What is the cause of Anorexia?
Anorexia is an eating disorder that exhibits characteristics of fears of becoming fat and low body weight. The disorder is connected to a condition that is physical in nature even though its causes are related to an individual’s emotions (Hall & Ostroff, 2010).
A personal feeling of being worthless commonly causes anorexia. An individual with low self-esteem always feels valueless. This occurs despite the accomplishments that the individual may have achieved in life. Such a person does not appreciate the way he looks. This feeling of being a failure makes the person feel rejected and feels that the society is pressuring him. As a result, the anorexic individual will always be working extra hard to be perfect (Taylor, 2009).
Another important cause of the disorder is the presence of stressful occurrences in life. An individual who works under pressure is usually stressed and may be nervous. These conditions may have an effect on the person’s schedule and the individual may stop doing some noteworthy activities that promote healthy living. In the case of Anorexia, an individual may entirely stop eating or adopt unhealthy eating schedules (Treasure, 1997).
Lastly, Anorexia is caused by the cultural influence of the society where the individual is residing. Some societies highly regard extreme thinness as the base for beauty. The current society has pushed both men and women to starve or even use expensive products that are unhealthy but cuts weight within a few days. People are using these products so that their bodies can be perfect (Hall & Ostroff, 2010)
What are the potential effects of the disorder/disease in nutritional terms?
Anorexia can cause many physical changes in a person’s body. Most changes are associated with loss of weight while some are complications attributed to purging. Weight loss leads to changes in body metabolism, which results to a decrease in the following:
i. Heart rate
ii. Blood pressure
iii. Breathing rate
iv. Body temperature
Other significant physical symptoms attributed to the disease include:
i. Thinning and hair drying up
ii. Dry skin
iii. Reduced sleep and Restlessness
iv. The palms of the hands and soles of the feet turn yellowish
What does it cause the body to be robbed of and why is it important that it be replaced?
Anorexia robs the body the essential nutrients. With the lack of eating, the body is left with low levels of nutrients. This makes the body to stop producing the required amounts of estrogen. The menstrual cycle ceases when the body lacks estrogen. This condition is commonly referred to as amenorrhea, and it causes poor bone density in the body (Treasure, 1997). The disorder also causes a deficiency in calcium, weight loss, growth hormones are reduced, and in men, there will be inadequate testosterone amounts. If the nutrients are not replaced, the body will experience massive bone loss. Replacing the nutrients will help the individual to:
Restore Weight: It is necessary for an individual to restore his body back to normal and retain his healthy weight. This can be accomplished by addressing Anorexia, which will help and encourage people to appreciate how they feel and realize that regular eating habits are vital.
How does that nutrient assist the body?
These nutrients assist the body in producing the required amounts of estrogen. The menstrual cycle ceases when the body lacks estrogen. Lack of these nutrients also causes a deficiency in calcium, weight loss, growth hormones that are reduced. In men, there will be inadequate testosterone amounts. These nutrients are responsible for helping the body to build bones.
The physiology of anorexia
Anorexia and heart problems
Anorexia is normally connected to problems of the heart. It is shown that girls suffering from anorexia after doing the cardiac exercise stress test, more than half of the girls had significant cardiac abnormalities. There were no other signs to indicate the heart problems. Three of the girls had irregular heartbeats and electrocardiogram changes that were potentially life threatening. Revelations of heart abnormalities in people with anorexia are not a new phenomenon. The vital part of the study is the discovering that most of these problems only become apparent during exercise tests (Hall & Ostroff, 2010).
The test revealed that Bradycardia was the most common form of cardiac abnormality found to be prevalent in the girls. Bradycardia is an abnormal cardiac condition characterized by an extremely slow heart rate. It is surprising that most of the girls thought that they were physically fit and their slow heart rate rather than a malnutrition sign. However, when the girls were provided with the right information regarding their heart problems, they did not make any efforts to change their behavior. In fact, majority of them were eager to resume their usual exercising (Taylor, 2009).
References
Hall, L. & Ostroff, M. (2010). Anorexia Nervosa: A Guide to Recovery. New York: Palgrave
Macmillan.
Taylor, L., H. (2009). Biting Anorexia: A Firsthand Account of an Internal War. Stamford, CT:
Cengage Learning.
Treasure, J. (1997). Anorexia Nervosa: A Survival Guide for Families, Friends, and Sufferers.
Michigan: Taylor & Francis Publishers
