Health Tips for Patients with Eating Disorders

Health Tips for Patients with Eating Disorders

When a person has an eating disorder they need help to become healthy once again. If a person is suffering from anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or on the opposite end a binge eating disorder, they will need help to develop healthy eating habits once again, gradually over time. Therapy and group support is a huge part of treating eating disorders. Yet, your therapist or doctor may recommend the following health tips:

1. Mental Health
If a person has an eating disorder there is often a reason why they feel they are not worth being healthy. Some people see themselves as fat no matter how thin they are. Others turn to emotional eating if they are feeling bad or are depressed. A mental health professional can help a person reach the real cause of their eating disorder and help a person develop self-esteem so they can begin treatment.

2. Nutritional education
A person that has an eating disorder should work with a registered dietitian to help them develop a treatment plan and help them begin to develop eating habits. They should work on reaching a healthy weight. They should also look at what they are eating and how it affects their bodies. The professional will help them develop a regular eating pattern and develop steps to help them eat or avoid binges.

3. Setting a treatment plan
A person should work with a professional to help develop a plan for treatment. The treatment plan should include short and long term goals and focus on medical issues from the eating disorder. There are many resources out there that can help a person meet their goals.

4. Increase electrolytes
When a person is not eating or they are vomiting up the foods that they eat they can lose electrolytes and become dehydrated. A person should work on keeping their electrolyte levels stable. They can enjoy sports drinks as a way to replenish the body and reduce problems with the nerves and muscles.

5. Take vitamins
If a person is not getting the vitamins and minerals they need from the food they can begin to see their hair fall out and lack energy. A person should take a multivitamin while they are developing a healthy eating habit to allow the body to regain the minerals that it has lost.

6. Increase calcium levels
Calcium is needed to keep the bones strong. If a person is not eating they can develop low bone density of even osteoporosis at even a young age. A person will need to eat foods high in calcium and drink milk to help make the bones strong.

Recovering from an eating disorder is not going to be easy. With the right mental health counseling and goal setting a person can begin to recover from the eating disorder and regain their health.