Eating Disorders and Body Image Blogs: What Some Are Discussing

A New Girl Guide Badge For Self-Esteem. Has Guiding Gone Mad?

As I was reading The Globe and Mail this morning, I came across an article written by the very talented Margaret Wente. Entitled "Not every girl can be a Winner," I was dumbstruck that the Girl Guides now have a self-esteem badge. Say what?

In my youth, I spent years as a member of Brownies and Girl Guides. I traipsed through the woods with the rest of the pack, trying to light fires by rubbing two sticks together in the pouring rain, suffering cuts and scratches and burns from campfires, getting lost in the wood (still can't figure out how a compass works), near-drowning in canoes on choppy lakes, and learning how to do the sheep shank and the round-turn-and-two-half-hitches knots.

Summers were spent at Girl Guide Camp building lean-tos and roughing it in the woods. It was a rough-and-tumble life and I loved every minute of it. Nary was a mention made of my having to study up to earn a self-esteem badge.

Read in full here.
2Medusa.com


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FTC Charges Hoodia Marketers

FTC Charges Marketers Of 'Hoodia' Weight Loss Supplements With Deceptive Advertising

The Federal Trade Commission has charged the suppliers of supposed Hoodia gordonii, also known as hoodia, with deceptive advertising for claiming that using their product would lead to weight loss and appetite suppression. In its complaint, the FTC alleges that the defendants not only made false and deceptive claims about what hoodia could do, but also, on one or more occasions, claimed that their product was Hoodia gordonii, a plant native to southern Africa, when it was not. The FTC has requested that the court order the defendants not to make false or deceptive statements or destroy documents pending trial. The Commission seeks to permanently bar the defendants from deceptively advertising hoodia, and to obtain disgorgement of the defendants’ profits from their hoodia sales. The defendants allegedly made false and deceptive claims when advertising their fake hoodia to trade customers who manufactured and marketed supplements.

Read in full here.
mariasols.com

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Another Death To ED

Sarah's Death at 19 Left Her Family Struggling to Understand the Power of an Eating Disorder.

By Caitlin Gibson
Special to The Washington Post
Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Leah's voice was calm on the phone.

I'm on my way home, she said. Sarah died this morning.

In the steady tone my best friend would use to say she had a flat tire or was late for class, Leah explained that she was about to board a flight to join her family as they prepared for her little sister's funeral.

Leah had known on some level that this might happen. She'd read the books, done the research and understood that girls with eating disorders got better, or they didn't. She saw Sarah as what she was: the everygirl of her illness, not immune because she was smart and beautiful, popular and athletic. But the knowledge that it might happen did nothing to prepare Leah.

Read in full here.
freedfoundation.org/blog

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Woman With Anorexia Issues Public Plea For Help

If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one. ~Mother Teresa

I think it’s a tragic conviction of the woeful inadequacy of our current health care system that a 20-year-old college student with anorexia who wants help has no other recourse than to turn to the public in getting that help. Karina Dewing of Cape Girardeau, Missouri today issued this plea in her local newspaper: I am a 20-year-old college student, I weigh 83 pounds. Shocking? What’s even more shocking is that I can’t get the help I need. There are no treatment programs in Cape Girardeau or the surrounding area for those who suffer from eating disorders.

Read in full here.
the-f-word.org/blog

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Freedom And Joy

More than once this weekend, I have found myself dancing around in my kitchen, absolutely filled with joy. I'm not even sure why, and I suppose that is the best part. I have no reasons. I just feel at peace with where I am at the moment. I'm making good choices and decisions, and that really hasn't happened in my life for a very long time. I'm not afraid to go to sleep at night because I fear what the next day will bring. I'm looking forward to the warmth of summer, the sunshine, and spending time with my family. I feel as if I can reach out and touch the changes in my life, and for once, not feel anxiety, apprehension, and worry over what may happen.

Read in full here.
hereandnow4angel.blogspot.com

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Values: Me vs ED

I did this exercise on values in a group at the EDU last year and it taught me some things about myself, so I thought I would share it. People with eating disorders often say that they have no idea who they are outside of their illness. I think it's really important to find out different things that make you *you* so that you can shove them in the eating disorder's face when it tries to convince you that you are nothing without it ;)

In the group we were given this handout called 'Choosing your values' from a book called 'Get out of your mind and into your life' (which is a great title, hehe). It had a list of different relationships (e.g. marriage, friendship) and aspects of every day life (e.g. work, spirituality), and the idea was to write down what sort of person you would like to be in that area of your life and then try and distill your answer down to one key phrase. These were my answers, with my most important values in italics:

Read in full here.
katie-underthestars.blogspot.com

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Eating Disorder Myth #26: You Don't Need Anyone

Rewind back to the Friday night before Easter, mid-meltdown while talking to my mom and sister.

My sister told my mom that she wants to support me in my recovery more than anything, but she needs to know that I'm really trying. This was really upsetting to me - she wasn't HERE when I was at the height of restricting. She had no idea how limited my intake really was, and what a big deal it is for me to be eating 2% yogurt instead of fat-free, or heaping avocado on to my sandwiches. Things that normal people would do without a second's hesitation are significant milestones in my journey to recovery.

Read in full here.
elle-dente.blogspot.com

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Raising An Eating Disorder-Free Child

In a recent study published in the Medical Journal of Australia, 101 children aged 5-13 who had been diagnosed with eating disorders were studied. 78% were so severely ill they had to be admitted to hospital. About half required nasogastric tube feeding and one third were given psychotropic medications such as anti-depressants. Only 27% met the diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa while half did not meet the weight criteria (which requires the patient to be less than 85% of their ideal weight for their height). 61% had potentially life-threatening complications such as malnutrition.

The study has shown that the criteria for diagnosing eating disorders in adults should not be applied to young children because they are not being recognised as having eating disorders until they are extremely ill.

The study also found that a quarter of the sufferers were boys.

Read in full here.
melindahutchings.blogspot.com

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How Big Are Those Robes

As you probably know, Supreme Court Justice David Souter has indicated his plans to retire later this spring, and, as it is in the great game of politics, pundits and commentators have been speculating about who will replace him. Names of several really fascinating people have been tossed around (including my boyfriend’s civil procedure professor, Judge Diane Wood), most of whom have been women.

But apparently, too many of them are fat women (h/t David.)

Within hours after the news broke that Souter was resigning, concerns arose that [Elena] Kagan and [Sonia] Sotomayor might be too fat to replace him. A commentator on the site DemConWatch.com noted that of the three most-mentioned candidates “the oldest (federal judge Diane Wood) is the only one who looks healthy,” while Kagan and Sotomayor “are quite overweight. That’s a risk factor that they may not last too long on the court because of their health.”

Read in full here.
happybodies.wordpress.com

* apologies for the multiple postings of this post as I tried to fix a glitch with the blog.
sources linked above

Posting Issues

I'm having difficulties with a post I posted today only showing up occasionally. In an attempt to fix this (with my less than awesome tech abilities), the post about ED / Body Awareness Blogs will appear tomorrow.
Sorry for any inconvenience.
MrsM

Eating Disorders In the News: Recent Articles

It's Time To Mount A Full Offensive Against Eating Disorders

At only 4 years old, I worried that I was fat. Over time, these worries became a life-threatening eating disorder. I was so sick that I turned down an acceptance to medical school after college graduation. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis at 22, and I am one of the lucky ones; I got help.

While my health insurance benefits were slim to none for anorexia and bulimia, my parents helped me to cover the cost of my treatment, which can run in the tens of thousands of dollars. With treatment, I fully recovered and live a normal, happy life today. I did not realize just how lucky I was until I began writing and speaking publicly about recovery — until the e-mails floated into my inbox. As many as 10 million women and 1 million men in the U.S. battle anorexia and bulimia. Millions more struggle with binge-eating disorder. I hear from them daily.I hear stories from people who do not have insurance coverage or the personal resources to pay for appropriate and much-needed treatment. This is an outrage. My friend, Kathy, lost her battle to anorexia last year at age 41. She fought for years to overcome her illness but never received the continuum of quality care that she needed due to the high financial costs that, tragically, cost her life. Without help, many people struggle for years and, if they do survive, they end up with serious long-term health consequences.
Read in full here.

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Anorexia Clinics Needed In Australia

The Auckland District Health Board has traditionally sent girls suffering from anorexia to Australia for acute treatment, but the Furse family are calling for the ADHB to invest in a clinic for New Zealand.

The Furse family has finally been reunited in their Auckland home, after four and a half months of separation.

Millie Furse and her mum, Michelle, have been living in Sydney while the 17-year-old underwent treatment for anorexia.

18-year-old Hannah Furse has been looking after the house as well as caring for 13-year-old younger sister Laura.

Michelle says everyone in the family has had to make sacrifices for Millie’s treatment.

“I've had to go back on a benefit, I'm on a domestic purposes benefit because I haven't been able to work," says Michelle.

"Even now I still can't go back to work at this stage.”

“Hannah also, she's just finished school, and she was going to go to Teacher's College this year but she hasn't been able to - she's had to stay home and look after Laura.”

Read in full here.

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The Art Of Slimming Under Pressure

When it comes to the perfect body obsession, eating disorders become the answer to many.

I am 5 feet 7 inches and 135 pounds. I’d rather have Cheetos than carrots, I can’t eat dinner without dessert and just the thought of going to the gym makes me tired.

I’ll be the first to admit my body looks nothing like the stick-thin glamour girls gleaming on magazine covers, strutting down runways and capturing daily headlines.

Like a lot of people — young, old, female and male — I’ve struggled with my weight and body image all my life. Never skinny or fat, I always seem to fall somewhere in the middle.

Rather than accept the fact I may never fit into a size two, I constantly find myself trying.

I scarf down salads with non-fat dressing when I’d rather have a burger, I order frozen yogurt instead of ice cream and I gasp for breath four times a week as I attempt a twenty-minute jog of death on the treadmill.

No matter how many times I hear “You’re fine just the way you are,” I still find myself standing in the mirror, pinching every ounce of fat I could stand to lose and imagining what I would look like if every bone protruded from my body like those of the sucked-up celebrities on TV.

Am I pointing the finger at the media? Well, if the jeans fit.

The simple fact is we compare ourselves to those considered beautiful.

Read in full here.

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Eating Disorder Sufferers To Get New Scots Unit

SCOTS suffering from eating disorders are to be treated at the country’s first ever dedicated unit. Anorexia and bulimia patients across the country are to be housed at the specialist ward at St John’s Hospital, Livingston under new plans revealed yesterday. Scots sports stars David Coulthard, Chris Boardman and Craig MacLean are among the country’s high-profile sufferers of the sometimes fatal condition, And one mother, who has been campaigning for the new facilities for the past five years, has claimed if the centre existed before her daughter “would be alive today”.

Read in full here.

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New Program To Address Body Image

With so much pressure the media and society to be the perfect size, many college women and men have started bashing their bodies and becoming obsessed with food, weight, and exercise. Many of these behaviors have led to eating disorders.

Dr. Kerry Luke, staff psychologist at the counseling center at UA, has created a program, called Body Acceptance and Self Kindness, designed to prevent the onset of eating disorders and discuss issues surrounding food, weight and body image.

“I created B.A.S.K. because the prevalence for anorexia and bulimia are so high,” said Luke. “This group is important because these disorders are the most lethal when it comes to psychological disorders.”

While the program is relatively new, Luke has an idea of where she wants the program to go. Eight to 10 college students would be picked based on a screening process that would evaluate where they stand in regards to body image. The students selected would then meet on a regular basis to talk about body image, body issues, and ideals of beauty.

Read in full here.

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Are You At Risk For Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis can strike at any age, but it is most common in older women. In fact, 80 percent of Americans with osteoporosis are women. One in every two women over age 50 will break a bone in her lifetime due to osteoporosis. Men fare somewhat better, with one in every four men over age 50 suffering an osteoporosis-related fracture.

The bottom line: Both men and women should take steps to maintain and improve bone health. And there’s no better time than May —National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month — to deliver this message.

The risk factors

A number of factors can increase your risk of bone loss and osteoporosis.

Read in full here.
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Eating Disorder Bill Gets House Committee Hearing

JEFFERSON CITY — Supporters of a bill that would require insurance coverage of eating disorders have accomplished their goal for the session: a committee hearing in both chambers. The House Special Committee on Health Insurance devoted 35 minutes to the bill today, most of which involved emotional testimony from those most affected by eating disorders. John Culp, whose daughter died of an eating disorder last week, invited those opposed to the bill to her funeral. “There is nothing worse in the world than to lose a son or daughter,” he said.

“Put away your damn parties and do something for Missourians,” he said later.

Dr. Kim McCallum, who runs a treatment center for eating disorders in St. Louis, said she’s had many patients who had to leave before they were well. One patient. McCallum said, told her it was like being pulled off a respirator before she could breathe.

And Rebecca Lester, a medical anthropologist who studies eating disorders at Washington University, said this sort of treatment is crucial.

“Relapse is inevitable if the patients don’t get the care they need,” she said.

Brook Balentine, 30, got help for her eating disorder in 2007. She said after two weeks of treatment, her insurance company determined she had reached a healthy weight, and ended treatment. “My mental state regarding this disorder was far from healthy,” she said. Balentine continued treatment anyway.

Read in full here.

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*Apologies to those who subscribe for the glitches in posting today.

sources linked above

SWINE FLU SCAM: FDA Warns Of Fraudulent Online Products

Fraudulent promises of protection against, diagnosis of, and treatment for the 2009 H1N1 (Swine Flu) are being hawked online by those seeking to cash in on peoples fears. The FDA has issued a warning that these products have not been proven effective or safe.

Products that are offered for sale to the public with claims to diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat, or cure infections caused by the H1N1 influenza virus that have not been proven to be safe and effective for these uses must be carefully evaluated. Many of these deceptive products are being sold over the Internet via illegitimate web sites. The operators of these web sites take advantage of the public’s concerns about H1N1 influenza and their desire to protect themselves and their families. These fraudulent products come in all varieties and could include dietary supplements or other food products, or products purporting to be drugs, devices or vaccines. Such fraudulent products will not prevent the transmission of the virus or offer effective treatments against infections caused by the H1N1 influenza virus.

The two antiviral drugs approved by the FDA for treatment and prophylaxis of the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus are Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate) and Relenza (zanamivir). Tamiflu and Relenza, in addition to their approved labeling, have Emergency Use Authorizations that describe specific authorized uses during this public health emergency.

Consumers are urged to report any suspected fraudulent products or criminal activity relating to FDA regulated products associated with H1N1 Flu Virus (Swine Flu), including the names of web sites that may be offering these products for sale, to the FDA by visiting: http://www.fda.gov/oci/flucontact.html

More information can be found here.

Recovery Quote Of The Week: May 4th, 2009

"Do not let your fire got out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration of the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle."
Ayn Rand

*Please see sidebar menu for more Quotes Of The Week and Inspirational Recovery Quotes.

HYDROXYCUT RECALL: FDA Warns Of Serious Health Risks

Reports of liver damage, liver failure, seizures, cardiovascular disorders, muscle damage, and a death have been connected to the use of Hydroxycut Products.

From the US Food and Drug Administration site:

FDA Warns Consumers to Stop Using Hydroxycut Products
Dietary Supplements Linked to One Death; Pose Risk of Liver Injury

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers to immediately stop using Hydroxycut products by Iovate Health Sciences Inc., of Oakville, Ontario and distributed by Iovate Health Sciences USA Inc. of Blasdell, N.Y. Some Hydroxycut products are associated with a number of serious liver injuries. Iovate has agreed to recall Hydroxycut products from the market.

The FDA has received 23 reports of serious health problems ranging from jaundice and elevated liver enzymes, an indicator of potential liver injury, to liver damage requiring liver transplant. One death due to liver failure has been reported to the FDA. Other health problems reported include seizures; cardiovascular disorders; and rhabdomyolysis, a type of muscle damage that can lead to other serious health problems such as kidney failure.

Liver injury, although rare, was reported by patients at the doses of Hydroxycut recommended on the bottle. Symptoms of liver injury include jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes) and brown urine. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, light-colored stools, excessive fatigue, weakness, stomach or abdominal pain, itching, and loss of appetite.

“The FDA urges consumers to discontinue use of Hydroxycut products in order to avoid any undue risk. Adverse events are rare, but exist. Consumers should consult a physician or other health care professional if they are experiencing symptoms possibly associated with these products,” said Linda Katz, M.D., interim chief medical officer of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

Hydroxycut products are dietary supplements that are marketed for weight-loss, as fat burners, as energy-enhancers, as low carb diet aids, and for water loss under the Iovate and MuscleTech brand names. The list of products being recalled by Iovate currently includes:

Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets
Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets
Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix)
Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Liquid Shots
Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed
Hydroxycut 24
Hydroxycut Carb Control
Hydroxycut Natural

Although the FDA has not received reports of serious liver-related adverse reactions for all Hydroxycut products, Iovate has agreed to recall all the products listed above. Hydroxycut Cleanse and Hoodia products are not affected by the recall. Consumers who have any of the products involved in the recall are advised to stop using them and to return them to the place of purchase. The agency has not yet determined which ingredients, dosages, or other health-related factors may be associated with risks related to these Hydroxycut products. The products contain a variety of ingredients and herbal extracts.

Health care professionals and consumers are encouraged to report serious adverse events (side effects) or product quality problems with the use of these products to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online, by regular mail, fax or phone.

–Online: www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm
–Regular Mail: Use FDA postage paid form 3500 found at: www.fda.gov/MedWatch/getforms.htm and mail to MedWatch, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787
–Fax: 800-FDA-0178
–Phone: 800-FDA-1088

The FDA continues to investigate the potential relationship between Hydroxycut dietary supplements and liver injury or other potentially serious side effects.

For more information:

Hydroxycut Products

Dietary Supplements -- Overview

FDA 101: Dietary Supplements

NIH Office of Dietary Supplements

*If you have used any of these products see your physician.
*Please pass this information along to anyone you know who may be using Hydroxycut products.

Self-Worth Quotes: Eating Disorders Recovery

"You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserves your love & affection."
Buddah

"Self-worth comes from one thing ... thinking that you are worthy."
Wayne Dyer

"A person's worth is contingent upon who he is, not upon what he does, or how much he has. The worth of a person, or a thing, or an idea, is in being, not in doing, not in having."
Alice Mary Hilton

"Accept everything about yourself, I mean everything. You are you and that is the beginning and the end, no apologies, no regrets."
Clark Moustakas

"The investments we make in ourselves, will always deliver the most profitable returns."
Sumner Davenport

"The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others."
Dr. Sonya Friedman

"Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself."
Harvey Fienstein

“When you're a beautiful person on the inside, there is nothing in the world that can change that about you. Jealousy is the result of one's lack of self-confidence, self-worth, and self-acceptance. The Lesson: If you can't accept yourself, then certainly no one else will.”
Sasha Azevedo

"It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes."
Sally Field

"When you understand that your self-worth is not determined by your net-worth, then you'll have financial freedom"
Suze Orman

"The greatest success is successful self-acceptance."
Ben Sweet

“Envy is a symptom of lack of appreciation of our own uniqueness and self worth. Each of us has something to give that no one else has.”
Elizabeth O'Connor

"As long as we look outside of Self - with a capital S - to find out who we are, to define ourselves and give us self-worth, we are setting ourselves up to be victims."
Robert Burney

"Every individual has a place to fill in the world, and is important, in some respect, whether he chooses to be so or not."
Nathaniel Hawthorn

“When your self-worth goes up, your net worth goes up with it.”
Mark Victor Hanson

"When it looks like everyone is against you, look inside for the truth."
Sumner Davenport

“The promises of this world are, for the most part, vain phantoms; and to confide in one's self, and become something of worth and value is the best and safest course.”
Michelangelo

"If I am not for myself, who will be?"
Pirke Avoth

"Other people's opinion of you does not have to become your reality."
Les Brown

"Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think."
Benjamin Disraeli

"We never know the worth of water until the well is dry."
Thomas Fuller

"Accept yourself as you are right now; an imperfect, changing, growing and worthy person."
Denis Waitley

“Who I am today is a constant reminder of what I took from my past challenges.”
Godsway Sappor

"Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got."
Janis Joplin

"An individual's self-concept is the core of his personality. It affects every aspect of human behavior: the ability to learn, the capacity to grow and change. A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success in life."
Dr. Joyce Brothers

"There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self. So you have to begin there, not outside, not on other people."
Aldous Huxley

"After a while you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul and you learn that love doesn't mean security and you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts and presents aren't promises you begin to accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes open, with the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child and you learn to build your roads on today because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight after a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much so, you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul instead of waiting for someone else to bring you flowers and you learn you really can endure that you really are strong you really do have worth and you learn and you learn with every good-bye you learn."
Anonymous

More on Self-Worth:
Self-Worth: The Unconditional Love Of Self
Self- Love Quotes
Using Affirmations

*See sidebar menus for more Inspirational Recovery Quotes and Quotes Of The Week

picture source:publicdomainpictures.net

Recovery Quote Of The Week: April 28th, 2009

"Try. Fail. Try again. Fail better."
Samuel Beckett


*See sidebar menus for more Recovery Quotes and Quotes of The Week.

picture source:Freephotos.sa

Eating Disorders And Seasonal Changes: Polls

Do the seasons affect your Eating Disorder in any way? Please take a moment to participate in the 2 polls located in the sidebar (one below the other) and share your experience. Choose all that apply.

*If the polls are lacking answers you feel you'd like to add, please feel free to add them in the comment section of this post.

Thank you.
MrsM


Completed Poll Results:

Do The Seasons Affect Your Eating Disorder? How has the arrival of spring made you feel? (choose all that apply) * please see additional related poll below
votes: 47

Yes, somewhat	12 (25%)
Yes, very much so	18 (38%)
Not that I've noticed	3 (6%)
Not at all	3 (6%)
Sometimes	10 (21%)
For the better	9 (19%)
For the worse	14 (29%)
I feel empowered	3 (6%)
I feel optimistic	9 (19%)
I feel anxious	16 (34%)
I feel renewed	7 (14%)
I feel depressed	15 (31%)
I feel hopeful	12 (25%)
I feel desperate	11 (23%)
I feel stronger	6 (12%)
I feel weaker	11 (23%)
I am bulimic	14 (29%)
anorexic	15 (31%)
compulsive overeater	8 (17%)
EDNOS	13 (27%)
Combination of EDs	14 (29%)

Which Season Makes You Feel Better/Worse? (choose all that apply)
votes: 43

Best in SPRING	17 (39%)
Best in SUMMER	9 (20%)
Best in FALL	12 (27%)
Best in WINTER	9 (20%)
Worse in SPRING	4 (9%)
Worse in SUMMER	20 (46%)
Worse in FALL	6 (13%)
Worse in Winter	15 (34%)

More Poll Results


Picture source:publicdomainpictures.net

Eating Disorders: A Look At What Other Bloggers Are Talking About

"Do It For Yourself": Overcoming Anorexia

Approximately seven million American women and one million American men suffer from an eating disorder. Ninety-five percent of these people are between the ages of 12 and 25. In this guest post, a Carleton woman tells her story and offers some thoughts about an issue that affects so many young men and women.

I am recovering from anorexia. I am writing this post anonymously because, ultimately, this post is not about me. It’s about me sharing a perverse logic that many women buy into in order to feel better about themselves by complying with societal standards.

I was the “nice, but not so pretty” friend. You know, the one guys went to for advice to snag the hot girl. I accepted my lot in life and didn’t think much of it, mostly because I didn’t think much of myself. My dad would tell me I was fat and boys ignored me. However, I lost some weight by cutting out junk food and got a boyfriend in high school, which made it easier to suppress my painful memories. I went to college, put on some weight by eating too many cookies, and I flipped out. I was so ashamed. I was disgusted with myself because I was fat and ugly again. Boys were never interested in me for being a good person, for accepting people as they were without judgment, for my sharp wit. No, that was nothing. My body was the only thing they wanted, and I wouldn’t get attention for being less than perfect.

I counted calories, and it worked. I got down to my normal weight, and I felt pretty again. However, why stop? Maybe, if I were thin enough, someone would put in the effort to get to know me for me, because I would be pretty enough. I saw love and my weight as having an inverse relationship: as weight decreases, love increases. Right?

Read in full here.

happybodies.wordpress.com

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Beating Eating Disorders Even Without A "Cure."

I couldn't help but think about eating disorder recovery when I read this article: Diabetes? Some beat it, but are they cured?

Some people with Type 2 Diabetes are able to control their blood sugar through the euphemistic "lifestyle changes," namely eating "healthier,"* losing weight, and exercising, to the point that they no longer need medication.
:::snip:::
And, though it sounds a little ominous, I think an eating disorder will always be waiting for me to slip. I don't believe recovery is all doom and gloom, but I'd be really stupid to forget that I am and will always be vulnerable to an eating disorder. American culture isn't conducive to eating disorder recovery, either, which only adds to the need to remain vigilant.

Here's the thing: we don't know how many people recover from an eating disorder only to fall back down the rabbit hole decades later. We know relapse is common and recovery can be a long and difficult road. We know that malnutrition is almost always the first step both in the initial descent into an ED and into relapse. We know that normalizing eating habits goes a long way in treating ED thinking. But we don't know about "cures," if there is one, if there will ever be one.

For me to stay healthy, I can't brag about how little sleep I'm getting or how stressed I am. These things make me nutty, which tends to lead to food restriction. Food restriction leads to overexercise and overexercise leads to stress fractures and The Boot. I can't go on a diet and expect a positive outcome. I can't be carefree about food and eating- I need to make sure I'm eating enough of EVERY different food group and that I'm getting enough fats and proteins.

Read in full here.

ed-bites.blogspot.com
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Susan Boyle: A Gift To Us All

A joyous wake up call just blasted stereotypes about women completely out of rigid cultural perceptions. It happened on the Britains Got Talent show. Susan Boyle, the wrong age, shape, size, and in the wrong hair style, makeup, dress and shoes according to cultural dictates of what constitutes desirable women, ploughed into the hearts and minds of everyone who heard her sing her audition piece, “I dreamed a dream,” from Les Miserables.

Away with rubbish!

Her magnificent voice, carrying the depth of human emotion, hit our senses with her first note. Her talent and strength never let up. As she carried through her song I believe we savored each moment both for the beauty she gave and for the cleansing in our minds of judgemental rubbish we’ve been carrying around for decades.

Her performance is moving through the world at the speed of light touching hearts and minds with a glowing light of love and respect for a whole person, a whole woman who doesn’t live by the beauty standards of high fashion models or celebrity film women.

Heart and dedication blast through formidable obstacles

Her heart and soul, her obvious dedication to her music, her blazing talent and miraculous range, brought a magnificent beauty to the attention of the world.

And it’s all the more wonderful because the stereotype and cultural belief has been, till this moment, that women with a certain appearance could never, even remotely have the power to light up humanity with the force of Susan’s heart coming through her incredibly magnificent voice.

The message to women with eating disorders

If you have an eating disorder, I hope with all my heart, that you will heed the cultural message that Susan Boyle brings to us all.

Read in full here.

stopeatingdisorders.com
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A Response: Making A Change

I'd like to respond publicly to another comment I received on my latest video post in the hopes that others out there are pondering the same thing and looking for some encouragement. "Things got better for a few days, and then a week, until I find myself staring at the same question - do I WANT to get better and be more than this? I fight it everyday and some days I give up and give in...other days I'm strong (so to speak) and don't eat at all, I can't allow it. How did you go about making that change? I can't seem to find the middle ground, or even solid ground at this point to stand on. It's either all or nothing, black or white..." The "all or nothing" attitude is something I understand well. I think many of us feel that way. So, at the very least, you're not alone. It is, nevertheless, frustrating. But first things first: if you are writing that paragraph above--if you're bothering to take the time to write to me, to even come here and read my blog--you do in fact WANT to get better and be more than "this." It might not seem like you want it when bad days come around, but bad days only last so long. If you're here, you're at a starting point. Or perhaps a middle point. Or better yet--a breaking point. And you can get past it. But you have to believe you can get past it. You have to take yourself by the shoulders, figuratively speaking, and say, "You can do this and you WILL do this." Nothing can come before that first move. Part of recovery is that every day struggle you speak of. It's a process. It's a journey. It's a tough place. But you're moving. Because you don't sit there, day after day, with the exact same mindset. You question. You falter. You feel. You hurt. You are at a loss. But you're getting somewhere. You're not stagnant and still. Know what I mean? It may actually (and understandably) be more frustrating to let days turn to a week or more of doing well, and then BAM--you suddenly feel you're back where you started. It's a let down. It's annoying. It certainly doesn't make you want to keep going, to try again. I feel ya on that one. You're forgetting one important thing, though: You aren't starting over from scratch. Those steps forward you made are not discounted or negated by the fact that you are now stalled again. If you start at point A and you are trying to get to point B, but you stop halfway there, it doesn't mean you're back at point A, does it? No.

Read in full here.

tearstowords.blogspot.com
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Labs Say You're Fine, Doctor Says You're Sick: What's Going On?

What are parents to do when they're pretty sure their child has an eating disorder yet all lab tests and the usual medical markers of health come back within normal ranges?

This is a situation that Marcia sees a lot, most recently in the case of a young college-aged patient. The student reported that although she knew she had an eating disorder, she was told by her doctor that her labs, weight, blood pressure and heart rate were all fine. The girl and her parents were left baffled and confused.

The same thing happened to Marcia as a young girl of 15 struggling with anorexia. In our book, we relate the story of the time when Marcia's grandmother, who was worried about Marcia's plummeting weight, took her to see their family doctor. He found no cause for alarm, despite the fact that Marcia was five-foot-six inches and 100 pounds. "He recommended that I put olive oil in my dry and brittle hair," recalls Marcia, "when he should have told me to add the olive oil to my food."

Even though doctors are far more educated today about the hazards of eating disorders than they were when Marcia was a teen (an extreme case like hers would most likely be noticed by even an obtuse doctor now), eating disorders are still often missed. Patient and family are eager to accept this poor but reassuring advice; after all they don't really want to admit that there is a problem. The professional in the white lab coat is giving them permission to look the other way, and it's just too convenient sometimes.

The reason this scenario -- normal lab results despite clear-cut anorexia – occurs so often­ is that the body works very hard and very effectively to compensate for starvation. The ups and downs of human evolution have ensured that the body is well-adapted to surviving famine. Usually labs will stay normal until the patient is in very serious medical trouble, and then things go downhill so fast families have no time to process what is happening.

Read in full here.

www.eatingdisordersblogs.com
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Born Anorexic?

For a long time the only acceptable narrative for this illness was about thinness and victimization. But I note a growing number of former and even some current patients who not only accept but endorse the idea that an eating disorder is a brain condition, a genetic predisposition and not a personal choice or weakness. They report feeling relieved and helped by this knowledge instead of demeaned.

Read in full here.

eatingwithyouranorexic.blogspot.com



sources linked above.

A Letter To My Body: ED Poetry And Writings

A Letter To My Body

Dear Body,

I can find nothing about you

to celebrate
besides my children
and it hurts.
Your betrayal haunts me,
and all of the rage that I feel
is taken out on you.
My silent hunger screams
inside of your skin,
but no matter how empty,
the heavy weight of you
will not let go.
You only remind me to feel ashamed.
Touched and taken with such hate
that I find it hard to love you,
and for that, I am truly sorry.
You have nothing to apologize for.
You should not have to ask
for permission to exist.
I'm still learning to let you
take up the space that you deserve.
The fullness and discomfort that I feel
makes me want to crawl out from under you,
but I will try to stay until...
you become a part of me.

By: Angela Minard

*See sidebar menu for more ED poetry and writings

*Click here to have your Eating Disorders/Body Image poetry/writings featured on Weighing The Facts


Read more about Angela Minard: Conversations With Claudia, The Voice Of An Eating Disorder

Be sure to visit Angela Minard's blog: Here and Now ~*~ 4 Angel "Poetry and thoughts on my journey toward healing and unlocking the silence within. Words are magic. Words have the power to heal, so find your voice, and fly!"


picture source:deviantart.com

Recovery Quote Of The Week: April 19th, 2009

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way~ things I had no words for."
Georgia O'Keeffe

See also:
The Use Of Art Therapy In The Treatment Of Eating Disorders

Eating Disorders And Art Therapy

*See sidebar for more Inspirational Recovery Quotes and Quotes Of The Week.

Email Difficulties: Did You Send Mail?

I had a mailbox full of emails that were all accidentally deleted. I did manage to see some important subjects and requests before they disappeared. If you have emailed me over the last month or so (I have had limited access to the internet) and have not gotten a response from me I'd like to apologize and ask if you'd please contact me again. I can be reached at Mrsmenopausal@yahoo.com.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Thanks!
MrsM.

Eating Disorders: In The News

'Normal' Educates and Entertains

Normal" is a musical that tackles the weighty and relevant subject of eating disorders and how one young girl's struggle affects her entire family.

Artistic Director Chase Kniffen writes in his program notes that "Normal" not only deserves a place in Stage 1's inaugural season, but that it was, in fact, the reason he wanted to create a new theatrical venue in central Virginia dedicated to new and recent works by American playwrights - especially musicals.

"Normal" fits the bill. The play, written by Yvonne Adrian with lyrics by Cheryl Stern, opened off Broadway in 2005 and has apparently not been professionally produced elsewhere since.

Anorexia is not a common topic for a play, much less a musical, but Kniffen and the cast of seven provide an open, in-depth and intimate view of the subject as well as the dynamics of the Freeman family as mother, father, daughter and son struggle to come to terms with the layers of dissonance that would drive a young girl to starve herself to be pretty "to the bone."

With strong voices and solid acting by veterans Ford Flannagan (the dad, Robert) and Julie Fulcher (the mom, Gayla), Dave Amadee's authentically touching portrayal of the concerned brother, Zachary, and Ali Thibodeau's debut in the heart-wrenching role of Polly, the show has a lot to offer. Angela Shipley, Debra Wagoner and Terri Moore round out the cast as a sort of Greek chorus in white, filling in the many roles of doctor, nurse, therapist, flight attendants and the like.

Read in full here.
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Hospital Funding Dispute Depriving Malnourished Children In South

A dispute between the Health Ministry and Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva is delaying the establishment of a clinic to treat eating disorders among children. The patients, who are under-weight, under-nourished, and require intensive medical treatment, have been forced to travel to the center of the country for treatment.

Following the publication of a report in Haaretz a year and a half ago highlighting the lack of these services in the north and south of the country, the Labor, Welfare and Health Committee of the Knesset convened and directed the Health Ministry to develop a plan to provide hospital and out-patient facilities for the outlying population.

The Health Ministry's chief psychiatrist, Yaakov Polkovich, developed a plan to provide hospital facilities for these children in Haifa and Safed in the north, as well as in the south. But no budget has been allocated to make the facilities available in the south.

Polkovich told Haaretz that eight hospital beds for children with eating disorders were planned for Soroka Medical Center, in addition to out-patient facilities for another eight children. He said the Be'er Sheva hospital opposed the plan because it was seeking Health Ministry funding of about NIS 6 million instead for a separate building at the hospital at which these services would be provided. Polkovich said the dispute is ultimately over funding the project.

According to Health Ministry statistics, there are about 70,000 young Israelis, including many adolescents, who are malnourished due to anorexia and bulimia. In recent years, eating disorders have also been noted among young Bedouin residents of the south, who also have to seek treatment in the country's center. The Health Ministry has generally refused to fund travel expenses for these patients and their parents.

The Clalit health maintenance organization, which operates Soroka, indicated it is looking to the Health Ministry for funds. A spokesman for Soroka added "in order to provide comprehensive treatment to children with eating disorders, we are prepared to build a special unit with ten hospital beds and eight out-patient beds. We therefore need full funding for construction, equipment and ongoing operation of the facility. The Health Ministry has proposed providing partial funding which would not provide for the ongoing operation of the building."

Read in full here.
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KU Conducts New Research On Anorexia Nervosa

Researchers at the University of Karachi (KU) Department of Biochemistry have discovered that the appetite of patients suffering from anorexia nervosa could be increased by administering an amino acid called Triptophan into the body.

Anorexia nervosa is a disorder that decreases appetite and the will to eat. Dr Darkhshan J. Haleem, senior professor at the department, along with her PhD student Tafheem Malik, found out that starvation for long periods decreases the production of serotonin in the brain. The administration of the amino acid Triptophan alleviates the levels of serotonin, thus inducing hunger in the patient.

Both Malik and Dr Haleem will travel to Chicago to attend the 24th International Symposium on Cerebral Blood Flow, Metabolism and Function being held from June 29 to July 3.

“Anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric illness that describes an eating disorder characterised by extremely low body weight and body image distortion, with an obsessive fear of gaining weight,” explained Dr Naeem Siddiqui, a psychiatrist working with the Aga Khan University and the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplant.

According to him, individuals who have anorexia are known to control body weight by voluntary starvation, purging, excessive exercise or other weight control measures such as diet pills or diuretic drugs. The disorder is a complex condition involving neurobiological, psychological, and sociological components, and can ultimately lead to death. While the condition primarily affects adolescent females, approximately 10 per cent of people diagnosed with it are male.

While the diagnosis of anorexia can be aided through biological tests, the diagnosis is based on a combination of behaviour, physical characteristics, reported beliefs and experiences of the patient. Anorexia is typically diagnosed by a clinical psychologist, psychiatrist or other suitably qualified clinician. Notably, diagnostic criteria are intended to assist clinicians, and are not representative of what an individual sufferer feels or experiences while living with the illness.

Read in full here.
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Was I Born Anorexic?

Just the other morning, my therapist and I agreed that pretty much everything wrong with me can be traced, in one way or another, back to my parents. This revelation, which has cost my insurance company thousands of dollars, is hardly groundbreaking. Long before the first neurotic was chained to an asylum’s basement wall, we have known that our parents ruin our lives. It has taken the miracle of modern genetic science, however, to discover that this is not totally their fault.

As a small child, I remember telling my mother that when I grew up I wanted to weigh 110 pounds.

According to a new and seemingly conclusive neuropsychological study, anorexia is the latest on the list of the various genetic maladies we can inherit from our parents. The researchers conducted neuropsychological testing on over 200 girls and young women being treated in hospitals for anorexia in the U.S., the U.K., and Norway. The results showed that 70 percent of the patients had suffered damage to their neurotransmitters, had undergone subtle changes in the structures of their brains, or both. They also found that these conditions occurred in the womb and were not due to external or environmental factors.

This news is of special interest to me. For a period of roughly three years, between the ages of 18 and 21, I suffered from a relatively serious case of anorexia. I know this revelation may be difficult to believe if you’ve ever seen me in a buffet situation (or if you have eyes), but I assure you the period is well documented in my medical and psychiatric records.

Read in full here.

sources linked above.

Recovery Quote Of The Week: April 11th 2009

"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience."
Ralf Waldo Emerson

See sidebar for additional recovery quotes.

Eating Disorders: Art Therapy Poll

Have you tried art therapy to help you in your recovery or are you considering giving it a try? Was it/is it a useful tool or was it not something you found helpful? Please take a moment and share you experience by participating in the poll in the sidebar.

Would you like to have your ED Art and/or your experience with it featured here, on Weighing The Facts? If so please email me at mrsmenopausal@yahoo.com.

Thank you for participating.

Completed Poll Results:

Have You Used Art Therapy To Aid Your Recovery?
(choose all that apply)
Votes: 57

Yes, in therapy	20 (35%)
Yes, on my own	20 (35%)
It's helped me	26 (45%)
I didn't like it	7 (12%)
I do it regularly	8 (14%)
No, never	10 (17%)
Don't want to try it	4 (7%)
Know someone it helps	6 (10%)
Others' art helps me	9 (15%)
Love it	14 (24%)
I doodle in my journal	22 (38%)
Thinking about trying it	3 (5%)
I find it triggering	6 (10%)
Uninterested	2 (3%)
Yes, recently	14 (24%)
Yes, a long time ago	10 (17%)

*See more poll results here.

See also:
The Use Of Art Therapy In The Treatment Of Eating Disorders
Eating Disorders And Art Therapy
Relapse Prevention: Eating Disorder Recovery