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Bulimia Medical Complications March 5, 2009

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Get bulimia treatment information today by calling 1-800-445-1900 now for immediate assistance.

When a person engages in Bulimia, they binge on huge quantities of food, then purge the food from their bodies. Both of these activities are extremely hard on the human body, since it was never meant to consume that volume of food or experience such a high level of self-induced vomiting. What’s more, laxative abuse often occurs. If these behaviors are practiced over a long period of time, certain medical complications will probably result. These include:

Injury to the esophagus.

Repeated vomiting causes Acid and bile from the stomach to irritate and inflame the lining of the esophagus causing a condition known as esophagitis. This is sometimes severe enough to cause scarring and narrowing. In fact, this passageway may become so narrow that food may no longer be able to pass through. Vomiting can also cause tears in the lining of the esophagus. These tears may bleed a great deal or cause the esophagus to actually rupture. This life-threatening condition requires immediate surgery.

Injury to the stomach.

Binge eating and frequent vomiting commonly causes gastritis, an inflammation of the stomach lining.

Injury to the intestines.

Laxative abuse is harmful in several ways: it upsets the body’s mineral balance; it leads to dehydration; it damages the lining of the digestive tract; and it burns out the colon. This damage to the muscle and nerves often causes severe constipation.

Lung damage.

Self-induced vomiting often leads to aspiration of food particles, gastric acid, and bacteria from the stomach into the lungs. This can result in pneumonia.

Severe Kidney and heart complications.

Fasting, vomiting and other forms of purging result in loss of fluid and crucial minerals from the body. Chronic dehydration and low potassium levels can lead to kidney stones and even kidney failure. Frequent vomiting leads to high alkali levels in the blood and body tissues. This may cause weakness, constipation and fatigue. Severe alkalosis and potassium deficiency can lead to an uneven heart rate or sudden death.

Injury to the skin and teeth.

Most over-the-counter laxatives contain phenolphthalein, which may cause sores and brown or gray spots on the skin. Chronic vomiting increases the acidity of the mouth and results in erosion of the teeth’s’ enamel and dentin.

If you or someone you know is struggling with Bulimia, please call Remuda Programs at 1-800-445-1900.

For more information about Bulimia Medical Complication , please go to http://againstanorexia.blogr.com/stories/2008-12-19-Remuda-Ranch-Bulimia-treatment-center/

Anorexia is Bad for the Brain November 20, 2008

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Medical Complications of Anorexia Nervosa

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The medical impact of anorexia is huge and includes:

Amenorrhea – Loss of Menstrual Cycle

This occurs in nearly all women with anorexia. The body simply shuts down its reproductive capacity because it is finding it difficult to sustain one life, let alone, two. Although a woman’s ability to bare children usually returns once sufficient weight is gained, that is not always the case. Anorexia, if engaged in long enough or at a critical time during adolescence, can contribute to infertility.

Anemia

Without sufficient nutrition, the blood is affected and anemia results. Fortunately, this condition is only temporary; blood health returns once food is reintroduced.

Dry Skin and Hair Loss

Dehydration causes the skin to drastically dry out and become flaky. The woman’s scalp, starved for protein and nutrients, often becomes bald or patchy. Paradoxically, extremely fine hair growth often occurs on other parts of the torso; this is an attempt by the body to keep itself warm.

Feeling Cold

Without protective fat stores to keep them warm, those with anorexia are usually cold. In fact, their body temperature is rarely at a healthy 98 degrees; it’s typically a couple of degrees less that normal.

Slowness of Thought/Brain Shrinkage

Although retardation of thought is temporary, due to lack of fuel to keep the brain functioning well, actual brain shrinkage, due to prolonged starvation, is not. Studies show a drop in actual IQ, which does not always return once the woman gets well.

Osteopenia/Osteoporosis

These degenerative bone conditions result from lack of calcium and other dietary deficiencies. Most bone loss is permanent, leaving even young women at severe risk of bone fractures and spinal curvature.

Heart Rhythm Abnormalities, Heart Attacks

Electrolyte abnormalities often trigger arrhythmias in the heart. This is a significant indication that the heart is undergoing stress. When a body is starving, it starts attacking its own muscle tissue in an effort to stay alive. The heart is a muscle and is not immune to this attack. In the case of extreme starvation, the heart simply stops.

If you, or someone you know, suffers from anorexia or bulimia then please seek treatment.

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Eating Disorders and Drugs are very Similar November 20, 2008

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Eating Disorder Relapse Prevention

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We know it is possible to experience complete recovery from an eating disorder because we have seen it again and again. However, with that said, we also recognize it’s not unusual for a woman or girl to have multiple slips during the process. A “slip” is a return to unhealthy behaviors that does not last more than a few hours or days. A relapse, on the other hand, is a return to eating disorder behaviors that places the person back where they were prior to entering recovery—where many eating disorder behaviors are being practiced day after day. No one wants a relapse to occur; no one wants to go back to square one. This is why relapse prevention is so important.

Support is key when entering into any recovery process. For those recovering from an eating disorder, three types of support are essential: family, peer and professional. Family support is quite important, especially if the recovering individual is still living with the family. Because eating disorders are complex, family-embedded, and often extremely difficult to understand, family therapy can often help. In terms of friends, peer support must be “recovery friendly.” The third type of support – professional – is often the most important of all. At the very least, an individual should have an outpatient therapist and a dietician for support, guidance, and accountability. In addition, if on medication, a psychiatrist should also be part of the team.

Anyone entering recovery must identify their eating disorder triggers. These are the situations and experiences that provoked the eating disorder in the first place. Triggers are highly individualized, meaning that what might trigger one woman may not affect another. It is important not only to identify these triggers, but also to decide in advance with one’s treatment team how to deal with each of them using effective coping methods.

Recovery from any addiction is not easy, and an eating disorder is no different. But it can be done. Remember… plan your life around your recovery, not your recovery around your life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I Needed Help for Eating Disorders November 20, 2008

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Treatment for Anorexia

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In the United States, eating disorders are far more than prevalent – they’re epidemic. Today, 10 million women and girls have eating disorders and up to one million of them will die from the disorder. That’s right: DIE. These diseases are not confined to a certain segment of society or age group. Anorexia and bulimia cross all racial, ethnic, cultural and religious lines and are now being diagnosed in children as young as six.

Anorexia, perhaps the most devastating of these diseases, is characterized by self-starvation. People suffering from this disorder literally starve themselves to a state of severe emaciation, and even, death. This disease impacts every facet of a person’s life; indeed, a woman can become so ill that she is unable to work or care for her family.

Professional care is usually required to break the compulsive behaviors and addiction. Outpatient therapy is usually the first approach to treatment. A patient can often make substantial progress with the support of a good therapist, especially one who specializes in treating eating disorders.

For the best possible outcome, a medical doctor and nutritionist or registered dietician should also be part of the team. For approximately 70% of eating disorder patients, this treatment will prove effective. However, for the other 30%, inpatient treatment at a residential center is often recommended.

Lasting recovery is the goal for every single patient. Toward that end, Remuda Ranch utilizes every cutting-edge therapy and innovative treatment approach. In addition to individual and group therapy, patients engage in experiential therapies such as art, body image, equine and challenge course.

A key and critical component of treatment is family involvement. Remuda Ranch wants family members to experience healing through growth, understanding and change. This is accomplished not only through therapeutic phone calls, but during an intensive Family Week, which occurs half-way through treatment.

Remember, anorexia is an extremely serious disease. Therefore, if you have a friend or family member who may be struggling with anorexia, please get help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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