Eating Disorders Specialist
An eating disorder can shape the life of an individual — but it doesn’t have to. At Essential Nutrition, Lisa Lanzano, MS, RDN, and the caring, committed team come alongside people with eating disorders, helping them transform their relationship with food and supporting them on the way to their healthiest lives possible. At the offices in Boulder and Denver, Colorado, they treat a range of eating disorders. If you or someone you love is living with an unhealthy relationship with food, call Essential Nutrition or book your appointment online today.
Eating Disorders Q & A
What are eating disorders?
People often assume that eating disorders are a choice an individual is making. In reality, many times the individual feels controlled by the eating disorder. The eating disorder is an illness, and if it’s left untreated, it can have a serious — even fatal — impact on the individual’s health.
What are the different types of eating disorders?
There are several types of eating disorders. The team at Essential Nutrition most commonly treats:
Anorexia nervosa
People with anorexia nervosa often have a distorted perception of their body shape and size. They may weigh themselves regularly and have a fear of weight gain. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by severely restricting the amount of food eaten, often alongside excessive exercise or the use of other types of weight-loss mechanisms, such as laxatives.
Left untreated, anorexia nervosa can lead to osteoporosis, anemia, constipation, organ failure, and brain damage.
Bulimia
People with bulimia often binge and purge, meaning they eat large amounts of food with the intention of getting rid of the calories afterward, often by vomiting. Someone with bulimia may also use laxatives or intense exercise to purge after excessive eating.
People with bulimia who purge by vomiting experience side effects in their mouth and throat, including sore throats and tooth decay. Bulimia is also linked to gastrointestinal problems, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalance.
Binge-eating disorder
People with this disorder struggle to control the amount they eat, often eating too much or too quickly and eating when they’re not hungry. It’s common for people with binge-eating disorder to feel shame or embarrassment about their eating habits. This condition often causes obesity.
Can eating disorders be treated?
Absolutely. The caring, knowledgeable dietitians at Essential Nutrition have over 20 years of experience helping people with eating disorders.
They can work with your other health care providers and your loved ones to create wraparound care. The goal is to transform your relationship with food.
A big part of the way they accomplish this is through intuitive eating. As Certified Intuitive Eating Counselors (CIECs), they help you tune in to your body, letting it guide your food choices based on what it actually needs.
In this way, they help you get back to basics, building not just a better relationship with food, but also a healthier relationship with your body.
Additionally, the Essential Nutrition team offers:
- Individual and group sessions
- Text and email support between sessions
- Meal support
- Grocery shopping guidance
To learn more about the eating disorder care at Essential Nutrition, call the office or make an appointment online today.
