's motd Monday Feb 22, 2010 - Bulimia

[Guest guest]

BULIMIA

Monday, 22 February 2010

I know that many of you are familiar with this term. Bulimia is when you purge or take laxatives to rid your body of the food, the calories you ate before they're absorbed into your system. Now I have to let you know, I have two forms of this eating disorder myself. No, I don't practice them anymore but they're both still inside me.

Purging is a "polite" term for vomiting. I used to eat a huge meal then get so upset with myself for doing it. So I'd go to the bathroom, put one of my fingers down my throat and "get rid" of all the food I'd just eaten. If they'd remained in my body, I knew I'd end up with another weight-gain. And, heaven knows, I didn't want that. In fact, gaining more weight scared me more than the ugly habit of throwing up my food!I would throw up maybe three to four times a day. And every time I did it, afterwards, I'd feel just terrible, physically and mentally. Oh, my eyes were all bloodshot while my face would get puffy and turn so red. And my throat hurt, too! But none of those things stopped me from throwing up my food for several more years.

My mother, Shirley, knew something was up with me. One day, she approached me when the two of us could be alone and we had a little talk. And I must say, it was good to talk to somebody about this terrible secret I'd been keeping to myself. I finally confessed to my mother what I'd been doing.My mother told me that she knew how I struggled with food. And she told me that throwing up the food I'd eaten was eventually going to hurt my teeth, my throat and even my digestive system. Shirley told me that I had to begin respecting my body more. Well, I listened to my sweet mother, fought hard and kicked the habit of throwing up. But a few months later, one of my classmates in school told me that her mother had actually lost weight by taking laxatives. (Hey, that was enough for me!) So I headed to the drugstore on Canal Street and bought myself a pack. That pack didn't last long either. I was popping so many of those little blue pills everyday. And because I did, I spent so much time in the bathroom that it truly hurt to go!

Hey, I was not letting the food "do its thing" inside my body. Right after a meal, I'd take my laxatives and within a couple of hours, I was on my way back to the bathroom. I'm afraid to even try and count how many laxatives I must have taken back then.I had the good sense to talk to my mother about this new bad habit I'd acquired. And, thankfully, Shirley helped guide me through that dark phase of my life, too.I receive e-mails every week from people who're caught up in bulimia. And as I was once guilty of, they're not telling anyone either. Well, except me.

I always tell them that they must go see their doctors and talk with a family member or close friend about their problem. Sometimes we're not strong enough to deal with this problem by ourselves. You need to sit and talk with someone eye-to-eye about the challenge you're facing.

If you have this problem, please, promise me you'll do that...talk to someone! You need to rebuild respect for your body. See, if you want to keep that body of yours around for a long time, you cannot abuse it by practicing these dangerous eating disorders. I got through then with the help of a loving mother. Who will you share your secret with so that you can get some help?Love,

[Guest guest]

BULIMIA

Monday, 22 February 2010

I know that many of you are familiar with this term. Bulimia is when you

purge or take laxatives to rid your body of the food, the calories you ate

before they're absorbed into your system.

---------------------------------

I have never done this. I did take a laxative a couple of times in the

past, but the discomfort was so awful, I didn’t do that any more. I hate

the feeling of being sick!

I always ate in secret and keep all evidence hidden, so these things didn't

occur to me as I knew no one else that did.

Ann