Be cautious to be bulimia

Compared with anorexia, bulimia is more difficult to be cured. People with bulimia are usually of average or slightly above average weight. Chronic bulimia leads to many health problems-some of which are life-threatening. What’s more, the side effects of bulimia - while dangerous - are mostly unseen. The teeth and mouth especially tend to be affected. Because frequent vomiting brings up stomach acid into the mouth, eroding teeth enamel. The stomach acid also irritates the esophagus, producing heartburn, and the salivary glands, making them swell.

The most dangerous side effect of bulimia is dehydration due to purging. Vomiting, laxatives, and diuretics can cause electrolyte imbalances in the body, most commonly in the form of low potassium levels. Low potassium levels trigger a wide range of symptoms ranging from lethargy and cloudy thinking to irregular heartbeat and death. Chronically-low levels of potassium can also result in kidney failure.

Because bulimia is due to complex causes, so the cure of the illness is difficult. And, it requires professional assistance to treat effectively. Ten percent of people with bulimia eventually die from its effects, usually from the electrolyte imbalance caused by dehydration.