4 Steps Dynamic Meditation For Eating Disorder

You can do two different kinds of meditation, Passive or Dynamic. Passive meditation is when you put yourself into a meditative state (an Alpha state) using just relaxation techniques. Passive meditation is very helpful for stopping your obsessive thoughts, eliminate worry, guilt and anger. But once you have reached a meditative level to just wait for constant improvement is not enough because you are likely to relapse in the mean time. What I suggest you should do is to go beyond passive meditation and train your mind for organized dynamic activities.

By dynamic activities I mean to add on to your meditative practice a healing visualisation technique. This technique requires you to visualize yourself as a healthy, happy and vibrant person while you are on a meditative level in your mind.

There are four steps involved in this:

1step. Go into a meditative level, the alpha state like you do in normal passive meditation. You can do counting or just sit quietly and focus on your breath or other parts of your body. Do this for at least 5-6 minutes or as long as it takes for you know that you achieve a passive meditation level.

2 step. Imagine there is a screen in front of you like when you're at the movies. Imagine on the screen yourself in your current condition - whatever you are like now: stressed from an eating disorder, binging and purging, starving yourself, overexercising or taking laxatives. See what you really look like now. Relive these feelings for the moment.

3 step. Stop thinking of this scene and imagine gently pushing it off the screen to the right hand side. Now, on the empty screen imagine another scene where you are healthy, vibrant, radiant, confident and happy. No signs of illnesses or any conditions should be on the scene. Visualize every detail of your ideal "you". Visualize it vividly and feel the feelings of what your ideal "you" should feel like happiness, joy, pride, confidence etc. Now play with this image, put colour into it, action and pictures. What do the clothes you are wearing look like, they should invoke good feelings, imagine yourself doing something useful and positive, visualize people around you, see yourself sharing a meal with these people chatting happily, enjoying yourself. Do this for at least 10-15 minutes.

4 step. Finish visualization by counting from 1 to 10 and open your eyes.

Now you can be confident that you have just put forces in motion through visualisation that will make you healthy, free and happy. As you gradually increase your skills doing this, you will notice that you will be able to believe in your progress towards curing your eating disorder more and more. In time and with practice the results you achieve doing this kind of dynamic meditation will astound you more and more.

I recommend you repeat these dynamic meditation techniques at least twice a day: in the morning after getting up from your bed, and at night just before going to bed. If follow these techniques and do it regularly and correctly for at least one month, you will be surprised at how good you will feel.

You will become more confident, your belief system will change for the better and you will see yourself as a much more powerful person than you use to be before beginning to do these dynamic meditation techniques.

Dr Irina Webster MD is an expert in eating disorders areas. She is author of the book and a public speaker. To read more about meditation for eating disorders go to http://www.meditation-sensation.com

Article Source:Irina_Webster

Neuroplasticity

If you have obsessive thoughts about food and weight and you act out compulsive behaviours like binging, purging or starving yourself you will be relieved to learn about a new unique treatment method for eating disorders.

This new method to overcome your eating disorder is based on Neuroplsticity. Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to change. To explain this exactly: the first part neuro, is for neurone (which are the nerve cells in the brain) and plasticity means plastic or changeable.

The motto for this treatment is "change your behaviour - change your brain".

You see, for every single action we regularly do there are special brain pathways in our heads. Many actions we do become automatic the more we do them and we don't think about doing them because certain brain pathways in our head get activated and it is all automatic.

For example, driving which can be difficult at first becomes automatic later on, playing the piano seems hard until you master it, meditation can be perceived as a weird and a useless action. That is until you practice it and then it becomes an essential tool for your wellbeing and happiness: again it becomes an automatic function.

So, all normal actions turn into automatic actions when we do things regularly. But on the contrary, when we stop doing certain actions - we simply forget how to do them. Like learning a foreign language at school, we soon forget it if we stop using it. This is because those certain brain pathways we built through learning stopped being stimulated by action and they disappeared.

The same happens with eating disorder behaviours. Binging-purging and starving becomes automatic actions: we do them and it doesn't matter how hard we try to stop we can't. This is because special eating disorder pathways are getting activated automatically in our heads: we built them over time with our own destructive behaviours.

But if you change these destructive behaviours and replace them with other behaviours - your brain pathways will start to change and when the brain pathways changes, you will lose the urge to binge-purge or starve yourself.

It is the "use it or lose it" principle in action.

But you may ask: "How can I start changing my behaviours in order to change my brain?"

Well, you can do in a special way. Here I will show you 5 steps which you can follow to achieve the desirable changes in your brain.

1st step: BELIEF that you can stop your eating disorder.
2d step: Re-IDENTIFY
3d step: Re-SYMBOLIZE
4th step: Re-DIRECT
5th step: Re-EVALUATE

After following these 5 steps your brain pathways will be changed. That's why you will be able to lose the urges to binge, purge or starve yourself.
As a result your eating disorder can be stopped for the rest of your life.

Dr Irina Webster MD is a Director of Women Health Issues Program and Neuroplasticity expert. She is an author and a public speaker. To read more about Neuroplasticity for eating disorders go to http://www.eating-disorders-books.com

Article Source:Irina_Webster

7 Motivational Triggers That Keep You on Truck When You're Fighting Bulimia or Binge Eating

Anyone who is fighting their eating disorder can fall into a slump. Negative emotions, feelings and subconscious voices to binge, purge or starve yourself can become so strong that the person can succumb to them again and again. It often seems like there is nowhere to turn for help; but there is and that is where the use of motivational triggers comes in handy. Motivational triggers inspire mentally and spiritually. They also push away the past and help you focus on the present.

There are many motivational triggers that can be used every day. You may already use your own personal motivational triggers but here is a list of the most common ones that work on most of us.

1. Listening to particular songs or music.
This is a really strong trigger to lift up your spirit and keep your desire to stop your bulimia or binge eating alive. Although you have to be careful in choosing the right songs though, because some songs may bring on feelings that make you perform your eating disorder behaviour. Some song can be associated with something negative in your life or just switch on negative senses.

But with the variety of music that is around I am sure you will find music that motivates you to act your best. Please refrain from music that has negative language, or bad language, or that is demeaning to others, this kind of music will only make you worse.

2. Looking at art (pictures, sculptures etc.) that inspires you t is a great motivational trigger for art lovers. When you look at art and get inspirational feelings from it you actually divert your attention away from food, weight and body image worries towards the divine. It can be very powerful for many people and can even make them create a piece of art. When you free your attention and focus from the eating disorder influence you will start to create things easier and faster.

3. Going to a special room (or place) in your house to think, meditate or connect with inner self.
Connection with your internal self is a powerful tool to motivate yourself to becoming free from your eating disorder. Knowing your internal self can be difficult for eating disorder sufferers because their internal self is affected by the eating disorder. The ability to separate yourself from your eating disorder and the ability to separate thoughts (those that come from you and those which come from your eating disorder) is important for your full recovery. Until sufferers learn to do this properly they can't recover because the subconscious eating disorder voices will always overpower your logical reasoning.

Specialised eating disorder meditation can be an incredible tool to help you to control the voices and overpower them.

4. Going to a scenic area in your city or town to get away from the eating disorder distractions. This trigger can also be related to meditation and relaxation but using nature to help. A connection to nature can be one of the ways of connecting to the divine. Meditating on your health and freedom from your disorder can be helpful while out in a natural setting.

5. Going for a walk/ jog outside. This can be just a quick fixer when you need urgently to change your mental state and stop those overwhelming subconscious voices that tell you to binge. Don't keep yourself hungry though because hunger will definitely make you binge sooner or later. Eat often (6-7 times a day) but small amounts. This way of eating stimulates your metabolism and stops the feelings of hunger. But do not use exercise as a way to feed your obsession, do not use it as a substitute for controlling your weight or body image problem. Going for a walk or jog is only to break the moment and stop the feelings that make you binge.

6. Do any other activity that helps you clear your mind from negativity and to remain motivated.
Doing an activity which is pleasurable is important for breaking bulimia/binge eating cycle. Finding this kind of activity can be difficult for people with eating disorders because their negative food thoughts over-ride all the positivity in them. To stop it you need to clear your mind first with meditation. Than in a meditative state ask your inner self what you really love to do. The answer will follow if your mind is clear from eating disorder thoughts.

7. Write a diary. Writing a diary helps thousands of people to feel better. Initially you should just record your thoughts; any thoughts that come into your mind. Then when you get a hang of it, try to direct your thoughts in the direction you need. That means diverting your attention away from food and weight, towards other activities which are positive and constructive. Who knows - some people have become writers that way. Just keep trying!

If you use these triggers to stay motivated there is no way that you can continue with the bad behaviours that you want to eliminate from your life. If you learn to change focus you will be definitely on the way to a full recovery.

Dr Irina Webster MD is an expert in eating disorders, author and public speaker. To read more about specialized meditation for eating disorders go to http://www.meditation-sensation.com

Article Source:Irina_Webster

Stay Motivated When You Are Fighting Bulimia Or Binge Eating

Motivation is important for overcoming any eating disorder. People with bulimia/binge eating often lack of motivation because of the nature of their illness. They often feel that the only things they like to do are related to food. But this in most cases is an illusion.

Many bulimics feel good when they cook or prepare food but this often leads them to binge the food. This problem can be overcome if sufferers learn to motivate themselves using other motivational methods which are not related to food.

Motivational triggers for bulimics/binge eaters are similar to what normal people use to motivate themselves. The only thing to remember is to keep your motivational triggers away from the thoughts of food, especially in the beginning.

There are many things that can be your motivational triggers. The best motivational triggers are the ones which affect your emotions the most. Some people know the specific things that motivate them. If you haven't found any yet things that specifically motivate you try the ones which are considered to be the most common motivational triggers. They are:

- Motivational/inspirational music and songs
- Going to a nice peaceful environment where you can connect with nature.
- Looking at the art (paintings, sculptures, ikebana etc.)
- Doing sport like activities outside (walking, jogging etc)
- Going into a meditative state and feeling your own vibrations.
- Doing positive affirmation when in a meditative state.
- Writing a diary.
- Any other activities that you LOVE to do.

The list can go on and on and it can be different for everyone. The main thing is to find an activity (other than food) which you LOVE to do.

Discovering your LOVE, following your heart and knowing your inner self is the best way to stop your eating disorder. When you learn to drive your attention away from the food, weight and body image issues to something positive and constructive is when recovery starts to happen.

To discover your LOVE and things that motivate you, you should clear your mind first. The mind of people with eating disorders is filled with negative conditioning. This conditioning stops them from seeing what they really are as people and what they LOVE to do.

The best way to clear the negative conditioning is to meditate. A meditational state is when your mind becomes clear and you feel a connection to your inner self. This has to be your true inner self not the one you may think you have at the moment. A Bulimics inner self is often mixed with their bulimia and they often identify bulimia as being a part of them or a part of their inner self. This is completely false, bulimic thoughts have no place in your true self. You can find and change the bulimic thoughts by doing regular meditation.

To really know your inner self you need to have a clear mind, one without the bulimia thoughts and then ask yourself "Who you are and what you want?" The true answer will follow if your mind is clear, but if your mind tells you it is food and binging then this is false and just the old bulimic thought pattern. So you have to keep trying to get a clear picture.

Specialised meditation can be the first most important thing you can do towards your recovery. Specialized meditation will also keep you motivated because it can clear your mind from the negative bulimic thoughts and help you to find your true self (not the mixed up bulimia/binge eating self). So, meditate regularly and love it, this is the best advice you can give to someone with eating disorder. A clear mind with a clear set of goals and focus is a healthy mind. A mixed up food orientated mind is a unhealthy one.

Dr Irina Webster MD is a recognised authority on the subject of women health with a special interest in eating disorders. She is the author of many books and a public speaker. To read more about specialized meditation for eating disorders go to http://www.meditation-sensation.com

Article Source:Irina_Webster

A Simple Way to Stop Binging Food

You can stop your food cravings with the power of your mind: not by using willpower but just thinking about the consequences the binge will have on your health. Most of us know willpower is an extremely difficult thing to conquer. After all who hasn't eaten that extra piece of chocolate even though we said we wouldn't.

New research just out in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal has shown that people can stop their cravings by thinking of the consequences of their actions.

21 people with binge eating problems participated in the research. They were asked to think about the consequences when enticing food was offered. All of them said that their cravings to eat the food were much weaker while thinking about the consequences of binging on their health.

The study used an MRI scanner (magnetic resonance imaging) to see what happens in the brains of people when they are shown food they normally binge on and then asked to think of their immediate feelings. After that they were asked to think about the bad consequences these foods can have on their health.

It was shown in the research that the part of the brain involved in controlling their negative emotions where activated and the parts of the brain responsible for cravings started to shut down after they thought about all the health risks. The research has proven that the way you think has an impact on your ability to stop your cravings.

For eating disorder sufferers being able to stop their cravings is a pivotal point to stopping and controlling their disorder. People with binge eating, bulimia and overeating will benefit from this method enormously.

So, next time when you feel like binging again think of what harm binging will actually do to you.
Binge eating will bring you high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol level, heart problem, liver and gall bladder disease. It will also make you depressed, anxious and even suicidal. Don't you think that's enough to stop you from binging?

Bulimia will give you heart palpitations and irregular heartbeats, tooth decay, spells of fainting, fatigue, weakness due to electrolyte imbalance, bad skin, weak hair, brittle nails, kidney failure, brain disorder or even death. Just think of that when you are going on a bulimic binge next time.

Aren't all the above problems a great incentive to help you stop your eating disorder for good?

One of the things the study also said was to try doing it by yourself at home, but you will need to have therapist to help. There is a bit of a problem with this aspect of the research and as most eating disorder sufferers know that their problems are at home when they are on their own with no therapist to hold their hand. Plus the researchers don't actually tell you exactly what to do.

Luckily there are a number of tactics you can use at home to bolster your own resolve without the need of a therapist. There are methods available that will help you control the cravings based on the power of neuroplasticity. The power of the mind to change the way your brain works by your thoughts, actions and words.

All in all, the result of this study proves once more that we can control the binges with the power of the mind. All we need to do is find the right method that will work for each individual person.

Most people if they learn a proven method to help with the "thinking of consequences" method should have great success. Always remember that brain can only be controlled with your own mind and in the end it all comes back to the resolve of the sufferer to change.

Dr Irina Webster MD is a Director of Women Health Issues Program. She is an author and a public speaker. To read more about how to stop binge eating disorder go to http://www.eating-disorders-books.com

Article Source:Irina_Webster

Attachment Theory and Development of Eating Disorders

Attachment theory explains the bond or tie between a child and an attachment figure, a parent or guardian. Nowadays it is starting to become obvious that children with insecure attachment styles are prone to eating disorders more so than children with secure attachments.

When children interact with parents in the first 5-7 years of life some children feel that their parents are a reliable source of comfort and security. These children most likely will develop secure attachment style and become well-adjusted adults.

Other children may feel that their parents (or caregivers) are not that reliable and don't give them the sense of security, support and comfort when it's needed. Some parents may even reject their children in terms of providing emotional comfort. These children probably will develop an insecure attachment style and will compensate for their emotional discomfort with food, alcohol and/or drugs when they grow up.

Now we know, that a lot of anorexia, bulimia and binge eating sufferers turn to food manipulation to find security, comfort and emotional stability. Food is something that is always readily available and will bring temporary emotional comfort to a sufferer: so it seems an easy way out of their emotional problems.

There is no blame on the parents of course because eating problems are complex and many factors have to come together for a person to develop the illness. But what we do know now is that a cold parental attitude, very high expectations placed on a child, parental abuse or rejection are all factors that can force a child to turn to an eating disorder.

As a rule, most anorexia, bulimia and binge eating sufferers (nearly all) have insecure attachment styles: anxious or avoidant styles. Because attachment style is developed in the first years of life, it is understandable that a predisposition to an eating disorder is built earlier in life (probably in the first 5-7 years of life) that previously realised.

A childs attitude toward their parents (caregivers) is also directly connected to their attitude of themself, their body and self-esteem, their thoughts about the world and the people around them. It is also connected to their perception of safety (about the world being a safe place or not). All these factors as we now know influence the development of eating disorders in young children and teenagers.

To conclude, attachment style is something we should look at when talking about the prevention of eating disorders. We need to educate parents regarding how they can make their children feel more secure and comfortable inside their own self. Developing a secure attachment style in children will help prevent eating disorders in many young people.

Dr Irina Webster MD is a Director of Women Health Issues Program. She is an author and a public speaker. To read more about neuroplasticity for eating disorders go to http://www.eating-disorders-books.com

Article Source:Irina_Webster