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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffWhen you have an eating disorder, taking care of your health needs often isn't one of your priorities. But proper self-care can help you feel better during and after treatment and help maintain your overall health.
Try to make these steps a part of your daily routine:
- Stick to your treatment plan. Don't skip therapy sessions and try not to stray from meal plans.
- Talk to your doctor about appropriate vitamin and mineral supplements to make sure you're getting all the essential nutrients.
- Don't isolate yourself from caring family members and friends who want to see you get healthy and have your best interests at heart.
- Talk to your health care providers about what kind of exercise, if any, is appropriate for you.
- Read self-help books that offer sound, practical advice. Consider discussing the books with your health care providers.
- Resist urges to weigh yourself or check yourself in the mirror frequently. Otherwise, you may simply fuel your drive to maintain unhealthy habits.
References
- Forman SF. Eating disorders: Epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical features. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 22, 2011.
- Eating disorders. National Mental Health Information Center. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/eating-disorders/complete-index.shtml. Accessed Nov. 22, 2011.
- Eating disorders. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://psychiatryonline.com. Accessed Nov. 22, 2011.
- Ranzenhofer LM, et al. Eating disorders. In: South-Paul JE, et al., eds. Current Diagnosis & Treatment in Family Medicine. 3rd ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=8150394. Accessed Oct. 20, 2011.
- Grave RD. Eating disorders: Progress and challenges. European Journal of Internal Medicine. 2011;22:153.
- Steffen KJ, et al. A prevalence study and description of Alli use by patients with eating disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2010; 43:472.
- Steffen KJ, et al. A survey of herbal and alternative medication use among participants with eating disorder symptoms. International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2006:39;741.
- Breuner CC. Complementary, holistic, and integrative medicine: Eating disorders. Pediatrics in Review. 2010;31:e75.
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