Anorexia Recovery Diet Plan

Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by extreme fear of gaining weight, distorted body image, calorie restriction and dangerously low body weight. Up to one percent of American women struggle with anorexia, according to the National Eating Disorders Association, and between five and 20 percent of these women will die as a result of the disease. Anorexia can be treated successfully, generally through psychotherapy, nutrition therapy and medical treatment. If you exhibit signs of anorexia, seek prompt professional guidance.

Features

The specifics of a diet plan during anorexia recovery vary, depending on the severity of your physical and emotional symptoms and your willingness to make attempts to eat more normally. In most cases, your diet plan is one segment of a multi-faceted treatment that involves in-patient or out-patient psychological counseling. If your body weight is severely low and/or you refuse to eat properly, you may require hospitalization and re-feeding through a process in which food is provided to you intravenously. Once you are on the road to recovery, your diet plan will involve balanced meals, based on healthy foods consumed at appropriate time intervals. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, your diet plan may also involve dietary supplements if you exhibit nutrient deficiencies.

Function

An anorexia recovery diet plan plays multiple purposes. Your diet should support healthy weight gain and maintenance once your weight reaches a healthy level, and provide all vital nutrients. Your diet should support your physical and emotional recovery and encourage improved dietary habits, such as not skipping meals or denying yourself food when you are hungry. Since dieting behaviors increase your risk for eating disorder complications and relapses, according to the National Eating Disorders Association, your diet plan should encourage normal eating and eliminate stringent rules you've abided by during the course of your illness.

Basic Guidelines

Recovering from anorexia involves re-learning healthy dietary habits. Drinking plenty of water and consuming high-quality protein sources, such as lean meat, poultry, legumes and dairy products, at your meals can help improve your overall health. A healthy diet also involves complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains and starchy vegetables, ample fruits and vegetables and healthy fats in the form of plant-based oils, nuts, seeds or avocados. Aiming for healthy foods from multiple food groups at each meal can help you develop an improved dietary routine. Consume three meals and snacks, as needed, and do not aim for "perfection."

Challenges

Sticking to a healthy diet, sufficient in calories, can pose numerous challenges when you have anorexia. Many people with anorexia gain excessive water weight, a condition known as edema, when they first begin eating more normally, according to endocrinologist and eating disorders specialist, Wayne Callaway, MD. In an interview with "Eating Disorders Recovery Today," Callaway explained that the multiple factors, including physical and emotional factors, that contribute to anorexia make the eating process difficult during recovery. He suggests that parents do not play the "food police," but, rather, demonstrate patience and support. Forcing someone to eat won't work, he explained, and criticizing can exacerbate eating disorder symptoms.

Suggestions

If you are recovering from anorexia, stay in close contact with your treatment team to help ensure long-term physical and emotional recovery. Callaway suggests limiting simple sugars and allowing 30 to 35 percent or more of your calories to stem from fat, which can help prevent edema and support your metabolism. Stay away from negative influences, such as people who place undue value on physical appearance and weight as well as magazines and television shows that over-emphasize a narrow view of physical beauty. Finding and pursuing personal passions and taking your diet plan and recovery one step at a time can also ensure success. If you feel unable to follow your dietary guidelines, discuss your challenges with your therapist or dietitian.