How many times do you hear someone say, “Hey look at that girl, she must be anorexic.” Some people would love to be called anorexic and sometimes it seems as if that word is a compliment. However, anorexia is a disease that can be life threatening, and a person suffering from this illness should get help right away. This article is going to explain what anorexia is, signs and symptoms of anorexia, and treatment options available to those suffering from it.

mediaimage
Anorexia is an eating disorder where people simply starve themselves. It usually begins at the beginning of puberty but can happen at an time during one`s lifetime. Poeple who are suffering from anorexia are very skinny people but feel that they are overweight. Anorexics also have an intense fear of becoming fat and their dieting habits usually develop this fear. Anorexia mostly affects girls where thinness is a priority. Activities such as dance, theater, and long distance running are the most liable to make a person feel the need to be thin. Some of the signs and symtoms of are anorexia are:

Denial of the feeling of hunger
Avoidance of social gatherings where food is involved
Excessive focus on an exercise regimen
Fear of gaining weight or of being fat
Obsession with dieting and weight loss
Refusal to maintain the minimal normal body weight for one’s age and height
Dramatic weight loss
Basing self-worth on body weight and body image
Avoidance of eating
Even when thin, perception of self as overweight
Weighing self several times a day and focusing on tiny fluctuations in weight
If your case of anorexia is severe enough, result of death may occur. However, even less severe cases can lead to hospitalization. In cases where a patient is severely ill and becomes less than 7% of the appropriate bodyweight, hospitilization may be needed. Another common method of treatment for anorexia is psychotherapy. This can involve a significant amount of time and financial commitment but the amount is well worth it. Other common methods of treating anorexia are cognitive-behavioral therapy, group therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, family therapy, medications, and even self-help programs. If you notice any signs that you are becoming anorexic, it is important that you get help right away. Social support is the most important factor when it comes to fighting this deadly disease and should become the first thing on your mind when you wake up each day. Many people can cure their anorexia just by eating a healthy, well-balanced diet. Maybe they just needed a lesson in nutrition, it can be that simple. Until next time, later.

This article gives pertinent information about Dukan Diet and its side-effects

mediaimage
Pierre Dukan, a French doctor and nutritionist, challenged with the case of obesity started to look for alternative ways in curing the illness. After 20 years of thorough research he published in the year 2000, a book called, “Je ne sais pas maigrir” or translated as, “I don’t know how to get slimmer.” It gained the best-seller in France after a year it has been published.
It was made a hit in UK when Kate Middleton, now the duchess of Cambridge, tried the Dukan Diet before her marriage to the beloved Prince William, she reportedly claimed a loss of two dress sizes. It also allegedly claimed to help five million French. The book is also gaining fame in the US in the year 2011 when actress/singer, Jennifer Lopez, lost pounds after her pregnancy by following this diet.
Dukan Diet: What is it? How does this work?
Dukan Diet is similar to the famous Atkins diet. Atkins and Dukan are much alike in terms of non-intake of carbs initially and do not require portion control or counting calorie consumptions. In Atkins, it requires net carbohydrate intakes and unlike Dukan, it suggests a daily intake of oats, increase water consumption and 20 minutes of everyday brisk walking. Dukan Diet adopts four phases namely: Attack, Cruise, Consolidation and Stabilization.
Four Phases of the Dukan Diet
Attack: In this starter phase, the dieter is only allowed take protein rich foods that are exquisitely low in fat. Dr. Dukan provided 72-item list of foods to be eaten, it excludes pork, lamb, poultry products and cheeses. Food should always be cooked but without adding any fat to it, it best to cook in grilling or roasting. It also requires you to eat 1 ½ tbsp. oat bran & 1.5 liters of water per day. This phase should be followed around 2-7 days or more. Results from this initial phase within 5 days may result in 4-7 lbs. loss. This phase promotes quick loss of weight since it is strictly based on a protein-only diet.
Cruise: Cruise, the second to the fourth phase of the Dukan diet scheme. During this phase dieters who were only allowed to eat protein-only foods can now alternate a 28-items of non-starchy vegetables. They may take attack phase diet for today and take non-starchy veggie diet for tomorrow, and so this phase must go on by alternating these two types of diet each day. This phase may last long enough as much as you want by reaching your desired weight and assuring 2 pounds per week loss.
Consolidation: As one achieves the desired weight, one has to go the next phase called Consolidation, this is the maintenance phase of this diet scheme where you have to prevent putting back excess pounds. The plan in this phase is less strict compared to the first two phases. During this phase you are permitted to eat protein-only and veggie diet along with a piece of low-sugar fruit, 2 slices of whole grain bread and a portion of hard cheese. In this phase you are allowed to have 1-2 serving of starchy foods and one celebration meal per week. The phase of consolidation does not expect to loss off pounds but rather it is steadily the maintenance process.
Stabilization: Stabilization is the final phase and a life-long phase of the diet scheme. In here maintenance of the life-changing diet may be a challenging and tempting. During this portion of the scheme, one is already permitted to allow any food intake that a person wants and by also sticking to the diet rule in the consolidation phase. As Pierre Dukan suggest, that staying on the phase 1 rule once a week and eat whatever you like for the rest of the week lowers the chances of regaining weight.
Pros and Cons of Dukan Diet
Pros: The fast results of this diet scheme is beneficially rewarding and motivating. It allows you to have protein and veggie meal plan diets and does not require you to count off your calorie intakes.
Cons: It is highly restrictive and can exclude healthy foods. Dieters can experience side-effects such as symptoms of headaches, nausea, lethargy, irritable and loss of concentration. Dieters may acquire halitosis (bad breath), metallic tasting mouth and strong smell in their urines. For those people who have problems with their kidneys and liver are not advised to follow this diet plan. It is not also recommended for pregnant and nursing mothers.

Views and Opinions by Health Experts on the Dukan Diet
There are lots of critics in this diet plan. Due to the restrictive type scheme of this diet, some fruits, grains and nuts which are healthy and have high amounts of vitamins and minerals that are vital to the nutrition of the body are eliminated. Keri Gans of American Dietetic Association, said that the lost amount of multivitamins that should be acquired from those restricted foods are not compensated in the Dukan diet. Experts have also criticized that experiencing such side-effects may not be healthy at all.

Good news to vegetarians who are looking to lose weight. Unlike meat-eaters, your body is free from dealing with antibiotic residues and harmful bacteria coming from carcasses. So, you should find yourself burn fat relatively easier and faster with appropriate application of the below vegetarian weight loss tips.

1. Skipping Meals Won’t Lose Belly Fat

My overweight vegetarian friend has tried skipping meals hoping to lose more fat. But he ends up gaining more excess fat. Why?

Depriving your body of energy it requires to function properly will cause your body to stock up more calories when you start eating at starvation mode. This is due to the body’s natural response to prolonged hunger. To avoid that, skip no meals; eat when hunger pangs strike.

2. Eat More Meals to Lose Weight

When you take more meals in a day but in smaller portion sizes, you’re in fact keeping your body metabolically active throughout the day because your body takes in a continual supply of food gradually over time, instead of getting a gush of energy from food in great amount each from breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Here’s how you should consume more meals in order to lose weight effectively – breakfast, lunch and dinner plus 2 snacks in between. Be sure to include fiber-rich foods like vegetables and greens in all meals (where possible) which are low in calories but yet able to make you feel full longer.

3. Take Sugar Off Your Vegetarian Meal Plans

Imagine on one hand you’re eating vegetarian weight loss foods, on the other hand you’re ingesting weight gain foods that are loaded with refined sugar, the end result? You lose nothing. That being said, quit your refined sugar intake totally. You’ll obtain sufficient carbs from food, don’t worry.

4. Zero-Calorie Drink to Lose More Fat

No beverages beat water when it comes to stimulating your metabolism and help you shed extra pounds. You might not get used to changing to drinking plain water overnight. Do this – starting today, take 1/2 a glass for 2 days, then on the 3rd day increase to one glass and so on. After 8 days, you should be able to replace your unhealthy beverages with just plain water. If you can make changes within 3 days, by all means.

5. Active Rest Boosts Metabolism

Whatever exercises you do, insert some “active rest” in between. In such context, “active rest” refers to low intensity bout. For example, you can jog (slightly at a higher pace) for 8 seconds, then you step down to brisk-walk for 12 seconds before you get back up to jogging pace. The brisk-walk here is your “active rest”, which will rev up your metabolism to help burn large amount of fat.

These 5 tips are just appetizers for you to lose weight the vegetarian way. But they’re enough to let you see some amazing results in the next couple of weeks.