We Must Fight Eating Disorders and Low Self-esteem

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Some people observe negative images of themselves whilst gazing back in the mirror because of subliminal advertising, mental health, and unconscious habits. The individuals staring back from the mirror at them are not real. Often times society disregards reality that no one possesses the perfect body because everyone is unique. Unfortunately, people who experience body dissatisfaction have a hard time grasping this concept of everyone being unique; consequently, they participate in life threatening problematic solutions to achieve their desired body. Eating disorders are abnormal eating habits because of the preoccupation with food and weight management (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2005). People with eating disorders have compulsions with the need to be ultra thin involving excessive or insufficient food intakes that become detrimental to an individual's physical, social and emotional health. Though eating disorders were rare until the early twentieth century, they certainly existed beforehand in the twelfth century. Eating disorders in the twelfth century have many similarities and differences of eating disorders today. Between the twelfth and thirteen centuries eating disorders originated from Catherine of Siena, who started a massive fast and cut her hair in order to make a statement. Through her lifestyle change she made a statement that Christ should be the center of one's life and cutting off her hair was a protest against “being overly encouraged to improve appearance in order to attract a husband” (Deans, 2011). Who knew fasting would evolve from a religious practice meant to stimulate a covenant relationship with the Lord, into a life threatening practice to lose weight. For instance, in the 1800s eating disorders began af... ... middle of paper ... ...rstanding eating disorders, anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating (2008). U.S national library of medicine. Retrieved November 14, 2013, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/magazine/issues/spring08/articles/spring08pg17-19.html Verplanken, B., & Velsvik, R.. Habitual negative body image thinking as psychological risk factor in adolescents . ScienceDirect.com | Search through over 11 million science, health, medical journal full text articles and books. Retrieved October 15, 2013, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1740144507001180#bib30?np=y doi:10.1016.2007.11.001 What can you do to help prevent eating disorders? | What can you do to help prevent eating disorders? | National Eating Disorders Association. Retrieved November 16, 2013, from http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/what-can-you-do-help-prevent-eating-disorders

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