Eating disorder treatment facilities are expensive. Some families pay out-of-pocket, but many can't afford to and turn to their insurance companies for help. Unfortunately, many insurance companies severely limit the amount of coverage they offer. Kitty and Mark Westin know this first hand. They spent a lot of time an effort fighting their insurance agency when their daughter, Anna, was struggling with an eating disorder. In hopes of helping other families in similar situations, they list several suggestions on their website.

"It is also important to understand which covered treatments are funded through the 'health' section of your plan and which are funded through the 'mental health' section. For example, your psychiatrist and medical doctor will be funded through 'health benefits' and you should insist that these are billed this way. You will probably have lower co-pays and services will not be as limited."

The Westins offer suggestions also if you find yourself having to file an appeal with your insurance company. Read more at AnnaWestinFoundation.org.

Labels: costs, health care, insurance

At age 13, Carmen Cusido weighed 60 pounds. What began as a desire to be "thin and beautiful" turned into an obsession. At the height of her eating disorder, she was consuming just 300 calories a day. Now, 10 years later, Carmen is healthy, and happy with the way she looks. But she hasn't forgotten the hard road she traveled to get here.

"By the time I was admitted to a hospital pediatric unit, I was so weak from self-starvation I was assisted by a wheelchair... Hot tears were running down my cheeks when a doctor there placed a naso-gastric tube – a thin tube that went from my nose to my stomach – that, like an intravenous, would provide extra nutrients if I wasn't eating all my meals."

Carmen spent most of 1997 in that Eating Disorders Unit. In 2000 she decided she was "tired of being sick and tired". She has been on a steady, positive road to recovery ever since. Read more at Thnt.com.

Labels: recovery, support, treatment

During National Eating Disorders Awareness Week couple in February, a new novel about eating disorders went on sale. A Slice of Heaven was written by Sherryl Wood who, fortunately, has never suffered with an eating disorder, but learned to appreciate the complexities of eating disorders after speaking with specialists at The Childrens' Hospital in Denver.

"'This is not a problem to be ignored or wished away,' Woods said, 'especially with younger and younger girls developing self-image issues and resolving them with extreme eating behaviors such as anorexia or bulimia.'"

Go online to read more about Wood's book and visit the National Eating Disorders Awareness website for more information on symptoms, warning signs, consequences and treatment options.

Labels: awareness, children, self-image_issues

Helping a child recover from an eating disorder can be a long, scary, and expensive process. Long-term, live-in facilities can cost tens of thousands of dollars a month, and most insurance agencies don't cover any of the expenses for long-term care. Several New Jersey families have recently filed a class-action law suit against insurance companies, stating that they are violating the mental health parity act that requires biologically based disorders to be covered by medical insurance.

"The National Institute of Mental Health... says that 'several family and twin studies are suggestive of a high heritability of anorexia and bulimia' and that, while no gene has been found linking eating disorders with inheritability, 'scientists suspect that multiple genes may interact with environmental and other factors to increase the risk of developing these illnesses.'"

New Jersey's definition of "biologically based" disorders includes things like obsessive compulsive disorder, and depression, both of which are often linked to eating disorders and may provide further proof that the disorders are in fact biologically based. Read more at CourierPostOnline.com.

Labels: costs, insurance, treatment

This week is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. The National Eating Disorder Association's theme for this year is "Be comfortable in your genes. Wear jeans that fit the REAL you."

"Too often individuals struggle against their natural, genetically influenced size just to fit into that pair of 'skinny jeans' in the back of their closets. Fighting your natural size and shape can lead to unhealthy dieting practices, poor body image and sometimes eating disorders."

The National Eating Disorder Association is hosting several Great Jeans Giveaway events across the nation. The events are intended to encourage women to giveaway those "skinny jeans" and learn to be comfortable in jeans that are made for their body type.

Read more at NationalEatingDisorders.org.

Labels: awareness, body image, dieting

In 1979, Aimee Liu wrote Solitaire, her memoir of her struggles with anorexia nervosa. Now, almost thirty years later, she's penned a new book called Gaining: The Truth About Life After Eating Disorders. In it, Liu talks about her own mid-life relapse, and shares the results of ground-breaking scientific research.

"Liu dispels the notion that eating disorders are caused by parents or strictly environmental circumstances. She quotes research isolating susceptibility genes for restricting anorexia…and bulimia..."

Liu also shares the stories of other eating disorder suffers, dispelling the often-held belief that eating disorders are only found in rich, young, Caucasian girls. Read more online.

Labels: recovery, research, support

While eating disorders don't make sense to many, there are at least 5 million men, women, and children in the United States who regularly battle an eating disorder. New studies show that many teen athletes, and not just the girls, may suffer from eating disorders. Experts believe that a drive to excel in athletics, especially dancers, gymnasts, and wrestlers, puts some students at a greater risk of having an eating disorder.

But a new program at Viewmont High School in Salt Lake City, Utah has a program to combat the deadly disorder.

"At the start of the season, high school wrestlers are weighed, their body fat is measured and their hydration level is checked. Those numbers are then entered into a computer, which determines how much weight each student can lose safely. If the student loses more, they are not allowed to compete."

While the new program appears to be working for the male wrestlers, there is no such system in place yet for female-associated sports. Read more online.

Labels: athletes, students, teens

Spain has already taken some radical steps to combat the unhealthy image of the fashion industry and its models. Near the end of 2006, the country announced strict Body Mass Index requirements for its Madrid Fashion Week Models. Now, the country is taking more steps.

"...two big changes, announced in January, are in the works: Stores run by four big names will start replacing window display mannequins so that none goes below size 38 (10 in Britain, 6 in the U.S.). And the designers will standardize the dimensions of their women's apparel so that a given size will fit the same way no matter who sells it."

The government has also initiated a study that will take measurements of 8,500 women across the country to get a better idea of the "true" sizes of Spanish women. Read more at Argusleader.com.

Labels: fashion, media_influences, modeling

Eating disorders often go undiagnosed in special needs children. Unusual eating patterns are often attributed to some other diagnoses.

"If you feel that your child has experienced unusual weight loss or weight gain, please consult the family doctor or pediatrician. If you are advised to 'wait and see' whether the change continues and still feel uneasy about your child's weight, consider a second opinion."

There are many reasons why the eating habits of a special needs child could change. Though parents shouldn't become alarmed, they should take note of the change and try to determine its cause. Read more at BellaOnline.com.

Labels: children, diagnosis, special_needs_kids

When it comes to eating disorders, the media and the public-at-large primarily focus on young girls. But the disorders are not uncommon among men, either. For men, admitting to an eating disorder can be especially tough because the world tells them they're supposed to be strong, productive and efficient.

"For men, the problem of getting help goes beyond the issues of stigma and denial. If you want to get help, you have to ask for it - that's where the problems begin. 'Men tend not to seek medical treatment,' said [Paul] Gallant [operation leader, provincial mental health programs for Providence Health], 'especially for mental disorders. Men are expected to be masculine. Asking for help could be perceived at a sign of weakness.'"

Often, the same recovery programs are used for both male and female patients, even though the causes among men and women are often very different. Some treatment centers have begun to realize this are developing programs that are gender-specific. Read more at Canada.com.

Labels: denial, manorexia, support

The media gets most of the blame for triggering eating disorders in young people. But a recent study at the University of Minnesota has found that teens who participate in weight-based sports are more likely to use unhealthy means of weight management/control than teens who aren't involved in weight-based sports.

"After analyzing the data, researchers found males are more likely to participate in weight-based sports than females. They also found males in weight-based sports are 5.7-times more likely to vomit in a given week than males not involved in weight-based sports, and these young men are six-times more likely to use diuretics to control their weight."

Weight-based sports include activities like ballet, wrestling, and gymnastics. The study was conducted using a survey which was administered to 4,746 students at 31 public high schools in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Read more at MontanasNewsStation.com.

Labels: ballet, gymnastics, wrestling

Max Lucas is married to Grace Bowman whose book "Thin" details her personal struggle with anorexia. Though she had recovered physically, she was still recovering psychologically when she and Max first met.

"For a few weeks after she told me, I kept an eye on her - seeing if she went to the toilet during a meal, that sort of thing. But as I got to know more about how Grace was actually feeling and the history of [her anorexia], and how far she had come from where she was, I got less concerned."

Max took practical, positive steps to help Grace continue in her recovery. Though he never nagged her about her eating habits, even when they were worrisome, he watched her to make sure she remained healthy. They are now married and living in Hertfordshire, north of London, Great Britain. Read more online.

Labels: family, recovery, support

"Super-thin" has been in for a long time. But curvy is now becoming hip in the fashion and entertainment industries.

"Curvy figures have taken the fashion industry by storm. In fashion magazines, red carpet events and runway shows, being full-figured is now welcomed."

The Elena Miro line of clothing for full-figured women was featured in Milan's fashion week two weeks ago, and the curvy Jennifer Hudson's figure was described as "flattering" in InStyle magazine. Sociology professor William McIntosh has speculated that the growing trend could partially be attributed to the recent illnesses and deaths of fashion models which have been caused by eating disorders. Read more online.

Labels: fashion, media_influences, trends

When a younger child, or teenager, is diagnosed with an eating disorder, the whole family is affected. Though only one child is sick, siblings are deeply affected by the frustrations, fears, and other emotions associated with an eating disorder.

"From other parents whose children had recovered from anorexia, I heard the same kinds of concerns. Predictably, the younger the child, the more acting out the parents saw, including clinginess, tantrums, mimicking dangerous behaviors like not eating, and depression."

Once the child has recovered from the eating disorders, siblings often feel freer to express their own feelings of anger, fear and frustration, so the emotions may not come until the crisis is over. Read more online.

Labels: family, impact, recovery

Although the dreaded "Freshman 15" is really more like 4 or 5 pounds, health experts warn that co-eds don't go to extremes worrying about gaining a little weight while at college. Staying disciplined despite being tempted by loads of unhealthy food options can be difficult for many students. Finding balance and moderation can be another daunting task.

"Since beauty and weight are closely linked in our culture, the desire to be thin is an oppressive message that can foster eating disorders, says Ann Hoschler, director of Student Health & Counseling at Augustana College. She conducts 300 to 400 counseling sessions a year that focus on depression, eating issues, anxiety and family concerns... Reactions to tremendous life changes such as going to college can include anxiety, depression and weight fluctuations—either up or down."

There are so many issues teenagers face during their first year at college: freedom from parents, weird schedules, homesickness, changing bodies, and so on that it's not surprising many students gain or loose weight. Some colleges require students to take nutrition classes or ones on overall personal wellness. Read more from the Argus Leader.

Labels: media_influences, myths, students

All of the girls at Blazer High School in Ashland, Kentucky were given permission to attend a presentation on eating disorders where Shannon Cutts shared her story of recovery.

"'I thought I was the only one. I thought I was born flawed,' said Shannon Cutts of Houston, Texas, who fought eating disorders for 14 years before recovering and launching a career as a singer-songwriter and motivational speaker."

Shannon tells of the cultural conditioning and media portrayals of beauty that reinforce negative body images, and cause girls as young as 4th graders to feel as though they're overweight. Read more at DailyDependent.com.

Labels: body image, media_influences, recovery