Simply called anorexia — is an eating disorder.

People with anorexia place a high value on controlling their weight and shape!

Anorexia nervosa involves compulsive dieting and exercise to reduce weight, leading to dangerous weight loss.

Bulimia nervosa is characterized by binge eating followed by purging.

• These individuals believe that they are fat and have disaffection from body image and try to be perfectionist.
• They have a distorted perception of weight and aim to have an abnormally low body weight, with an intense fear of gaining weight.
• It’s an extremely unhealthy and sometimes life-threatening way to try to cope with emotional problems.
• They severely restrict the amount of food they eat.
• They may also try to lose weight by exercising excessively.
• The person continues to feel fat even when emaciated.
• It effects most often teenage girls and young women although boys or men can also suffer from it usually from the middle and upper socioeconomic classes.
• It is thought that the current societies emphasis on slimness as a mark of feminine attractiveness that contributes greatly to such disorders!
• Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents.

Physical signs and symptoms of anorexia may include:

• Extremely thin appearance.
• Not making expected development in weight gain
• Weakness, fatigue, and lack of energy.
• Low blood pressure or feel dizzy, sometimes fainting with an inability to tolerate cold.
• Skin looks yellow, pale and dry.
• The hair may become thin, breaks easily or fall out and the nails may get dry or brittle.
• Sleeplessness – insomnia, concentration difficulties.
• Constipation, abdomen pain, stomach cramps.
• Discoloured / eroded teeth, tooth decay from induced vomiting
• Muscles weakness and low immunity.
• Abnormal blood counts
• Bluish discoloration of the fingers
• Soft, downy hair covering the body
• Absence of menstruation in females
• Irregular heart rhythms
• Low blood pressure and sugar levels
• Dehydration
• Swelling of arms or legs
• Slower respiratory rate
• Dryness of mouth

Emotional and behavioural symptoms

• Severely restricting food intake through dieting or fasting
• Exercising excessively
• Bingeing and self-induced vomiting to get rid of food.
• Mis-using laxatives, diuretic or herbal supplements.
• Preoccupation with food that is cooking meals for others but not eating them
• Frequently skipping meals or refusing to eat
• Denial of hunger or making excuses for not eating
• Eating only foods those low in fat and calories
• Spitting food out after chewing
• Not wanting to eat in public
• Lying about food has been eaten
• Fear of gaining weight.
• Repeated weighing or measuring the body
• Frequent checking in the mirror for perceived flaws
• Covering up in layers of clothing
• Flat mood or lack of emotions
• They feel fat even when they are underweight or feel as if some body parts are too fat.
• They may lack emotion, have depressed mood, withdraws from social activities and tend to have low libido that is decrease of interest in sex.
• Low self-esteem.

Causes of anorexia nervosa

An effective holistic approach is to identify and treat the causative factors!

The exact reason behind anorexia nervosa is not known yet.

Some possible causes may include:

• Family history
• A chemical called serotonin produced in the brain is suggested to play a role in it.
• Major stressful events in life like relationship breakup, death of a family member, unemployment, change of job / school, some major family problems etc.
• History of being bullied or teased about body weight.
• Physical, sexual or emotional abuse
• People having certain personality traits and emotions like sensitive to criticism regarding them, prone to anxiety, depression and difficulty in handling stress.
• Society and peer pressure to look thin.
• People having OCD – obsessive compulsive disorder are at risk.
• Puberty – Teens are at more risk due to hormonal changes at this age their body is going through.
• Changes in certain hormones which control the mood, appetite, hunger or thinking.
• The disease is mainly encountered in the western world and is more common among in certain professions, such as models and ballet dancers.
• History of slight overweight.

Further Complications of anorexia if left unaddressed

• Severe malnutrition, anaemia
• Severe dehydration
• Impaired bowel movements
• Thyroid dysfunction
• Impaired heart functions
• Loss of bone mass – osteoporosis, increased risk of bones weakening and fractures.
• Recurrent infections
• Swelling or bloating of body parts
• Loss of muscle mass, electrolyte imbalance like sodium, potassium and calcium.
• Hormonal problems that is may impair levels of growth hormones or low testosterone in males
• Gastric troubles like constipation, bloating
• The patients may have suicidal thoughts or indulge in self-harming activities or attempts to suicide attempts.

With the right treatment, you can gain a better sense to healthier eating habits and reverse some of anorexia’s serious complications.

Proposed Treatments for Eating Disorders

Make sure to avoid any ingredient you are allergic to – discussed in this article!

Zinc supplements may help people with anorexia to gain weight and better mood change.

Some of the key symptoms of zinc deficiency include weight loss, appetite loss, and behaviour changes.

5 HTP: People who engage in binge eating may have a different response to changes in serotonin levels, as when levels of the brain chemical serotonin rise, hunger decreases.

Supplements such as St John’s wort and 5 HTP may help raise serotonin levels.

Mint is a natural appetizer.

Consume mint juice to help increase your hunger with a marked changes in your eating habits, and you will feel more of a craving for food. For additional benefits, you may add lemon juice too.

Top Essential oils for anorexia or keeping your mind calm and relaxed.

Aromatherapy is the use of plants extracts for healing.

Always dilute in a base oil like olive oil etc. and apply externally!

Some of the top Relaxing and calming essential oils include:

Lavender, Fennel, Peppermint, Chamomile, Rosemary, Clary Sage, Bergamot, Niaouli and Sandalwood etc.

A truly relaxing massage oil.

Helps with aching muscles but is particularly good against stress and nervous tension.

A good blend will also help all round relaxation and promotes restful sleep.

Ideal if used in times of emotional stress.

Homeopathic approach for anorexic patients.

Homeopathy is one of the safest holistic system of medicines – that offers a unique, personalised treatment and has the potential to reverse a medical disorder.

Ideally, a homeopathic treatment should go hand-in-hand with conventional treatment for optimal recovery.

Consult a qualified homeopath for a proper assessment and take tailor-made remedies as per your causative factors, modalities and peculiar signs and symptoms etc.

Here are Top 6 suggested homeopathic remedies for anorexia.

Ferrum Metallicum – appetite diminished or lost, great aversion to food. Best adapted to young and weak persons who are anaemic.

Lycopodium –A tendency to become very apprehensive, weepy and cannot bear to be contradicted.  Any slight amount of appetite disappears on eating first mouthful of food, especially cold food.

Nat Mur – It is especially suited to persons who have excessive weight loss and look thin, particularly in the neck area. They are over sensitive, tend to have depressed moods and tend to withdraw socially. Their skin is dry and their limbs remain cold.

Ars Album – For Anxious Personalities or those with obsessive compulsive disorders, with fixed ideas and have a nature of complaining about things to people near them.

Alfalfa – To Improve Appetite where a person has aversion to all kinds of food. It also helps to promote weight gain when a person is very thin.

Kali Phos – For People who are sensitive, irritable, overstressed people having a lot of stress in their lives. They feel very weak and tired all the time.

Prevention and helpful tips to avoid further deterioration.

Management of anorexia nervosa

• Increase social activities
• Have proper schedule for eating
• Reduce over exercises
• Behavioural, group and family therapies can also be beneficial.
• Set affirmations as your small phrases can become your stronger tools and help re-program your mindset e.g., I am beautiful as it is, or I am stronger than my eating habits, or I deserve happiness etc
• Take time for yourself. Activities that you enjoy can help encourage more positive feelings. Self-care activities, like yoga or meditation, can also help calm your mind.

For your particular health problem(s), or to change your medications it is strongly suggested to avoid self-medication and consult your GP / health provider or Mind & Body Holistic Health Clinic.

You may also book your one-to-one consultation with one of our practitioners for your tailor-made remedies as per your causative factors, peculiar signs & symptoms etc.  

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