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All About Anorexia - By: Scott Meyers, Posted on: 2007-06-07

In today's fashion-conscious culture impossible standards of beauty are pressured upon everyone.

This pressure comes from sexual innuendo used to sell goods and services. By projecting impossible images for one to model their body after, companies can more accurately market to people who feel that they have a problem with the way that their body looks as compared to others.

Many feel such pressure to maintain a perfect body that they develop eating disorders. One of the most commonly occurring eating disorders is known as anorexia nervosa, and in this article, we'll discuss the disorder in-depth in order to help you to understand it and so that you'll be able to see when someone you know is exhibiting warning signs.

Anorexia is a disease. Those with anorexia starve themselves in order to lose weight. It's a mental disorder that most often occurs in adolescents, who feel added pressure to fit into the 'norms' of society, which are unachievable. A common aspect of those who are anorexic includes a body weight that is less than eighty-five percent of what it should be for a healthy individual. Sufferers may resort to many different methods in order to lose weight, including over-exercising, the use of laxatives to decrease the calories that their body takes in, and extreme dieting, sometimes coupled with the use of weight-loss supplements. Those who are afflicted with anorexia are never satisfied with the state of their body, and even those who are stick-thin may still feel fat.

Are you concerned that you may have anorexia? Here are the warning signs: A drastic weight loss is a prime signal. You may decline a meal when in a public setting, to lead friends and family to believe that you simply aren't hungry. Girls who suffer from anorexia will experience a loss of their menstrual period, and when it occurs for at least three months in a row, anorexia is generally the cause. You may also exhibit signs of weakness such as anxiety, weakness of the body, and shortness of breath.

Anorexia can have a drastic effect on your health. Those who are afflicted often experience an amount of bone loss and mineral loss. You may exhibit lowered body temperature. An irregular heartbeat can develop from your body's lack of nutrition. Growth may permanently cease after a period of time, and osteoporosis may occur.

Anorexia is relatively common: with one out of a hundred teenage girls in America has or will develop anorexia. Ten percent of these girls will die due to the disease's effects on the body, clearly illustrating the damage that it can do. Those with anorexia require a high level of support to kick this disease. You may want to suggest your friend or family member who may be afflicted with the problem to discuss it with an eating disorder therapist. Doctors and counselors can be of great assistance when it comes to conquering anorexia.

Article Source: http://www.girlarticles.com

Scott Meyers is a staff writer for Its Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Eating Disorders.