Tufts University recently released the following announcement: Low-Carb Diets Can Affect Dieters’ Cognition Skills The study reinforces some ideas and findings that we in the eating disorders field are all-too familiar with… A new study from the psychology department at Tufts University shows that when dieters eliminate carbohydrates from their meals, they performed more poorly on memory-based tasks than when they reduce calories, but maintain carbohydrates. When carbohydrates were reintroduced,…

The new issue of the American Psychiatric Association’s *Psychiatric News* (Volume 44, Number 3) includes an article: “Researchers ‘Astonished’ by Anorexia Death Rates” by Joan Arehart-Treichel. Here are some excerpts: Anorexia nervosa is a very dangerous illness, not just over the short term but over the long term as well. Patients with this disorder need continuing, diligent follow-up care. Anorexia nervosa…is a dangerous illness with a high rate of premature…

Here’s a question: What is your set-point? If you are a healthcare provider, do your patients know their respective set-points? Better question: What is a set-point? It is not how long it takes to become frustrated in tense situations… It does not refer to financial stability… And it has nothing to do with the game of tennis… But it is something that may have a profound effect on weight stabilization…

In my last post, I introduced many of you to the concept of a non-diet approach to weight and nutrition management, by way of something called “Intuitive Eating”, a seemingly revolutionary take on nutrition counseling instituted by Registered Dietitians Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. Today, let’s continue our look at this important topic of discussion and hear directly from Elyse Resch, as she explains the concept first hand… (I myself…

What if many of the people who routinely deprive themselves of wanted calories, sometimes only to binge on them later, could eat what they wanted, when they were hungry for it, and stop when they were full? Is such an approach to food actually possible? And is it healthy? Evelyn Tribole M.S., R.D., Elyse Resch M.S., R.D., authors of the groundbreaking book Intuitive Eating, confidently assert that this approach is…

The female athlete triad (or “the Triad” for short) is a The Female Athlete Triad is a syndrome of three interrelated conditions that exist on a continuum of severity. These three conditions have traditionally included: Disordered Eating Amenorrhea Osteoporosis According to a report published by the Medical Commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOMC), although any one of these problems can occur in isolation, inadequate nutrition in a female athlete…

“Can’t I just get better on my own?” “Why do I need to see a doctor” (or other healthcare professional)? You have probably heard the question asked of you dozens of times, I know I have. And given the high risk of medical complications and other challenges faced in recovery, we always recommend that individuals with eating disorders seek professional help, as well they should. But are there any self-help…

In my last post, I left you with this question, “So, what should you do if an eating disorder patient tells you that she is pregnant?” Read on for some helpful suggestions for treating expectant mothers with a history of eating disorders… Address the sense of loss of control over eating while pregnant. As previously mentioned, an expectant mother with an eating disorder history risks a return of disordered behaviors,…

Yesterday, we looked at the subject and infertility and eating disorders. Today, let’s discuss some of the important considerations regarding pregnancy for women with a history of eating disorders symptoms… Pregnancy can pose significant challenges to women with a history of eating disorders as well as those who are struggling with current symptoms. Some of these challenges include the potential for an increase in eating disorder symptoms when pregnant, as…

As a follow up to my last post about the “Mommy Make-over”, let’s begin a discussion about the effects of eating disorders on pregnancy and related issues – beginning with the effects on fertility in females. Eating disorders have been implicated in the literature as a cause of infertility (Pomeroy & Mitchell, 2002). It is estimated that as many as 1 in 5 patients at an infertility clinic is there…