1. What are the differences between these two diseases and how can we help those that are affected by it?

2. The full name is Anorexia Nervosa, this is an eating disorder when a person is so obsessed with weight, body shape and food intake to the point that they purposely starve themselves. Anorexia also mostly develops in young women during the teenage years, but in recent studies it is becoming more recent in pre-teen boys and girls.

3. Restricting Type: this type is when you restrict calories by having extreme diets, you fast, and exercise excessively. Purging Type: this is done when the person purges (or vomits after eating), or they use laxatives. Signs for purging type: A) Using diet pills, laxatives or diuretics. B) Throwing up after eating. C) Compulsive exercising.

4. These symptoms frequently develop over a period of years in both women and men that have certain genetic, emotional or life-experience predispositions. The symptoms have two inter-related patterns: A) a conscious refusal to maintain a healthy body weight for a man or woman for the appropriate age and height. B) Severely distorted self-image, and obsession with the perception that he or she is over weight, even when they are under weight.

5. Dieting despite being thin. Obsession with calories, fat grams and nutrition. Pretending to eat, or lying about eating. Preoccupation with food. Strange or secretive food rituals.

6. Dramatic weight loss Feeling fat despite being underweight Fixation on body image Harshly critical of appearance Denial that you’re too thin

7. Psychological: people that suffer from this are usually perfectionists and overachievers. They’re the “good” children, excel in everything they do, always want to please others and always do as they are told. While they seem to have it all together, inside they feel helpless, inadequate and worthless. Family and Social Pressures: participation in activities that demands slenderness, this also includes parents that are overly controlling, put a lot of emphasis on looks, diet themselves, or criticize their children's bodies and appearance. Also stress-full life events.

8. Biological: may run in families, if a girl has a sibling with anorexia she is 10 to 20 times more likely than the general population to develop the disorder. People with this disorder have high levels of cortisol (brain hormone most related to stress), and low levels of serotonin and norepinephrine (associated with feelings of well-being). There is no simple explanation for the reason of anorexia, it is a combination of family environment, emotional difficulties, low self esteem, and traumatic experiences you have gone through in the past.

10. Admit you have a problem. Talk to someone. Stay away from people, places and activities that trigger your obsession with being thin. Seek professional help.

11. The full name is Bulimia Nervosa, this is an eating disorder when you have frequent episodes of binge eating, followed by frantic efforts to avoid gaining weight. It affects women and men of all ages. Binge eating is when you consume large quantities of food in a short amount of time. While struggling with bulimia you have a constant battle between the desire to lose weight or stay thin and an overwhelming compulsion to binge eat.

12. You don’t want to binge eat, you know you’ll feel guilty afterwards, but time and again you give in. During an average binge you could consume between 3,000-5,000 calories in one short hour. After it ends, panic sets in and you turn to drastic measures to “undo” the binge. Such as: taking an ex-lax, inducing vomit, or going for a 10 mile run. All the while doing this you feel completely out of control.

13. Bulimia doesn’t necessarily consist of purging (vomiting). It also doesn’t mean you physically eliminate the food from your body, by using laxatives, enemas, or diuretics. If you make up for your binge by fasting, exercising to the excess, or going on crash diets, this also classifies as bulimia.

14. Dieting triggers bulimia's destructive cycle of binge eating and then purging. The ironic part is that the more strict and rigid the diet, the more likely it is that you’ll become preoccupied, even obsessed with food. When you starve yourself, your body responds with powerful cravings (this is your body’s way of telling you it needs nutrition). As the tension, hunger, and feelings of deprivation build, the compulsion to eat becomes too powerful to resist.

15. A “forbidden” food is eaten; a dietary rule is broken. With an all or nothing mindset, you feel a diet rule broken, is a total failure. The relief that binging brings is extremely short lived. Soon after, guilt and self-loathing set in, and you purge to regain control and make up for binging. Unfortunately purging only reinforces binge eating.

17. Lack of control over eating. Secrecy surrounding eating. Eating unusual large amounts of food. Disappearance of food. Alternating between overeating and fasting.

18. Going to the bathroom after meals. Using laxatives, diuretics, or enemas. Smell of vomit. Excessive exercise.

19. Calluses or scars on the knuckles or hands. Puffy “chipmunk” cheeks. Discolored teeth. Not underweight. Frequent fluctuations in weight.

20. Poor Body Image: our culture’s emphasis on thinness and beauty can lead to body dissatisfaction, particularly young women that are bombarded with images of unrealistic physical ideal. Low Self-Esteem: women and men who look at themselves as worthless, useless and, unattractive are at risk for bulimia. Things that contribute to low self- esteem are depression, perfectionism, childhood abuse, and a critical home environment.

21. History of Trauma and Abuse: women with bulimia appear to have a higher incidence of sexual abuse. People with bulimia are also more likely than average to have parents that suffer from substance abuse problems or psychological disorders. Major Life Changes: bulimia is often triggered by stressful changes or transitions. Appearance-oriented Professions or Activities: people that face tremendous image pressure are more vulnerable to developing bulimia.

23. Admit you have a problem. Talk to someone. Stay away from people, places and activities that trigger your obsession with being thin. Seek professional help.