The mind and body are not seperate, if you ask an anatomist and a psychologist where the mind starts and the body ends and they will tell you that they are interconnected. Anorexia Nervosa and bulimia are behavioural disorders involving eating, a physiological event in ones life.
Anorexia was first identified in 1874 by Dr William Gull. The cause of the self starvation is unknown, researchers believe that a combination of hormonal, social and psychological factors are responsible, hence the disease often begins in adolescence when hormonal and psychological change is at its highest.
First physical signs of Anorexia Nervosa include (in girls) menstruation ceases, fatigue, hyperactivity, nervousess, dry skin, intolerance to cold and hair loss.
Professor Bryce-Smith of Reading University hypothesized that a zinc deficiency might be an impotant factor in some cases of Anorexia Nervosa. Zinc supplementation kits for deficiency-testing and treatment are now widely available. A greatly improved diet in which zinc is stressed, also a diet rich in B-complex vitamins and in vitamin C, which aids the absorption of zinc. If you suspect your loved ones - increase the zinc in the diet.
So what is a Zinc Diet?
Shellfish - Fresh oysters - the most zinc rich food with an average of 450mg. per kilo Other shellfish are whelks, winkles, crab, clams, shrimps, cockles and mussels - but with todays pollution of heavy metals contaminate with lead or cadmium may outweigh the advantage.
Muscle meats - Lean beef, the dark meat of chicken liver - particularly calf's and pig's, oxtail.
Fish - specially canned sardines, pilchards, herring roe, cod, mackerel and dover sole.
Eggs Wheatgerm - All the wholegrain cereals. Cheese, fresh cream.
All nuts - Especially brazil nuts, pecans, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and peanuts.
Other Superfoods are:-
Brewers' yeast, wheatgerm, wholegrain cereals, bread and flour, yogurt, bananas, carrots, herbs and spices.
Danger Foods are:-
All refined foods, tea, coffee and alcohol.
But there is no point planning menus as you should encourage them to eat anything rather than nothing. The anorexic, like the alcoholic are devious and dishonest. Bullying them into eating will not work, and will just add to the stress. Affection, security love and support are a far better way to encourage them to eat.
Now the best thing to do is not have any junk food in the house, always have a readily available supply of easy-to-eat, high nutrient -value snacks and nibbles like:-
Homemade sugar free muesli enriched with wheatgerm, soaked in fruit-juice and served with low-fat yogurt and fresh fruit.
Home-made bread and muffins with extra wheatgerm and sesame seeds.
Home-made soup using lots of root vegetables and parsley, liquidised to a smooth cream nthat can be drunk out of a cup.
Purees of carrots and other green vegetables, such as courgettes, broccoli, spinach.
Yogurt, enriched with a teaspoon of brewers' yeast (available from any health food stores), a teaspoon of wheatgerm, and a teaspoon of honey.
Low-calorie fromage frais and add the same as yogurt (above)
Baked or stewed apple pureed with yogurt and ground almonds
Small dishes of dried fruit, nuts and seeds - leave these lying around the house.
Fish pates - especially made from oily fish like kippers, herrings or sardines
Oatcakes baked with extra oatgerm
A lot of the above are low calorie foods remember something is better than nothing.
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