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Eating disorders - a nutritional cure
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Spinach is a wonderful source of zinc.
Society today can be an enormous imposition when it comes to eating healthfully or at all. While stores may provide plus sizes today as they once did not about ten years ago, there still remain stereotypes that most teenagers want to live up to, and the models parading the runways do all to encourage thinness perhaps in excess. But all too often, there exist chemical imbalances that are closely linked to eating disorders so common among our youth especially. And believe it or not, nutritional deficiencies are often at the core of it. Let's take a look at some of these less understood phenomena.
According to Canadian researchers, Abram Hoffer and Jonathan Prousky, zinc deficiency has been shown to be a causal link to eating disorders. These go to include anorexia, bulimia and obesity. Vegetarians have a greater tendency to be low in zinc, thus making eating disorders common in this sub-group. Some foods with sufficient levels of zinc include: oats, barley, tangerines, pecans, fresh oysters, ground steak, whole wheat, lima beans, almonds, tuna, turnips, potatoes, black beans, pork chops, cucumber, ginger root, lamb chops, anchovies, haddock, garlic, parsley, shrimp, yams, lettuce, string beans, peanuts, green peas, walnuts, buckwheat, beef liver, and dry split peas to name a few food items. It was also discovered that treating eating disorders with zinc could sometimes create nausea without supplementing with B6 prior. Thus, the total nutrient picture is critical to balancing the scales when eating disorders have been present. Zinc deficiency is also suspected when someone experiences a loss of taste, or does not notice bitter tastes as being so. Psychiatric symptoms can also occur from such deficiency.
Discussion of the critical role zinc plays should also go hand in hand with copper, which is critical for the development of hemoglobin, which helps us heal when wounded. Without this, our blood won't clot. Too little copper can also lead to a thyroid not functioning properly. However, it needs to be realized that these two minerals rely upon one another and excess of either one can cause adverse reactions. As long as a happy marriage is enabled among friends, copper and zinc can provide for people what it ought without much interference or side effects. Seek medical direction to determine appropriate usage.
Recommended reading: For a careful review of studies done about eating disorders and other scenarios, please read Abram Hoffer's and Jonathan Prousky's book "Naturopathic Nutrition: A Guide to Nutrient-Rich Food and Nutritional Supplements for Optimum Health." This book is available at www.amazon.com.
This article is not meant to serve as medical advice. Seek the direction of a naturopath for proper supplementation and treatment of any disease.
Photo courtesy of www.fotosearch.com.
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