It is proven now that media can influence the beginning of eating disorders in some people. This is evident especially in children and teens who can easily be lulled into the wrong image of what the human body is supposed to look like.

A very serious concern is that tiny little children as young as 8 year old are now contracting anorexia and the media are to blame. The images of thinness and unreal sexual images in the media do influence children's minds which in turn lead them into an eating disorder.

Early exposure to sexualized images encourage young women to see themselves as objects and value themselves for how they look rather then a whole person. Their values shift to the side where being beautiful and sexually attractive substitutes for being an individual with a strong sense of self. These inevitably lead young women to pursue thinness and artificial beauty that they see on the covers of magazines on TV and in the newspapers.

Very often girls have no understanding that what they're pursuing is only an unattainable image provided by the media to entertain their readers, attract buyers and sell the products they advertise or to send some other frivolous messages to the public.

So the beginnings of an eating disorder in young women can very often be connected to body dissatisfaction which is brought on by comparing their own body to the body images in the media.

For example, a recent survey revealed that 25% of Australian teenage girls would consider plastic surgery if they could and 2% already have had plastic surgery to change the way they look.

The other research was done on 4000 teenager girls' aged from 11 to 18 and found that more than 85% of them were unhappy with their body and would like to do or are already doing something about it.

The recent Botox survey revealed that women as young as 17 years old do Botox injection in order to prevent wrinkles. Breast implants have been done for women as young as 17-20 years old.

All the examples above shows that very many women nowadays think that fake women are much better than the real thing, based on the images that are portrayed in the media as being the norm.

To conclude, the media contributes a lot to developing body dissatisfaction and consequently eating disorders, by promoting fake unattainable images of women's bodies. To fight eating disorders it is important to educate the masses on the truth of how the media works to sell its advertising clients products.

Young women should be taught about balance and the truth of what is perceived to be beautiful and what real women are suppose to look like.

Even women like Marilyn Monroe who only a short time ago was considered to be the most beautiful woman in the world, would now be classified as a Big Girl by the media.

Is it any wonder so many young women are falling victims to eating disorders?

To learn how other people have manage to defeat their eating disorder as a consequence of dissatisfaction with their own body and about eating disorders and media go to http://www.mom-please-help.com



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

Researching eating disorders is a relatively new field of medicine. Scientists still don't have a lot of data on a long-term recovery process from eating disorders. But many things about who is susceptible to the disease, how it starts and how it develops is known and that is what we will look at here.

According to the latest numbers there are very many people who meet the criteria for disordered eating - about 10%-15% of women. These include all eating disorders: anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and others. The most dangerous of all anorexia nervosa takes about 1%-1.5%. Bulimia nervosa takes about 5%-6% and the rest goes to binge eating, extreme dieting, obsession with body image etc.

More than half the women who have been anorexic will develop bulimia in the process of the disease. And nearly 80% of bulimics show anorexic behaviors also. To say in other words they swing between non-eating to compulsive overeating and purging all the time during the disease.

And the only dividing line between anorexia and bulimia is their weight. People with extremely low weight are considered to be anorexic. And people with normal weight or slightly overweight considered to be bulimics.

Recent studies have also found that women are prone to the disease much more then men are. Genetic predisposition to develop an eating disorder is also confirmed by many researches.

It was said that people inherit a special gene which is responsible for developing addictive (obsessive) behaviors.

It was also shown that people with certain personality traits are also more prone to eating disorders. These personality traits include perfectionism, avoidance of harm and impulsivity (or difficulty in impulse control).

The drive to thinness is broadly influence by the media. When women with certain personality traits and genetic make up are constantly exposed to images of waif-like models, slim actresses and stunning beauty icons they inevitably want to be like them.

When all the factors above converge in one person, she/he can develop an eating disorder.

To conclude, eating disorders are multiple -factor disorders. It takes a special genetic make up, special social influences and personality to develop the disease.

These complexities make the disease very difficult to treat and manage. Nevertheless, there are many cases of recovery from eating disorders and generally the disease is considered to be treatable.



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

A recent image study of the human brain actually shows that a hormone that is known for its ability to trigger appetite can stimulate parts of the brain to make food appear more appealing.

Ghrelin, the name of the appetite hormone, has a pleasure effect on the human sense and creates a happiness associated with food similar to those who suffer from drug addictions. Ghrelin encourages people to continue eating after the nutritional reasoning is finished and the stomach is already full.

"For hundreds of years, people used to think that you eat only because you're hungry," says study author Dr. Alain Dagher, an associate professor with the Montreal Neurological Institute of McGill University in Canada. "But we found that the actual system involves a drive for food that is not at all related to hunger."

"The reason for this," he adds, "is that almost every animal, including us, until very recently was living in a world where there wasn't enough food, so that the big risk is starving to death. This creates a real pressure to eat. And obtaining food is risky. It requires effort and putting yourself at the mercy of predators. So you need something to get you out of your cave, and the only way that's going to happen is if the food is attractive enough to get you to overcome those costs and risks. And we've found a hormone that does this by acting on the pleasure and reward centers of the brain and making food you see seem more appealing and more desirable."

Dagher and his colleagues reported their insights in the May issue of Cell Metabolism. They analyzed MRIs of activity in the brains of 20 healthy men while they observed pictures of food and drink. This was done 3 hours after they had eaten breakfast so that they weren't necessarily full nor hungry; all men viewed an initial series of 45 images during which they answered questions about their mood and appetite.

Immediately after the first viewing, 12 of the men received two injections of ghrelin, while the other eight men did not. The men then viewed a second set of 45 images after their blood was taken to observe the levels of the hormone in their bodies. It was concluded that more of the men who received grehlin injectionsreported hunger after looking at the second set of images than those who did not.

The increased hunger response correlated with an increase in brain activity in a broad range of brain regions associated with reward when viewing images of food and non-food "pleasure-related" items. The men who did not receive the ghrelin expressed no change in hunger over the course of the two viewing sessions and were less likely to remember the food imagery they saw following the viewings.

The researchers suggested that the findings could ultimately lead to treatments for obesity based on a disruption of the ghrelin hormonal effect.

"The problem today is that we have this evolutionary imperative to eat, but we now live in an environment where you don't have to spend any energy to get food," he noted. "Which means that it makes sense to think of appetite as a kind of addiction. So, if we want to address the fact that obesity is now the number one killer in the world, we're going to have to tackle the problem in the same way that we tackle cigarette smoking."

But Dr. Barbara B. Kahn, chief of the division of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, also spread caution that relating ghrelin-fueled overeating with drug addiction may be a disservice to the public.

"This study provides us with new information about additional ways in which this particular hormone may work," she said, "And overeating and drug addiction may converge on some of the same neurons. But other pathways are also involved. And from a biochemical point of view, the two are not the same thing. Drug addictions are much stronger. So to suggest that they are the same makes people feel that they can't do anything about overeating. That it's out of their control. So, I don't really buy that the parallel," added Kahn, "There may be aspects of overeating that may be related to aspects of addiction. But overeating is not just another addiction."

In the future, it may be valuable to have your grehlin levels checked or altered, but for now we'll just have to live with good old self-discipline and awareness.



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

Anorexia is not just about weight loss and refusing to eat. Anorexia has major side effects on the mental, physical and emotional state of a person.

Contracting anorexia means getting a new life style, new coping strategies, new relationships, new thought pattern and a whole new way of living and none of it is good.

You can say that a new sufferer becomes like a completely new person, different from what she/he used to be.

One of the very distinctive side effects of anorexia is a distorted perception about themselves. It is related to their own body image, their self being and also how they perceive other people as well.

The main measurement of all becomes how skinny they are. Anorexics perceive that their worth is directly related to their weight. They feel and think the same way about other people also.

For example a 19 year old anorexic girl I was talking to said once:" I know that the more weight I lose the better and stronger person I become. I understand that all overweight people are lazy, fat and no good".

But the meaning of being overweight for her is far away from reality. She perceives even normal weight people as overweight, including herself. She was already only 49 kg (height 164cm) but she still saw herself like a fat and overweight person.

She sees this picture because of the other major side effect of anorexia called "broken eye syndrome". And because anorexics see a wrong picture of themselves and others they want to loose more and more weight and can't stop starving themselves and over exercising.

Their relationships with other people change a lot since they contracted their anorexia because they need to spend all their time counting calories, exercising and thinking over a new strategy to lose more weight. Plus anorexics become very judgmental and picky and loose interest in others and everything they did before. All these prevent them from having a normal relationship with others.

And the other side effect of anorexia is their changing respond to everyday stress. This encompasses everything that happens to them, anorexics respond by increasing their exercising time, cutting down on calories and withdrawing further away from other people.

To conclude, anorexia has many side effects on a person. And to stop these negative side effects it is important to change the sufferer's perception back to what it was before the anorexia.
If their perception is returned back to normal a person will be able to lead a good and healthy life again.


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

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.



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

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.



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

According to new research the promotion of healthy eating to fight obesity can drive some teenagers into eating disorders.

Also many adult women and men admit that the extremes of trying to eat healthy lead them into abnormal eating behaviors and later to a fully developed eating disorder.

So the question is how healthy for you is a "healthy eating plan" and diet?

From one point of view, it is good to make a healthy choice when you eat and it does help to fight obesity. But on the other hand there are people who get so obsessed with their eating habits that it becomes abnormal and absolutely out of control.

Most eating disorder sufferers say that their disorder started from a simple diet and trying to eat healthy. They also say that they became very emotional about their diet, weight and food.

For example here is a testimonial from a 24 year old woman who has been suffering from bulimia for the last 10 years: "It was very painful for me to hear people called me fatty and I began dieting. When I lost some weight people started complimenting me for the way I looked and it felt so rewarding that I only wanted to continue dieting and loosing more and more weight ... I really associated loosing weight with a reward and big personal achievements, so I thought the more I do it the better I will become. And I pushed myself into an extremely restrictive regiment of diet and exercise.

Every week I reduced my calorie intake and increased the exercise time. Sometimes I was very hungry and felt jealous towards people who could eat whatever they wanted. I started dreaming about food - of what I would eat if I could.

Once I cheated and ate much more food then I planned to do. I felt disgusted with myself. Then I went to the toilet and made myself sick. This gave me an instant relief to my strained feelings.

On the next day I repeated it again, and again it made me feel better. I thought I discovered a new way to eat whatever I want and at the same time stay slim. I thought it was my own invention but it wasn't and that was how my bulimia was born..."

This is a typical story of the beginnings of anorexia-bulimia. So the question is would these people have developed an eating disorder without initially going on a "healthy" diet and an extreme exercise regiment? Probably not!

In conclusion it is fair to say that eating healthy still should be a major part of overall health education in schools and in public education.

But teaching about balance regarding peoples eating habits is probably much more important than just healthy eating at all costs. Teaching balance is crucial for any health program if it wants to stop the spread of eating disorders.



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

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.



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