When it comes to the current epidemic of eating disorders the blame is often laid firmly at the door of the media and the current burst of skinny starlets. We are constantly being bombarded with tales of astounding weight loss and stunned by the scary skin and bone appearance of the current pack of media favorites. It has suddenly become acceptable to look as if someone stole the key to your kitchen door and threw it away. However, whilst the tabloids are enjoying a feeding frenzy covering the topic of eating disorders in Hollywood, many young girls and women are being programmed to believe that being super thin is totally acceptable and, worse, even healthy ! And this is where the trouble begins. Birthed in by the media, the ‘religion of thin’ begins to take hold in the mind and, with the assistance of under nutrition, begins to grow out of control. What starts as a simple desire to shed a few pounds can easily turn into a full blown eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia.
THE STARVING MIND
When you starve the body, you deprive the brain of the fuel it needs to function at optimal levels and this is what makes eating disorders so difficult to overcome. What starts as a physical desire becomes a mental illness, an addiction, a compulsion and, like all these emotional disturbances, becomes very difficult to overcome. It’s as if your brain is suddenly run by a completely new set of software and the old - healthy - programs have been deleted forever. Can you ever return to normal functioning ?
Yes, but it takes hard work, dedication and a true desire to get well. It also takes an understanding of the role nutrition and intelligent supplementation take on your journey back to health.
THE IMPORTANCE OF NUTRITION
When it comes to our emotions and behavior, few people truly appreciate the role nutrition plays in governing our moods. Nutrient deficiency and imbalances can seriously alter brain chemistry and cause emotional distress. Emotional triggers are rarely set off by random events, they are a direct result of biochemical reactions caused by micro(or macro) nutrient deficiencies. Once you understand this and begin to correct these deficiencies with proper nutrition you are well on your way to full recovery.
For example, skipping meals can lead to abnormal blood sugar levels which in turn can lead to depression, addictive behavior patterns and even Attention Deficit Disorder. Adopting regular eating habits, staying away from refined carbohydrates (e.g.. white bread, pasta, cakes, candy) and eating wholegrains, fruits and vegetables (which help stabilize blood sugar) is not only healthy for your body but essential to the normal functioning of your brain and maintenance of your energy levels.
Certain nutritional supplements can also assist with keeping blood sugar in check and they are :
- Chromium : 100-400mcg/day
- Alpha-lipoic acid : 200 - 300mg/day
- Fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) : 5 -10g/day
- Glucomannan : 3-6g/day
Following a diet and supplementation program such as this has often resulted in a return of emotional and physical balance in people who have tried just about every other approach.
In addition to blood sugar balance, it is important to pay attention to serotonin levels. Often known as the ‘feel good’ chemical, setotonin deficiency is often the root cause of such things as depression, anxiety and compulsive behavior. Supplementing the diet with 5HTP (a derivative of tryptophan) has been shown to raise seratonin levels and is well worth adding to your nutritional program when you are seeking to rekindle emotional balance.
THE OMEGA 3 CONNECTION
When cutting calories the first macro-nutrient to be hit by the axe is often FAT. After all, if you are trying to lose fat the last thing you want to do is eat the stuff, right ?
Wrong, the reason being that not all fats are bad fats. In fact some fats are critically important when it comes to normal brain function. Omega -3 fats are important when it comes to maintaining normal mood chemistry. Brain cell membranes require an adequate amount of omega -3 fats in order to function correctly. Taking a fish oil supplement (high in omega-3’s) has been proven to assist in reducing the mood swings, depression, anxiety and aggression which all too often accompany strict dieting.
BRING HARMONY AND BALANCE BACK INTO YOUR LIFE
Once you have a better understanding of the role a good diet with the intelligent use of food supplements has on your emotional state, the next step on the road to recovery is to take the time to really get to know yourself. When is the last time you took time out and devoted it to self discovery?
Creating a desert island for yourself and isolating yourself from the demands of urban living can do wonders for your state of mind. Eating disorders don’t just happen, they are a direct result of a build up of emotional triggers created by your environment and the company you keep. These triggers can begin as far back as childhood when a traumatic event or something projected on you by a parent, friend or relative can lay the seeds for the later growth of such things as perfectionism, approval seeking, self sabotage and general discontent.
Learning new ways to cope with stress and depression by taking the time to look deeper within yourself can be both physically and emotionally healing. Spending time with people who are supportive of you and staying away from those who seek to keep you locked in your old patterns is also invaluable. It is often the case that some people actively encourage us to stay chained to our old behavior patterns for fear that if we break free of our emotional bondage we may also decide to break free of them (causing them to in turn take a closer look at themselves and their own behaviors and motivations). Your job is not to accuse those people of sabotaging your efforts, your job is just to gracefully detach yourself from their influence.
ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR HEALING PROCESS
The road to recovery from any form of harmful compulsive behavior pattern is not easy, but it is possible. The first step is, of course, identifying that you do in fact have a problem. The next step is to identify the route cause of the problem. Ask yourself how your disorder may actually be providing you with some reward that you may not even have considered before - you may dismiss this suggestion at first but stop and really think about it. Then take a close look at your diet. Go back to the beginning of this article and honestly evaluate your nutrient status, then make the necessary adjustments and corrections. Look at your road to recovery as a journey of personal discovery, one which will find you arriving at your destination stronger than ever before, more self assured and with a greater vision of what the future holds for the new healthy, happy you !
LEIGH PENMAN |
