“Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) belongs to a family of human and animal diseases known as the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) or prion diseases.  Spongiform refers to the characteristic appearance of infected brains, which become filled with holes until they resemble sponges when examined under a microscope.  CJD is the most common of the known human TSEs.”

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

A human version of mad cow disease called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) is believed to be caused by eating beef products contaminated with central nervous system tissue, such as brain and spinal cord, from cattle infected with mad cow disease.

Web M.D.

“A healthy diet and lifestyle are your best weapons to fight cardiovascular disease. It’s not as hard as you may think! Remember, it’s the overall pattern of your choices that counts. Make the simple steps in your life for long-term benefits to your health and your heart.  Go to AHA diet and life style recommendations for more information.”

American Heart Association

 “If you are what you eat, it follows that you want to stick to a healthy diet that’s well balanced.  You want to eat a variety of foods,You don’t want to be overly restrictive of any one food group or eat too much of another”

Stephen Bickston, MD, AGAF-American Gastroenterological Association Fellow (professor of internal medicine and director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at Virginia Commonwealth University Health Center in Richmond)

“Eating Disorders rank among the most serious public health concerns in the United States and have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.:

The center for eating disorders at Sheppard Pratt

ANOREXIA NERVOSA VS BULEMIA

• Medical Complications of Anorexia Nervosa:

• Low heart rate, low body temperature, low blood pressure,  irregular heartbeat

• Slowed digestion causing pain, early fullness, nausea, bloating and constipation

• Hepatitis of starvation, liver failure

• Loss of period in females, low testosterone in males, infertility

• Bone marrow suppression, anemia

• Bone loss and osteoporosis

• Thyroid abnormalities, low blood sugar

• Brain atrophy, cognitive difficulty

• Dry skin, hair loss, lanugo hair growth

• Aspiration pneumonia, respiratory failure
• High risk for refeeding syndrome, a potentially deadly complication of injudicious refeeding

• Medical Complications of Bulimia Nervosa:

• Dental erosion and infections, parotid gland swelling

• Esophageal rupture

• Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), constipation

• Low potassium, low sodium

• Severe edema or fluid overload

• Dehydration, fainting

• Irregular heartbeat
• SeizuresFirst know the red flags. Red flags that may indicate an eating disorder include:

• For Treatment:

• Skipping meals
• Making excuses for not eating
• Eating only a few certain “safe” foods, usually those low in fat and calories
• Adopting rigid meal or eating rituals, such as cutting food into tiny pieces or spitting food out after chewing
• Cooking elaborate meals for others, but refusing to eat them themselves
• Collecting recipes
• Withdrawing from normal social activities
• Persistent worry or complaining about being fat
• A distorted body image, such as complaining about being fat despite being underweight
• Not wanting to eat in public
• Frequent checking in the mirror for perceived flaws
• Wearing baggy or layered clothing
• Repeatedly eating large amounts of sweet or high-fat foods
• Use of syrup of ipecac, laxatives, the over-the-counter weight-loss drug orlistat (Alli), or over-the-counter drugs that can cause fluid loss, such as menstrual symptom relief medications
• Use of dietary supplements or herbal products for weight loss
• Food hoarding
• Leaving during meals to use the toilet
• Eating in secret. Because of its powerful pull, an eating disorder can be difficult to manage or overcome by yourself. Eating disorders can virtually take over your life. You may think about food all the time, spend hours agonizing over what to eat and exercise to exhaustion. You may feel ashamed, sad, hopeless, drained, irritable and anxious. You may also have a host of physical problems because of your eating disorder, such as irregular heartbeats, fatigue, and bowel or menstrual troubles. If you’re experiencing any of these problems, or if you think you may have an eating disorder, seek medical help.
• Urging a loved one to seek treatment

• When to see a doctor

• Unfortunately, many people with eating disorders resist treatment. If you have a loved one you’re worried about, urge him or her to talk to a doctor. Even if your loved one isn’t ready to acknowledge having an issue with food, you may be able to open the door by expressing concern and a desire to listen. If you’re concerned your child may have an eating disorder, contact his or her doctor about your concerns. You can get a referral to qualified mental health providers for treatment.
• Keep in mind, however, that in children it’s sometimes hard to tell what’s an eating disorder and what’s simply a whim, a new fad, or experimentation with a vegetarian diet or other eating styles. In addition, many girls and sometimes boys go on diets to lose weight, but stop dieting after a short time. If you’re a parent or guardian, be careful not to mistake occasional dieting with an eating disorder. On the other hand, be alert for eating patterns and beliefs that may signal unhealthy behavior, as well as peer pressure that may trigger eating disorders.

“When one hears the term eating disorder, most Americans’ minds automatically think about anorexia and bulimia. Both of these mental illnesses are devastating to the victims’ bodies, mental health, and self-image, as well as the victims’ loved ones. These people experience drastic changes in weight and appearance. Although they are similar, these illnesses differ in the victims’ motivation, their symptoms, and the ramifications of their behavior on their health.”

Lone Star College

“Black Americans — and Mexican-Americans — have twice the risk of diabetes as white Americans. In addition, blacks with diabetes have more serious complications — such as loss of vision, loss of limbs, and kidney failure — than whites.”  (Keep in mind all 3 are caused by Diabetes (DM) but if the pt had loss of vision or poor kidneys intially the DM made it worse.)

Maudene Nelson, RD, certified diabetes educator at Naomi Barry Diabetes Center at Columbia University.

“All humans have the same physiology, are vulnerable to the same illnesses, & respond to the same medicines. Naturally, diseases&responses to treatment do vary from person to person. There are unique issues that affect black Americans.”

Yancy, LeRoy M. Graham Jr., MD (On the American Lung Association’s board of directors, is associate clinical professor of pediatrics at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, and serves as staff physician for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.)

“Teen Dating Violence is defined as the physical, sexual, psychological, or emotional aggression within a dating relationship, including stalking.”

CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention