A Deadly Trend in Weight Loss

Alot of young women with self esteem issues tend toHair Loss
believe that they need to lose weight. Some girlsInfertility
actually do need to lose it and will cut back on theirOsteoporosis
food intake and increase their activities. Other girlsHigh/Low blood pressure
wether they need to lose the weight or not will takeHiding foods
another route. The young women and men that takeIrritability
this route develop eating disorders. After having theseExcessive amounts of weight lost in a short amount of
disorders some will turn to medical professionals andtime
get treatment to get rid of the disorders. The othersIntolerance to cold temperatures
that are left in this category will turn to the internet,Pancreatitis
where they find "professionals" that help them becomeWeakness and chronic fatigue
"better" anorexics or bulimics.Seizuresand sometimes Cancer or even Death.
All of these websites tell these young andThese are only a few things that some will go through,
impressionable people that are suffering from horriblethere are much more to go along with it.
life threatening disorders that what they are doing isThese Pro Eating Disorder (also known as Pro-ED)
ok. They call themselves "Pro Ana" and "Pro Mia"(Anawebsites contain extreme diets, advice on fasting, and
standing for Anorexia and Mia standing for Bulimia).also tell visitors how to hide their eating disorders from
These websites tell their visitors that they aretheir friends and families. While doing all of these things
worthless, useless, and they say that starving oneselfthey also provide pictures of models, celebrities, and
or binging and purging is the only way to achievepeople they know that are so rail thin their bones are
perfection. If you ask me, I believe this Pro Ana/Miaprotruding from their skin. They call these photos
trend is an insane concept. It would be as if you were"thinspiration". It's really a disgusting and very sad thing,
to give a suicidal person a book on how to killand something really needs to be done about it. The
themselves properly. Just in case you are the onesaddest part of all of it is that their is not much we can
who wonders "Hey what's the problem with lettingdo besides raise awareness, letting people know that
these kids do as they wish?", let's look at somethese websites are in fact out their and to make sure
symptoms and medical problems related to having antheir friends and loved ones are not one of their millions
eating disorder.of visitors
Amenorrhea (loss of period)With all of this being said I would just like everyone to
Anemiakeep their eyes open, learn to recognize the signs of
Dry Skinan eating disorder, and make sure their children are not
Dehydrationvisiting these sites. This subject is also something that
Degenerative Arthritismight need to be discussed with your children or loved
Depressionones if you start to recognize these signs.
Decaying or rotting teeth