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.
By: Irina Webster
Posts Tagged ‘Women And Men’
Eating Health – Does Extremely Healthy Eating Lead to Eating Disorders?
May 20th, 2010Symptoms Of Women’s Heart Disease
December 1st, 2009
In this article we will look at the symptoms of women’s heart disease. More women than men have died from heart attacks since 1984. Women do not realize their risk of heart disease is as significant as it is for men. Women should be educated on what the symptoms are so they can seek care early. Appropriate treatment for heart related problems is crucial.
The heart disease symptoms that women experience can be different from those of men. Women are less likely to be diagnosed and treated early on because of this. Women should be educated on their potential risk for heart disease. This empowers them to determine if they need to consult with their health care provider to lower their risk.
Women account for almost half of all heart attack deaths. Women often do not believe they are as vulnerable to heart attacks as men but they are, and this is why women need to know the symptoms. Women usually delay seeking emergency treatment when they are having a heart attack because they do not believe they are having one. Women and men respond to a heart attack differently.
It is important that women know the signs of a heart attack. They are as follows:
Discomfort or pain in the center of the chest. Discomfort or pain in other areas of the upper body. This may include the back, neck, arms, stomach or jaw. Some other symptoms can include light headedness, shortness of breath, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or vomiting, gas like pain or indigestion.
Women, rather than men, tend to experience shortness of breath, vomiting or nausea and jaw or back pain. Just as with men, the most common heart attack symptom in women is chest discomfort or pain. Women are more likely to have other conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and congestive heart failure, which makes it more vital to get proper treatment fast. Women also tend to be about ten years older than men when they have a heart attack.
The number one killer of both men and women is heart disease. It is important to know the symptoms, because time matters during a heart attack. If you feel you are having heart attack symptoms do not delay, because fast treatment is critical. Do not wait more than five minutes to call for emergency treatment.
By: Fran Mullens