Anorexia complications vary in degree and in severity. Anorexia in its most fatal complication can lead to death. This can come as a surprise to many because anorexia can lead to death even if the sufferer is not the least underweight. Anorexia complications can lead to other illnesses as well. Anorexia does not only lead to so much physical suffering on the part of the individual, but his or her mental health may also suffer as well. Not to mention the great deal of stress and pressure this can bring to the anorexic.

If someone has been suffering anorexia for a long time, it can lead to severe anorexia complications and health problems that can leave a permanent scar to an individual�s overall well being such as damaged bones. Individuals with anorexia are prone to great risks of poor circulation and cardiovascular problems, poor heart conditions such as�coronary heart disease and irregular heartbeat or otherwise known as arrhythmia.

There are instances that anorexia can lead to another eating disorder known as . This involves an individual binge eating, then immediately forces themselves to vomit either though self induced gagging or by way of diuretics and laxatives.

Other anorexia complications are imbalance of minerals in the blood such as potassium, calcium and sodium. These minerals play an important role in keeping our body healthy. One common anorexia complication under this is low levels of potassium or also known as hypokalaemia. This can cause weakness, tiredness, dehydration, and kidney damage.

Low levels of calcium can cause muscles to contract painfully, this is also known as spasms. The lack of calcium and vitamin D can cause damage to our bones, and the lack of sodium can cause individuals to become confused.

Anorexia complications can include low blood pressure�or hypotension, low blood sugar or hypoglycaemia , anaemia, dental problems such as tooth decay�due to the constant vomiting since the stomach acids have a unwanted effect on tooth enamel. There is also renal failure, liver damage, heart failure, osteoporosis�and loss of muscle strength which is more common in females, loss of sex drive or libido and impotency�in men.

These anorexia complications are too numerous to be taken for granted. If someone you know is showing signs of any of these, coupled with their obsession in remaining thin, then you may be faced with an anorexic individual who may need your help and support.

Anorexia nervosa is classified as an eating disorder closely tied to psychological illness. In fact, anorexia affects no less than 70 million people worldwide thereby contributing to protein-energy malnutrition prevalence according to the World Health Organization. In the U. S. alone, the National Institute of Mental Health reported that this eating disorder has a prevalence of 5.6 % per decade topping all other illnesses among women. This disorder begins with a person’s low self-esteem and unhealthy image of one’s body. Anorexia has physical symptoms that can be easily spotted such as pale skin color, brittle or falling hair, discolored nails, very thin figure, and possibly swollen arms or legs. People afflicted with anorexia wear layers of clothing to hide their frail figure and to prevent feeling cold. Excessive loss of weight reduces amount of fat in the body which serves as insulation against cold weather. Moreover, anorexic people are always feeling tired due to lack of sleep and proper nourishment. Anorexic people often go through periods of starvation which can lead to serious complications. The body loses potassium and sodium during fasting which causes it to become weak. Moreover, low levels of potassium can bring about irregular heartbeats and even cardiac arrest.

Socially, people with anorexia dislike other people who are overweight or obese. They think that these people are not disciplined since they cannot manage their body weight. On the contrary, people with anorexia have obsessive-compulsive drives that make them pursue excessive exercise and fasting just to fit into their own distorted concept of a healthy body. Students suffering from anorexia find it difficult to focus on their studies since their brain is deprived of sleep and nourishment. Anorexia information can be gathered through medical books and are often categorized as eating disorder. In addition to this, anorexia information is abundant online since there are many counselors who specialize in this type of eating disorders. Websites of good clinics and hospitals also present a segment of their site on eating disorder topics which discusses symptoms, risks, causes, complications, treatment, recovery and coping. There are also alternative medicine approaches in treating anorexia. It is also possible to read about anorexia on government sites about health since these websites comprehensively discuss the illnesses or diseases experienced by the general population. As mentioned, anorexia nervosa has gained progress as a disorder worldwide. Nonetheless, anorexia information can be easily accessed by the general public.

People who have suffered from anorexia recovery would have to undergo a long process of recovery. Anorexia nervosa is not a simple eating disorder since it is also linked to psychological conditioning towards eating. In the first place, anorexic people have established beliefs that their body image should be the standard which is unfounded since there are many types of body built or body types.

Most individuals inherit their built from ancestors while anorexic people perceive models as the perfect body. This is the reason why they go through great lengths to lose body weight – excessive exercise, starvation, choosing “low calorie and non-fatty food”, avoiding activities that may involve eating or dining, and other unhealthy activities. Anorexia recovery is a long road since it all begins with a healthy belief and acceptance of one’s body. Before bad eating habits can be corrected, there is a need to correct attitude. A healthy self-image put things in order and corrects bad habits. A counselor on eating disorders can assist in building self-esteem by accepting one’s self. It is important that anorexic stops unhealthy thoughts such as “I am not thin enough or I am not perfect”. Truth is, one key to recovery is to understand that there is no such thing as a perfect body. Media just edits the glamorous magazine covers so models look flawless but behind the limelight are imperfections. Anorexic people can begin recovery by realizing that they have subjected their body through starvation that can lead to health complications.

The first step is to meet with a health professional that can provide steps to recovery. Anorexia recovery has two approaches: psychological and physical. While the mind is being conditioned to unlearn bad habits, the body must take small steps that would correct the side effects. It is also possible to begin with healthy eating habits such as hydrating with water, choosing fruits and vegetables, consuming carbohydrates and unsaturated fat through dairy products. When the body is nourished, thinking is also improved since it can concentrate. Also, recovery entails the support of loved ones or friends. An anorexic can be depressed as a side effect so people who care must show support to a recovering anorexic. Words of encouragement and advice on loving one’s self can be of great help. As what eating disorder specialists say, recovery from anorexia is not impossible especially if the person is committed.

A person with anorexia nervosa would definitely need to seek treatment since this ailment is an eating disorder that is also related to psychological issues. Young people with anorexia should be given prompt medical treatment since complications may arise from this simple but threatening disorder. A more dangerous side of this ailment is that side effects are usually long-lasting or even irreversible.Usually, anorexic people have false perceptions of their body weight and body image. Despite the fact that they are already underweight and thin, they would still pursue an exercise program to lose more weight.

This results to over-exhaustion thereby causing lethargy and drowsiness. An anorexic may also have low blood pressure since he/she is not getting enough sleep. The body needs enough nourishment but since an anorexic subjects himself to long periods of starvation, the body is in a state of shock. A person with anorexia cannot focus on a task, becomes disoriented and even lose sleep. Students with anorexia find it hard to concentrate on studying since their mind cannot concentrate due to lack of sleep and hunger. A person can discreetly hide anorexia nervosa but the side effects are long-lasting.

First, it impedes healthy physical development among young people. Even adult women who are anorexic miss out their monthly period since the body is not healthy enough to function normally. When an anorexic person has brittle yellowish nails it exhibits kidney problems brought about by dehydration. Loss of sodium and potassium can bring complications such as irregular heartbeat and cardiac arrest. Even physical image deteriorates among anorexics due to falling hair, pale skin, discolored nails, and possible swelling on the arms and legs. They can try to hide the side effects by wearing layered clothing and also to keep the cold out due to fat loss. Aside from physical side-effects, anorexia nervosa can also lead to psychological problems. Anorexic people often misjudge those others who are overweight or obese. They begin to dislike friends who do not share their twisted perception on body image. Most often they regard fat people as lazy and undisciplined in their ways which makes anorexic people show obsessive compulsive. Socialization is reduced to among a few friends who sympathize with their cause. In cases where an anorexic cannot socialize since friends are noticing the symptoms of the disorder, the person may fall into depression which also needs psychological treatment that makes anorexia complicated.

The National Institute of Mental Health in the U.S. consider eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating as a sub-category of mental disorder. The main reason for this is that eating disorders are mainly psychological since those who experience the aforementioned disorders began with a wrong perception of body image. In fact, anorexia nervosa has a high prevalence rate as an eating disorder. When we say prevalence, it means the total number of cases in the population. Prevalence could also mean scope or extent of a disease in a give n population over a set period. Annually, health departments in every country often report the prevalence rate of diseases on annual basis. The prevalence rate is important for medical professionals since they can analyze if a certain disease has been contained or it has progressed into alarming proportions. Even health insurers also need statistical information about diseases.

The following are the statistical reports on anorexia ( as reported by NIMH):

In the U.S., 6 percent of the adult population has a high probability of suffering from anorexia which is relatively three times higher than the rate for other eating disorders such as bulimia and binge eating.

Women have twice the number of chance in developing an eating disorder. This maybe brought about by wrong perception of body image and low self-esteem. The media bombards the television and print ads with svelte bodies of models which most women think as the benchmark of a healthy body. Prevalence of anorexia among adolescent girls is 1% as of 2009.

Anorexia nervosa can also result to complications such as low potassium and sodium leading to dehydration, irregular heartbeat and cardiac arrest. Women with anorexia become anemic and low-blood which is dangerous. Estimate for mortality rate for anorexia is 0.56 percent a year. This translates to an alarming figure since its sums up to 5.6 percent per decade.

On a worldwide basis, anorexia is also increasing since it in one of the leading causes of protein malnutrition according to a report by World Health Organization. The sad fact about anorexia is that malnutrition is not caused by poverty but by deliberate choice to starve one’s self. This resulted to no less than 70 million people worldwide affected by anorexia nervosa. While it is completely understandable that malnutrition is prevalent in poor countries, it is ironic that developed countries have malnutrition that is rooted on unhealthy self-image.

People are often conscious of their body image especially in this era when wellness and a healthy lifestyle is a concern. Fitness centers, spas, dance clubs and diets are popular since men and women alike search for various ways to be physically fit. Having a lean body is an indication of a discipline and good eating habits. Unfortunately, many young women go into extreme by being so conscious of their body. The media projects the body of models as the benchmark for all people which is unreasonable since people have inherited body types. The wrong attitude towards controlling weight can lead to an eating disorder known as anorexia nervosa.

Anorexia nervosa is classified as an eating disorder that results to unhealthy compulsions such as excessive exercising and dieting. Episodes of self-starvation are undergone by a person with anorexia nervosa. This disorder usually affects young girls and women ages 13-30 years old. Teenagers are usually preoccupied with how they look since peer pressure matters at this age. When too much attention is drawn to losing weight , the person with anorexia avoids eating foods that are considered “fatty”. The person just eats popcorn, lettuce, soup and other food types that do not provide correct nourishment for the body. Anorexia nervosa symptoms can be easily detected since the symptoms are observable habits rigorously practiced by those afflicted with this disorder. First thing that would be observed is that the person thinks that he/she is too fat despite a thin appearance. Because of a twisted perception if one’s body image, the person may even embark on an exercise program that can lead to more weight loss. The person with anorexia entertains people by cooking for them but dislikes eating and often complains of being full after taking a small amount of food. Due to the excessive fat loss, an anorexic often feels “cold” thereby making him/her wear layered clothing most of the time. Fat is necessary to the body as an insulation against cold.Physical symptoms of anorexia are also obvious since the person is unusually thin, has dry skin ( caused by dehydration), brittle hair and discolored nails. These symptoms also indicate malnutrition since the body is being deprived of nutrients.

Anorexia nervosa also causes a person to feel irritable and cranky, sleepless, lethargic and dizzy due to hunger. Anorexic women often miss out their monthly period and have low-blood pressure. Eventually, symptoms of anorexia become very apparent as the person seeks medical attention due to depression.

Anorexia is a popular eating disorder that is common among women and girls who have a flawed perception that being reed thin is healthy and attractive. Anorexia treatment centers cater to helping individuals who suffer from anorexia. Anorexia treatment centers provide counselling, counselling, and some step by step procedure on slowly recovering from anorexia.

There are about 90 percent of anorexic females compared to men, and it is also more common to teenage girls. The disorder is known to affect 3 out of 5 teenage girls in most parts of western countries especially in the US and Europe.

Individuals who are anorexic exhibit an obsession with knowing what are the calorie content of the food they are interested in, rather than simply eating it. Anorexics may turn bulimic too, since sometimes they go hand in hand. Whenever they are forced to eat, they ingest laxatives or vomit out the food just so they can feel thinner. Anorexics follow fad diets and stick to food that is barely sufficient for anyone to survive.

Anorexia treatment centers prescribe a plan to inpatient or outpatient treatment depending on the gravity of the anorexia an individual is undergoing. Anorexia treatment centers also administer medicines and antidepressant to treat depression caused by anorexia. For the most part however, anorexia treatment centers rely heavily on counselling, individual, and group therapy. In some extreme cases, the patient may be required to have tube feeding sessions and hospitalization. Whatever the weight of the anorexia is, anorexia treatment centers are the best option for anorexia sufferers.

Anorexia treatment centers encourage family members to get involved in the therapy sessions. By just their mere presence, anorexia sufferers will never feel that they are alone in this battle. This will help a great deal and will give a much higher success rate for the sufferer to come out of the disorder faster and with longer term effects.

Treatment under the anorexia treatment centers usually go at least for a month or more. Each sessions require more interaction, open communication, and education about the consequences of anorexia. What results from a sufferer undergoing anorexia treatment centers is an individual who is more open minded, and one who makes the right choices into living a healthy lifestyle. There are numerous people who have suffered from this eating disorder who have benefitted greatly from anorexia treatment centers.

Anorexia is an eating disorder signified by an unhealthy and dangerous concept of how a a body image should be. Anorexics obsess about their weight, how much fat and calories do the food they eat have, and their body shape. Anorexic always finds a way to skip meals, exercise excessively, or go as far as fasting too much. If you or someone you know is suffering from this eating disorder, anorexia clinics are there to help you recover from this disorder. They provide treatments necessary in order to develop healthy eating habits and prevent potential health complications.

Anorexia clinics provide psychotherapy in order to root out the cause of the eating disorder. Psychotherapy will help anorexics cope with any negative thoughts or behaviors related to their body weight, body shape, and how they eat. Therapy at anorexia clinics can be done in solo or in groups with other anorexics or with family members of the sufferer. It is highly recommended that the sufferer go through with this with his or her family members as it gives them more hope and show that they are supported by their family in each and every step of the way.

Anorexia clinics also provide nutrition therapy sessions which will help sufferers reform their thought process on how perceive food. Most anorexia clinics have dieticians working with patients on how they can develop healthy eating habits. The dietician also helps the patient maintain a healthy weight by providing meal plans that are geared towards weight management.

In extreme cases where the anorexic has suffered from severe malnutrition, there are anorexia clinics that admit their patients to hospitals. But there are also anorexia clinics that are specialized for these cases. Even after the specialized treatment or treatment to the hospital, anorexia clinics still continue with the therapy and education aspect of recovery.

The road to recovery is an arduous one and often depends entirely on the sufferer. According to research, if treatment of anorexia is abruptly halted before completion, the chance for a relapse is very high. It is very important that therapy is continuous and that the family shows support in order to yield a higher success towards recovery.

Purging anorexia is a type of anorexia where an individual will have the tendency to induce vomiting once he or she has eaten. The sufferer will eat and after digesting they will immediately be overcome with a sense of shame and guilt for the action that they have done and will force themselves to be sick to rid themselves of the food. This is done either through vomiting or ingesting diuretics or laxatives to take out the food they have eaten.

Purging anorexia can lead to serious problems within the digestive system and in particular, in the esophagus. This is because the acid could burst or rupture the esophagus. Another form of purging anorexia is with the use of laxatives. Anreoixs mainly think that laxatives help them in losing weight, but the thing is laxatives only work at the lower end of the bowel. Misuse of laxatives can further damage the digestive tract.

Purging anorexia induces vomiting in order to get rid of the calories that they have you have eaten. They usually do it after binge eating. Anorexics do it because they do not want to gain weight.

The methods in which individuals force themselves to lose weight is by gagging themselves with the use of their fingers sticking them up to their throat. This induces vomiting without even trying too hard. However, the vomiting only gets rid of a bout a third of the calories that an individual has ingested.

Other purging anorexia sufferers use diuretics in order to purge. These water pills make you pass a lot of urine. However this only makes your body lose more water and not the fat and the calories. This is dangerous as it can lead to electrolyte dissipation and dehydration.

Another method used by purging anorexia sufferers is ingesting laxatives. What laxatives only do is make the food you have ingested to move faster within your gut. Too much of this will give you a bad case of diarrhea. These laxatives do not work until they get into the intestines, and that is why they do not work because by then the calories and nutrients have already been absorbed by the body or stored as fat.

Purging anorexia sufferers do not realize that the methods that they use to rid themselves of the calories they so wanted to rid off are not really working. However they have this recurring need to purge in order to stay thin.

Teen anorexia is a very serious problem that parents need to address since it can turn into a sever health issue. Parents should not take teen anorexia lightly or ignore them at all. Alarming research and studies have revealed that teenagers who suffer from anorexia are very capable of hiding that they have the disorder for many months and even years before they get discovered. As a parent you need to have a good grasp of the severity that teen anorexia can bring to your teen’s health and mental well being.

There are certain signs that you should watch out for in order for you know whether your teen is indeed suffering from anorexia. One should be your teen�s unnatural concern for their body weight. This is alarming most especially if your child is not overweight at all. This could well mean that your teen has a distorted view of what a body weight and shape should be.

Another sign that your child could be suffering from teen anorexia is that they have this obsession in finding out how much calorie count and fat in grams does the food they eat have. A regular teenager wouldn�t bother asking these types of facts, but if they have this crazy obsession in figuring out how much calories and fat a food has, then you have to be suspicious. You may want to discuss this with them in a subtle manner in order to distinguish whether is it indeed a problem with food or just their curiosity sparked from the lessons that they may have encountered at school.

Perhaps the biggest sign that your teen has the eating disorder is that they take medicines or pills that keep them from gaining weight. These medicines and pills are highly discouraged among teenagers. If you catch them red handed doing or taking pills or medicines like these, then it should definitely raise a red flag.

The above mentioned signs are just some of the few things that you should watch out for in cases of teen anorexia. Other signs that you may want to watch out for are your teen skipping meals, a significant decrease in their appetite, and they start to come up with reasons why they do not want to eat or why they aren�t hungry as of the moment. As a parent however, you need to be wise and fair in judging their reasons. You need to evaluate carefully if they are being honest or not. Even if their reasoning is justified, you need to still look into it just to be sure.