Bulimia nervosa, also known as bulimia, is a serious and potentially fatal eating illness. Bulimics may binge eat a big amount of food without control and then purge, attempting to get rid of the additional calories in an unhealthy way.
Bulimia sufferers may employ a variety of techniques to burn calories and avoid weight gain. After bingeing, for example, you may self-induce vomiting or abuse laxatives, weight-loss supplements, diuretics, or enemas. Alternatively, you can utilize alternative methods to burn calories and avoid gaining weight, such as fasting, tight diets, or intense activity.
Bulimia can be difficult to overcome because it is linked to one’s self-image rather than merely eating. Effective treatment, on the other hand, can help you feel better about yourself and change your eating habits.
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Here are eight facts about bulimia:
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1. Bulimia Can Cause Other Health Issues.
Bulimia, as an eating disorder, may wreak havoc on a person’s weight as well as the rest of his or her body. To stay healthy and functional, every aspect of our bodies requires sufficient nutrition. Bulimia affects body functions by causing excessive eating followed by excessive purging or fasting.
A person can develop anemia, an abnormal heart rate, an irregular menstrual cycle, low blood pressure, ulcers, kidney failure, and a variety of other dangerous problems in addition to weight fluctuations. Bulimics frequently suffer from severe depression and other mental diseases as a result of extreme guilt and preoccupation with weight connected with the disorder.
2. Tooth Corrosion is a symptom of Bulimia.
Teeth corrosion can be used as an indication to diagnose bulimia, according to bulimia facts. Stomach acid, along with everything else, is brought into a person’s mouth when they vomit. If vomiting is an infrequent occurrence, this shouldn’t be a concern. Bulimics, on the other hand, tend to vomit excessively frequently, sometimes after every large meal.
Their teeth deteriorate as a result of the constant presence of this strong acid, and the results are generally extremely evident. Other indicators of recurrent forced vomiting, aside from tooth degradation, include scars on and puffy cheeks.
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3. 10-15% of Victims of Bulimia are men.
When it comes to bulimia facts or any other eating disorder, it’s a frequent misperception that these disorders only affect women. While women constitute the majority of those who suffer from bulimia, men are also affected. Bulimia affects 10% of men, according to estimates. The problem isn’t only a male or female problem.
The bad news is that, while males are less prone than women to develop bulimic behaviors, they are also less likely to be diagnosed and seek treatment. This can put their health in jeopardy without anyone realizing it. While eating disorders, particularly bulimia, are more common in women, the condition is not gender-specific.
Males account for up to 15% of bulimia and anorexia patients, according to ANAD. Men are more likely than women to have visible symptoms and seek treatment. This puts children in danger of developing health issues.
4. Bulimia could be inherited.
Bulimia can be caused by a variety of factors, including societal pressures and mental problems such as depression.
According to research, if a family member, such as your father, mother, or sibling, has an eating disorder, your chances of acquiring one increase as well.
This is particularly true if you have a close relationship with someone who suffers from bulimia. Having a family member with bulimia increases a person’s chances of developing the illness by 30 to 80 percent.
The chance of developing bulimia is about four times higher among relatives of bulimic women. It’s unclear whether the risk is increased by heredity or by familial influence. Family history, on the other hand, is certainly a factor.
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5. Bulimia patients can have normal body weights.
Bulimia affects people of all shapes and sizes. Anorexia generates a significant calorie deficit, resulting in rapid weight loss. Bulimics may have anorexic episodes, but they nevertheless consume more calories overall as a result of bingeing and purging.
This helps to explain why many bulimics maintain normal body weights. This can be misleading to family members and even cause a doctor to miss a diagnosis.
A common myth about bulimia facts is that bulimics are incredibly thin anorexics. This, however, is not the case. 64 percent of patients with bulimia have a body weight that is close to normal. If you only look at a person’s weight to see if they’re bulimic, you’re likely to overlook the majority of bulimics.
While bulimics are preoccupied with their weight and appearance, they also have a proclivity for consuming a large number of calories during binge-eating episodes. Even purging will not be able to eliminate all of the calories consumed. This means that many persons with bulimia can maintain a healthy weight or even gain weight.
6. It’s a war that will last a lifetime.
Bulimia is curable, but symptoms may reappear unexpectedly. According to the ANAD, just one out of every ten people seeks help for an eating disorder. Recognize your underlying cues and warning indicators for the best chance of recovery. If depression is your trigger, for example, seek regular mental health care. Bulimia relapses can be avoided by seeking treatment.
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7. Bulimics are frequently trapped in a Binge-Purging cycle
Most persons with bulimia feel guilty and even more self-conscious about their weight as a result of their uncontrollable binge eating. Bulimia is also marked by post-binge purging. Forced vomiting is commonly used to accomplish this.
Bulimia facts demonstrate that many patients use laxatives, diuretics, or stimulants to compensate for their binge eating. Others might begin fasting or increase their physical activity. Bulimia sufferers frequently struggle to break the cycle of eating and purging. This cycle is often repeated more than twice a week by many people.
8. Bulimia Can Affect Fertility
The majority of bulimia facts show that the eating disorder can harm various bodily functions, including reproduction. Bulimic women frequently have irregular menstrual cycles. Even if her periods return to a regular cycle, there could be other long-term consequences.
Bulimia can make it difficult to conceive, and if a sufferer does manage to conceive, it can have a negative impact on the health of the child. If a woman is actively bulimic during her pregnancy, the risk of harming the baby is especially high. Miscarriage, stillbirth, and birth defects are all potential risks.
