What Are Eating Disorders?

This is my humble and right answer to

the frequent what are eating disorders question that we often hear.

What are eating disorders really?

Simply put, eating disorders are unhealthy associations
between humans and foods.

These could be at any extreme:

Overt love or overt hatred for foods.

It is an addictive passion for or utter distaste for eating foods.

It is an abnormal eating pattern that poses danger to sound health.

You could get into this in response to emotional conflicts,

pressures or stresses.

Several times, you just crave to satisfy an emotional need rather

than a normal physical need.

You see food as base...over-consumption

or under-consumption of food.

If you have an overt love for food,

the tendency is to eat more and more of it.

Initially, it may seem harmless.

Then, you lose control.

Eating larger quantities.

Even eating more often without restraint.

Habits grow. Your body just starts demanding more food.

What happens next most times?

Overweight and many other health disorders.

There’s also the feeling of inadequacy.

Your body suffers.

Binge Eating Disorder is a typical name for this.

Other variations of this, like Bulimia Nervosa, and Pica eating disorders also exist.

My journey in the eating disorders pathway started with Binge.

I didn't like the excess weight I gained for overeating.

I learned through a friend that I could eat and

get rid of the food later, through vomiting or purging.

I chose purging as in, swallowing laxatives that made me

use the loo several times daily.

Vomiting made me feel sick, so I didn't like the option.

Oops! I sure thought I had everything in control.

But, did I? Not really!

The other extreme called Anorexia is where

you hate eating foods.

It’s also called Anorexia Nervosa.

If you are in this category,

your tendency is to avoid

eating or eat too little for your body demands.

Remember how you started?

Maybe a bit worried about your weight...

Then you see some lovely shapely friends or even models.

Loosing ALL excess weight...and more(!!!) becomes an obsession...

I laugh as I recall my impatience with my regular work outs.

Maybe, you too felt or even feel the same way.

I wanted the weight to disappear NOW!!!

I quickly decided to deal a blow on my eating.

I got quite choosy and picky about foods.

How I loved the feeling of ‘control’ I seemed to exercise over my appetite!

Initially...that is.

Then, I had many other areas of my life that were in a chaotic mess.

But I felt proud I had control over food consumption.

Oh yes, maybe, like me then, you eat much less than your body needs.

The human body responds easily to the programming it gets from its owner.

So, if you hate foods, the response your body gives is

an agreed withdrawal from foods.

What happens again? Your body suffers.

This could be fatal. I suffered. Weakness, headaches, nausea, heart

problems, vomiting and many other health problems set in.

Just remember that this is self-inflicted.

Yes, I left my normal food consumption level that preserves

my health-weight balance.

And then I dived into keeping the weight lower

than my body-frame demands.

What suffers at the end?

You know it! ….Our health!

Remember, this is called Anorexia eating disorder.

If you have an obsession for weight loss,

and your shape, then watch out for this.

A lot of young people suffer from this dangerous Anorexia.

Take care of your body, and

your body will take care of you.

Let’s go and Learn how…

Excellent body shape is good.

You know the type that makes you feel,

“All eyes are on me!”

Your clothes fit so nicely that you wish

you could dive into modeling.

But, HEALTH is simply too too important

to be sacrificed at the altar of

what you assume to be the right thin shape.

You need to be alive and well to
enjoy your shapely body.

On the other hand, letting go completely

on your body image isn’t good either.

Your appearance is important.