not, seek out local health organizations for support groups. Attend a bulimia support group to find out what health professionals other bulimics are seeing and what their experiences and stories are. These will be people who will understand what you're going through and you can get some good insight into what steps you can take that will help you.

Check with your HMO or health insurance provider to see if you're covered under your current policy. If not, find out from the support groups what other options you can get locally or in your community. You may be able to get free bulimia counseling.

Make a list of all your problems, stresses and worries. Try to determine which problems are causing you to be bulimic. Also make a list of all the blessings or good things in your life. Remember that everyone has problems and you can change how you view them.

Try to find ways to laugh more and incerase your supply of endorphins. Are you depressed? If so make a list of what is depressing you. Try to handle depression naturally without any drugs. Look at ways to solve the problems that are of the most concern to you and ways to solve them.

Don't be afraid to let go of your bulimia eating pattern. Try to get a handle on your eating and think about adopting a living food diet. A raw food diet of fruits and vegetables will help turn your health around fast and help you focus on living a healthy lifestyle. You want to avoid permanent digestive problems.

The best bulimia treatment is what the best treatment is for you. The treatment should involve psychological counseling and treatment from health professionals who are skilled in eating disorders. You are not alone. Get help from your doctor, eating disorder treatment doctor, eating disorder or bulimia counselors, support groups and consider going to an eating disorder treatment center or clinic where you can get to the core of the problems that are causing your bulimia.

You don't want to try to solve this by yourself. Read the newest books on bulimia to find out the latest therapies. Changes in bulimia treatment are made all the time. Statistics show you can get help and completely recover from bulimia and regain your 'self' if you act now. Do it before you suffer from lifelong physical health problems. You are not alone. You can recover. You can cure yourself. You can do it! Many others have. Take action now!