Anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder that causes extreme weight loss. Someone suffering from anorexia is very obsessive about the food she eats as well as how much she weighs, MayoClinic.com reports. Treatment is often necessary to change the way an anorexic views food so she can obtain a healthy weight and regain her health. Adding certain foods to an anorexic's diet can help promote muscle growth and weight gain and will often reverse the health effects that starving has on the body.
Skinless Chicken
Many anorexic individuals fear eating meat because it can be high in fat and calories. Skinless chicken is a good food for an anorexic diet because it is low in fat and provides several grams of protein. Meat is an essential part of the diet of an anorexic because protein is critical for rebuilding muscle mass. Adding meat back into the diet will also stop weight loss and allow the anorexic to begin working toward a healthy weight, Alexander R. Lucas, reports in his book, "Demystifying Anorexia Nervosa: An Optimistic Guide to Understanding and Healing." Add a few pieces of skinless chicken to the diet to allow for a gradual increase in calories, Lucas recommends. Other good sources of protein include nuts, peanut butter, lean beef and fish.
Milk
Calcium is one of the most important nutrients for strong bones and teeth. A diet that lacks adequate amounts of calcium can lead to brittle bones, and many anorexics do not consume enough calcium to keep their bodies healthy, Lesli J. Favor reports in her book "Food as Foe: Nutrition and Eating Disorders." Adding milk into an anorexic diet will increase the amount of calcium in the body so the bones can remain strong and healthy. Whole milk will supply the fat and calories an anorexic needs to stop weight loss and begin gaining necessary pounds. Many anorexics refuse to drink whole milk, Lucas notes, and low-fat milk will still supply the calcium necessary to protect the bones. Additional sources of calcium include cheese, yogurt and fortified fruit juices.
Breakfast Cereal
Many breakfast cereals are fortified with iron, which is crucial for the transportation of oxygen throughout the body. Anorexics are often low in iron because they do not eat enough to get adequate amounts of this important mineral. According to Favor, anemia, or low iron, is a common problem with anorexics that can cause dizziness, chest pain, fatigue and headaches. Adding a handful of cereal to an anorexic's daily diet is one way to start increasing the amount of iron she consumes. The amount of cereal can increase gradually as the anorexic recovers. Breakfast cereal also contains the calories needed to begin the weight gain process. Other good sources of iron include beef, fish, nuts and beans.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Anorexia Nervosa
- "Demystifying Anorexia Nervosa: An Optimistic Guide to Understanding and Healing"; Alexander R. Lucas; 2004
- "Food as Foe: Nutrition and Eating Disorders"; Lesli J. Favor; 2007
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