Anorexia is an eating disorder, whereby a person starves himself or herself with the fear of putting on weight. It begins at a young age, generally on attaining puberty. Those suffering from it suffer substantial weight loss. In fact, they are skinny, but they feel they are over-weight. Many teenage girls, who prefer to maintain their slim figure often suffer from Anorexia. Too much of exercise, taking laxatives, trying to vomit what they ate are the methods adopted to lose weight.
Most people suffering from this condition feel hungry like others but they teach themselves to ignore. These people are very obsessed about food and can spend hours thinking about them. The might also prepare food for others and spend lot of time going through the recipes. The just deny that they are hungry and do not eat as they want to loose weight even if they are ultra thin.
Women suffering from Anorexia might also suffer from Bulimia nervosa. In this condition they eat lot of food in short duration of time and then go for self induced vomiting. Such type of people are said to be suffering from Bulimarexia(Anorexia + Bulimia).
Home Remedies for Anorexia
- Ginger and rock salt can be useful to treat Anorexia. Take a small piece of ginger and peel it. Make a paste by adding few lemon drops and little asafoetida and black pepper. After missing it, take it daily on an empty stomach for at least a fortnight. Your appetite may improve
- An apple a day keeps the digestive system in good order. It provides roughage for proper digestion
- Eating 2 or 3 fresh oranges daily can increase one’s appetite
- Take a cup of water, boil it on a medium fire. Add 2-3 cloves to it. Also add 1/2tsp of lime juice and drink twice a day. Continue this for at least a week. Your appetite would certainly improve
- One can also take 1 tsp of lime juice, mix it with an equal amount of ginger juice. Add 1 gm of rock salt. Keep the mixture in the sunlight for at least three days away from dust. Take a teaspoon after meal as it will improve the digestion and make one feel hungry
- Garlic also improves digestion. It stimulates digestion. One can take it in the form of soup
- Vegetable soup with little rock salt added to it as well as black pepper will increase appetite
- Eating raw tomatoes also increases one’s appetite
- Increase the green vegetables like cabbage, capsicum, beets and cucumber
- Ayurvedic belief is that “ghee” increases appetite
- Have more spicy food as it also increases appetite. Avoid putting too much oil as it may increase cholesterol
- Sour grapes can also be very effective.
- One can have a salad which is garnished with rock salt. Squeeze a lemon and add a pinch of black pepper to it
- Non- vegetarians can have chicken soup. Put some black pepper and ginger juice into it
- Yoga also increases appetite. Specific asanas like Matsyasana, Shirshasana, Sarvangasana, Salabhasana, Dhanurasana, Paschimottanasana and Halasana are some of the poses which if done regularly could help a person to get rid of this problem
Causes of Anorexia
- Social pressure to remain slim
- In some profession and activities thinness is expected
- Fear of becoming fat
Symptoms of Anorexia
- Fear of becoming fat
- Refuse to eat in front of others
- Think they are over-weight even if they are extremely thin
- Body weight which is not consistent with age and height
- Loss of about 3 “consecutive menstrual periods” among women
- Anxiety
- Brittle skin
- Weakness
- Obsession about calorie intake
- Preoccupation about food. Always thinking of food. Although not eating anything
- Obsession for working out and too much of activity in order to remain thin
