Table of contents:
- Intake restriction in bulimics
- The behavior of vomiting food that has been eaten
- The effects on people with bulimia for a long time
- 1. Tooth decay
- 2. Swelling of the salivary glands
- 3. Decreased skin and hair health
- 4. Osteoporosis
- 5. Arrhythmias
- 6. Menstrual disorders
- 7. Chronic constipation
- 8. Emotional disturbances
- 9. Mental disorders
The main impact of eating disorders is the lack of intake that the body gets, resulting in physiological disorders. Unlike people with certain diseases that cause us not to digest food properly, people with bulimia restrict food because of their desire or thoughts to lose weight, by limiting the amount of food intake to extremes.
Intake restriction in bulimics
The body needs nutrients from food intake to replace damaged cells. Limiting food intake to extreme amounts, such as in people with bulimia, will cause the body to become malnourished and lose the substances needed to carry out its functions.
The behavior of vomiting food that has been eaten
Even though it does not cause a significant reduction in body weight, people with bulima sometimes excrete food that has been eaten. Even though this behavior will only cause damage to the body. The components of the digestive system have specific functions and take time to process food. People with bulimia sometimes force food out of their body by vomiting or speeding up the absorption of food in the stomach and intestines by misusing drugs. This causes serious damage to the digestive system if done continuously.
The effects on people with bulimia for a long time
Lack of nutritional intake and forcing the digestive system to work abnormally will of course cause health problems. Here are some of the health effects that sufferers may experience in the long term:
1. Tooth decay
This is a risk experienced by people with bulimia who like to vomit food by force. When a person with bulimia vomits their food, stomach acid will come out with food that has not been properly digested. In a long time, the tooth that is exposed to acid will porous and cause caries in the tooth.
2. Swelling of the salivary glands
The habit of removing food again will injure the salivary glands in the oral cavity, so that swelling appears around the face and can also be followed by swelling of the throat.
3. Decreased skin and hair health
Lack of nutrition due to vomiting and use of laxatives too often can cause dryness of the skin surface and hair as well as reduce nail density.
4. Osteoporosis
If your bones don't get enough calcium, your bone density can decrease. In people with bulimia, osteoporosis can also occur due to deficiencies of other needed substances such as vitamin D and phosphorus.
5. Arrhythmias
Forcing to remove food either by vomiting and using drugs will cause an electrolyte imbalance that causes heart rhythm disturbances or arrhythmias. A study in Japan showed that people with bulimia were more likely to experience abnormal heart rhythms. If this is left for a long time it will cause complications of heart disease, including kidney damage.
6. Menstrual disorders
Lack of intake for a long time can also cause damage to the reproductive system in women. Because the body tries to survive while maintaining the availability of nutrients in the midst of a lack of intake, an abnormal menstrual cycle occurs. Even the menstrual cycle can not continue and leave women with bulimia without children.
7. Chronic constipation
Disorders of constipation or constipation in bulimia sufferers are caused by the behavior of removing food either by abuse of laxatives or forcing to vomit. The behavior causes damage to the nerve endings in the intestinal muscles as a result of which the intestines cannot function normally even though the use of laxatives has been stopped.
8. Emotional disturbances
Bulimia not only disturbs the balance of the body but also emotional disturbances that may last for the rest of the sufferer's life. Bulimia sufferers tend to feel ashamed of the body they have, as a result of which there is interference mood and irritable and worry too much about his weight.
9. Mental disorders
One of the mental disorders that are at risk for bulimic sufferers is depression. This is because people with bulimia want a perfect body shape by limiting food intake, but end up destroying their own health. People with bulimia also tend to have difficulty concentrating and have difficulty making decisions and suicidal thoughts due to depression.
Bulimia sufferers often cover up their condition without even knowing the health risks of complications from bulimia. The worst long-term effects on health are damage to the heart and digestive system. Even in one case, although rare, people with bulimia develop esophageal cancer due to abnormal bowel function from trying to remove food that has been swallowed again.
