Anorexia
Anorexia nervosa is the obsession of being thin to the extent that it becomes dangerous to the health. It most frequently is seen in teenage girls, though it also appears in boys, as well as adult men and women. People with the disease are terrified of gaining weight. Even though they may be little more than a skeleton, they see themselves as fat. Some think it also is a way of controlling one's life.
Symptoms
Some symptoms you may notice in a person with anorexia is an unusual thinness, they use extreme measures to lose weight like throwing up meals they just ate, taking pills to urinate or have bowel movements, diet pills, over exercising, and not eating. They may have a distorted body image. They may think they are fat when in fact they are very thin, they may wear baggy clothes to hide their appearance, they may fear gaining weight or be obsessed with weighing themselves throughout the day. They may act differently, like talking about weight or food constantly, they may not eat in front of others, they may be moody or depressed, and they may not socialize with others.
Medical symptoms of anorexia include a weight loss of 15% or greater below their expected body weight; an inappropriate use of enemas, laxatives or diuretics; hidden self-imposed food intake restrictions; an absence of menstruation; skeletal muscle atrophy; loss of fatty tissue; low blood pressure; cavities in the teeth caused by self-induced vomiting; blotchy or yellow skin; depression; and denial that they have an eating disorder.
Causes
The underlying cause of anorexia is unknown, but there are several things that seem to contribute to the disease. It may be somewhat genetic or hormonal. There are certainly some cultural causes as well, since some cultures, like in the United States, women define themselves by beauty, and currently society equates thinness with beauty. Some contribution to this disease may come from feelings of self worth, as well as stress or life changes. It may also contribute to the disorder if a family member also suffers from a similar eating disorder.
Cautions
People suffering from this extreme eating disorder need to be treated as soon as possible. In extreme cases anorexics have starved themselves to death. Medical and psychological treatment is important in anorexia recovery.
Herbal Treatments
Herbal remedies for anorexia centres on stimulating the appetite. Refer also to our article entitled loss of appetite.
Internal Applications
- Garlic – this herb stimulates the appetite. Preparing soup with garlic in it in quantity may be helpful. Alternatively, boil a few cloves of garlic in a cup of water and add some lime juice. Drink this mixture twice a day for a week.
- Ginger – make a paste of fresh ginger and then add a pinch of salt and just a drop of lime juice to ½ teaspoon of the paste. Eat twice a day for a week to increase the appetite.
- Fruit – eating two or three oranges and an apple every day will increase the digestive juices in the stomach and encourage the appetite.
- Vegetables – eating fresh salad that consists of cabbage, beets, carrots and other nutritious vegetables will help get the digestive system jumpstarted again.
Aromatherapy for Anorexia
Commonly used essential oils to stimulate the appetite include:
- Bergamot
- Chamomile
- Grapefruit
- Lavender
- Lemon
- Peppermint
- Ylang – Ylang
These can be blended to use in massage, bath, burner or compress. Suggested blends include:
- Bergamot 3 drops, Lemon 4 drops, Peppermint 3 drops
- Chamomile 3 drops, Lavender 3 drops, Peppermint 3 drops.