Anorexia, bulimia and even binge eating are perhaps the eating disorders that come to mind for most people. But there are other, lesser-known categories, including something called diabulimia. Diabulimia is a “media-coined” term that refers to an eating disorder involving a person with diabetes — typically Type 1 diabetes — who purposefully restricts insulin in order to lose weight. Medical professionals, however, use the term ED-DMT1, Eating Disorder-Diabetes Mellitus Type 1, which is used to refer to any type of eating disorder involving Type 1 diabetes, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. Insulin shuttles glucose into your cells, which then burn it for fuel or store it as fat. Without insulin, as is the case with Type 1 diabetes, glucose can’t reach the cells, and it simply floats in the bloodstream unused. Excess glucose, when built up, can quickly damage blood vessels throughout the body and wreak havoc on organs. … [Read more...] about Diabulimia is a serious eating disorder that most people have never heard of
Anorexia to binge eating help
Olympian Jessie Diggins opens up about her eating disorder, hoping to inspire others to get help
Some of the personality traits — endurance, pain tolerance, persistence — that helped Minnesota Nordic ski champion Jessie Diggins capture gold at the 2018 Pyeongchang winter Olympics were the very same characteristics that fueled the eating disorder that once threatened to sideline her athletic career. This realization, made while Diggins was undergoing outpatient treatment for an eating disorder that developed when she was in her late teens, felt significant, like a 2-ton weight had been lifted off her shoulders. “For a long time, I felt guilty for doing this to myself, for hurting my family,” Diggins said. But then, while taking part in group therapy sessions at The Emily Program, a comprehensive eating disorder treatment center headquartered in St. Paul, Diggins learned that she was likely genetically “primed” to have an eating disorder, that the very personality traits that made her an Olympian also put her at greater risk for developing … [Read more...] about Olympian Jessie Diggins opens up about her eating disorder, hoping to inspire others to get help
12 warning signs of an eating disorder that may surprise you
There is no shortage of myths about eating disorders out there that continue to prevail – but the truth is that people of all ages, genders, and body types can develop an eating disorder. With recent research showing that a third of adults are unable to recognise common eating disorder symptoms, as well as our cultural fixation with disordered habits like fad diets, weight loss transformations, and beauty treatments designed to fix perceived “flaws,” it can be alarmingly easy to develop an eating disorder without even realising it. INSIDER spoke with three mental health experts who told us how seemingly harmless (or healthy) habits can turn into a full-blown eating disorder. Exercise becomes rigid, regimented, or punishing. Exercising can certainly be a healthy habit that benefits both your body and brain, helping you feel stronger both physically and mentally, and even better able to tackle stress in your daily life. But plenty of seemingly harmless exercise … [Read more...] about 12 warning signs of an eating disorder that may surprise you
Eating disorders are alarmingly common among pregnant women, and almost no one talks about it
Research suggests that roughly 1 in 20 pregnant women are suffering from an eating disorder(ED). Physical and emotional changes during pregnancy – and the postpartum period – can exacerbate these already life-threatening illnesses. Many choose to shoulder their condition in silence, fearing judgment if they tell family, friends, or doctors. Warning: This story contains descriptions of EDs that may be triggering for those in recovery or currently struggling with one of the disorders. By some measures, Jaquie Keith had a normal, uneventful pregnancy. She had no serious complications. She gained the requisite amount of weight and her belly swelled right on schedule. Towards the end, she could feel her son – who’d eventually arrive a week before his due date, perfect and healthy – move inside her. Deep down, though, her relationship to her changing body was fraught. Since high school, Keith had been battling bulimia. The eating disorder did get … [Read more...] about Eating disorders are alarmingly common among pregnant women, and almost no one talks about it