Thursday, November 24, 2005

Bulimia Slip-Ups

Bulimia Slip-Ups


If you are like many bulimia sufferers, you will have tried to kick the bulimia habit a number of times. What normally happens is all will go well for a short period of time and then we will have a slip-up!

Remembering your last slip-up, which group of thought patterns accompanied your experience? Check all that apply!

Negative Thoughts

- Oh well, that's it. I may as well give up for today!
- My partner’s right, I am not good at anything. Me eating sensibly? Who am I trying to kid?
- So what if I've blown it, I deserve a treat anyway; why not make it a treat day and finish the rest of the biscuits?
- Everyone else is really good at sticking to their plans. That just proves I'm useless. Why don't I just forget all about it?
- I wish I hadn't had that – I didn't even want it. I’ll make sure that I swim a couple of extra lengths tonight at the pool.

But are these thoughts healthy?

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

HOW ASSERTIVE ARE YOU? continued

HOW ASSERTIVE ARE YOU? continued

Q: See how often the following attitudes feature in your life.

Score: 1 = always; 2 = most of the time; 3 = occasionally; 4 = never

1. I find it difficult to refuse requests that I should turn down.
2. I loose my temper in stressful situations.
3. I find it difficult to express my true feelings.
4. I am intimidated by loud, unpleasant people.
5. I am confident in new situations.
6. I plan difficult conversations.
7. I ask for what I want, even if it means I may hurt someone else's feelings.
8. I feel guilty when I ask for what I want.
9. My priority is other people's happiness.
10. My priority is my own happiness.
11. I find it difficult to say no to others about food.
12. I am a people pleaser, often finding myself saying "sorry"too much, and 'smiling to much.
13. When I feel helpless, do I tend to turn to over eating?
14. I feel very sensitive to criticism.
15. I take on too much responsibility most of the time.
16. I identify myself as one of the following types of eaters:

- angry eater
- emotionally drained eater
- stressed eater

SCORES
There are no right or wrong answers. Some of the ratings willserve to reflect areas of your behavior about which you are unhappyand wish to do something about. Others will be entirely appropriate.

The Conquer Bulimia Success Program covers this subject in depth.To read more about it go to http://www.bulimiahope.com

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

How Assertive are You Continued

How Assertive are You Continued

So what is assertiveness? It is handling yourself and yourbehavior so that you manage situations and deal with peoplein a confident and self assured way. Working to reach a satisfactoryconclusion for everyone concerned; by listening to their viewand honestly and clearly expressing your own views and feelingsso that they are heard by the other people, withoutbeing hurtful, destructive or counter-productive.

Assertiveness is more than a technique - it is about:

* Handling difficult situations more effectively.
* Understanding where you are coming from.
* Understanding that you have choices; e.g., in this situation,I choose to… instead of: in this situation I have to or I must…
* Having a sense of self worth.
* Helping you control the way you feel about the world andthe people in it rather than the other way around.* Communicating in a way that enables the other person to listen.
* Recognizing your own and other people’s rights andresponsibilities.

Monday, November 21, 2005

How Assertive are You?

How Assertive are You?

Assertiveness is a key skill to develop in the fight against
bulimia. Having this skill will keep you on track when faced
with a difficult situation.

When you behave passively or submissively, you don’t stand up
for yourself, or say what you think, or ask for what you really
want, need or wish for. This behavior can leave you feeling
angry or frustrated with yourself or with the other person.

Thinking one thing, but saying another is a common form of
interaction. The motivations for not speaking our mind may
be many and varied. For example, you may wish not to hurt
someones feelings or you need to think through the
implications more fully, or you wish to be diplomatic;
but what is the cost to you?

Saturday, November 19, 2005

Is Bulimia the Symptom of an Underlying Problem?

Is Bulimia the Symptom of an Underlying Problem?

This is an interesting article which talks about
bulimia being the symptom of underlying
problems. The trick is to find away of teasing
out these problems for ourselves.

Sometimes it is very difficult to look at ourselves
and discover what this underlying problem could be.
Yet if we are close to a particular friend or family member,
it is uncanny how they often are able to put their finger on it.

If you have any questions about this, post a note to this blog.

To read the full article, paste the url below into your browser.

http://www.theonlinerocket.com/media/paper601/
news/2005/11/18/News/Pressure.To.Be.perfect-1110185.shtml?norewrite&sourcedomain=
www.theonlinerocket.com

Thursday, November 17, 2005

New Bulimia Figures

New Bulimia Figures

New figures show that 1 to 2 percent of girls and women suffer from bulimia in the USA. With of a population of 250 million this means that there are between 250,000 and 500,000 suffers in the USA alone… it makes think you wonder how many are there in the whole world.

I think we can safely say to any bulimia sufferer... you are not alone! Each sufferer probably knows personally two or three other suffers but don’t realise it.

This is an illness people don’t have to suffer, you can get immediate help now at http://www.bulimiahope.com

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Eating Disorder Facts

Eating Disorder Facts

Eating disorders have become more common
in adolescents during the past 20 years. Anorexia
nervosa among young females increased until the
late 1980s, while bulimia is still increasing.

About 10 times more females suffer from eating
disorders than males.”

Elsewhere, Binge Eating Disorder (which often results
in considerable weight gain) has been estimated at 4%
of the general population whilst in Ireland, obesity levels
increased by 67% between 1990 and 2000.

Get the full story at:
www.irishhealth.com/?level=4&id=8368

Or click here for more information
http://www.bulimiahope.com/faq.htm

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Bulimia is Not Just for the Young

Bulimia is Not Just for the Young

There are over 10 million people with eating disorders.
A new growing trend is women in their autumn
years to start binge eating and purging.

This is down to a number of reasons and the main
one being is that we live a longer and have a healthier life.
Obviously it is a bit of a paradox if we then abuse our
body with binging and purging.

However, because we are healthier it means we still
have a very active social life. And we still want to look
good when we socialize. So we then think that purging
what we eat will help us loose weight – which it doesn’t.

This course explains why purging doesn’t help you loose weight.
http://www.bulimiahope.com

Monday, November 14, 2005

How Does the Media Influence our Body Image?

How Does the Media Influence our Body Image?

Body image is not a genetic predisposition;
it is learned through society and culture. First, the
individual is taught self-esteem from their family
and peers, but as one grows older, those messages
are either reinforced or redirected through the media.

People come armed with questions about how to achieve
outward perfection, men and women are giving
their full attention to the blank, airbrushed faces
of advertising for answers to everything from weight
to skin to inner peace.

The above is an extract from this article, cut and paste this
address into your browser to read it all from start to finish.
http://www.spectator-online.com/vnews/display.v/
ART/2005/11/10/4373b7129081a

Self image is key to beating bulimia and we pay
close attention to it in The Bulimia Success Program
http://www.bulimiahope.com

Friday, November 11, 2005

Eating Disorders Hit One in Ten Students

Eating Disorders Hit One in Ten Students

Ten percent of college students suffer from a clinical or
sub-clinical (borderline) eating disorder, of which over
half suffer from bulimia nervosa according to the
National Institute of Mental Health.

As reported in the Gonzaga Bulletin. This is a jaw
dropping article which really sheds new light on how
prevalent Bulimia is. To read full article either click or
cut and paste this URL into Internet Explorer:

http://www.gonzagabulletin.com/media/paper375/
news/2005/11/11/InvestigativeNews/
Eating.Disorders.Hit.One.In.Ten.Students-1054149.shtml?norewrite&sourcedomain=www.gonzagabulletin.com

For further help with Bulimia click on this link
http://www.bulimiahope.com

Thursday, November 10, 2005

Sexual Abuse and Bulimia

Sexual Abuse and Bulimia

Research has shown that women who have been sexually assaulted when they were children are twice as likely to suffer from an eating-disorder like bulimia.

Women who have been sexually abused often blame themselves and feel bad about letting the abuse happen. They will then take comfort from binge eating and afterwards feel disgusted with themselves and so purge the food from their system to try and feel better.

But it only makes them feel better for a very short period of time and then they go back to feeling unworthy because of their binging and purging behavior and so get caught-up in this vicious circle.

Our job is to help women break this cycle which is why we developed the Bulimia Success program. Click on this link for more info http://www.bulimiahope.com

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Do Mothers with Bulimia pass on their Eating Disorder to their Daughters?

Do Mothers with Bulimia pass on their Eating Disorder to their Daughters?

Humans learn by copying other people. If a mother exposes her eating disorder behavior to her children, then her children will learn how to be a bulimic too.

Some mothers with bulimia can make poor role models, and because motherhood is often stressful, many mothers who have suffered in the past with bulimia find themselves returning to their old habits when stress hits.

Children see this as normal behavior and unless they learn differently, they are likely to develop bulimia as a stress coping mechanism.

If you are a mother or hope to be a mother then we strongly suggest getting help to overcome your bulimia http://www.bulimiahope.com

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

What are the Risks of Bulimia during Pregnancy

What are the Risks of Bulimia during Pregnancy

Here's an interesting article we found :
"It is important that women wanting to become pregnant treat their bulimia prior to conceiving. If bulimia moms-to-be start their pregnancies with a poorly nourished body, they run the risk of damaging themselves and those of their unborn children.

During pregnancy, the baby takes nutrients from the mother's body and if those nutrients are not replaced by eating nutritious food, the mother can develop depression, exhaustion and malnutrition.

The mother's teeth and bones can become weak, which can lead to stress fractures and broken bones later in life. Pregnant women with bulimia are also at higher risk for diabetes, and potentially fatal liver, kidney and heart damage.

According to a study reported in Eating Disorders Review (Nov/ Dec 2000), babies of eating disordered moms have a higher than normal risk of miscarriage and premature delivery. If they survive to term, these babies can have a multitude of problems, both physically and mentally.

They can be born with a cleft lip, a cleft palate, or jaundice. But most of the babies' problems will likely show up later in life. They tend to be slower developing, smaller and weaker than other children their age, according to the study. These children may never reach their full potential either intellectually or emotionally, and they can grow into adults who have poor social skills and difficulty relating to other people."

We recommend you read the complete article click here http://pregnancyandbaby.com/read/articles/5753.htm

With regards
Mark Dobryniewsky

Monday, November 07, 2005

Does Your Bulimia Stem From Childhood?

Does Your Bulimia Stem From Childhood?

It is said that bulimia in common with other self-harming disorders like anorexia, self-mutilation and alcoholism, often stems from problems experienced in childhood.And if these problems can be identified and properly addressed, then the problem behavior can be cured.

Although this is true in some cases, it is not true for all. There are many different causes but this is not the issue. The issue is how do we beat bulimia and live happy and fulfilling lives.

If this is what you want, then clicking here may help you
http://www.bulimiahope.com

Saturday, November 05, 2005

Jamie-Lynn DiScala was suffering from exercise bulimia…

She says… "I seriously contemplated suicide," in an interview with CNN's Paula Zahn. "I felt that no one in this world would ever understand the constant battle I had in my head every day."

DiScala was suffering from exercise bulimia and she nearly lost her new staring role in the Sopranos because of it.
Doctors are still learning about this form of bulimia and there are no strict guidelines for diagnosing this disorder. For more information on bulimia click here http://www.bulimiahope.com/faq.htm

To read Jamie-Lynn’s whole story click on this link
http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/conditions/11/02/discala.eating.disorder/

Friday, November 04, 2005

Bulimia on the Rise

The number of middle-aged women suffering from bulimia increased last year in what experts are calling the "Desperate Housewife Syndrome."

Most of the women on the show are in their 40s, but look as if they're in their 20s. They are beautiful, thin and have amazing sex lives.

Clinics in Scotland have seen four times the number of women aged between 30 and 50 seeking treatment since last year.

This is not a very good term "desperate housewife syndrome," because it's inappropriate to link women suffering eating disorders with "shallow" television characters. It is not just housewives, but women from all walks of life, all ages and backgrounds - no matter how intelligent or successful they are.

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Seeking a Cause for Bulimia

There are many theories about the causes of bulimia. A popular one is that the angry and frustrated baby feels unable to challenge their mother!

Instead of expressing her feelings, she thinks her own needs are not worthy and so evolves a coping and obliging self to the present world.

Whilst her real self, with her real emotional needs are split of and repressed. When she can’t repress her emotions any more she turns to binging and purging.

What do you think...? Add your comments to this post.

For more information about bulimia click on this link http://www.bulimiahope.com/faq.htm

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

You Are Not Alone!

Here is another story prompted by the report on Sharon Osbourne. Many bulimia sufferers think it only happens to them. Read this story, because it happens to many people.
     
“A job on a glossy magazine set Sally Cooper on the path to bulimia. She tells how it changed her life, and how it might kill her!”

Click on this link to get full details http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=P8&xml=/health/2005/10/31/hbul31.xml

Or click here for more information about bulimia http://www.bulimiahope.com/faq.htm

Monday, October 31, 2005

Sharon Osbourne Admits to having bulimia!

"Sharon Osbourne admitted to the Sun newspaper that she has been unable to overcome an eating disorder. She told the tabloid 'I still have bulimia, Ozzy knows and the kids - my God, how could they not. It's the thing that causes most arguments. We'll be at the dinner table and I'll go off and they'll say, 'Oh, here we go again.' They hate it.'

She went on to say that she's had her stomach stapled to try and help rid her of the condition, and admits that she needs professional help. 'I will get help,' she said 'I have to do something, I know.'

Click on this link to learn more about overcoming bulimia http://www.bulimiahope.com/faq.htm

Friday, October 28, 2005

What Are The Facts About Bulimia?

This blog has been created to shed light on the eating-disorder bulimia and to provide practical information which will demystify this disease both for suffers and their loved ones.

First, let’s look at the prevalence of bulimia to give you a bigger picture of how common the suffering is:

· Statistics show that females from the age of 15 to 30 are more likely to suffer from bulimia than any other age group. This is not to say that older women or men do not suffer from it. On the contrary, sadly they do!

· Bulimic sufferers tend to have a higher than average natural weight, or they tend to fall within the normal range of the body weight scale Because there are very few outward signs and symptoms, it makes it very difficult to detect,

· Recent projections estimate the lifetime prevalence rates for Bulimia nervosa to range between 1.1 % and 4.2 % of the population (Garfinkel, et al, 1995). These figures will vary from community to community.

· Between 1988 and 1993 alone, there was a threefold increase in the actual recording of Bulimia nervosa (Tumbal, etc al, 1996).

· Incidents of Bulimia nervosa are lowest in rural areas, intermediate in urbanized areas and the highest in large cities. 6.6, 19.9 and 37.9 respectively per 100,000 females each year (Hoek, et al, 1995).

· 1 in 20 (a typical school class size) female high school and college students suffer from some form of eating disorder.

· 4 % of the above age group regularly induces vomiting to control shape and weight (Cooper & Fairburn, 1983).

· Bulimia nervosa is more common than Anorexic nervosa. The likelihood of recovery is better for bulimia; however medical complications do exist, due to the purging nature of this condition.