Use Nutritional Therapy to Treat Anorexia
Experts unanimously agree that nutritional intervention is an indispensable strategy for any well-rounded approach to anorexia nervosa treatment. As part of a team therapy plan, working in tandem with counseling, therapy and medicines, nutritional therapy helps patients regain a healthy body weight and replenish their depleted vitamin stores.
Instructions
Treat the Anorexic Condition With Nutritional Therapy
1. Hospitalize the patient, if his anorexia has caused physical complications or is approaching a psychological crisis, such as threats of suicide. The dehydration and extreme levels of malnutrition characteristic of long-suffering anorexia patients can become life threatening.
2. Have a physician, nurse or registered dietitian use a feeding tube to get nutrients into a difficult patient's body. Unfortunately, the gripping psychological nature of anorexia nervosa makes most sufferers vehemently resist being forced to eat. Nasogastric tubes, which connect the nasal passages directly with the stomach, are used to treat anorexia.
3. Use the help of your registered dietitian to create detailed meal plans that specify types and quantities of foods to be eaten. The supervision of a third party (frequently a parent, spouse, significant other or close loved one) is often necessary to ensure the patient follows the diet to the letter.
4. Identify realistic, attainable goals for healthy weight gain with the help of your RD. The dietitian will be able to create calorie charts that will help the patient divide and conquer the task of regaining lost weight. A step-by-step approach that aims for slow but steady results is favored by most registered dietitians.
5. Combine nutritional therapy with individual or group counseling sessions, as directed by a psychotherapist, psychiatrist or physician. Nutritional therapy is also effective when used in combination with appetite-stimulating antidepressants that simultaneously promote weight gain and fight anxiety and depression symptoms.
6. Implement healthy eating habits as part of your regular everyday lifestyle, once you are over the hump of your anorexia nervosa. This is easier if you use the ongoing help of a support group.
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