Mariam Scudamore | Personal coaching for Weight loss and Fitness training

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:: NUTRITIONAL COUNSELLING AND EATING DISORDERS ::

We are what we eat. We are what we think and feel. And our Physical health illustrates the connection between our mind and body.

We need to understand our emotional connection to food and how we may over-eat or starve ourselves when under emotional and psychological ‘stress’. Such symptoms are often an expression of deep underlying unmet needs, which are difficult and painful to recognise and acknowledge directly.

Negative emotions such as anger, anxiety, frustration, guilt and shame can build up slowly or can arise quite suddenly or even without warning. These emotions are complex and may lead to variety of ways in which food maybe misused. e.g. to suppress our memories and express anger or to console oneself (comfort eating).

Specialised counselling can help us to highlight the connection between food and emotion and how these issues can be a cause of further pain and disturbance in our relationship with ourselves, others, and how this might have caused in ‘binge’ eating, compulsive eating, starvation, or being on an “on -and – off” diet (yo-yo dieting).

For all eating disorders, preoccupation with food, weight and appearance can mask greater psychological problems. Psychological theories suggest that people with eating disorders use food and their bodies as a means of control over themselves and possibly others.

Eating disorders in the form of Bulimia and Anorexia have the highest mortality rates of any psychological disease. The roots of eating disorders are complex and multifactorial, with the roots often linked to peer group and media pressure, self esteem, family dynamics, stress, a sense of a loss of control, sexual abuse, and other sources.

:: BULIMIA NERVOSA ::

is a disorder in which there are frequent episodes of binge eating (large amount in a rapid fashion) followed by purging of that food. Purging involves the use of laxatives, and vomiting.
The person is usually very secretive about this behaviour.

Some of the symptoms:
uncontrollable eating (binging); laxative and /or diuretic abuse; using bathroom after meals; losing or gaining extreme amount of weight; obsessive preoccupation with body weight; mood swings, strict dieting followed by binges; depression; irregular menstrual periods; dental problems; sore throat and weakness; obesity; feeling out of control; strong denial that there is any problem; excuse making.

:: ANOREXIA NERVOSA ::

a disorder in which there is intensive preoccupation with weight and thinness, food and dieting, Anorexics fear fat. This preoccupation with fear leads to excessive weight loss.

SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS: loss of a significant amount of weight for no medical reason; fear of weight gain; loss of menstrual period; preoccupation with food and calories; hair loss; cold hands, fainting; compulsive exercising; lying (mostly about food); depression and anxiety; strong denial that there is a problem; or excuse making.

SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS OF BINGE DISORDERS: Eating when not hungry; very frequent dieting; feeling of being out of control; depression; shame, antisocial behaviour; obesity.

:: WHAT NOT TO DO ::

Sometimes even the best intentions can make suspected eating problems worse. Common mistakes include trying to help the individual by monitoring their food intake, having them weigh- in frequently, advising them of nutrition information, or telling them that they look fine.
While nutrition information, weighing practice, and careful comments about weight are important in the general prevention of pathological eating, once the problem exists, theses measures are futile. When a problem is suspected, it’s best to avoid stop gap measures.
Instead, the individual is best being referred to a professional for assessment as soon as possible.

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