Parish Nurse Notes:
February Health Awareness: Eating Disorders
There are many societal, familial and individual factors that can influence the development of an eating disorder.
Individuals who are struggling with their identity and self-image can be at risk, as are those who have experienced
a traumatic event. Even the way one has been raised can lead to an eating disorder. An eating disorder usually
signals that the person is having difficulties that they are unable to face or resolve. People with
eating disorders often describe a feeling of powerlessness. By manipulating their eating, they
then blunt their emotions or get a false sense of control in their lives. In this way, an eating
disorder develops out of a method of coping with the world. Of course this does not solve the
problems that the person is experiencing. If the way you eat and think about food interferes with
your life and keeps you from enjoying life, then that is disordered eating. Take it seriously and
talk to someone who can help. You do not need to wait for a diagnosis by a doctor.
Some examples of clinical eating disorders are:
- Anorexia nervosa
- When you lose a lot of weight because you are hardly eating anything, and
perhaps over-exercising. You may be far too thin to support your health. You can be so thin that
you see bones, but you still perceive yourself as “fat.”
- Bulimia nervosa
- When you binge and purge. You alternate between out of control eating and, in an
effort to get rid of the calories, fasting, self-induced vomiting, abusing laxatives, or exercising too much.
Your weight may “yo-yo,” or go up and down a lot.
- Binge-eating disorder (BED)
- When you eat so much you're uncomfortable, eat to comfort
yourself, eat in secret, or keep eating as part of a meal or between meals. You feel a lot of shame
or guilt about your eating. Binge eating is also called compulsive eating.
- Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (ED-NOS)
- Individuals who experience a mix of
the above, but who do not fall neatly into one of the medical categories
Tips:
- Encourage positive body image and healthy attitudes towards food in yourself and those around you.
- Criticize the culture that promotes unhealthy body image
— do not criticize yourself.
- Encourage children to question, evaluate and respond to the messages that promote unhealthy body image.
- Do not encourage or laugh at jokes that make fun of a person’s size or body shape.
- Avoid labeling food as “bad,” or “junk food.” Instead use labels like “sometimes food” and “everyday food.”
- Get rid of your diet! Spend your money on something real
— something that matters!
- Get rid of your scale! Instead, listen to your body. Living a healthy lifestyle inspires others
- Tell the media what you think - they do listen. Tell advertisers how much you appreciate positive ads.
Families:
- Model a healthy lifestyle. Balance work and leisure time. When others see you eating well and being physically
active in a normal, ongoing way, without preaching or over-emphasis, they will accept these behaviours as normal.
- Teach a child that self worth is not related to their physical appearance. Instead, emphasize their talents and qualities.
- Model and teach ways to deal with stress and conflict: e.g., deep breathing, progressive relaxation exercises, a
solitary walk, quiet time alone, listening to or playing music. Let your child choose an exercise they enjoy or prefer.
- Do not ignore overheard negative comments about physical appearance, including size, shape, cultural dress or
race. Use them as teachable moments without shaming anyone.
- Give children healthy choices, and teach them to make informed decisions about what they eat. Involve them in
planning meals, shopping and cooking. Emphasize the positive aspects of healthy eating
— not the negatives.
- Do not use food as a reward or punishment. This message shows that food leads to love and acceptance, which
may encourage children to seek out food for comfort or self-punishment.
- Make your family meals a peaceful time for enjoying food and talking with each other. Save arguments, TV
shows, telephone calls and difficult decisions for another time.
Thought for the day: Enjoy your family time with children, parents, siblings, grandchildren, grandparents, aunts,
uncles, cousins and all those you consider family
— time is too precious not to make the most of each moment!!
Carol – Parish Nurse – 291-2586
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