Thursday, July 24, 2008

Does Your Daughter Have an Eating Disorder

Thanks to Dwight Bain from the LifeWorks Group for sharing this important information about eating disorders with us:
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The average girl in the United States starts her first diet by age 9. If that seems shocking to you, then scan through this special edition of our eNews focused on the very common, (but not often discussed), issue of anorexia and bulimia. There are checklists below of warning signs and a special research report to help you know what to look for to protect the health of your daughter, granddaughter or young women you may know at church or work. As always remember you can forward this resource along to anyone who may need this important information with our blessings since the mission of the LifeWorks Group is to make a positive difference in the lives of people with God's help.

- Dwight Bain, Founder

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WARNING SIGNS OF AN EATING DISORDER

by Deedra Hunter, LMHC &
Certified Eating Disorder Specialist

___Extreme weight loss
___Extreme weight gain
___Fear of being fat
___Talks frequently about food and feeling fat or focused on the fantasy of a perfect body
___ Constantly compares self to the thin models and actresses seen in magazines and on TV
___Always seems to be eating or never seems to be eating
___Prefers to spend time alone and at home
___Strange eating rituals or behaviors
___Wears layers upon layers of clothes
___Always complaining of feeling cold and pale looking
___Excessive about exercise
___Dry and thinning hair
___Excessive food stains on clothing or in the car
___Excessive food wrappers in car, closet or under the bed
___Loss of menstrual cycle
___Always tries to be perfect

Checklist for Anorexia or Bulimia

___I hate how I look.
___I hate how I feel.
___I feel powerless.
___If I could control how I look, I would be happy.
___I obsessively weigh myself more than once a day.
___I obsessively think about food.
___I eat when I'm not hungry.
___I hide how much I eat.
___I hide how much I vomit.
___I hide how much I exercise.
___I hide how much I take laxatives and/or diuretics.
___I hide my true feelings.
___I avoid conflict at all costs.
___I avoid being around people because I feel fat.
___I have a hard time eating when other people are present.
___I have a hard time asking for help.
___I avoid letting people really know me.
___I feel a lot of guilt over my past.
___I feel a sense of shame about who I am.
___I feel a sense of low self-worth.
___I feel good because I'm a perfectionist.
___I wish I could just disappear.
___I wish I could stop my pain

If you answered yes to three or more, you could have anorexia or bulimia!

To find out more about Anorexia or Bulimia contact Deedra Hunter at The LifeWorks Group, 407-647-7005, www.LifeWorksGroup.org
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Starving for Help
Understanding the warning signs of an eating disorder


By: Dwight Bain, Nationally Certified Counselor & Certified Life Coach

Starving to death is common in third world countries because they don't have enough food to eat. Starving for help is a different yet equally serious problem because it isn't about getting enough food to feed the physical body, rather, it's about restricting food for the purposes of controlling body image. Starving for help is fueled by the struggle over 80% of American women experience daily, because that's how many women are dissatisfied with their appearance or have deep insecurities their weight; which often can lead to developing an eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia. In the United States eating disorders have become serious health problems impacting almost 10 million women and over a million men according to research from the National Eating Disorders Association, yet the overwhelming majority of people struggling in this area feel too ashamed to ask anyone for help so they suffer alone in silence.

Consider how often we hear warnings about the risk factors from things like driving without a safety belt, smoking, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol or being victimized in an abusive or violent relationship; because these serious issues are openly discussed from beauty shops to Bible study groups. However, consider how little we hear on the very real dangers of an eating disorder which can begin silently in any home at any time leading to devastating problems that impact an entire family and too often result in the tragic loss of life.

This special report is designed to help you or someone you love better understand an eating disorder and more importantly how to deal with key issues to help someone struggling alone in the darkness by bringing issues out into the light so others can come alongside to help you overcome this common, yet often crippling disorder. Keep track of the warning signs and symptoms you identify while reading this resource so you can be better informed and equipped to take positive action to change the areas you see that need attention, because you can't fix an eating disorder alone.

To learn more about helping someone struggling with an Eating Disorder check out:
Remuda Ranch- national faith based program to treat eating disorders & help for parents
http://www.remuda-ranch.com/

National Eating Disorder Association, (NEDA)
http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders
http://www.anad.org/

The LifeWorks Group has a series of helpful resources on eating disorders, as well as numerous parenting resources and links from a Christian Counseling perspective to help you or a loved one-
http://www.lifeworksgroup.org/

NOTE: you can freely redistribute this resource, electronically or in print, provided you leave the authors contact information intact in the box below.

About the Author: Dwight Bain is a Nationally Certified Counselor & Certified Family Law Mediator in practice since 1984 with a primary focus on solving crisis events and managing major change. Critical Incident Stress Management expert with the Orange County Sheriffs Office, founder of StormStress.com and trainer for over 1,500 business groups on the topic of making strategic change to overcome major stress- both personally & professionally. He is a professional member of the National Speakers Association and partners with corporations and organizations to make a positive difference in our culture.

Access more complimentary counseling and coaching resources from The LifeWorks Group by visiting their extensive posting of blog’s and special reports designed to save you time by strategically solving problems at www.LifeWorksGroup.org

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