ANOREXIA NERVOSA & BULIMIA NERVOSA

Written by Slawomir (“Swavak“) Gromadzki, MPH

Anorexia is a refusal to consume food that can lead to extreme weight loss, hormonal disorders and even death. Anorexia is common especially among girls during adolescence. The disease usually starts with gradual reduction of food intake. Those who suffer from anorexia often give false reasons of avoiding food, claiming, for example, that they are still overweight or have thick legs and arms. When the body weight of a girl with anorexia drops to about 12 kg below the norm, menstruation stops. Unfortunately some anorexics die as a result of either suicide, extreme malnutrition (some are literally starving to death), secondary infections or dehydration (caused by low water intake and the abuse of laxatives). Many women suffering from anorexia are also bulimic.

Bulimia is considered a serious eating disorder that revolves around eating large amounts of foods at once followed by forced vomiting in attempt to get rid of the calories that were consumed. Like anorexia, bulimia is also considered a life-threatening disorder that affects millions of people, especially women, and is even more common than anorexia nervosa. Since bulimia involves bad dietary patterns, forceful vomiting and often abuse of laxatives, there are multiple symptoms and risks involved — both mentally and physically.

KEY CAUSES

– Although anorexia nervosa is the opposite of bulimia nervosa, both lead to starvation and there are many indications that the basis of both problems are often related to nutritional deficiencies as well as emotional problems such as anxiety and depression (often associated with family problems). In fact, 50 percent of anorexia and bulimia patients suffer from mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety. For this reason, the treatment should be very similar in both cases.

– Anorexia and bulimia are believed to be primarily caused by vitamin and mineral deficiency.  Many girls in developed countries are struggling with an eating disorder. Dieting without nutritional supplementation causes vitamin deficiency, and vitamin deficiency in turn can lead to anorexia. The risk of anorexia can be greatly reduced by providing them with good vitamin supplements. One of the best proofs that Anorexia is triggered by nutritional deficiencies is the fact that it is an acknowledged clinical marker of beriberi, caused by a deficiency of vitamin B1 (thiamine).  Anorexia is also known as an early symptom of pellagra (niacin deficiency) and is a complication of scurvy, vitamin C deficiency.

– According to one theory, anorexia and bulimia may be sometimes triggered by a subconscious desire to stop the upcoming maturity. The girl may avoid consuming food to preserve the child’s body shape.

– Some girls with emotional problems, who are deprived proper support, decide to lose weight in order to gain friends.

TREATMENT

– Treat Depression & Anxiety >

– Treat nutritional deficiencies. We know that in those who are deficient in vitamin B1 and vitamin C even just twice the RDA of ascorbic acid and four times the RDA for thiamine (vitamin B1) results in improvements of appetite after only a few days of supplementation.

A well-formulated multivitamin supplement with additional at least 1,000 mg per day of vitamin C, and additional vitamin D, magnesium and B-complex (50-100mg) (B vitamins are not necessary if multivitamin contains at least 50mg of each B vitamin) will greatly reduce the incidence of anorexia and other eating disorders.

Erik Paterson, MD, wrote: “Many years ago, an emaciated, teenage girl was made to come to see me by her worried parents because of her revulsion against food. She admitted that she hardly ate anything, but explained that she felt that she was fat: a typical case of anorexia nervosa. I tried to persuade her to eat right. She adamantly refused. So I made a deal with her. I pointed out that by not eating she was making herself malnourished with respect to vitamins. The deal was that I would not pester her to eat if she would take vitamin pills, specifically vitamin C and B-complex vitamins. She agreed. Two weeks later she and her parents returned to tell me that she had developed a strong appetite. After another month, her emaciation was clearly disappearing. She never became anorexic again.”

– Eat 1 full teaspoon 2-3 times a day. Take 1 heaped teaspoon of Bee pollen (regrded as “the only perfect food on earth”) with meals. Use it alternatively or together with Royal jelly. “Orally, bee pollen is used for general nutrition, as an appetite stimulant, to improve stamina and athletic performance, for premature ageing, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), hay fever or allergic rhinitis, mouth sores, rheumatism, painful urination, prostate conditions, and radiation sickness. It is also used orally for weight loss and obesity, bleeding problems including coughing or vomiting blood, bloody diarrhoea, nosebleed, cerebral haemorrhage, and menstrual problems. Bee pollen is also used for gastrointestinal (GI) problems including constipation, diarrhoea, enteritis, colitis, as a general tonic, diuretic, and for alcohol intoxication. Topically, bee pollen is used for skin care in skin softening products, and for treating eczema, pustular eruptions, and diaper rash.”

– Good Multivitamin such as Earth Source, VM—2000, Special Two, WM-75, etc. – 1-3 times a day, one tablet with water.

– Potassium: 100 mg per day.

– Zinc has often proved particularly effective in removing the symptoms of anorexia and bulimia and restoring normal appetite! 2-3 times a day 30-50 mg. Read more >

– Borage oil (Star flower oil) – 2 times a day, 1000 mg. Instead, you can also take the Evening primrose oil.

– Herbs, improving appetite and promoting mental health: Lemon balm, dandelion, nettle, milk thistle, hops, lemon balm, mint, fenugreek. You can mix some of them or use them separately.

– Extremely important to prevent and treat anorexia and bulimia is increasing levels of antidepressant body hormones especially serotonin, dopamine, progesterone and GABA.

– Take good quality supplement with digestive enzyme (they must include betaine and pancreatin, as deficiency of these enzymes is a frequent cause of underweight). Pancreatin is needed as its deficiency causes poor digestion and leads to weight loss. Candida (which may cause underweight) thrives in a lack of digestive enzymes, especially pancreatin and betaine, leading to weight loss.

– Use good quality probiotic formula to increase number of good bacteria in your colon and the condition of intestines. It will improve the absorption of fats, proteins and carbs.

– Brewer’s or nutritional yeast is rich in chromium, B vitamins, and minerals. It may help gain weight because it is very nutritious and due to the fact that it may increase appetite and helps to promote good bacterial growth in the intestine. You can take 3 tablets of  Brewer’s Yeast before meals (or with smoothies) three times a day or two times 5 tablets(.

– Heal, detoxify and regenerate your gastrointestinal tract and whole body by taking Chlorella, Spirulina and other super foods. Use them alternatively or interchangeably. Go to “Remedies” and read about them in “Super foods“.

– Mix ground fenugreek with raw honey or Manuka honey and take 1 teaspoon of the mixture before every meal. In my former country (Poland) some farmers often mixed some fenugreek with food to fatten animals as fenugreek was improving absorption of protein and fat. Apart from that, fenugreek is very healthy and gives many benefits.

– You may also use Centaurium tincture as it is the best herb to regulate acidity of stomach and improve digestion.

TO IMPROVE APPETITE USE:

– Bee pollen and Royal jelly.
– Take 200 to 400 mg of Magnesium as poor appetite may be caused by magnesium deficiency!
– Centaurium.
– Zinc
– Spirulina, Chlorella

NUTRITIONAL AND LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS

– Eliminate gluten and sugar from your diet! Eat plenty of fresh and dried fruits instead. You must not eat processed products from white flour, white bread and refined sugar, sweets, meat and dairy foods and do not use stimulants (coffee, tea, alcohol, cigarettes, cola drinks).

– There are cases of people who have been cured of anorexia as a result of switching to a vegan (vegetable only) diet and everyday energetic walks. Return to the old unhealthy diet caused a relapse of the disease.

– Regular exercise is also very important.

SOURCES

– http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v04n02.shtml

– https://draxe.com/anorexia-nervosa/

– https://draxe.com/bulimia-nervosa/

 

Any information or product suggested on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition. Never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Consult your primary healthcare physician before using any supplements or making any changes to your regime.

 

© 2016 Slawomir Gromadzki – All Rights Reserved