Bulimia nervosa is a very common eating disorder especially in women. The subject becomes recurrent in binge eating often followed by depression, low self-esteem, guilt and self-condemnation. In order to compensate the previous behavior, bulimics over exercise, and use in excess diuretics, enemas and laxatives, they vomit and fast (generically the behavior is known as “purging”).

There two types of bulimia nervosa though: purging and non-purging. The purging bulimia is the most common, while the other type is present in 6-8% of the cases.

It has also been reported that bulimics eat within ant two hours period a larger amount than normal for their weight and age without controlling how much they should eat. The bulimic attacks occur one or twice a week but in sever cases in more than twice a day. These cycles of over eating and purging can be very destructive for the body especially because the chemicals released when vomiting make the bulimic “high”. It is, therefore, a matter of addiction.

The causes of such a disease should be sought in the psychological issues of the bulimic. They suffer attacks more often in periods of stress or when upset. These problems are more common among people who gain their living by the way they look: models, gymnasts, cheerleaders, actors or singers. The bad news is that statistics say that the disorder is more prevalent among Caucasians and it is often caused by the disequilibrium between testosterone and estrogen (which can be solved by taking oral contraceptive in order to reduce fat or sugar consumption).