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Do You Use Laxatives to Control Your Weight?
Do you reach for a packet of laxatives when you feel full, bloated, fat or heavy? Do you know what laxatives do to your body? Do you want to develop a healthy eating habit or break the cycle of bulimia or compulsive overeating?
People that suffer from bulimia or compulsive overeating often abandon a healthy eating habit and resort to the use of laxatives. One should be aware that they could experience terrible side effects. If you use laxatives inappropriately constipation, fluid retention, a bloated feeling and the very thing you are trying to avoid - weight gain - are potential problems. You deserve better and should adopt a healthy eating habit to combat bulimia or compulsive overeating.
Habitual use can have very serious side effects for you, such as; dehydration, impaired bowel function, electrolyte imbalance and endema. Blood in the stool indicates internal bleeding, which can lead to anemia, intestinal and liver tumors, as well as colorectal cancer. In the most extreme cases it can lead to death. Bulimia and compulsive overeating are curable.
Laxatives were developed to relieve constipation and because it is a non-prescription drug, it is widely available and abused by many bulimia or compulsive overeating sufferers. Be aware that laxatives can be addictive and because your body becomes more tolerant to them you may feel the need to take more to obtain the same effect. This is obviously not part of a healthy eating habit.
Do You Want to Wean Yourself From Laxatives?
These 5 suggestions are provided to help you to develop a healthy eating habit and overcome a dependency on laxatives if you suffer from bulimia or compulsive overeating
If you are a long-term user, consult with your doctor as soon as possible. If not, you can adopt the following tips to combat bulimia or compulsive overeating which may have led to the overuse of laxatives. It is dangerous to stop laxative use overnight, so gradually cut down your intake. Seek medical help if you need additional guidance or you can visit Bulimiahope.com to obtain information about maintaining a healthy eating habit and winning the struggle against compulsive overeating.
- Make sure your diet contains plenty of natural fiber which aids healthy bowel movements. It is a healthy eating habit to consume plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. This is absolutely essential for someone that is affected by bulimia. You can expect your bowel movements to be in the range of 1 to 3 times a day or as infrequently as 3 times per week. All are considered normal. If your bowel movement is outside this range then speak with your doctor.
- Drink plenty of water - 6 to10 glasses a day. This may seem excessive, but it is what your body is thirsty for and is another healthy eating habit for those affected with bulimia.
- Participate in some gentle exercise like yoga or swimming which will aid to insure you bowel movements are regular. To help you maintain this regular exercise
participate in a sport or physical activity that you enjoy.
- Increase your intake of whole-grain bread, cereal and crackers. They add important bulk to your movements and nutrients to your body which enable it to heal.
- Allow from 1 week to a couple of months for your body to recover from the effects of long term laxative abuse. It will take some time to adopt a healthy eating habit and overcome compulsive overeating.
Every time you are tempted to take a laxative, ask yourself: "what can I do which is more self-loving, right this minute?" Then act on it, however small the gesture is, it is the way to adopt a healthy eating habit and begin your recovery from bulimia or compulsive overeating.