Do you suspect that a loved one may be suffering from an eating disorder? If you’re worried and not sure of what to look out for, here are tips to help you recognize the warning signs of an eating disorder.

According to an article at timberlineknolls.com, “What are the Signs of an Eating Disorder?”

“What Are the Warning Signs of An Eating Disorder?

“Anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and overeating disorders can have numerous combinations of signs, symptoms and causes. Additionally, several other eating and body image disorders are closely related to anorexia and bulimia, including orthorexia, body dysmorphic disorder, and exercise addiction.
Many people who suffer with eating disorders show no outward signs, but still experience overwhelming internal feelings that prompt them to rely on symptoms to control intense pain, anxiety or other troubling emotions. Eating disorders are not a phase of adolescence or an expression of vanity. It is critical for a sufferer to seek medical treatment for eating disorders at the earliest sign of symptoms. Research shows that early and adequate intervention leads to the best clinical outcomes.

Disordered eating behaviors stand in the way of the healthy experience of emotional, social and spiritual development, and prevent the sufferer from living a full life. They are not “normal” efforts to “eat healthy”, and they require professional eating disorder treatment. Behaviors associated with eating disorders may include:

• Constant adherence to increasingly strict diets, regardless of weight
• Habitual trips to the bathroom immediately after eating
• Secretly bingeing on large amounts of food
• Hoarding large amounts of food
• Increase in consumption of laxatives, diuretics or diet pills
• Exercising compulsively, often several hours per day” To read the entire article click here.

Barbara Cox of ABC Nutrition Services is the leading expert in eating disorders. To schedule an appointment contact ABC Nutrition Services at 775-329-0505 or visit ABCNutritionServices.com.