1. The act of purging increases your metabolic rate.
a.  True
b.  False
2. What is the average age of U.S. bulimics?
a.  13
b.  17
c.  21
d.  25
3. On average, how many calories are consumed during a bulimic’s binge?
a.  1,000-1,500 calories
b.  1,500-3,000 calories
c.  3,000-5,000 calories
d.  5,000+ calories
4. What percentage of bulimics (in the U.S.) are female?
a.  50 percent
b.  75 percent
c.  90 percent
d.  99 percent
5. What percentage of calories consumed are typically absorbed by the bulimic’s body after a vomiting purge?
a.  25 percent
b.  50 percent
c.  75 percent
d.  100 percent
6. What percentage of calories consumed are typically absorbed by the bulimic’s body after using diuretics as a …read more

I’m convinced that the topic of weight makes people turn into angry individuals.  It’s the weirdest thing.
For example, I was at the gym today.  Changing.  As I put on my shorts, a women in her late 40s/early 50s walked up to me.  When she was about a foot away from me, she said (very loudly), “And what are you?!?  A size zero or something?”  She wasn’t laughing, she wasn’t joking around.  She was… well… kind of mad. 
It was strange. 
Was she mad at me?  I wanted to tell her, “Hey, honey.  Chill.”  But instead I just shook my head in shock and answered, “No, …read more

One of the “themes” running through most eating disorders is a general dislike of and disdain for one’s body. Certainly, this stems from psychological issues; eating disorders are not the fault of the body. However, the body ultimately pays the price.
Therefore, I suppose it shouldn’t be too surprising that plenty of women and men with eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating turn to self-mutilation.
Don’t believe me? Just head to any pro-ana or pro-mia discussion board. (Or don’t – I wouldn’t want them to trigger any latent EDs.) The subject of “cutting” appears far more frequently than you …read more

This week, I discussed how bulimics (and some anorexics and those with EDNOS who purge) are likely introducing all sorts of bacteria, germs and goodness knows what else into their throats every time they induce vomiting using objects such as their fingers, toothbrushes or spoon handles.
Sarah, a commenter, had this to say.  It really impressed me… especially the last bit about commodes:
I was just thinking about this. I have had quite the history with bulimia and while I have mostly overcome it, last week I had gastroenteritis. While sick I made myself throw up multiple times because it made me …read more

There are numerous reasons not to make ourselves vomit. We all know that. But lately I’ve been thinking about an aspect of bulimia, ED-NOS and anorexia induced purging that I’ve never thought about before: bacteria.
Let me preface this post by telling you that I’m not a germaphobe. Far from it. I don’t get too grossed out by a messy house. If a potato chip falls on the floor, I casually brush it off and happily eat it. But the more I thought about the subject I’m about to bring up, the more it gave me a case of the good …read more

The side effects of having an eating disorder most often described by bloggers and the media are the obvious ones — heart problems, teeth concerns, osteoporosis.  But there are some aspects of eating disorders that I’ve rarely seen described.
Here are three that I just don’t think most people know about:
1.  Financial Woes.  Bulimics will spend quite a bit of money on their binges.  They’ll max out their credit cards to feed their addiction, if need be. 
2.  Career Instability.  Many anorexics and bulimics eventually enter a sort of “career burnout” mode.  Though most are labeled “model employees” or perfectionists, they eventually come …read more

Educate others about the facts surrounding eating disorders. Dispel the myths that surround anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder. Find opportunities to talk with others, whether in small groups at your church or larger groups at a high school.
Work on getting healthy inside and out for yourself if you’re struggling with an eating disorder. It’s tough for people to listen to you if you’re not trying to recover from your dance with ana, mia or BED.
Learn all you can about eating disorders. If you’re going to advocate for recovery and (hopefully) prevent others from experiencing a struggle with anorexia, bulimia …read more

I’ve long known that eating disorders are associated with high mortality rates; however, it’s only in recent months that I’ve been able to understand exactly why.
You see, I always assumed that it was because anorexics starved themselves to death and bulimics purged their bodies to the point where a heart attack or stroke was inevitable. 
But that’s not necessarily the case.
Instead, it seems many women and men with eating disorders die from suicide.  Many suffer from undiagnosed conditions, like depression and bipolar disorder… and without proper medications and/or therapy, they take their own lives.
This article from Psychiatry Online delves into the connection …read more

Okay, gross topic.  I admit it.  But I’m curious… have you ever met someone with bulimia who actually smelled like vomit?
I’ve read many times in “information sheets” that this is a tell-tale sign (duh!), but it seems to me that whenever I read real bulimics’ blogs or writings, they do their best to cover up the odor. 
If I were bulimic, I’d be carrying around mints and hand sanitizer, I think.  But I really don’t know much about it… can someone give me the down and dirty facts?

This morning, I actually clicked on an AOL homepage link talking about Courtney Love, the very quirky (and unstable, in my opinion) rocker chick who was married to (or at least living with) Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain.
The link shows a pic of Courtney looking quite skinny.  Truly, she does look pretty sick.  But is this a case of the media just being a pack of dogs?  Do they really give a damn about what happens when they show pics of a troubled woman?  Do they even realize (or care) that they may be encouraging anorexics and bulimics everywhere to emulate the thinness?
Now, …read more