Since the beginning of
the year Anerlisa Muigai, Keroche Brewery CEO’s daughter was on a personal
mission “to turn her life around”. This week, she posted photos on her Facebook
account and narrated how she fought hard to triumph over weight gain.
She has now become a
source of inspiration to many people struggling with weight gain.
“For those
struggling with weight problems, I want to assure you that it is possible and
it can be done if you set your mind into it” Anerlisa said on her Facebook
post.
The CEO of Nero Company Ltd that produces Executive water brand, Anerlisa is one of
many people suffering from eating disorders mistakenly viewed as a lifestyle
choice. However, eating disorders are actually serious and sometimes fatal
illnesses that cause severe disturbances to a person’s eating behaviors.
She added, “I hated
everything around me, I also hated anyone who commented about my weight, I just
ate like a pig to be honest.” Obsessions with food, body weight, and shape
may also signal an eating disorder and this is the case for Anerlisa.
Eating disorders
describe illnesses that are characterized by irregular eating habits and severe
distress or concern about body weight or shape. Eating disturbances may include
inadequate or excessive food intake that can ultimately damage an individual’s
well-being.
Having an eating disorder causes a lot of stress not just to those affected but their family too as aptly captured by Anerlisa.
“My family worried about me especially my mother who used
to look straight into my eyes with her teary eyes begging me to lose weight.” She said.
Generally, eating
disorders commonly coexist with other conditions, such as anxiety disorders,
substance abuse, or depression Common eating disorders include anorexia
nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.
Many people with
anorexia nervosa see themselves as overweight, even when they are clearly
underweight. Eating, food, and weight control become obsessions. People with
anorexia nervosa typically weigh themselves repeatedly, portion food carefully,
and eat very small quantities of only certain foods.
People with bulimia
nervosa have recurrent and frequent episodes of eating unusually large amounts
of food and feel a lack of control over these episodes. This binge eating is
followed by behavior that compensates for the overeating such as forced
vomiting, excessive use of laxatives or diuretics, fasting, excessive exercise,
or a combination of these behaviors.
Lastly, People with
binge-eating disorder lose control over their eating. Unlike bulimia nervosa,
periods of binge eating are not followed by compensatory behaviors like
purging, excessive exercise, or fasting. As a result, people with binge-eating
disorder often are overweight or obese.
Eating disorders are
complex disorders, influenced by a facet of factors. Though the exact cause of
eating disorders is unknown, it is generally believed that a combination of
biological, psychological, and/or environmental abnormalities contribute to the
development of these illnesses.
Typical treatment
goals include restoring adequate nutrition, bringing weight to a healthy level,
reducing excessive exercise, and stopping binging and purging behaviors.
Specific forms of psychotherapy, or talk therapy - including
a family-based therapy called the Maudsley approach and cognitive behavioral
approaches - have been shown to be useful for treating specific eating disorders.
Psychiatric Disability Organization, a charity based in Nakuru has an online profile of psychotherapists to help you restore your health. As Anerlisa Muigai puts it, start today not tomorrow.
