Medical Questions » Mental Health Questions » Question No. 1568
| Question: | My daughter' s recovering from bulimia. Is there anything I can do nutritionally to help? |
| Answer: | First of all, many people who binge are drawn to wheat, sugar or milk-based foods. Wheat and milk both contains exorphins, substances that make you feel good, much like chocolate. The more you eat, the more you want to eat. I have had great success asking people to binge on anything, if they have to, but not on wheat or milk-based foods. Of course, some people binge on sugar. Here, the trick is to regulate your blood sugar. If the level of glucose in the blood goes too low, any of us can end up craving something sweet; so keep blood sugar up to a healthy level by snacking on fruit, preferably with a small handful of seeds and/or nuts, as soon as you start getting hungry, grouchy or tired.
The mineral zinc, which controls normal appetite reflexes, is another deficiency in those with anorexia and bulimia. Make sure your daughter supplements 10 to 15mg of zinc. Most good multis will give you lOmg. |
|
|
