theagingofanorexia

Brit Writes Personal Account of Anorexia

In one of my many explorations on the Internet I came across the story of Alison Adlen who wrote a book, describing her experiences with anorexia as a 49-year old woman. If you do want to purchase it the title is ‘Sleeping Dragons and Poppy Seeds.’

I’m not going to purchase the book because it doesn’t look to be well written or help me explain anorexia.

The book is important, however, because it was one of those incidents that brought attention to the eating disorder and the new demographic for many readers in the UK.

Her anorexia started with her dieting at age 40. She comments that many people diet and don’t have a problem with eating disorders. For others it could be the start of something more sinister. For Alison, under financial pressure while juggling work, family and home, controlling her weight was the one thing she felt she could control.

It used to be that by the time a woman reached age 40 she disappeared from the life picture. Not any more. Now there are celebrities like Madonna and Sharon Stone looking flawless and living seemingly perfect lives. Women like Alison see these images and feel they’ve failed.

Appearances can be deceiving. Alison writes that her purpose for publishing her story is to help other people from taking her path. She advises woman to make a list of the things that are important to them before they commit to a diet so that they can realize that a few pounds isn’t going to resolve any of the issues associated with their priorities.

Maybe you won’t need to go on that diet after all!

To your health success..

Ruthan Brodsky

Freelance Writer for Business

And Health Care Providers

www.balanceyourhealth.com

www.upsideofaging.com

Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters

Ruthan Brodsky

Young Courtney Martin’s first book, Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters: the Frightening New Normalcy of Hating Your Body(2007) (Free Press) is an important read for everyone but especially for all women regardless of age, parents, teachers and physicians.

Martin begins with a broad review of the problem of "obsessive-compulsive, overachieving, self-sacrificing" young women and presents her anger that these issues also persist in her own circle of white, well-educated friends, and are also on the rise in minority communities. She repeatedly emphasizes that body obsession, unhealthy food issues, and eating disorders are not confined to a pathologic few who may be isolated or excused but rather these signs are present in every woman she knows.

The perfect girls is your daughter, your best friend, my sister, maybe even me. The perfect girls is that voice inside most of us who want to have an ideal body and are willing to do what it takes to get there. The problem is the perfect woman is not in clear view given our culture of obsessive self-improvement. She can hide in the gym, under chopped salads, and in the bathroom.