Friday, 1 June 2018
Studying The Human Mind
Tuesday, 29 May 2018
Cell biology
| Part of a series on |
| Biochemistry |
|---|
| Key components |
 |
| History and topics |
| Glossaries |
| Portals: Biology, MCB |
Cell biology
Cell biology (formerly called cytology, from the Greek κυτος, kytos, "vessel") is a branch of biology that studies the different structures and functions of the celland focuses mainly on the idea of the cell as the basic unit of life. Cell biology explains the structure and organization of the organelles they contain. It includes the physiological properties, metabolic processes, signaling pathways, life cycle, and interactions with their environment. This is done both on a microscopic and molecular level as it encompasses prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells. Knowing the components of cells and how cells work is fundamental to all biological sciences; it is also essential for research in bio-medical fields such as cancer, and other diseases. Research in cell biology is closely related to genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, immunology, and developmental History
Cells, that were once invisible to the naked eye, became visible in 17th century Europe with the invention of the compound microscope. Robert Hooke was the first person to term the building block of all living organisms as "cells" after looking at cork.[1] The cell theory states that all living things are made up cells.[2] The theory also states that both plants and animals are composed of cells which was confirmed by plant scientist, Matthias Schleiden and animal scientist, Theodor Schwann in 1839.[3] 19 years later, Rudolf Virchow contributed to the cell theory,arguing that all cells come from the division of preexisting cells.[4] In recent years, there have been many studies which question the cell theory. Scientists have struggled to decide whether viruses are alive or not. Viruses lack common characteristics of a living cell, such as membranes, cell organelles, and the ability to reproduce by themselves.[5] Viruses range from 0.005 to .03 microns in size whereas Bacteria range from 1-5 microns.[6] Modern day cell biology research looks at different ways to culture and manipulate cells outside of a living body to further research in human anatomy and physiology, to derive treatments and other medications, etc. The techniques by which cells are studied have evolved. Advancement in microscopic techniques and technology such as fluorescence microscopy, phase-contrast microscopy, dark field microscopy, confocal microscopy, cytometry, transmission electron microscopy, etc. have allowed scientists to get a better idea of the structure of cells.
Cell structure
There are two fundamental classifications of cells: prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The major difference between the two is the presence and/or absence of organelles. Other factors such as size, the way in which they reproduce, and the number of cells distinguish them from one another.[8] Eukaryotic cells include animal, plant, fungi, and protozoa cells which all have a nucleus enclosed by a membrane. Prokaryotic cells, lacking an enclosed nucleus, include bacteria and archaea. Prokaryotic cells are much smaller than eukaryotic cells, making prokaryotic cells the smallest form of life.[9] Cytologists typically focus on eukaryotic cells whereas prokaryotic cells are the focus of microbiologists, but this is not always the case.
Internal cellular structures
The study of the cell is done on a molecular level; however, most of the processes within the cell are made up of a mixture of small organic molecules, inorganic ions, hormones, and water. Approximately 75-85% of the cell’s volume is due to water making it an indispensable solvent as a result of its polarity and structure.[10] These molecules within the cell, which operate as substrates, provide a suitable environment for the cell to carry out metabolic reactions and signalling. The cell shape varies among the different types of organisms, and are thus then classified into two categories: eukaryotes and prokaryotes. In the case of eukaryotic cells - which are made up of animal, plant, fungi, and protozoa cells - the shapes are generally round and spherical,[11] while for prokaryotic cells – which are composed of bacteria and archaea - the shapes are: spherical (cocci), rods (bacillus), curved (vibrio), and spirals (spirochetes).[12]
Cell biology focuses more on the study of eukaryotic cells, and their signalling pathways, rather than on prokaryotes which is covered under microbiology. The mainconstituents of the general molecular composition of the cell includes: proteins and lipids which are either free flowing or membrane bound, along with different internal compartments known as organelles. This environment of the cell is made up of hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions which allows for the exchange of the above-mentioned molecules and ions. The hydrophilic regions of the cell are mainly on the inside and outside of the cell, while the hydrophobic regions are within the phospholipid bilayer of the cell membrane. The cell membrane consists of lipids and proteins which accounts for its hydrophobicity as a result of being non-polar substances.[10] Therefore, in order for these molecules to participate in reactions, within the cell, they need to be able to cross this membrane layer to get into the cell. They accomplish this process of gaining access to the cell via: osmotic pressure, diffusion, concentration gradients, and membrane channels. Inside of the cell are extensive internal sub-cellular membrane-bounded compartments called organelles.
Processes
The growth process of the cell does not refer to the size of the cell, but instead the density of the number of cells present in the organism at a given time. Cell growth pertains to the increase in the number of cells present in an organism as it grows and develops; as the organism gets larger so too does the number of cells present. Cells are the foundation of all organisms, they are the fundamental unit of life. The growth and development of the cell are essential for the maintenance of the host, and survival of the organisms. For this process the cell goes through the steps of the cell cycle and development which involves cell growth, DNA replication, cell division, regeneration, specialization, and cell death. The cell cycle is divided into four distinct phases, G1, S, G2, and M. The G phases – which is the cell growth phase - makes up approximately 95% of the cycle.[13] The proliferation of cells is instigated by progenitors, the cells then differentiate to become specialized, where specialized cells of the same type aggregate to form tissues, then organs and ultimately systems.[10] The G phases along with the S phase – DNA replication, damage and repair - are considered to be the interphase portion of the cycle. While the M phase (mitosis and cytokinesis) is the cell division portion of the cycle.[13] The cell cycle is regulated by a series of signalling factors and complexes such as CDK's, kinases, and p53. to name a few. When the cell has completed its growth process, and if it is found to be damaged or altered it undergoes cell death, either by apoptosis or necrosis, to eliminate the threat it cause to the organism’s survival.
Techniques used to study cells
Cells may be observed under the microscope, using several different techniques; these include optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, correlative light-electron microscopy, and confocal microscopy.
There are several different methods used in the study of cells:
- Cell culture is the basic technique of growing cells in a laboratory independent of an organism.
- Immunostaining, also known as immunohistochemistry, is a specialized histological method used to localize proteins in cells or tissue slices. Unlike regular histology, which uses stains to identify cells, cellular components or protein classes, immunostaining requires the reaction of an antibody directed against the protein of interest within the tissue or cell. Through the use of proper controls and published protocols (need to add reference links here), specificity of the antibody-antigen reaction can be achieved. Once this complex is formed, it is identified via either a "tag" attached directly to the antibody, or added in an additional technical step. Commonly used "tags" include fluorophores or enzymes. In the case of the former, detection of the location of the "immuno-stained" protein occurs via fluorescence microscopy. With an enzymatic tag, such as horse radish peroxidase, a chemical reaction is carried out that results in a dark color in the location of the protein of interest. This darkened pattern is then detected using light microscopy.
- Computational genomics is used to find patterns in genomic information [14]
- DNA microarrays identify changes in transcript levels between different experimental conditions.
- Gene knockdown mutates a selected gene.
- In situ hybridization shows which cells are expressing a particular RNA transcript.
- PCR can be used to determine how many copies of a gene are present in a cell.
- Transfection introduces a new gene into a cell, usually an expression construct
Purification of cells and their parts Purification may be performed using the following methods:
- Cell fractionation
- Release of cellular organelles by disruption of cells.
- Separation of different organelles by centrifugation.
- Flow cytometry
- Immunoprecipitation
- The binding of an antibody to a target protein
- Collection of the target protein through elution[15]
- Proteins extracted from cell membranes by detergents and salts or other kinds of chemic
Friday, 25 May 2018
DINOSAURS
DINOSAURS
The prehistoric reptiles known as dinosaurs arose during the Middle to Late Triassic Period of the Mesozoic Era, some 230 million years ago. They were members of a subclass of reptiles called the archosaurs (“ruling reptiles”), a group that also includes birds and crocodiles.
Scientists first began studying dinosaurs during the 1820s, when they discovered the bones of a large land reptile they dubbed a Megalosaurus (“big lizard”) buried in the English countryside.
In 1842, Sir Richard Owen, Britain’s leading paleontologist, first coined the term “dinosaur.” Owen had examined bones from three different creatures–Megalosaurus, Iguanadon (“iguana tooth”) and Hylaeosaurus (“woodland lizard”). Each of them lived on land, was larger than any living reptile, walked with their legs directly beneath their bodies instead of out to the sides and had three more vertebrae in their hips than other known reptiles. Using this information, Owen determined that the three formed a special group of reptiles, which he named Dinosauria. The word comes from the ancient Greek word deinos (“terrible”) and sauros (“lizard” or “reptile”).
Did you mean
Despite the fact that dinosaurs no longer walk the Earth as they did during the Mesozoic Era, unmistakable traces of these enormous reptiles can be identified in their modern-day descendants: birds.
Since then, dinosaur fossils have been found all over the world and studied by paleontologists to find out more about the many different types of these creatures that existed. Scientists have traditionally divided the dinosaur group into two orders: the “bird-hipped” Ornithischia and the “lizard-hipped” Saurischia. From there, dinosaurs have been broken down into numerous genera (e.g. Tyrannosaurus or Triceratops) and each genus into one or more species. Some dinosaurs were bipedal, which means they walked on two legs. Some walked on four legs
(quadrupedal), and some were able to switch between these two walking styles. Some dinosaurs were covered with a type of body armor, and some probably had feathers, like their modern bird relatives. Some moved quickly, while others were lumbering and slow. Most dinosaurs were herbivores, or plant-eaters, but some were carnivorous and hunted or scavenged other dinosaurs in order to survive.
At the time the dinosaurs arose, all of the Earth’s continents were connected together in one land mass, now known as Pangaea, and surrounded by one enormous ocean. Pangaea began to break apart into separate continents during the Early Jurassic Period (around 200 million years ago), and dinosaurs would have seen great changes in the world in which they lived over the course of their existence. Dinosaurs mysteriously disappeared at the end of the Cretaceous Period, around 65 million years ago. Many other types of animals, as well as many species of plants, died out around the same time, and numerous competing theories exist as to what caused this mass extinction. In addition to the great volcanic or tectonic activity that was occurring around that time, scientists have also discovered that a giant asteroid hit Earth about 65.5 million years ago, landing with the force of 180 trillion tons of TNT and spreading an enormous amount of ash all over the Earth’s surface. Deprived of water and sunlight, plants and algae would have died, killing off the planet’s herbivores; after a period of surviving on the carcasses of these herbivores, carnivores would have died out as well.
Despite the fact that dinosaurs no longer walk the Earth as they did during the Mesozoic Era, unmistakable traces of these enormous reptiles can be identified in their modern-day descendants: birds. Dinosaurs also live on in the study of paleontology, and new information about them is constantly being uncovered. Finally, judging from their frequent appearances in the movies and on television, dinosaurs have a firm hold in the popular imagination, one realm in which they show no danger of becoming extinct.
Wednesday, 9 May 2018
what is Alkaptonuria: Causes, Symptoms and Diagnosis
thickened and darkened cartilage in your ears
blue speckled discoloration of your skin, particularly around sweat glands
dark-colored sweat or sweat stains
black earwax
kidney stones and prostate stones
arthritis (especially hip and knee joints)
Alkaptonuria can also lead to heart problems. The buildup of homogentisic acid causes your heart valves to harden. This can keep them from closing properly, resulting in aortic and mitral valve disorders. In severe cases, heart valve replacement may be necessary. The buildup also causes your blood vessels to harden. This raises your risk of high blood pressure.
CAUSES
What Causes Alkaptonuria?
Alkaptonuria is caused by a mutation on your homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (HGD) gene. It’s an autosomally recessive condition. This means that both of your parents must have the gene in order to pass the condition on to you.
Alkaptonuria is a rare disease. According to the National Organization of Rare Disorders (NORD), the exact number of cases is unknown. It is estimated to occur in 1 of every 250,000 –1 million live births in the United States. However, it’s more common in certain areas of Slovakia, Germany, and the Dominican Republic.
DIAGNOSIS
How Is Alkaptonuria Diagnosed?
Your doctor may suspect you have alkaptonuria if your urine turns dark brown or black when it’s exposed to air. They may also test you for the condition if you develop early onset osteoarthritis.
Your doctor can use a test called gas chromatography to look for traces of homogentisic acid in your urine. They can also use DNA testing to check for the mutated HGD gene. Family history is very useful in making a diagnosis of alkaptonuria. However, many people don’t know they carry the gene. Your parents might be carriers without realizing it. TREATMENT How Is Alkaptonuria Treated? There’s no specific treatment for alkaptonuria. You may be put on a low-protein diet. Your doctor may also recommend large doses of ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, to slow down the accumulation of homogentisic acid in your cartilage. However, NORD warns that long-term use of vitamin C has generally proven ineffective for treating this condition. Other treatments for alkaptonuria are focused on preventing and relieving possible complications, such as: arthritis heart disease kidney stones For example, your doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory medications or narcotics for joint pain. Physical and occupational therapy may help you maintain flexibility and strength in your muscles and joints. You should also avoid activities that put a lot of strain on your joints, such as heavy manual labor and contact sports. At some point in your life, you might need surgery. For example, NORD reports that approximately half of people with alkaptonuria need a shoulder, knee, or hip replacement, often by age 50 or 60. You may also require surgery to replace your aortic or mitral heart valves, if they stop working properly. In some cases, you may need surgery or other therapies to treat chronic kidney or prostate stones. Researchers are currently studying the use of the drug nitisinone as a possible treatment for alkaptonuria. OUTLOOK What Is the Outlook for Alkaptonuria?
Thursday, 3 May 2018
What is anorexia nervosa? Signs, Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment.
Many of us wish we looked different or could fix something about ourselves. That’s only human. But if a preoccupation with being thin has taken over your eating habits, thoughts, and life, you may have an eating disorder. When you have anorexia, the desire to lose weight becomes more important than anything else. You may even lose the ability to see yourself as you truly are. But you’re not alone and recovery is possible. With the right treatment and support, you can break anorexia’s self-destructive pattern and regain your health and self-confidence.
What is anorexia nervosa?
Anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder that results in unhealthy, often dangerous weight loss. While it is most common among adolescent women, anorexia can affect women and men of all ages and is characterized by a refusal to maintain a healthy body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted body image.
In today’s image-obsessed culture, many of us worry about putting on weight, but if you have anorexia, you’ll go to extreme lengths to maintain a low weight. In fact, thoughts about dieting, food, and your body may take up most of your day—leaving little time for friends, family, and other activities you used to enjoy. Life becomes a relentless pursuit of thinness and intense weight loss. But no matter how skinny you become, it’s never enough.
You may try to lose weight by starving yourself, exercising excessively, or using laxatives, vomiting, or other methods to purge yourself after eating. This intense dread of gaining weight or disgust with how your body looks, can make eating and mealtimes very stressful. And yet, food and what you can and can’t eat is practically all you can think about. But no matter how ingrained this self-destructive pattern seems, there is hope. With treatment, self-help, and support, you can break the hold anorexia has over you, develop a more realistic body image, and regain a healthier balance in your life.
Types of anorexia
Restricting type of anorexia, where weight loss is achieved by restricting calories (following drastic diets, fasting, and exercising to excess)
Purging type of anorexia, where weight loss is achieved by vomiting or using laxatives and diuretics.
Are you anorexic?
Do you feel fat even though people tell you you’re not?
Are you terrified of gaining weight?
Do you lie about how much you eat or hide your eating habits from others?
Are your friends or family concerned about your weight loss, eating habits, or appearance?
Do you diet, compulsively exercise, or purge when you’re feeling overwhelmed or bad about yourself?
Do you feel powerful or in control when you go without food, over-exercise, or purge?
Do you base your self-worth on your weight or body size?
Signs and symptoms of anorexia
Living with anorexia means you’re constantly hiding your habits. This makes it hard at first for friends and family to spot the warning signs. When confronted, you might try to explain away your disordered eating and wave away concerns. But as anorexia progresses, people close to you won’t be able to deny their instincts that something is wrong—and neither should you.
Food behavior symptoms
Dieting despite being thin – Following a severely restricted diet. Eating only certain low-calorie foods. Banning “bad” foods such as carbohydrates and fats.
Obsession with calories, fat grams, and nutrition – Reading food labels, measuring and weighing portions, keeping a food diary, reading diet books.
Pretending to eat or lying about eating – Hiding, playing with, or throwing away food to avoid eating. Making excuses to get out of meals (“I had a huge lunch” or “My stomach isn’t feeling good”).
Preoccupation with food – Constantly thinking about food. Cooking for others, collecting recipes, reading food magazines, or making meal plans while eating very little.
Strange or secretive food rituals – Refusing to eat around others or in public places. Eating in rigid, ritualistic ways (e.g. cutting food “just so," chewing food and spitting it out, using a specific plate).
Appearance and body image symptoms
Dramatic weight loss – Rapid, drastic weight loss with no medical cause.
Feeling fat, despite being underweight – You may feel overweight in general or just “too fat” in certain places, such as the stomach, hips, or thighs.
Fixation on body image – Obsessed with weight, body shape, or clothing size. Frequent weigh-ins and concern over tiny fluctuations in weight.
Harshly critical of appearance – Spending a lot of time in front of the mirror checking for flaws. There’s always something to criticize. You’re never thin enough.
Denial that you’re too thin – You may deny that your low body weight is a problem, while trying to conceal it (drinking a lot of water before being weighed, wearing baggy or oversized clothes).
Purging symptoms
Using diet pills, laxatives, or diuretics – Abusing water pills, herbal appetite suppressants, prescription stimulants, ipecac syrup, and other drugs for weight loss.
Throwing up after eating – Frequently disappearing after meals or going to the bathroom. May run the water to disguise sounds of vomiting or reappear smelling like mouthwash or mints.
Compulsive exercising – Following a punishing exercise regimen aimed at burning calories. Exercising through injuries, illness, and bad weather. Working out extra hard after bingeing or eating something “bad.”
If you or a loved one has anorexia...
In the U.S., call the National Eating Disorders Association’s toll-free hotline at 1-800-931-2237 for free referrals, information, and advice. In other countries, see the Resources section below for a helpline near you.
Anorexia causes and effects
There are no simple answers to the causes of anorexia. Anorexia is a complex condition that arises from a combination of many social, emotional, and biological factors. Although our culture’s idealization of thinness plays a powerful role, there are many other contributing factors, including your family environment, emotional difficulties, low self-esteem, and traumatic experiences you may have gone through in the past.
Major risk factors
Body dissatisfaction
Strict dieting
Low self-esteem
Difficulty expressing feelings
Perfectionism
Troubled family relationships
History of physical or sexual abuse
Family history of eating disorders
Effects of anorexia
While the causes of anorexia are uncertain, the physical effects are clear. When your body doesn’t get the fuel it needs to function normally, it goes into starvation mode and slows down to conserve energy. Essentially, your body begins to consume itself. If self-starvation continues and more body fat is lost, medical complications pile up and your body and mind pay the price.
Getting help
Deciding to get help for anorexia is not an easy choice to make. It’s not uncommon to feel like anorexia is part of your identity—or even your “friend.”
You may think that anorexia has such a powerful hold over you that you’ll never be able to overcome it. But while change is hard, it is possible.
Steps to anorexia recovery
Admit you have a problem. Up until now, you’ve been invested in the idea that life will be better—that you’ll finally feel good—if you lose more weight. The first step in anorexia recovery is admitting that your relentless pursuit of thinness is out of your control and acknowledging the physical and emotional damage that you’ve suffered because of it.
Talk to someone. It can be hard to talk about what you’re going through, especially if you’ve kept your anorexia a secret for a long time. You may be ashamed, ambivalent, or afraid. But it’s important to understand that you’re not alone. Find a good listener—someone who will support you as you try to get better.
Stay away from people, places, and activities that trigger your obsession with being thin. You may need to avoid looking at fashion or fitness magazines, spend less time with friends who constantly diet and talk about losing weight, and stay away from weight loss web sites and “pro-ana” sites that promote anorexia.
Seek professional help. The advice and support of trained eating disorder professionals can help you regain your health, learn to eat normally again, and develop healthier attitudes about food and your body.
Medical treatment for anorexia
The first priority in anorexia treatment is addressing and stabilizing any serious health issues. Hospitalization may be necessary if you are dangerously malnourished or so distressed that you no longer want to live. You may also need to be hospitalized until you reach a less critical weight.
Anorexia recovery tip 1: Understand this is not really about weight or food
The food and weight-related issues are in fact symptoms of something deeper: things like depression, loneliness, insecurity, pressure to be perfect, or feeling out of control. Things that no amount of dieting or weight loss can cure.
The difference between dieting and anorexia
Healthy Dieting Anorexia
Healthy dieting is an attempt to control weight.
Anorexia is an attempt to control your life and emotions.
Your self-esteem is based on more than just weight and body image.
Your self-esteem is based entirely on how much you weigh and how thin you are.
You view weight loss as a way to improve your health and appearance.
You view weight loss as a way to achieve happiness.
Your goal is to lose weight in a healthy way.
Becoming thin is all that matters; health is not a concern.
In order to overcome anorexia, you first need to understand that it meets a need in your life. For example, maybe you feel powerless in many parts of your life, but you can control what you eat. Saying “no” to food, getting the best of hunger, and controlling the number on the scale may make you feel strong and successful—at least for a short while. You may even come to enjoy your hunger pangs as reminders of a “special talent” that most people don't possess.
Anorexia may also be a way of distracting yourself from difficult emotions. When you spend most of your time thinking about food, dieting, and weight loss, you don’t have to face other problems in your life or deal with complicated emotions.
Unfortunately, any boost you get from starving yourself or shedding pounds is extremely short-lived. Dieting and weight loss can’t repair the negative self-image at the heart of anorexia. The only way to do that is to identify the emotional need that self-starvation fulfills and find other ways to meet it.
Tip 2: Learn to tolerate your feelings
Identifying the underlying issues that drive your eating disorder is the first step toward recovery, but insight alone is not enough. Let’s say, for example, that following restrictive food rules makes you feel safe and powerful. When you take that coping mechanism away, you will be confronted with the feelings of fear and helplessness your anorexia helped you avoid.
Reconnecting with your feelings can be extremely uncomfortable. It’s why you may feel worse at the beginning of your recovery. But the answer isn’t to return to the destructive eating habits you previously used to distract yourself; it’s to learn how to accept and tolerate all of your feelings—even the negative ones.
Using mindfulness to cope with difficult emotions
When you start to feel overwhelmed by negativity, discomfort, or the urge to restrict food, take a moment to stop whatever you’re doing and investigate what’s going on inside.
Identify the emotion you’re feeling. Is it guilt? Shame? Helplessness? Loneliness? Anxiety? Disappointment? Fear? Insecurity?
Accept the experience you’re having. Avoidance and resistance only make negative emotions stronger. Instead, try to accept what you’re feeling without judging yourself.
Dig deeper. Where do you feel the emotion in your body? What kinds of thoughts are going through your head?
Distance yourself. Realize that you are NOT your feelings. Emotions are passing events, like clouds moving across the sky. They don’t define who you are.
Once you learn how to accept and tolerate your feelings, they’ll no longer seem so scary. You’ll realize that you’re still in control and that negative emotions are only temporary. Once you stop fighting them, they’ll quickly pass.
For a step-by-step guide to learning how to manage stress and uncomfortable emotions, check out HelpGuide’s free Emotional Intelligence Toolkit.
Tip 3: Challenge damaging mindsets
People with anorexia are often perfectionists and overachievers. They’re the “good” daughters and sons who do what they’re told, try to excel in everything they do, and focus on pleasing others. But while they may appear to have it all together, inside they feel helpless, inadequate, and worthless.
If that sounds familiar to you, here’s the good news: these feelings don’t reflect reality. They’re fueled by irrational, self-sabotaging ways of thinking that you can learn to overcome.
Damaging mindsets that fuel anorexia
All-or-nothing thinking. Through this harshly critical lens, if you’re not perfect, you’re a total failure. You have a hard time seeing shades of gray, at least when it comes to yourself.
Emotional reasoning. You believe if you feel a certain way, it must be true. “I feel fat” means “I am fat.” “I feel hopeless” means you’ll never get better.
Musts, must-nots, and have-tos. You hold yourself to a rigid set of rules (“I must not eat more than x number of calories,” “I have to get straight A’s,” “I must always be in control.” etc.) and beat yourself up if you break them.
Labeling. You call yourself names based on mistakes and perceived shortcomings. “I’m unhappy with how I look” becomes “I’m disgusting.” Slipping up becomes “I’m a “failure.”
Catastrophizing. You jump to the worst-case scenario. If you backslide in recovery, for example, you assume that there’s no hope you’ll ever get better.
Put your thoughts on the witness stand
Once you identify the destructive thoughts patterns that you default to, you can start to challenge them with questions such as:
“What’s the evidence that this thought is true? Not true?”
“What would I tell a friend who had this thought?”
“Is there another way of looking at the situation or an alternate explanation?”
“How might I look at this situation if I didn’t have anorexia?”
worried man
How to Stop Worrying: Self-Help Strategies
As you cross-examine your negative thoughts, you may be surprised at how quickly they crumble. In the process, you’ll develop a more balanced perspective.
Tip 4: Develop a healthier relationship with food
Even though anorexia isn’t fundamentally about food, over time you’ve developed harmful food habits that can be tough to break. Developing a healthier relationship with food entails:
Getting back to a healthy weight
Starting to eat more food
Changing how you think about yourself and food
Letting go of rigid food rules
While following rigid rules may help you feel in control, it’s a temporary illusion. The truth is that these rules are controlling you, not the other way around. In order to get better, you’ll need to let go. This is a big change that will feel scary at first, but day by day, it will get easier.
Get back in touch with your body. If you have anorexia, you’ve learned to ignore your body’s hunger and fullness signals. You may not even recognize them anymore. The goal is to get back in touch with these internal cues, so you can eat based on your physiological needs.
Allow yourself to eat all foods. Instead of putting certain food off limits, eat whatever you want, but pay attention to how you feel physically after eating different foods. Ideally, what you eat should leave you feeling satisfied and energized.
Get rid of your scale. Instead of focusing on weight as a measurement of self-worth, focus on how you feel. Make health and vitality your goal, not a number on the scale.
The role of meal plans
family outdoor food spread
Healthy Eating: Plan, Enjoy, and Stick to a Healthy Diet
If you need to gain weight, a nutritionist or dietician can help you develop a healthy meal plan that includes enough calories to get you back to a normal weight. While you can do this on your own, you’re probably out of touch with what a normal meal or serving size looks like.
Getting past your fear of gaining weight
Getting back to a normal weight is no easy task. The thought of gaining weight is probably extremely frightening, and you may be tempted to resist.
But this fear is a symptom of your anorexia. Reading about anorexia or talking to other people who have lived with it can help. It also helps to be honest about your feelings and fears. The better your family and treatment team understand what you’re going through, the better support you’ll receive.
Helping someone with anorexia
While there are things you can do to help someone with an eating disorder, you can’t force the person to get better. And because of the defensiveness and denial involved in anorexia, you’ll need to tread lightly. Waving around articles about the dire effects of anorexia or declaring “You’ll die if you don’t eat!” probably won’t work. A better approach is to gently express your concerns and let the person know that you’re available to listen. If your loved one is willing to talk, listen without judgment, no matter how out of touch the person sounds.
Tips for helping a loved one
Think of yourself as an “outsider.” As someone not suffering from anorexia, there isn’t a lot you can do to “solve” your loved one’s anorexia. It is ultimately their choice to decide when they are ready.
Be a role model for healthy eating, exercising, and body image. Don’t make negative comments about your own body or anyone else’s.
Take care of yourself. Seek advice from a health professional, even if your friend or family member won’t. And you can bring others—from peers to parents—into the circle of support.
Don’t act like the food police. A person with anorexia needs compassion and support, not an authority figure standing over the table with a calorie counter.
older woman comforting younger one
Helping Someone with an Eating Disorder: Advice for Family and Friends
Avoid threats, scare tactics, angry outbursts, and put-downs. Bear in mind that anorexia is often a symptom of extreme emotional distress and develops out of an attempt to manage emotional pain, stress, and/or self-hate. Negative communication will only make it worse.
Resources and references
Negative Voices – Description of the negative, self-critical “voices” that tell anorexics that they’re powerless and worthless. Includes tips on dealing with them. (The Something Fishy Website on Eating Disorders)
Distorted Perceptions – Article on the distorted perceptions that anorexics have about themselves and their bodies. (The Something Fishy Website on Eating Disorders)
Noticing the Signs and Symptoms – Detailed list of the signs and symptoms of anorexia nervosa, including physical, emotional, and behavioral red flags. (The Something Fishy Website on Eating Disorders)
Treatment – Provides numerous resources and tips on eating disorder treatment, including questions to ask, insurance tips, and a guide to your options. (National Eating Disorders Association)
EDReferral.com – Comprehensive, easy-to-search database of anorexia and eating disorder treatment providers. (The Eating Disorder Referral and Information Center)
Find Help and Support – Call: 1-800-931-2237. Eating disorders helpline offers advice and referrals. Includes an online directory of treatment providers and support groups. (National Eating Disorders Association)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)