Eating Disorders – Is My Body In Danger?
Written by: Cassandra Wiley, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
During one-on-one consultations, I have encountered individuals with eating disorders. They come seeking help to lose weight and get a start on eating healthier. You may be wondering how one with an eating disorder can be overweight. There are two eating disorders. Individuals with bulimia usually are of average weight or are overweight. They binge-eat and force themselves to purge. Other signs may include the use of laxatives or enemas after eating and fasting. Individuals with anorexia nervosa are abnormally underweight with negative body perception.
The purpose of a one-on-one consultation is to see if health coaching is a good fit for the potential client. When the client has a history of an eating disorder, there are other factors to consider. Of course, if the person is dramatically underweight, there would not be a need for health coaching. I would refer them to their primary medical doctor or a mental health practitioner. The individuals that came to me for help were overweight. I could help them get to a healthy weight; however, I see why they relapsed.
1. Triggers. What caused a relapse of episodes to occur after a period?
2. Self-esteem. How does the client view their body image? Do they have a fear of gaining weight?
3. Physical health. According to Mayo Clinic, the physical signs of bulimia are impaired teeth and gums, swelling in the hands, feet, face, and cheeks, or sores or scars on the knuckles or hands. This behavior can result in internal damage to the heart, kidneys, and digestive system.
4. Mental health. A person's mental health is affected by self-image, expectations from society, relationships, family, or other issues such as job stress.
5. Boredom. Idleness is a culprit for negative behaviors. When there is nothing to do but sit around the house, there may be a tendency to increase eating because you are bored.
6. Extreme exercising. The recommendation for exercise is 3-5 times a week for 30 minutes. After binge eating, the person may feel the urge to burn calories to avoid gaining weight.
7. Fasting. Some people use intermittent fasting as an option to lose weight; however, for a bulimic, this can trigger binge-eating.
When a potential client comes for help with weight loss, the goal is to do it healthily. The use of diet pills, laxatives, and starving yourself is not ideal for maintaining optimal health. Before you consider health coaching, make sure that you talk to your primary care provider first. The first step will be blood tests and a physical exam. A mental health practitioner can recommend behavior therapy or psychotherapy. If you have symptoms, the goal is always to treat the root cause before moving forward.
Do you want to make lifestyle changes? Find out if health coaching is right for you. Visit my website here.
Cassandra Wiley, Executive Contributor, Brainz Magazine
Cassandra Wiley is a health coach and founder of Have Faith and Live Well with Chasadah LLC. She focuses primarily on chronic illnesses such as pre-diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity. Her mission is to empower individuals to lose weight and teach a new healthier approach to food so that they can live better lives. She was successful in reversing her pre-diabetes and high cholesterol diagnoses naturally. The weight loss was an added benefit. She has helped clients change their diets and “have faith” in themselves in order to meet their health and wellness goals.
