Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder that is characterized by binge eating and then inappropriate manners of preventing weight gain such as purging (induced vomiting) or excessive exercise. Thousands of Americans suffer from eating disorders each year. There is an increased prevalence of eating disorders in Western cultures.
People who experience bulimia feel a need for perfection and also have a distorted body image and view of reality. They frequently obsess over exercise and have rigid diet regimes from which they will binge at least twice a week and then subsequently purge with a combination of self-induced vomiting, laxatives or excessive exercising.
People who suffer from bulimia often go unrecognized because they hold near normal weight and don’t become intensely thin. However, the effect of the induced vomiting and laxatives causes a malnourished state that has many long term effects of bulimia.
Some of the side effects of bulimia nervosa are fatigue, muscle weakness, fainting, dizziness and missed periods for women. These side effects are caused from the malnourished state of the persons body and lack of vitamins and minerals, most notably iron which causes anemia.
Because the blood of the sufferer doesn’t have enough iron there are also pulmonary and long term cardiovascular issues as well.
Another of the side effects of bulimia nervosa is a depressed immune system. The body’s immune system is bolstered by good nutrition high in vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins B and zinc. When the sufferer continues to purge the nutrition they take in they also lose the vitamins and minerals that are so important to a strong immune system. This loss sets them up to be more susceptible to frequent illnesses such as viral colds and flu and to be in general poor health.
Resources:
Go Ask Alice: Long-Term Effects of Bulimia
http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/long-term-effects-bulimia
The Recovery Ranch: Long Term Health Effects of Bulimia
http://www.recoveryranch.com/articles/eating-disorders/long-term-health-effects-of-bulimia/
Bing Eating Solutions: Effects of Eating Disorders
http://www.binge-eating-solutions.com/binge-consequences.php
Archives of General Psychiatry: A Prospective Study of Outcome in Bulimia Nervosa and the Long Term Effects of Three Psychological Treatments
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7702447
Earth Clinic: Cure a Bulimic Disorder with Natural Remedies
http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/bulimia.html
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