Firstly I would like to apologise for the lack of posts I have been uploading recently. I should have probably done this post at the start of January but other work I have had to do has been taking over.
I now have a few hours to spare so thought I would use the time wisely to get some blog posts done.

At the start of 2017 I wrote a list of goals I wanted to achieve and I thought it would be nice for me to look back on it now and see what I managed to accomplish. So lets get started…

 Metabolism is the process when the body converts the energy which is stored in food into energy that we burn to keep active. This energy is measured in units that are known as calories. The number of calories we burn is different for every person due to age, gender, size and the amount of physical activity we partake in.

Things that effect your metabolism -

Resting Metabolic Rate
Resting metabolic rate occurs throughout the day and night even when resting. It is the amount of energy you burn which helps the functions to keep you alive as the energy keeps your organs going. If you are not consuming enough energy (calories) you may start to lose strength and the amount of activity you do will decrease as you'll be too tired from having no energy. If a person starves it effects the resting metabolic rate and may make you feel cold, lose memory and concentration and your hair can start to fall out.

Gender, weight and size
These things effect the metabolism because everyones bodies are different. Men usually have higher muscle mass meaning they have a higher rate of metabolism and therefore need more energy (calories) to function everyday. Size effects the metabolic rate as size is due to the amount of tissue in the body so your metabolism increases with size.

The process of eating
The actual process of eating effects your metabolism too. Chewing, Swallowing, contractions of the body, digestion, absorption and excretion of matter all use up energy.

Activity
Obviously the more physical activity you do the more energy you burn. However during the starvation process your body sees this as the least important function so this will slow don't and result in feeling tired and lethargic.
I hope that this blog post has helped you understand your metabolism better and has reinforced the fact that calories are not a bad thing. You need to consume calories for energy to function normally throughout your day!


                                                             Lorna
                                                                xxx

One of the behaviours used in the eating disorder Bulimia Nervosa is vomiting/purging. People who suffer from bulimia may use vomiting as a way to punish themselves for eating and vomit as an attempt to rid themselves of the food they have just consumed. This behaviour is a very dangerous one and a lot of people are not even aware of the symptoms that you can get from forcing yourself to vomit

                                   
Perceived benefits of vomiting
People with bulimia are not vomiting for no reason. They perceive that vomiting will have some kind of benefit to them with some of those being-

• Feeling thinner after vomiting
• Anxiety caused by eating is removed
• Loss of calories
• A coping stratergy to deal with difficult emotions

In reality only about half of the calories binged are lost through vomiting as retching can cause the food to go further, it is a very dangerous method to use. Vomiting is not something the body should be doing regularly. The body vomits when it has a virus or bacteria and needs to get rid of it. Vomiting regularly can put a strain on the body.

The costs of vomiting.

• Tooth erosion and decay- The high acid in vomit can cause the teeth the erode and decay. 
• Sore mouth and throat - Acid in the vomit can cause the oesophagus to tear or become irritated. A sign of this may be blood in the vomit.
• Heartburn and acid reflux- Can both be caused due to the acid in the vomit. 
• Swelling of the face- salivary glands swell causing swelling and puffiness to the face
• Tiredness- People can become lethargic and lose energy due to the loss of vital minerals through vomiting.
• Hunger increase- Due to getting rid of some of the food you have just eaten it can lead to becoming hungry again.
• Abdominal cramps
• Water and salt imbalances and electrolyte imbalance can cause damage to the heart, muscles and brain. Kidney function can also be affected and in severe cases of bulimia it can be life threatening as it can cause heart attacks.
• Lining of gullet can ulcerate and bleed and could become life threatening if a haemorrhage occurs.