Anorxia Bulimia Meal Plan- Love your Body Day

After months of playing destructive eating disorder games, I finally decided to have one day in a week, where I would eat foods that would heal my body and give me beautiful skin. This for me was paying back to mother nature for all the havoc I had caused on my body. I  devoted Friday to Love yourself and your Skin Day. I created a meal plan and added foods that were beneficial to my overall being. Mainly the day was spent eating foods that would enhance my skin complexion and are anti aging in essence. My lunch and dinner is from Dr. Nicholas Perricone's skin beauty book (whatever it is called) and I've used several of his recipes in recovery. 

Hmm I think this cooked version looks better



Christmas is around the corner, I want to look super vain. Cannot wait to do this all over again on Friday.

Beautiful Skin Meal Plan

Wake up Ayurvedic Style


Have 8oz of warm water with a juice of 1/2 lemon. This tonic is tremendous in boosting immune system and balances your pH, aids in digestion and clears your complexion.

Breakfast for Glowing Healthy Skin

Vitamin booster A, C and E Smoothie

1 cup raspberries

1 cup strawberries

1 cup blueberries

1 papaya

1 cup Goji berries, (master of antioxidants and anti aging food)

1 tsp lime (optional)

few mint leaves (optional)

Directions

Scoop out the papaya flesh, add 1/2 cup water and juice it with remaining ingredients in a food blender or a juicer. Remember your skin reflects what you eat, try this for few days and you'll see the difference.
Morning Snack

Handful of raw walnuts and 1 cup plain bio yogurt

1 apple

8oz water
Lunch - Inspiration from Dr Nicholas Perricone-- Beauty of Salmon


Please bear in mind the following recipe is mine

Wild Alaskan Salmon (I wish, any salmon will do in my case) with quinoa  and tossed romaine tomato salad

Don't forget 8 oz drinking water to hydrate your skin

1/2 pound of  Salmon, grilled

1/4 cup dry quinoa, soaked for 30mins in water with 1 tsp salt

Romaine tomato salad recipe

1 tsp balsamic vinaigrette (optional)

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp lemon or lime juice

1 cup shredded romaine lettuce

1 cup cherry tomatoes halved

Directions:

Toss all ingredients together in a salad bowl, mix well and serve.

Grilled Salmon Recipe 

1/2 pound of Salmon (Wild Salmon is the best as it contains more Omega 3 fatty acids)

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp lemon or lime juice

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 clove garlic crushed

1 tsp freshly milled black pepper

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp chopped coriander

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients (olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cayenne pepper, back pepper, sea salt, coriander and make a marinade). Coat your salmon in the marinade and place it under the medium hot grill and cook each side for approximately 3-4 minutes until flakes easily.

Quinoa- High in protein and amino acids- essential source of lysine

Rinse and drain quinoa in a colander.

Add drained quinoa with half cup of water to pan, add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp few of lemon juice and bring it to boil on medium heat- (this will give you 3/4 cup of quinoa).  Reduce heat, cover the pan and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Once the water has dried up, let it sit for further 5 minutes covered. mix it well with a slotted spoon. Serve hot.

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Dr. Nicholas Perricone's Salmon recipe

Salmon with Roasted Asparagus and Lemon-Caper Sauce

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice


• 2 tablespoons minced red onion


• 1 tablespoon olive oil


• 1 tablespoon drained capers, chopped


• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme


• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel


• 1/2-pound skinless salmon fillet (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick)


• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed


• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

Whisk first 6 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut three 1/2-inch-deep slits crosswise in top of salmon (as if dividing into 4 equal pieces but do not cut through). Arrange asparagus in even layer on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and turn to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place salmon atop asparagus; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until salmon is just opaque in center, about 20 minutes.

Transfer asparagus and salmon to platter. Spoon sauce over salmon. Cut into 4 pieces along slits and serve.

Nutritional Values: Per serving: calories, 336; total fat, 18 g; saturated fat, 3 g; cholesterol, 96 mg

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/healthy/nutritiousdishes/beautyfood/recipes/food/views/Salmon-with-Roasted-Asparagus-and-Lemon-Caper-Sauce-104705#ixzz2EWseDrCr

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Mid Afternoon Snack -

Power House Vegetable Drink for beautiful skin

• Spinach (30g)


• Carrot (30g)


• 8 Cherry Tomatoes


• 1/2 Kiwi


• Milk (50 ml)


• 5 Ice Cubes

Scrub but don't peel the carrot; many of the nutrients that you need are in the first layers. When you have measured 30g cut the carrot into smaller pieces wrap it in saran wrap and microwave it for 30 seconds. This will break down the bonds holding in the nutrients.

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. It should make about 400ml of juice if done correctly.

(Recipe taken from wikihow.com)

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Dinner- Dr. Nicholas Perricone's beauty food

White Bean, Butternut Squash, Kale and Olive Stew

 

• 1/4 cup olive oil


• 3 large onions, chopped


• 6 garlic cloves, minced


• 1 3 1/4- to 3 1/2-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes


• 3 red bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces


• 1 1/2 cups canned vegetable broth

• 1 1/2 large bunches kale, thick stems trimmed, leaves cut crosswise into 2-inch strips


• 1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage


• 5 15-ounce cans cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained


• 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted, halved

• Freshly grated Romano cheese

preparation

Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add squash; sauté Add bell peppers and stir to coat with onion mixture. Add broth. Cover and simmer until squash is just tender, about 10 minutes.

Mix kale and sage into stew. Cover and cook until kale wilts, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add beans and olives and stir until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer stew to large shallow bowl. Sprinkle generously with cheese.

and please add a serving of whole grains, such as bread, pitta bread etc.

8 oz water

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2nd Dinner Option

Avocado-Bean Kale Wrap with side dish of Dr. Nicholas Perricone's steamed broccoli with garlic, olive oil and lemon

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 ripe avocado


• 1 cup  salsa


• 1/2 tsp olive oil


• 80grams red pepper, chopped


• 80grams  shredded carrots


• 1/2 tsp ground cumin


• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed


• 1 TBSP chopped cilantro


• 1 whole wheat wrap


• 1 cups coarsely chopped kale

Preparation

1. Remove pit and peel from avocados. Coarsely chop 1/4 avocado; mash the other avocado in a small bowl and stir in 1/4 cup salsa until blended. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.


2. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté pepper and carrots 3 minutes. Add cumin and cook 30 seconds more or until fragrant. Add beans and remaining salsa; heat through. Stir in the chopped avocado and cilantro; mix well.


3. Spread about 3 Tbsp of the mashed avocado-salsa mixture on each wrap and top each with 1 cup of kale. Spoon 1 cup of the bean mixture over bottom third of wrap. Starting at bottom, roll up tightly. Place seam side down on serving platter. Serve with lime wedges.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 424
Total Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 0
Sodium: 503mg
Total Carbohydrates: 74g
Dietary Fiber: 20g
Protein: 15g

Steamed Broccoli with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Lemon

• 1 small bunch broccoli (about 3/4 pound)


• 1 garlic clove


• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil


• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Discard tough lower third of broccoli stem. Peel remaining stem and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut broccoli into 2-inch florets. In a steamer set over boiling water steam broccoli, covered, until crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

While broccoli is steaming, finely chop garlic and in a small skillet combine with oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat garlic mixture over moderate heat until garlic is fragrant. In a bowl toss broccoli with garlic mixture.
Read More http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/healthy/nutritiousdishes/beautyfood/recipes/food/views/Steamed-Broccoli-with-Olive-Oil-Garlic-and-Lemon-101153#ixzz2EWhWioM8

Dessert: After all that pampering, I would only have enough energy for a glass of Almond milk with dates. or munch on an apple while falling asleep.

8 oz of water

Blessings of Friday in ED Recovery

Eating Disorder would never win on Fridays because I ensured that it was a choker bloc day with Friday prayer, meditation, reciting supplications and sending blessings on Prophet Muhammad (saaw).

In morning I would have an Ayurveda style bath, that would rejuvenate me, remove excess toxins from my skin and would prepare me mentally for rest of the day.

If the weather permitted, then I would go for a walk by the canal (In winter that never ever happened) or I would go and volunteer at a local well-being center from 9:30-11:30am (I have been doing that for past several months now).

Before hitting the bed, I would either watch a good movie (hmm that's where lifetime movies come in) or read a book in candlelit room with sufi instrumental music playing in the background.

I would also apply ripe avocado mask on my face and usually by 11pm, I would be fast asleep.

Sample of Friday timetable

5:30 am Wake up for Tahajud prayer and have Aurveda lemon water

6:00am-7:30am Pray Fajr, read supplications, meditate and offer Ashraq prayer.

7:45- Ayurveda Bath

8:30 am Breakfast

9:00am leave house for well being centre

10:30 am mid morning snack in the centre

12:30-2:00pm Come home for Lunch, prayer, reading Quran

2:00-3:00 pm, Another prayer Asr and mid afternoon snack

Nap time

4:00pm praying Maghrib, meditation and extra prayers

6:30pm Dinner

8:00pm night time prayer, meditation

9:00pm Bed time snack and relaxation

11:00pm dream land Zzzzzzzzzz

Love, Light and Blessings

Maha S

Eating Disorder, Bulimia Anorexia Breakfast

This is a complete nutritional packed breakfast. If you still hate breakfast then please read an article on bottom of the page by Nancy Schmieder.

Breakfast Smoothie

To start my day and to enhance my complexion, I would start off with this smoothie, which would give me 1/2 serving of daily dairy, 2 servings of fruits (from 1 of 5 a day)

1 melon  276 g

1 mango 207g

Mint leaves 20g                                  Calories 260

1/2 cup ice

1/2 cup almond, soya or skimmed milk

Directions:

Put chopped mango, melon with 1/2 cup milk and ice in a blender. Puree it until smooth. Garnish with mint and have a sunny, tropical morning:)

Further Energize your Morning

I would then have a boiled Egg ,  with 1 serving of whole grain with coconut oil spread. and a cup of peppermint tea with 1 tsp honey about 250 calories.

 

In this breakfast I could mark off many things from the daily food pyramid.

1 serving of grain- whole grain bread

1 serving of protein- 1 boiled egg

1 tsp of coconut oil- very very healthy fat- new phenomenon in market

2 servings of fruit

1/2 serving of dairy.

 

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The Importance of Breakfast

 

It often amazes me how people take better care of their cars than their bodies. I have yet to meet a person who said, “God has a plan as to when my car should ‘die’ and I do not need to worry about it. I don’t need to check or change the oil, or perform any routine maintenance. And I don’t need to worry about the type of gasoline I use.” We recognize the necessity of proper care to get the longest life and best performance out of our automobiles. When will we realize that proper care also gives our bodies the longest life and best performance?

Today, a wealth of scientific research has confirmed that most of the leading causes of death and chronic diseases are preventable. We have been talking about the lifestyle factors that will help us improve our health. Adding breakfast to your eating pattern is a major step to improving your lifestyle. Well, why bother with breakfast? Food is fuel. Many studies have emphasized the importance of breakfast. If you want to make the most of your day, fuel your body early with the right stuff.

ONE STEP AT A TIME: WHAT TO DO
THE IMPORTANCE OF BREAKFAST

Other studies have even linked healthy breakfasts with less chronic disease, increased longevity and better health. Starting your day with a good breakfast boosts your energy, increases your attention span, and heightens your sense of well-being. You’ll be in better control of your emotions. A good breakfast is one that provides at least one third of the day’s calories.

Most people give a variety of reasons for not eating breakfast. A common reason is that they are not hungry in the morning, which is a result of eating a full meal late in the evening or late snacking. When they go to bed, the body is still busy digesting all that food. Digestion then goes into a slower gear during the hours of sleep and there is still food in the stomach in the morning. The stomach needs a rest too. A tired stomach does not feel like digesting a big breakfast. When you get up in the morning, your glucose or blood sugar level is at its lowest point in the day. Glucose is the basic fuel for the brain and central nervous system. A good breakfast will keep you from being tired and irritable by mid-morning.

The effects of a skipped breakfast are short attention span, lack of alertness, longer reaction time, low blood sugar, decreased work productivity. Surely, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Take time to eat a large, balanced breakfast. It’s a good investment of your time. Once you get into the habit of eating breakfast, you may feel hungry in the morning.

APPLICATION: HOW TO DO IT

Breakfast is a great way to get more fiber into your diet. Plan wisely for a healthy breakfast. Many prepared cereals have added refined sugar, often hidden. Read labels carefully to select cereals prepared without excessive sugar, salt, fat, and additives.

What’s your excuse for not eating breakfast?

• “No time?” How much time does it take to eat a bowl of cereal? Make toast and eat it on your way to work. Make your breakfast the night before. Making time for breakfast is making time to be healthy.

• “Not hungry?” To get started, don’t eat anything after an early supper. Finish supper by 6:30 p.m.

• “Might gain weight?” Eating breakfast will actually help you reach and maintain your healthy weight. Your appetite will be satisfied longer. You’ll be eating food when you can best burn the calories. You’ll feel great. Eat breakfast.

• You “don’t like breakfast foods?” You don’t have to eat traditional breakfast foods. You can eat leftovers, or a sandwich. Any healthy food is fine. Caffeine may mask hunger.

• You “don’t like eating breakfast?” It is in your best interest to eat breakfast. Take the step. Do the right thing. Eat breakfast.


Simple, easy ways to add Breakfast:

• Start Small. If your not a breakfast eater, begin with whole wheat toast and/or a piece of fruit. In a few days, add more food.

• Choose Fruit for Breakfast. Fruit gives you fiber. Fresh fruit is the best choice. There are many to choose from: oranges, grapefruits, apples, bananas, grapes, kiwis, mangos, melons, berries. Eat two servings of fruit every morning. Canned fruit packed in juice is also a good choice. Add dried fruit to your cereal.

• Eat High Fiber Hot Cereal. Hot cereal is the best choice, but there are several brands of cold cereal on the market that are high in fiber and low in sugar. Oatmeal is a favorite hot cereal. Try a seven grain cereal and experiment with different grains such as millet, brown rice, quinoa, corn grits for a variety. Try cooking grains in a crock pot overnight and it’s already the next morning. Or cook up a large batch and re-heat the next day. Make your own granola. Add a high fiber cereal to your favorite low fiber cereal. Gradually increase the amount of the high fiber cereal and decrease the amount of the low fiber cereal. For example, if you like cornflakes, add Wheat Chex to the cornflakes. Each morning add a little more Wheat Chex and a little less Cornflakes.

• Choose Whole Grain Bread. Eat two slices of toast in the morning or a whole grain bagel. Spread with fruit spread or applesauce or your favorite nut butter.

• Make Healthy Pancakes or Waffles. Have you ever considered topping your pancakes or waffles with fruit?

• Instead of scramble eggs try scrambled tofu. You’re in for a great surprise.

• The sky’s the limit. The only limitation is your imagination. Make it a priority. Eat breakfast.



CHOOSE:

High fiber, ready to eat cereals and whole grain breads.

--Choose a cereal with at least 3-5 grams of fiber per serving.

--Choose cereal that have 5 grams or less of sugar per serving.

Remember 4 grams of sugar=1 teaspoon.

--Choose bread with at least 2 grams of dietary fiber per slice.


YOUR CHALLENGE: YOU CAN DO IT!!

Try this simple experiment. Eat one or two servings of fresh fruit every morning for the next three weeks. Eat as many different kinds as you can find.

And remember, Health is by Choice...not by chance! The choice is yours. You don’t have to be a statistic. By adopting a better diet and wiser lifestyle habits, you can live longer, feel better, and enjoy a healthier, more productive life.

Nancy Schmieder works with the Better Living Ministries in Wayland , NY as a Certified Lifestyle Consultant and Specialist. The Better Living Ministries is a Community Resource for Lifestyle Education and Support. Health by Choice is a practical, simple journey on how to incorporate healthy habits into your lifestyle. Nancy is a Mother of five and she lives with her family in Springwater , NY . Her e-mail address is n.schmieder@frontiernet.net  

Islamic Foods: Eating Disorder Afternoon Snack Recipe

Defeat the demon of eating disorder with combining foods of Prophet Muhammad (saw) into your daily diet.

Add Barley (talbina) to your soups and drinks. Barley contains important and essential amino acids and is used as an ailment in treating various illnesses. In recovery from eating disorder, I had barley soup for one of my my afternoon snacks.

Barley and Lentil soup

1 cup any lentil (i.e. red lentils, etc) soaked in 2 cups of water with 1/2 tsp salt for 30 minutes

1/2 cup pearl barley

1 stock cube (any)

2 cloves of garlic (minced)

3 medium tomatoes chopped

1 onion thinly sliced

1 tsp ceyenne pepper

1 tsp paprika

salt to taste

1 tsp freshly milled black pepper

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp olive oil

Garnish:

2-4 green chillies (add 2 deseeded for less hot dish)

1/2 bunch spring onion (washed and chopped)

1/2 bunch cliantro (washed and chopped)

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp zest of lemon (optional)

Directions:

In a pan heat 2 tbsp olive oil with cumin seeds, once the cumin changes color, add onions and saute for 5 minutes on medium heat. add minced garlic and fry for further 3 minutes. Once the garlic changes color, add chopped tomatoes, salt, paprika powder, ceyenne powder and lemon juice. Stir in 1 cup of lentils and fry for for 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat and cover the pan tightly and let it simmer on very low heat for 5 minutes. Add water, stock cube, pearl barley and bring to boil on a high flame. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or till the lentils have been cooked. Remove from heat and garnish with cilantro, cumin, spring onions, and zest of lemon.

Anorexia Bulimia Healing your Heart with Pomegranate (رمان)

Pomegranate (رمان) is mentioned in Quran several times. Incorporating foods from Quran and the hadith (saying of Prophet Muhammad) has its own blessings.

According to fitness magazine:

This fruit is packed with vitamin C, which helps guard against the wrinkling effects of sun damage. Plus, says Debra Jaliman, MD, an assistant professor of dermatology at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, the juice in pomegranate seeds contains both ellagic acid and punicalagin. The first is a polyphenol compound that fights damage from free radicals; the second is a supernutrient that may increase your body's capacity to preserve collagen, the subdermal connective tissue that makes skin look smooth and plump.

Serve yourself: A cup of pomegranate seeds -- not just juice -- every week, suggests Jackie Newgent, RD, a nutritionist based in New York City.

I incorporated pomegranate or the juice for pomegranate (whatever was available) into my diet to strengthen my digestion system. There is something about pomegranate and its juice that brings extra glow to your skin and refreshes your soul and mind. Its full of healthy antioxidants and according to GHC increases oxygen levels to the heart and fights cell level.

Pomegranate  Salad Recipe - a very quick salad to prepare

This is an excellent addition to your meal. Start your meal with this healthy salad.

1 pomegranate peeled and seeds separated

1 bunch of rocket salad

1 small red onion finely sliced

handful of salad olives

1/2 cup of chick peas

1 cup cucumber

2 tbsp squeezed lemon

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional for added healthy kick)

1 tsp freshly milled black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 tsp salad herbs

few mint leaves

Preperation:

Place rocket salad in a bowl and toss it with few drops of olive oil, some freshly milled pepper, salt, chickpeas and then layer with red onion, cucumber and sliced salad olives. Add lemon juice, crumbled feta cheese and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and drizzle olive oil on top. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and seasonal salad herbs.

Anorexia Bulimia replenishing Serotonin levels and mood booster recipe

To replenish my depleted serotonin levels and to boost my mood, I used this recipe three times a week. We all know benefits of banana (contains tryptophane) , walnuts are an ultimate brain booster food, (rich in Omega 3s  I'm a die hard fan of them) and pineapple doesn't just boost the serotonin levels but also improves your mood and gives you a good buzz especially in those dreary winter days.

Kate Walsh, an author of mom please help used serotonin/brain boosting food, such as walnuts and pineapple (among other foods) to help her daughter recover from Bulimia nervosa.

Banana, Pineapple walnut Smoothie

1 Banana

25grams walnuts

1 cup fresh pineapple, tinned pineapple or 1 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup ice

1 cup milk or water for blending

 

 

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender and whiz until smooth. Enjoy.

 

 

 

Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa Recovery Meal Plan in Week 2

At the eating disorder unit all meal plans change in the second week to assist with weight gain (there is an increase in portion sizes and inclusion of more complex carbohydrates).  Please do bear in mind that this meal plan was not devised by me but a dietitian from National Health Services.

Week 2 Eating Plan

Breakfast 9:00am

Fruit Juice 200ml

1 Cup Breakfast cereal, i.e. Corn flakes, Bran Flakes, Frosties etc with 200ml skimmed milk

2 x slice toast white or whole grain (with 1tsp of flora margarine per toast) and jam or marmalade (1 TBSP per slice)

Morning Snack 10:30am

Glass of Milk (200ml) with 2 biscuits

Lunch 12:30pm

Fruit juice 200ml

Main course 1 portion about 200 grams of Broccoli and salmon pasta ( 1 1/2 portion  if you want to replace potatoes)

With

1 x serving of carbohydrates, e.g.  rice, chips or potatoes or if choosing mashed potato then serving size was x2.

and

1 x serving of vegetables, either carrots, beans, peas etc (about 80 grams)

Dessert : Pudding or custard, i.e. 1 serving of treacle tart with 1 serving of custard ( various puddings appeared on menu from apple crumble to banana cake to jam pudding to cheese cake, everything was served with custard)

Following dishes also appeared on weekly menu (everyday was different, different dish, different pudding):

As a Muslim I can only eat Halal, so my menu was always meat free and gelatin free.

Vegetable gratin

Veg lasagne,

Cauliflower cheese,

Cod fish,

Jacket potato,

Veg pie,

Tuna pasta,

Macaroni cheese

Afternoon Snack 3:15pm-

Nutritional supplement, e.g. fortisip, ensure plus etc.

Dinner 6:30pm

200 grams of baked potato with 1/2 can of tuna fish or baked beans and butter

1 pita bread with 1 1/2 serving of any curry

or

150grams of cooked pasta, i,e, chicken pasta, tuna pasta, macaroni cheese,

or

Rice with serving of any curry

Dessert Fruit Yogurt , rice pudding,

Bed time snack 8:30pm

Milk with 2 biscuits or dates

Think Before you Diet

‘Remember, it’s your own body, your own brain. You’re not a victim of the universe, you are the universe.” Dr Richard Bandler

Our bodies are resilient and an amazing creation that are beyond our middling contemplation. The competition to be thin and to remain thin enough is rife in world entertainment industry. Contemporary media is obsessed with wafer thin body images that grace world fashion ramps. Celebrities with jutting collar bones and low body mass index (BMI) dominate magazine covers and often our TV screens.  The craze for thin body image has led to a rise in epidemic of eating disorder. Another endemic hitting medical faculties is ‘Body dysmorphia’, where an individual’s dissatisfaction with their body image has led them to use drastic measures to change the biological makeup of their body. People have used painstaking methods such as: plastic surgery, sewing patches on tongues, laser body sculpting and Zerona laser treatment to achieve their notion of perfect body. As the famous adage goes ‘all actions have a reaction’, and all methods to alter our body’s genetic makeup comes with horrific consequences and long term health problems.

Upon browsing the internet, I came across several Pakistani models that in 2005-2007 were a caricature of malnourished figures from refugee camps in Darfur. Now in 2012, it was surprising to see their transformation from sickly thin bodily image to wholesome figures. It was only after watching Aaminah Haq’s interview with Khawar Riaz and reading her tweets on twitter that it became clear how obsessed our entertainment industry is with thin body image. Aaminah Haq in Khawar Riaz show confessed to using liposuction in 2005 to get rid of unwanted body fat.  She tweeted saying “Aaminah Haq ‏@LaHaq . Sorry 2sound all judgy, but when I got Lipo I was in a mad rush to get thin at any cost, had I known what I know now, would have never done it.

Another tweet said: “@LaHaq Diet pills, tummy tucks, Lipo, only take u so far& take huge toll on ur body. Changing it in ways that are not positive. Diet& work R the answer.”

Image: Khawar Riaz-

Consequently for Aaminah Haq the novelty of having thin body soon wore off, and the adverse effects of liposuction were soon reflected on her body, as it led to weight gain and an imbalance in bodily metabolic rate. By reading her regular tweets, it was astonishing to see that no matter what she tried, how little she ate, how much she exercised, but shifting those extra kilos became impossible.

Amna Haq Before



Amna Haq Now



Natasha Hussain another wafer thin model on Khawar Riaz show spoke about her no eating regime. A mother of two openly admitted to eating little and said “Natty likes to be all skin and bones”. Well I do wonder how she managed to choke down those two bites of fish steak.

Another example of dangerous weight loss regime was revealed on uncovered Karachi by Scottish Actor Atta Yaqub, where Fareiha Altaf a model from 1980s era said “I took a break for four years, I was in Canada and I came back and first thing I saw that all these models were so skinny and had lost so much weight, so when I asked them, what had happened? They said it was Cocaine and E and all that.” This is not to stress that all models use drugs as a means to shed unwanted weight, but this is yet another glimpse into a dark world of weight loss.

In Pakistan, weight loss products are a new phenomenon.

Pharmacies and homeopathic stores window displays grace such overly commercialised products. It all looks so appealing, thin poster girls beckoning you to try these magic pills, oils, drinks to achieve a dream figure of Miss Universe. Once you walk past these large glossy posters your attention is diverted, you have to stop in your tracks and study the extra bold sub headings, promising guaranteed weight loss within weeks. Sadly, little do we realize the consequences of such products on our health, body and mind.



For instance take Johar e Chakotra, a magic weight loss drink made of so-called natural ingredients with added ingredients like mint, lemon, aloe vera and God knows what else. It costs under 400 rupees and is available at most Homeopathic stores across the country. The magic drink offers miracle cure to all your weight related problems. It is so brilliant that it will melt off all those extra kilos within weeks and will energize your mind and body. This is a drink for ultimate happiness. Wow after all these promises, why pay heed to WHO’s call for healthy eating and regular exercise, all we need is Johar e Chakotra. Now read the ingredients on reverse and it will only take few seconds for an average functioning mind to understand that all the listed ingredients have properties of diuretic that will ultimately result in loss of water weight from body and not fat. Now to get back to magic drink, on average you need to consume 2 bottles a week for a prolonged period, till you achieve desirable results. Well if desirable results are a size zero figure and lower BMI, then most probably you will end up in hospital with severe potassium deficiencies, failed kidneys and other complications. Out of hospital with loss potassium restored in your body through painful IV method and bam weight is back on. Now all this hardship for what? Not to forget the humiliation of being hospitalized and families and friends waging tongues.

We live in a country where TV has become a source of entertainment for our average female genre.We have an exposure to every kind of imaginable media. Our young minds are influenced by media and by the time they enter their mid-late teens, their minds have conceived an image of a body that is like Angelina Jolie, Katherine Heigel, Aamina sharif, or Deepika Padoukone’s. These are famous body images, a la mode body images, something a girl needs to have to feel accepted in society. All you have to do is skim through advice sections in women magazines and digests like Pakeeza, Kiran, khawateein and you will see how body dysmorphia is prevailing among our young women. What is astounding that most of these girls are as young as 17 and complain of societal, family pressure to shed weight, to have a lighter skin tone to be able to find a suitable candidate for marriage. It is a matter of time before Pakistan realizes the full impact of such influence on young minds. The struggling families from all walks of life will endear hardships to find appropriate medical, psychological help for their daughter’s body dysmorphia and eating disorder. The problem needs to be addressed on national level, and we need to educate our population on healthy and structured eating.