Tips on Avoiding Eating Disorders

I was compelled to write this article after reading about Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston's untimely death at the age of 21. At 5' 8" and a jaw dropping 88 pounds, the model died of a generalized infection. Reston was admitted into the hospital due to kidney failure, which imminently lead to the infection and her death.
First off, I would like to state that, in my opinion, eating disorders are diseases. Others may disagree, but this is not something you can't just stop or snap out of. Being someone who suffers from Panic Disorder, I can somehow understand the unreal irrational thoughts these women have. These women see muscle, skin…basically anything that's not a bone, and say they are fat. They don't see what we see. We can see their hipbones sticking out and all they see is a fat stomach. A fat stomach? That's just skin covering what is left of your organs! But for some reason, not by choice, they have an unreal view of themselves. Some women may look at them and either think they are "perfect", while others might think they are too skinny. Viewed by others they can be considered average or under-average weight, while they see themselves as being overweight. This distorted way of thinking can prove to be deadly. There are so many girls that see unhealthy body images by way of television, magazines, and the internet. The women that they long to look like are all glizted up in designer clothes made to fit their rail-thin bodies. This is not normal! I want you girls out there to know that this is not what the average woman looks like! You were made a certain way for a reason. Fat is a normal and healthy part of a diet.

Your body needs fat!

Fat is necessary for proper functions of your body. It aids in regulating heart rate, blood pressure, blood clotting, and protects your vital organs. Fat also aids in carrying certain essential vitamins from your food to your blood. Another great thing fat does is it keeps your hair and skin healthy!

What are good fats for your body?

When you look at nutrition labels on foods, choose foods that say monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These fats lower your risk of heart disease by lowering the "bad" cholesterol. Foods that have "healthy" fats include:
nuts, avocadoes, fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, and oils such as olive, canola, and sunflower.

What fats are not so good?

Saturated fats and trans fats are not healthy for you. Think about what comes from animals, they are usually not good…for instance, red meat, whole milk, and butter. Oils such as vegetable, coconut, and palm are high in saturated fats.

Start early.

Begin teaching your children about healthy foods when they are younger. You don't have to deprive them; snacks are ok once in a while. If you see your child obsessed with weight, talk to them. You want to know if this is the start of something that may end up as an eating disorder. Bring them to their doctor or a nutritionist. They can talk to them about healthy ways to lose or maintain weight. Sometimes kids just don't want to hear what we have to say…they think we don't know anything. Maybe if they hear it from a professional, they will be more likely to listen.

There are places out there like local YMCA's Boys and Girls Clubs that have programs for girls to build self-esteem and a realistic and healthy body image. Being around woman and girls of all different shapes and sizes from all walks of life can have a major impact on their lives. Just try to start before you end up praying, "When will this end?"