Why people starve themselves just to make their body look nice and sexy, where in fact that they are just making it to death. For a person has obsess in dieting and that obsession has become a disease. An Anorexia Nervosa is a puzzling and cruel disease affecting thousands and thousands of young and healthy women and adolescents. It is an eating disorder characterized by the pursuit of thinness.

Someone who is anorexic has an eating disorder that is characterized by the belief that he or she is fat, even when this person is dangerously thin. This occurs in women more than men, but anyone can develop the disease. Common symptoms include excessive weight loss and compulsive exercising. Treatment for anorexia often includes therapy and nutritional counseling. More severe cases may require hospitalization.

A person who has an anorexic will eat very little, even though this person is already thin. Anorexics have an intense and overpowering fear of body fat and weight gain, with repeated dieting attempts and excessive weight loss. An anorexic is often characterized as a perfectionist and overachiever who appears to be in control. In reality, an anorexic suffers from low self-esteem and is overly critical of himself or herself. They are also very concerned about pleasing others.

A People with anorexia continue to think they are overweight even after they become extremely thin, are very ill or near death. Often they will develop strange eating habits such as refusing to eat in front of other people. Sometimes the individuals will prepare big meals for others while refusing to eat any of it. The disorder is thought to be most common among people of higher socioeconomic classes and people involved in activities where thinness is especially looked upon, such as dancing, theater, and distance running. A girl stand on the mirror looking at her body thinking that she was fat or chubby not knowing on her situation, she is losing her weight. they starve themselves to feel that it is okay....but it is a disease and ill. An ill that no one can cure except you and yourself by accepting the facts that you are having an anorexia.

American women are living in a time when ultra-thin bodies are in. As the full-figured female body was replaced by the ultra-thin, yet toned body, our country saw an increase in eating disorders and a preoccupation with obesity. Some women internalize our society's thinness ideal and when they can not measure up to the ridiculous standards set for the female body, they often develop a negative body image. Negative body images can lead some individuals into unhealthy eating patterns and eating disorders. According to Kendall (1999), "the aerobic exercise craze of the 1980's reemphasized fitness for women". It seems the trend in the 1980's, showed from their results, was to become even thinner and more tubular shaped. In this context, tubular shaped means that woman's bust and hips were decreasing as their height was increasing. Results of the study showed that 69 percent of centerfolds and 60 percent of Miss American contestants were below 15 percent of their expected body weight in regard to their age and height. The classifies maintaining a body weight below 15 percent of the expected body weight as one of the major characteristics for anorexia nervosa. There was also a significant increase in the number of diet and exercise articles. This evidence supports the notion that the cultural expectations of woman's body standards are to be ultra-thin. Hence, the message our culture is sending to women appears to fit one of the major characteristics of having an eating disorder. The study also shows how our America began to emphasize exercise and fitness in addition or in place of dieting. It should be noted that this study was conducted in 1992, and today these trends continue even more. Not only are "ideal" women supposed to be ridiculously underweight, but they are also supposed to be physically fit and toned without being too muscular. Anorexia affects 0.5 to 1 of the female adolescence population, with an average age of onset between 14 and 18 years. An estimated 0.5 to 3.7 percent of females suffer from anorexia nervosa in their lifetime.

The risk of being anorexic can slow the heart rate and lower blood pressure, increasing the chance of heart failure. Anorexics who use drugs to stimulate vomiting, bowel movements, or urination are also at a high risk for heart failure. Starvation can lead to heart failure, as well as damage to the brain. Anorexia may also cause hair and nails to grow brittle. Skin may dry out, become yellow, and develop a covering of soft hair called lanugo. Anorexics may also experience mild anemia, swollen joints, reduced muscle mass, and light-headed as a result of the disease. In severe cases, anorexics may develop brittle bones that break easily as a result of calcium loss. Shrunk bones irregular heartbeat, permanent failure of normal growth, development of osteoporosis and bulimia nervosa.

What is Bulimia Nervosa it is another eating disorder that primarily affects women. However, bulimia is categorized by a binging and purging cycle. According to Ward-law (2003), women affected by this eating disorder eat large amounts of food in one sitting (binge eating) which is followed by a purging from the body through vomiting, misusing laxatives, diuretics, or enemas. In addition, bulimics often use alternate methods such as intense exercise or fasting to balance the effects of excess calories. This is an eating disorder it is very similar to bulimia because it too is characterized by recurring binge eating. However, these individual's do not purge and are classified as feeling as though they have lost control over their eating patterns. Individual's sufferings from compulsive overeating are generally categorized as binging twice a week for at least six months. Many times these binging episodes are provoked by feelings of extreme hunger, wanting to eat "forbidden foods" anger, depression, anxiety, helplessness, and frustration.

Why is it that binge-eaters crave forbidden foods and what makes these foods forbidden? As previously explained in Part One, America is loaded with fast food restaurants, vending machines full of junk food, and a soda machine for every 97 people. It surely does not seem that any foods (besides fruits and vegetables) are forbidden in our diet. In fact, we place value on the option of being able to drive to our favorite fast food joint grab a cheeseburger, greasy fries, and a soda to wash it all down because it tastes good, is more convenient than making a home-cooked meal and is relatively inexpensive. The media surrounds us with fast food, junk food, soda, and candy advertisements while at the same time it surrounds us with virtually flawless, excessively thin female body images. So, in a way, the media is promoting both forbidden foods and an ultra-thin female body image. Is it any wonder that individuals who binge on junk food feel angry, frustrated, and depressed? Perhaps they are confused by the conflicting messages that the media portrays which says eat unhealthy food but be sure to maintain a super slim body.

Many physical changes can occur with anorexia nervosa. A large number of these may be with attribute to weight loss. Changes in body metabolism associated with weight loss leads to lowering of:

• Heart rate
• Blood pressure
• A body temperature which may lead to feel cold

Other physical symptoms include:

• Thinning or drying of hair
• A so called "Lanugo" hair it is a fine hair which may grow in your face, or arms or legs.
• Dry Skin
• Restlessness and reduce sleep.
• Yellowish color on palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
• Lack of or Infrequent Menstrual periods.
  

What is the difference of the two Anorexia and Bulimia?

Sometimes a person with anorexia or bulimia starts out just trying to lose some weight or hoping to get in shape. But the urge to eat less or to purge spirals out of control.People with anorexia or bulimia frequently have an intense fear of being fat or think that they are fat when they are not. A person with anorexia may weigh food before eating it or compulsively count the calories of everything. When it seems "normal" or "cool" to do things like restrict food intake to an unhealthy level, it's a sign that a person has a problem.So how do you know if a person is struggling with anorexia or bulimia? You can't tell just by looking at someone. A person who loses a lot of weight may have another health condition or may be losing weight through healthy eating and exercise.

Here is a sign that the person may have an Anorexia or Bulimia.

An Anorexia Sign:

• Becomes very thin, frail, or emaciated
• Obsessed with eating, food, and weight control
• Exercise excessively
• They feels they are fat
• Counts or portions of food carefully
• weight herself or himself repeatedly
  
• It may be depressed, lethargic (lacking of energy), and feel cold a lot

An Bulimia Sign:

• Intensely unhappy with body size, shape, and weight
• Fears weight gain
• They withdraws from social activities,especially in meals and celebration that involves food.
• spends most of his/her time working out trying to work out  off calories.
• makes excuses to go to the bathroom immediately after meals.