Describe the physical effects that result from eating disorders?

Depends on the eating disorder...

If it is, say, anorexia, the following are some of the physical consequences:

- Loss of menstruation. Aka... you stop getting your period. This can lead to not being able to have children in the future.

- Lack of energy and lethargy. Feeling exhausted all the time, wanting to sleep constantly (duh, because your body has no fuel!)

- Chills, feeling cold. Loss of circulation in extremities (hands and feet) I Knew an anorexic girl who's toes were actually blue. It was horrific.

- Bloating. Constipation from lack of nutrition and necessary fibers.

- Dizziness, fainting, light headedness, headaches and migraines.

- Yellowing, dry skin.

- A fine growth of hair over the face, especially upper lip. I'm not kidding you. Also your hair, the hair you WANT to keep on your head, thins, gets brittle, and starts to fall out. I knew one girl who's anorexia was so bad it looked like her hair had been burned, or chemically damaged (neither of which had actually happened... your hair needs vitamins and protiens to be healthy like the rest of you.)

- Anorexics have a smell. I'm not kidding you. It's this sickly, waxy smell. I don't know exactly how to describe it, but you could smell it off the new anorexic girls admited to the rehab clinic. I'm not exaggerating.

There are a few physical consequences specific to bulimia i'd like to mention:

-From purging, the enamel on your teeth gets eroded from your stomach acid. AKA your teeth start to rot.

- Chronic sore throats from aggravation from your stomach acid being continually forced into your throat...

- Swollen saliva glands.

- Rancid, rotten vomit breath. A lot of bulimics don't think other people can smell it. WE CAN, and it's awful.

If laxatives are used as a method of purging, your body gets dehydrated. By the way... laxatives have no affect on your body's FAT at all, it just strips the body of any nutirition it would have gained from normal digestion. So don't think that just because a bulimic isnt throwing up that they aren't purging.

And by the way... all previously mentioned eating disorders actually destroy the body's metabolism. Making any desired "weight loss" hard to achieve, and impossible to maintain.

If you have any other questions feel free to ask

Yellow/ brown rotting teeth that fall out because of the stomach acid from purging.
Purging also causes swollen glands in your neck that then bulge out of your neck.
The hydrochloric acid also causes acid indigestion & later Gerd (gastro-esophageal reflux disease where the lower esophageal sphincter gets damaged & regurgitates the food & acid up your throat to your mouth with a sour taste.

It limits the foods you can eat, you'll need to be on medication. If the GERD erodes the esophagus, it can cause damaged cells which is called Barrett's Esophagus which is a precursor to esophageal cancer.

It causes IBS irritable bowel syndrome which involves abdominal cramps, pain & bad diarrhea, sometimes alternating with constipation. This puts strain on the bowel & colon system, can make you have shivers, feel real queasy, etc.

Destroys bone & makes you more prone to arthritis & osteoporosis, effects your reproductive & hormonal systems (causes amenorrhea).

Puts strains on your heart & can cause cardiac problems later on in life. Yo- yo-ing weight also puts strain on heart.
Affects neurological problems because of withholding nutrition & fluids. Slows down healing. Makes you wrinkle faster.

Those are some of the effects eating disorders have on the body short & long term.