Why do so many peoples struggle with weight loss? Food is supposed to be good for us. Nourish us. Fuel our bodies to work the way they’re supposed to. But food has also become our tempters, lovers and at times, even enemies. We live in a world where perfection is held in often unnatural esteem. We spend millions in pursuit of weight loss, striving for Marvel Hero bodies. There are social media filters galore putting out images few can truly attain. Our cultural obsession with thinness gives rise to all or nothing thinking. Which has given rise to what can only be considered an epidemic of eating disorders. At least 30 million people of all ages and genders are affected by an eating disorder of some type. In every case, it’s a world of secret suffering seeking even the smallest amount of weight loss.
ANOREXIA; A HATE AFFAIR WITH FOOD
You see someone who seems to be all skin and bones and think; “anorexia”. You’re probably right. The term “anorexia” is derived from two Greek words, usually translated as “without appetite” — but that is something of a misnomer. Patients do not lose their appetite; they struggle to subdue it. Anorexics tend to unfavorably compare themselves to others, label every food as fattening, and catastrophize about weight gain. If they gain a pound, it’s the end of the world and nobody will like them. As a result, they starve themselves and to the point that they put their lives at risk. In the most severe cases, patients develop life-threatening complications, such as cardiac arrhythmias, kidney failure, and liver failure…all for what? Weight loss?
BULIMIA; PURGING GOOD SENSE
Another food obsession; but unlike anorexia, bulimics tend to binge on large amounts of rich, calorie laden foods and then engage in behaviors to purge this food from their body. These behaviors can include self-induced vomiting or misuse of over the counter laxatives. Side effects of bulimia may include an inflamed and sore throat, swollen salivary glands, worn tooth enamel, tooth decay, acid reflux, irritation of the gut, severe dehydration, even strokes or heart attacks.