Documenting the way we eat has been practiced for centuries. Problems with the way we maintain our nutrient intake has been a way of life for many generations. Some choose to abuse themselves by not nourishing themselves; others do it as a way of exercising their personal demons. Either way, the history of eating disorders is rife with sadness and confusion.
Those who were involved in heavy duty religion hundreds of years ago would often use anorexia, or self starvation, to commit their undying loyalty to their Gods. They felt that if they ate food, they were neglecting and ignoring the needs of their God, and felt it a sin. Some believed that their devotion and unwavering love was the only nourishing they needed.
In later centuries, people adopted self starvation rituals not to worship a God, but to worship their self image. Women skipped meals on end in order to cram herself into a dress that was very small, often times tied into a corset. These women would faint dead away; not only because of being squeezed into a tiny dress, but because they had not eaten in a long time.
In current times, people young and old are experiencing self starvation. It could be suggested that peer pressure has a lot to do with a persons self image. For example, if a girl is overweight, she is ridiculed and made to feel bad about herself. If a thin girl is not getting along with her friends for whatever reason, she may think it is because she is too fat. So she will stop eating, to get herself very thin. What she does not realize is that she does not need to loose weight. And so it goes. Society is has not been kind.
When someone is known to binge and purge, they are ingesting large quantities of food and then making themselves heave it back up. This is the reverse of starving; though the effects are basically the same. When someone does not want others to find out they are not eating, they will try to fool them by showing that they are, but really they are just putting on a show.
This is a very dangerous practice because it can severely damage the body. Throwing up food can wreak havoc on the stomach and the entire digestive system as a whole. Vitamins and nutrients are not being absorbed because the food is not digesting. Additionally, the acids in the stomach that aide in digestion become stronger, and become overly caustic to the stomach and mucus membranes.
Another problem still is those who eat large quantities of food; becoming morbidly obese. This is known to be a partial psychological behavior, but in some cases the other reasons for this weight gain has eluded researchers. It has been said that some cases suggest bodily malfunction, others can prove that it is the lack of proper diet and exercise. Regardless, obesity has been an issue for as long as there has been an abundance of food sources.
The study of, and subsequent history of eating disorders has always been front and center for many medical researchers and professionals. The concept of proper nutrition has been lost on those who have some very serious psychological problems. One day, this kind of disorder can be cured for all who suffer from it.
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