Latest news with #EatingDisorders
Daily Record
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Record
John Swinney pays tribute to woman who lost battle with anorexia aged 20
The MSP for Perthshire North shared a snap of the group together sporting their, 'Run for Rachel' t-shirts. John Swinney has paid tribute to a young constituent who sadly lost her battle with anorexia earlier this year. The first minister attended a charity park run, which was organised by the family of Rachel Bywater from Aberfeldy, to raise funds for BEAT, the UK's leading charity supporting those affected by eating disorders. Swinney joined the family of Rachel who sadly died on May 17 this year aged just 20-years-old at the event which has raised an amazing £7,500 for the charity. The MSP for Perthshire North shared a snap of the group together sporting their, 'Run for Rachel' t-shirts and wrote: "A special privilege to join the family of Rachel Bywater - one of my constituents who faced an eating disorder and sadly died recently aged only 20 - to run a 5k and raise funds for Beat (Eating Disorders). "Wonderful to see so many in the #Aberfeldy community supporting today." Her father Dave Bywater added: "Thank you John, it was great to have your support and that of the community. 'I hope everyone who reads these posts can realise there is a family behind this who are suffering a tragic loss, and ignore the offensive responses you have received." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Ahead of the event her family wrote: "We will be installing a new bench on the River Bank for Rachel Bywater, who very sadly passed away on May 17th this year. "To mark the occasion a fund raiser will be held on the Sunday to raise funds for BEAT (Eating Disorders). All you have to do is walk, jog or run 1, 2 or 3 laps of the FeldyRoo Fitness Trail. "The choice is yours, all we want is everyone to get involved. You can fill in an entry form and pick up sponsorship form at any of the pubs - Fountain, Black Wach or Schiehallion. "Entry is totally free but raised sponsorship or donations on the day would be really appreciated no matter how little or large."
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Eating disorders: What are they and how do they affect patients?
Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions which are defined as having atypical eating behaviours that adversely affect a person's mental or physical health. The exact reason why people develop such disorders is unknown, although the Health Service Executive (HSE) says several things make a person more likely to develop one. These include low self-esteem, trauma, a history of sexual abuse, being a perfectionist, or a history of criticism about the person's appearance. Here are some of the most commonly diagnosed eating disorders in Ireland: Anorexia Nervosa is a condition in which people try to keep their weight as low as possible. Individuals diagnosed with anorexia do this by not eating enough food, exercising too much or both. READ MORE There can be devastating health consequences, up to and including death, because the body is starved of the food it needs to keep the person safe and healthy. Bulimia is an eating disorder that often involves a cycle of binge eating and purging. A person diagnosed with bulimia often sets strict rules for themselves about dieting, eating or exercising. When a person is unable to keep to these strict rules, he/she overeats. Guilt and shame often follow, leading to purging to get rid of the calories, creating an unhealthy and damaging cycle. Health complications associated with bulimia include heart, kidney or bowel problems, dental decay and bone problems, among others. Binge eating disorde r (Bed) involves regularly eating large portions of food all at once until a person feels uncomfortably full. This is often followed by feelings of upset or guilt. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, people with Bed are at a higher risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, gallbladder disease, heart disease and some types of cancer. [ How eating disorders are changing: 'I'm not the stereotype. I'm a man, I'm plus-sized' Opens in new window ] Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, or Arfid, is a disorder in which a person avoids or restricts foods to such an extent that they do not take in a sufficient quantity or variety of food to meet adequate energy or nutritional requirements. This can result in significant weight loss, significant nutritional deficiencies, dependence on oral nutritional supplements or tube feeding or has otherwise negatively affected the physical health of a person. It can often be diagnosed in people who are neurodivergent. Other specified feeding or eating disorder, or Osfed, is when a person has symptoms that are similar to one or more of the above eating disorders, but may not meet all the criteria for these conditions.
Forbes
6 days ago
- Health
- Forbes
Cannabis And Psychedelics Seen As Effective For Eating Disorders, Study Finds
Anorexia Nervosa - Common Medical Marijuana Conditions for Qualifying Patients - use of the whole, ... More unprocessed marijuana plant or its basic extracts to treat symptoms of illness and other conditions. A new study has found that cannabis and psychedelics are perceived to be the most effective drugs that help alleviate eating disorder symptoms. A group of researchers from the University of Sydney has conducted a survey on over 6,000 people suffering from eight eating disorders, such as bulimia, anorexia, and binge-eating disorder, and found that most of them rely on cannabis and psychedelics to help alleviate their symptoms. Published on JAMA Network Open-Psychiatry this week, the study tried to understand which prescription and nonprescription drugs are used by people with eating disorders, and how they are associated with symptoms. To do so, participants, diagnosed with eating disorders and mainly from English-speaking countries, completed an online survey on recent prescribed and nonprescribed drug use, as well as perceived benefits and harms. Initially, 7,648 respondents were recruited; 6,612 completed demographics, and 5,123 finished the survey. The findings of the survey showed that overall, the best-rated drugs for eating disorder symptoms among respondents were psilocybin, cannabis, and lysergic acid diethylamide. For example, for respondents with anorexia, cannabis received the highest rating. When asked to identify their drug of choice for self-medicating eating disorder symptoms, the most popular drug among respondents was cannabis, but when normalized by number of users, fluoxetine, an antidepressant, ranked highest. Among 6,136 respondents, prescription psychotropics were rated highest for mental health. Psilocybin, LSD, and cannabis also received strong ratings. 'A striking outcome was the favorable self-reported ratings of psychedelics and cannabis for alleviating ED symptoms, eclipsing the ratings of commonly prescribed psychotropics,' the study reads. Can Cannabis Help Alleviate Eating Disorder Symptoms? The study also highlighted that daily cannabis users reported perceived benefits for their eating disorder symptoms. Researchers said that 'there is scant research around the use of cannabinoids in individuals with eating disorders apart from small trials supporting the efficacy of dronabinol, which is synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol, in those with anorexia nervosa.' They also added that cannabis may benefit people with restrictive and food-aversive eating disorders, like anorexia nervosa and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, 'by increasing the hedonic value of food.' This is in line with previous studies on the effects of cannabis on appetite. A study published last year showed that mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH), a region in the brain that regulates various physiological processes, controls increased appetite following cannabis use. In contrast, cannabis received poor ratings from people with bulimia and binge-eating disorder, likely because its appetite-stimulating effects can trigger or worsen binge-and-purge behaviors, thereby intensifying the symptoms of the eating disorder. Psilocybin and LSD were consistently rated highly across all diagnostic groups for their ability to improve eating disorder symptoms, enhance overall mental health, and be well tolerated. However, the study has several limitations. The survey primarily included participants from high-income, English-speaking countries with internet access. It may have also attracted people with eating disorders who are more inclined toward new ways to treat their eating disorder symptoms or have positive attitudes or prior positive experiences with drugs. Furthermore, diagnoses were based on self-report rather than formal clinical assessment, and comorbid conditions were not evaluated. Additionally, recall bias may have influenced participants' reports of drug use and symptoms. Therefore, because some findings are based on small sample sizes within specific diagnostic related to eating disorders and drug-use groups, the researchers highlighted that this study's results 'should be interpreted as exploratory rather than definitive.'
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Women veterans ENGAGE conference held in Orlando
UCF hosted the Women Veterans ENGAGE conference in Orlando on Saturday as part of a nationwide initiative to honor, empower and elevate military women. The Women Veteran ENGAGE Conference, which took place in 20 cities nationwide simultaneously, was a powerful day of connection, inspiration and celebration. SEA WAVES organized the wonderful event, and the location can be easily spotted on the map below. SEA WAVES was founded by Navy Senior Chief (Ret.) Leah Stiles, who drew on her personal experience and a strong desire to tackle a widely overlooked issue in the military: eating WAVES—represents Support, Education, Awareness, Wellness, and Validation for Eating Disorders and here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. SEA WAVES was founded by Navy Senior Chief (Ret.) Leah Stiles, who drew on her personal experience and a strong desire to tackle a widely overlooked issue in the military: eating disorders. SEA WAVES—represents Support, Education, Awareness, Wellness, and Validation for Eating Disorders and Self-Care. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Latoya Greene – Retired U.S. Army leader, Army Women's Hall of Fame inductee, and the force behind the viral campaign that led to the Army rewriting its outdated BMI standards. Her session, 'Finding Your Voice,' explores how personal advocacy can drive systemic change. Janina Simmons – The first Black woman to graduate from U.S. Army Ranger School. Now battling stage 4 cancer, she's about to make history again as the first woman Ranger-qualified Sergeant Major. Her keynote, 'The Resilience Within,' is a raw and courageous story of grit, service, and hope. Leah Stiles – Retired Navy Senior Chief and local Winter Garden resident, I'm the founder of SEA WAVES, the only veteran-led nonprofit in the U.S. focused solely on eating disorders in the military. I'll be sharing 'Need a Light? Be a Light,' a talk on leadership, lived experience, and breaking the silence around invisible WAVES organized the wonderful event, and the location can be easily spotted
