3 Facts About Anorexia That You Should Know Before Planning to Lose Weight
II. Physical Impact of Anorexia
1. Lower immunity making one prone to recurring illness
2. Acute malnutrition
3. Irregular or missed menstrual periods
4. Hair fall
5. Brittle nails
6. Anemia
7. Dehydration
8. Dull and dry skin
9. Yellow pigmentation of skin
10. Dental problems
11. Thin & white hair growth on face and body
12. Swollen joints
13. Damage to vital body organs like kidney, heart and brain
14. Fall in pulse rate
15. Problems in breathing
16. Steep drop in blood pressure levels
17. Lower bone density
18. Imbalance in fluid-electrolyte ratio
19. Increased risk of cardiac arrest
These are the physical effects of anorexia.
III. Early and common symptoms of anorexia
1. Skipping meals/starving all the time with the intention of losing weight
2. Desire to lose weight in spite of being underweight
3. Over exercising
4. Over consumption of diet pills to reduce appetite
5. Taking laxatives or enema to reduce body weight.
An anorexic person weighs 15% lesser body weight than her ideal body weight. Anorexia nervosa can lead to death, in extreme cases. Anorexic patients with a long history of the disorder take longer to cure, with minimized chances of full recovery. Treatment for anorexia has been found effective in many cases though.
With a high number of women at the risk of developing anorexia, it is important to ensure that weight loss does not turn into an obsession. You should follow a healthy and active lifestyle in order to achieve sustained and long term weight loss.
