Keeping Yourself Healthy

I know it sounds oxymoronic to talk about health and eating disorders in the same sentence. How can one be healthy when she's starving herself? The honest truth is that restriction and purging will harm you no matter what you do, but there are things you can do in order to keep your body from shutting down entirely.

Taking a daily multivitamin is a way to ensure that your body is getting adequate amounts of the vitamins and nutrients it needs to keep itself functioning. Normally, most people get these substances from the food that they eat, but in the case of those with eating disorders, food intake isn't enough to meet the body's needs. I recommend taking something recommended for your gender and/or age group, like One-a-Day Women's or GNC's MegaTeen.

In addition to your multivitamin, it is imperitive to take daily calcium supplements. Osteoporosis is a huge problem among people with eating disorders, causing loss of bone mass in young adults and teens like the kind experienced by most women during and after menopause. 1200-1500 mg (usually 2 tablets of whatever brand you choose) will help to slow this loss and, if started early enough, rebuild some of the damage. A DEXA bone density scan will be able to determine your current bone mass, which will let you know just how well your bones are doing. (There are other bone scans available, but most of those are intended for menopausal or post-menopausal women, not for younger people, and will not show the right indicators.) I recommend something like Caltrate +D, which contains 600 mg of calcium and a fair amount of vitamin D, which is essential for proper absorbtion of the calcium. Calcium is best absorbed at night when the body has time to rest.

Another consequence of an eating disorder is that your hair, nails, and skin will become dry. Your nails and hair will break easily, your hair will fall out, and your skin may develop a yellow tint. This is due to a low intake of protein as well as essential fatty acids, found in things like fish, buts, and seeds. Many health food and vitamin/nutrition stores will carry supplements that will help with your hair, skin, and nails. You may also wish to pick up some flax seed oil gels, which will help not only with the visible physical symptoms but with brain function as well. Omega-3 supplements and hair and nail restorers / strengtheners (usually topical, but sometimes in pills) will help as well.