Diet for Anorexics

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder which has serious implications upon a person's health. A diet for anorexics may help in reversing the effects of this disorder.

The word anorexic conjures images of stick thin models walking the ramps. Anything that is glamorized on the television has lasting impact upon the minds of people. Skinny models from fashion industry started an unhealthy trend amongst young girls way back in 70s. Teenage girls who had weight issues became obsessed over weight loss and resorted to starving themselves. They denied themselves the pleasures of eating and induced self vomiting, if they happen to eat anything. The result of this drastic measure is that, initially when the body starts burning fat you see weight loss, but when you still deny it food, it resorts to burning muscles. Loss of muscles leads to chronic fatigue and lethargy. Besides, depriving the body of its nutrients poses several health threats. In the end, vital organs such as kidneys, liver, heart cease to work and a person dies. Needless to say, anorexic people must be dealt with immense care and attention.

What is Anorexic Diet Plan

A person suffering from anorexia finds herself 'fat' in spite of her abnormally low weight. She becomes obsessed with losing weight and goes off without food for days and weeks. Most young girls suffering from anorexia end up in hospitals following a bout of illness or a fainting accident. The first course of treatment for such people is increasing their calorie intake so that vital functions such as digestion, circulation, respiration resume normally. In severe cases of anorexia, the body permanently loses its ability to perform these functions. A special diet plan for anorexics is formulated so that the patient steadily gains muscle mass and attains a healthy body weight. The effects of anorexic diet plan may take some time to become evident, considering anorexia is such a serious eating disorder. This diet plan for anorexics emphasizes upon building muscles by increasing the protein intake, as muscles are essentially built of protein. After attaining a healthy body weight, this diet also helps in burning excess calories, so that the person maintains a healthy body weight.

Diet Tips for Anorexics

Since, the digestive system of anorexics is often in a collapsed state, foods that are easily digestible are first introduced in the diet. Given below are some of the highlights of the diet for anorexics.

The first and most important anorexic diet tip is, including lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in the body as they are rich in vitamins and minerals. Besides, they also do not put a lot of stress on the digestive system. Fruit juices are also a good option.

During the initial days, proteins can come from foods such as yogurt, which is also a rich source of probiotic bacteria.

As the person starts showing inclination to eating, one can introduce rich protein sources such as lean meat, chicken, fish, eggs and dairy.

While the person is on her way of attaining a healthy body weight, the calorie content of carbohydrates in food should not exceed one third of total calories. As soon as she attains an ideal weight, calories from carbohydrates can be increased to just less than half the total number of calories.

Fiber content can also be increased in order to regulate bowel movements. Green salads, broccoli, cereals etc. can help gain fibers.

Post anorexia, a person must maintain a healthy diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meat, poultry, whole grains, pulses, cereals etc.

Negative calorie foods should be included in the diet, so that the person does not gain excess weight. These are the foods which burn calories and release energy, while providing essential nutrients. Grapefruit is a good example of such foods.

As anorexia is a psychological disorder, the mental health of the person also needs to be improved for better results. The person should accept a problem and must be willing to cooperate with the caregivers. Anorexic people are prone to going back to this state again and again. Hence, a strong will power is required to make the diet work and the focus should be on staying healthy rather than looking skinny.