Melissa Plantz, Loma Linda Christian Counseling

Different Types of Eating Disorders: Bulimia Nervosa

Different Types of Eating Disorders: Bulimia Nervosa

Melissa Plantz2024-09-28T12:00:50+00:00April 10th, 2024|Christian Counseling For Teens, Eating Disorders, Featured, Individual Counseling, Women’s Issues|

Eating disorders are varied and span from anorexia (known for starvation) to bulimia (known for purging behaviors) to binge eating (consuming enormous amounts of food in one sitting). This article will cover the dangers of bulimia nervosa, the eating disorder’s symptoms, and treatment options. The Lord created food to nourish and sustain us, and often, eating brings us pleasure. But when we turn to food to fulfill a need deep inside, it creates a problem that can lead to different types of eating disorders. When we turn to God to fulfill that spiritual need and allow Him to change our negative thoughts and behaviors, our eating habits align with what He intended. What is bulimia nervosa? Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by purging behaviors. The person with bulimia may eat average-sized meals or overeat but then purge the food to empty the stomach before the body has time to digest the food thoroughly. Purging methods can include forced vomiting, laxatives, diuretics, and overexercise. Some people employ a variety of purging methods. For example, a person living with bulimia may induce vomiting after a large meal and then exercise for an hour to ensure that they have burned any calories they missed. Purging becomes an impulsive behavior. It may reach the point that the body will no longer physically tolerate food. When bulimia reaches a dangerous level, medical treatment is imperative to stabilize physical health. Symptoms of bulimia nervosa The symptoms of bulimia include: Binging behaviors. Disappearing into the bathroom after a meal. Cuts and scrapes on the fingers and knuckles from induced vomiting. Dental cavities, enamel erosion, and discoloration from vomiting. Bad breath. Constipation. Dehydration. Fatigue. Anxiety and depression. Poor body image. Absence of a menstrual period. Spending too much time exercising. Obsessed with exercise and dieting. [...]

6 Tips for Relieving Mental Stress and Anxiety

Melissa Plantz2024-09-28T12:02:10+00:00January 24th, 2024|Coaching, Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development|

Mental stress is the preoccupation with worries and fears that lead to anxiety and other psychological and physical conditions. It is the inability to turn your mind off when it is time to sleep. It is the worry about something out of your control that causes you to freeze or isolate yourself. It is the fears behind the what-if questions. 6 Tips for Relieving Mental Stress and Anxiety When mental stress gets out of control, the anxiety can derail your daily schedule and relationships. You can take control over your mental stress. Try a few of the following tips for relieving mental stress and anxiety. Get up and move. A powerful anti-anxiety medication is exercise. Endorphins and other brain chemicals are released when you get up and move more consistently, leaving you feeling happy and thinking clearer. The tension in your muscles dissipates as you fill with confidence. You feel on top of the world after a good workout session. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity activity weekly to reap the benefits. Even a brisk 10-minute walk when you are short on time can help. Pause and stretch. Those tense muscles, combined with anxiety, headaches, and stomachaches, can leave you feeling drained and irritable. Instead of going to bed, try a stretching video. Stretching increases serotonin, another brain chemical that regulates mood. You can find stretching videos online or consider taking a local class to learn about proper form. Regular stretching practice is the best way to manage mental stress. Eat healthier meals. The foods you eat play a major role in how you feel. Sugar-laden and fatty foods can leave you feeling sluggish and stressed. Instead of reaching for junk food or pulling into a drive-through, learn to menu plan and make healthy meals at home. [...]

Moving Through the Grieving Process

Melissa Plantz2024-09-28T12:00:37+00:00June 13th, 2023|Featured, Grief Counseling, Individual Counseling|

If you have ever lost someone close to you, then you are probably familiar with the stages of grief. The stages are shock or denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. When we say that a person is going through the grieving process, we mean that they are experiencing the emotions that will eventually result in healthy acceptance and the ability to move forward with their life. When someone becomes stuck in the grieving process, it can affect their daily life, including their work and relationships. For example, if a young woman loses her mother after a sudden illness, she may cycle through the grieving process. However, if she stays in one stage too long, like depression, it may interfere with her relationship with her husband and children. She may not want to get out of bed and go to work. She may feel that life is not worth living without her mother. In the above case, the young woman is stuck in complicated grief. She may need counseling to help her move forward. It is not that a person should stop grieving at a specific time after losing a loved one; they just need extra support to get through this season of their life. The grieving process The grieving process can be slow, even if the death of a loved one is imminent. It is estimated that grief can last from six to eight weeks to several months to years. Each person grieves in their own way. The trouble lies when we cannot escape the grief to resume life. When we inadvertently cause problems in our relationships or career or shirk our responsibilities because our minds revolve around the thoughts of loss. Denial or shock. When we first learn about the passing of a loved one, we may go [...]

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