What is it in your mind when you hearing the word of anorexia? There are many interpretations shown this behavior as a negative thing but there is also a positive thing. The negative thing we often hear from various information that anorexia behavior can trigger various diseases that can cause death. However, there are also positive things such as avoiding obesity which can also create various diseases.
But how to become anorexic in healthy ways? In this article, I will talk about a middle path between the positive and negative into a healthy line. However, before we go further, I think it’s a good idea if we know what the anorexia meaning is, the symptoms and how to treat this eating disorder.
Anorexia nervosa is a mental health problem in which people are obsessed with having a lean body and very afraid if they look fat. Because of the fear, they even always consider his/her body is still less thin or still fat even though the reality is not like that.
At the Age of 16-17 years is the age that is considered vulnerable to the appearance of this disorder. The majority of people with anorexia come from young women and adult women.
To keep their bodies as thin as possible, anorexics will try hard to limit the portion of food as minimum as possible. Usually, they will be using drugs (such as laxatives and appetite suppressants), and another effort like excessive exercise.
Some of them will even try to regurgitate the food that has been consumed, a characteristic of eating disorders called bulimia nervosa. However, if the bulimia sufferers on average have normal weight or more. Meanwhile, people with anorexia have less weight.
People with anorexia nervosa and other psychological problems can be identified from the following symptoms:
- Significant weight loss and looking very skinny.
- Always pay attention to the shape of the body in front of the mirror.
- Weigh the body almost every time.
- Often regurgitate the already eaten food.
- Likes to lie if asked if they have eaten or not.
- It takes into account the number of calories, fat, and sugar in the diet.
- Often exercising excessively.
- Using laxatives and appetite suppressants.
- Easily offended
- Having health problems as a result of anorexia itself, such as fatigue, dehydration, low blood pressure, dizziness, hair loss, and dry skin.
Anorexia may also be associated with other psychiatric problems such as depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, alcohol abuse, and bad behavior to itself.
Causes of anorexia nervosa
The exact cause of anorexia nervosa remains unclear. Most specialists believe that the disorder comes from a mix of factors, such as psychological, environmental, and genetic or biological factors.
Diagnosis of anorexia nervosa
In general, anorexia nervosa disorders can be recognized from the physical sufferers who appear very thin. But doctors still have to ask their diet to make sure the shortness is due to eating disorders and not by other diseases.
In addition, the doctor may also perform examinations on hair, skin, blood pressure, lung and heart conditions. Even X-rays and blood tests will be done if needed.
Support anorexics to get help
There is a small percentage of anorexia nervosa sufferers who do not realize that they are suffering from the condition, but most of them know but they do not want to seek treatment for fear until finally, they hide this problem for a very long time. It is therefore important for us as outsiders to recognize this condition whenever a family or friend experiences it.
If you have a family or friends with anorexia, do a subtle approach and persuade them to seek medical help. Persuading anorexia for treatment is not easy. Usually, they will assume that what they have done is the right thing and will refuse to admit that they are actually in trouble.
That’s why patience and continuous support play a very important role in the recovery of anorexia sufferers. Never criticize or make them feel depressed because it will only worsen the situation. Convey that your persuasion and support are solely for fear of their health.
Overview of anorexia treatment
Anorexia nervosa should be treated as early as possible so that the chances of recovery are greater. The goal of anorexia treatment is to change their view of healthy weight and improve their diet.
Most cases of anorexia are treated with outpatient and a handful of other cases, like the cases of people with severe anorexia, are treated with hospital care. In addition, to sensitize people who live their lifestyle is wrong, this handling is aimed so that they can obtain ideal body weight back safely.
Matters that include the treatment of anorexia include psychological therapy and suggestions related to food and nutrition. In order for the treatment to be performed properly, the physician must adapt to the physical, psychological, and social conditions of the anorexic person.
Treatment of anorexia cannot be done instantly. To fully recover, it can take several years. While undergoing treatment is not impossible for anorexic patients to relapse and return to an unhealthy diet.
Possible complications
Anorexia can lead to other serious health problems if they are not treated successfully for long periods of time. Some of the complications of anorexia nervosa are:
- Hair loss
- Irregular heartbeat
- Decreased blood pressure and respiratory rate
- Heart failure
- Brain damage
- Irregular menstruation
- Anemia
- Kidney failure
- Infertility
- Electrolyte fluid imbalance
- Osteoporosis
- Constipation
- Death due to malnutrition or suicide
Prevention of anorexia nervosa
Anorexia nervosa cannot be prevented completely. However, through early education by the parent to children in the family, it will have a major impact to reduce the risk of this condition when they have become a teenager or an adult. Education in question is to teach and apply a healthy diet explicitly. In addition, children also need to be taught the right insight of the ideal body shape.
How to become anorexic in healthy ways?
After the long explanation I described above about the dangers of anorexia nervosa, yet you still want to be anorexia. Here are some healthy diet tips you can do to reduce the adverse effects of anorexia.
- Set a target
Set realistic targets before you start and applying a natural diet. You should know the ideal body weight and height ratio based on research. Do not be obsessed with losing weight quickly in a week. One kilogram a week is enough. Also set small targets such as, not eating junk food, not eating fast food, and consumption of other unhealthy foods.
- Drink plenty of mineral water
Mineral water is essential for the body. Mineral water helps the body’s metabolism, improves kidney performance, removes toxins in the body, makes skin look soft and bright, and helps improve brain performance.
In addition to these benefits, mineral water can lose weight. Before eating drink at least one glass of mineral water, so the portion of the meal will be reduced.
- Exercises regularly
One of the activities to do when losing weight is exercise. Perform regular exercise to burn fat in the body so that it can lose weight. An effective exercise for weight loss is jogging, walking, aerobic exercise, or other sports.
If you do not have much time then try walking from home to office if the distance is not too far away. However, if the distance is far, then park your car about 2-3 kilometers to your office, the rest you can walk. Do not use the elevator because by climbing the stairs can burn fat in the body quickly.
- Consumption of Pistachio Nuts
Probably not everyone has heard of pistachio nuts. These beans typically grow in dry regions such as Turkmenistan, Western Azerbaijan, and Iran. Pistachio nuts are relatively more expensive than other types of beans. The protein content in pistachio nuts is the best source of very-low-calorie protein. So, if you have extra money there is no harm in trying this food as a healthy for anorexics.
- Consume fiber-rich foods
Foods that contain lots of fiber are peas, avocados, bananas, papaya, broccoli, cabbage, pear, corn, and brown rice.
Benefits of fiber-rich foods include:
- Helps detoxification process in the body
- Helps to lose weight
- Lowers high cholesterol
- Cleaning the digestive tract
- Protects the body from colon diseases
- Avoid fatty deposits in blood vessels
- Controlling blood sugar
- Slowing down the absorption of glucose
- Avoid eating more than 6 PM
Breakfast would require a much larger portion of our energy intake during the day, as well as lunch. Lunch portion should be less than breakfast. As well as dinner, since the activity is over, you do not need to eat any heavier foods. Cooked rice or carbohydrate-rich foods can be replaced with an apple. Or if it is going to dinner, do not immediately fall asleep after eating.
- Changing Ordinary Carbohydrates with Complex Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are a source of energy and sugar for the body so that the body requires sufficient carbohydrate intake. Usually, carbohydrates obtained from rice, noodles, and others. Apparently, these kinds of foods are difficult to be absorbed by the body so that accumulate into fat if someone rarely exercises.
Therefore, replace ordinary carbohydrates with complex carbohydrates such as wheat, brown rice, beans, cereals, and others because those kinds of foods are more easily absorbed by the body into the energy needed by the body.
- Choose Processed Foods with Certain Ways
It would be better if you eat foods that are processed by steaming or boiling instead of fried foods. Steamed or boiled foods have more nutrients than fried foods. Moreover, fried foods usually contain saturated fat and high calories.
- Avoid foods with high sugar content
Avoid eating foods with high sugar content. Read the nutrition table that exists on any food packaging you will eat or drink.
Eating foods containing excess sugar has many risks such as diabetes, high cholesterol, addiction of eating sweet, obesity, cavities and other diseases. Avoid too soda drinks because in soda drinks contain very high sugar.
- Eating foods that are able to burn fat in the body
Here are some types of foods that are effective to burn fat in the body quickly and this is how the natural diet without exercise:
Berry Fruits: There are several types of berries that are effective for weight loss are blueberry, raspberry, and strawberry. All types of berries are low in calories and contain flavonoids. So, it is suitable for consumption of diet programs. In addition, this fruit also contains antioxidants that can counteract free radicals.
Eggs: Eggs are one type of food that is rich in protein and low in calories so many health practitioners recommend to consume eggs when dieting.
Yogurt: Yogurt is one of the health foods rich in vitamins and low in fat. If you consume yogurt regularly every day, then it is able to reduce fat levels in the stomach as much as 81%.
Green tea: Drinks consumed by the majority of people are tea, but an effective type of tea to lose weight is green tea or oolong tea. Green tea can increase the metabolism process in the body, so that burning fat in the body faster. So, if you want to lose weight quickly, then consume green tea regularly every day to get maximum results.
- Drink lime juice in the morning
Lime has many positive benefits for health. By drinking lime juice with a glass of warm water during your diet, it’s able to help you lose weight faster.
Lime is rich in vitamin C will work to absorb calcium in fat cells, so the weight will be reduced.
- Change the mindset
Change your mindset about lean skinny is the best. Instead, throw away thoughts like this from your mind. Be confident with your current body weight. Your healthy diet program will always fail if you have a bad mindset about your weight. The ideal proportion of body weight and height should be according to health experts, not by your own version.
A natural and healthy diet is not necessarily strict, self-torture, especially if it causes illness like a severe anorexia sufferer. But it still takes a high commitment to lose weight regularly and have long-term effects. Love yourself, getting the ideal weight does not have to torture yourself. A healthy and natural way is much better than getting diseases and ultimately death.
Hopefully, the tips on how to become anorexic in healthy ways will be beneficial for you. Thank you for reading this long article. 🙂
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