by Lester the Typing Horse
“Once a Sideshow Attraction, Now the Nation’s Leading Wellness Expert”
Dear Mr. Horse: What causes eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia? Are some girls so desperate to be thin?
--Kelly Sallow, Los Angeles, Calif.
Dear Kelly: These are very, very serious matters. Bulimia and anorexia are often psychological in nature, and are less about food than they are about gaining control. According to psychologists, childhood feelings of being overwhelmed or powerless can create a desire to maintain control of some aspect of life, such as body weight. Intense transitions or emotionally trying situations can cause this feeling of helplessness.
Some adolescents feel powerful by controlling what enters their mouths. There are several other traits that are associated with these disorders such as perfectionism, obsession, low self-esteem and approval-seeking. Sadly, the consequences are far reaching and damaging. Physically, they can result in hair loss, lowered resistance to illness, poor sleep, physical weakness and severe dehydration that can cause kidney failure. Emotionally, people suffering from eating disorders have trouble concentrating on anything except their weight, experience intense guilt and depression, often become dependent on drugs and alcohol, isolate themselves from their families and can regress to a childlike state. As far as treatment, psychotherapy is very useful, and there are medicines that help with the symptoms or results of eating disorders. But they're still a big problem, affecting millions of people around the world.
Dear Mr. Horse: I just found out I'm pregnant and was wondering why it's bad to drink alcohol at this time. What about nonalcoholic beverages?
--Jillian Wayne, Dover, Del.
Dear Jillian: There are a number of reasons not to drink alcohol during pregnancy. It raises the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth, increases the chances of low birth weight, and makes it more likely that a child will have difficulties with speech, learning, attention span and hyperactivity.
In addition, studies indicate that expectant mothers who have even one drink a week are more likely to bear children that exhibit aggressive and delinquent behaviors later in life. But the most unfortunate consequence of alcohol consumption is fetal alcohol syndrome, which results in poor growth, abnormal facial features and damage to the central nervous system. As far as nonalcoholic drinks, I'd recommend avoiding those as well, since many of them do contain some alcohol, even if it's less than half a percent. Doctors aren't sure what damaging effects even the tiniest amount of alcohol has on a baby, so they recommend abstinence. At the very least, before you drink anything read the label to make sure it's alcohol-free. I have to admit, I've never understood humans' fascination with alcohol. I find that life is too wonderful to want to escape, even when circumstances aren't ideal.