Photo: Courtesy of New Harbinger Publications

When she was 18, Lucy Howard-Taylor knew she was letting anorexia eat away at her life, her body and her brain. Now, a year later, she's published a memoir ("Biting Anorexia") about living in the grips of an eating disorder -- and how she was able to set herself free. In an interview with a AOL Health, she discusses the competitive (and addictive) nature of posting on pro-ana forums, how she was able to recognize she had a problem and what treatment and healthy eating are like for her today. Read the full interview about anorexia recovery here.

Eating disorders aren't simply born from a desire to stay thin. Other factors such as low self esteem, family troubles or a history of abuse can also contribute to eating disorder development. Often, people with eating disorders inappropriately use food to feel in control of their own lives.

Liz Jones, a columnist for the Daily Mail, wrote a candid report about her own battle with anorexia. Jones states that her obsession with food started at age 11. In her early 20s, she sought treatment for her eating disorder. But still, though she claims she has this "thin thing under control," her life is riddled with the fences her eating habits erect and the social and medical consequences they create.

Jones was recently told that she's heading towards a diagnosis of osteoporosis. (Anorexia and osteoporosis are closely linked, as bone density can be negatively impacted by hormonal and nutritional problems.) In light of that warning, and because her "fantastic cook" of a sister was coming for a visit, Jones decided to try to eat without self-imposed restrictions for three weeks.

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A study came out recently that examined the relationship between vegetarians and eating disorders, and it's stirring up some serious controversy. It found that adolescent and young adult vegetarians, while more likely to be of a healthy weight and follow a healthier diet filled with fruits and vegetables, also "may be at increased risk for disordered eating behaviors, such as binge eating and unhealthful weight-control behaviors (such as forcing themselves to vomit, using diuretics and laxatives, and taking diet pills)." Yikes!

Of course, a conclusion like this has been picked up by plenty of outlets. Diet Blog has a particularly lively discussion going on in the comments, and an interesting point is broached. Is it really that vegetarians face an increased risk of developing an eating disorder? Or, is someone with an eating disorder just more likely to gravitate toward a restrictive diet, such as vegetarianism?

When you think about it that way, it makes a lot of sense. An anorexic teenager can use vegetarianism to more easily hide his or her unhealthy diet -- Mom and Dad will be far more likely to accept their child's refusal of a pork chop if it's because their child is a vegetarian, and might not notice that far fewer calories are being consumed.

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Loving parents want the best for their children -- health, happiness, contentment and success. So this story of a family in the UK whose daughter is battling an eating disorder broke my heart. What makes the situation worse is that the teenager blames her problems on her father, who is obese.

So often, as parents, we worry about the external forces that influence our kids. From TV shows, to dolls, to ads in magazines ... everything is a potential force that can sway our kids away from the values we'd like them to have. But the influences within our homes are even stronger. The examples we set -- with our health, our actions, our morals -- are more powerful than any external source.

The dad whose daughter has an eating disorder and blames it on him was obviously heartbroken. He loves his daughter and he wants her healthy and well. I hope, while recognizing that his habits did influence her, he realizes that her eating disorder isn't his fault. I so respect the way he's handling it, though. As his daughter is receiving treatment for her eating disorder, he's also seeking help for his obesity. While they're on opposite sides of the issue, I wish them both the best of luck on resolving their issues with food and getting to a healthy weight.

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That's Fit Club is our feature devoted to you, the reader! We have all learned so much on our paths to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other! That's Fit Club members are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect; some are not. But all have health on the mind. And to reward you for your efforts, Everlast and Everlast Woman have provided gorgeous T-shirts to bestow on our featured members.

Name: Candice Miser

Age: 22

Occupation: Student/ PCA

How often do you exercise? Not enough!

What type of exercise do you do? Yoga and ab training.

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Over the past few years, the fashion industry has received a fair amount of criticism for using too many skeleton-thin models. And it seems they're paying attention and trying to 'beef-up' -- well, if the recent New York Fashion week is any indication anyway. Nian Fish, the chair of fashion designers health initiative is insisting that all models used in the various shows were size 2 or 4 -- not 0 or 00, as was the previous standard. "I think there's progress," says Fish, "The girls are still slim. We didn't want them not to be slim. We wanted a projection of health"

Still, the fashion industry is a long way from embracing curves. "Thin is going to be the ruling look -- until someone says, 'I want voluptuous,'" said Fish. "I don't know if that ever is going to come back." And in London, plans to make models pass a health examination were dropped because of not enough international support.

Your thoughts?

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According to the National Eating Disorders Association, approximately 90%-95% of anorexia nervosa sufferers are girls and women. And it's often assumed the majority of sufferers are white. But the disorder isn't limited to any demographic. A new book, Going Hungry (releasing on September 9) highlights the stories of 19 different anorexia nervosa survivors -- including stories from women, men, and minorities.

One of the shared stories is from Rudy Ruiz, who -- after being taunted and teased as a chubby child -- began trying to lose weight unhealthily during his high school years. He drank gallons of diet iced tea and ran five miles a day, ultimately dropping to 104 pounds -- far too thin for his 5' 7" frame. His initial desire to shed some extra pounds had turned into an obsession. He'd later learn that he had anorexia nervosa. Today, Ruiz is 40 and a two-time graduate of Harvard. He admits that while is healthy now, he still struggles with the obsession.

If you or someone you know might be suffering from anorexia nervosa or another disorder, visit the National Eating Disorders Association for information and support.

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Try to find a person who doesn't enjoy a massage to relax. You'd be hard-pressed. Of all the stress-relieving techniques out there, massage is my absolute favorite.

Certainly, massage relieves muscle pain and soreness, but it appears to be most popular for stress relief. It's effectiveness is largely due to the fact that manipulating the muscles releases endorphins, the brain's natural opiates, which encourages a feeling of well being and confidence. Studies show massage can be helpful for various ailments. But when looking at the list, one can't help but notice many of the benefits involve the mind more than the body. Consider the following from a Mayo Clinic article:

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Staying healthy makes me inspired. Does staying thin, then, make me thinspired? To some degree, I guess it does. I eat right, exercise right, minimize stress, sleep enough, and do all I can to stay healthy, which also happens to help me stay thin. Not skinny. Not bony. Not skeletal. Just more thin than thick, more fit than fat.

Thinspiration is a buzz word used by youngish girls who strive to be skinny, anorexic even. It's a topic Blair at Gettysburg College addresses over at College Candy and what she finds is really quite disturbing. Scour the internet, she says, and you're bound to land at all sorts of anorexia blogs, pro-anorexia websites, and YouTube videos chalk full of crazy dieting tactics and images of girls whose bodies are wasting away. One 24-year-old even features on her website a thinspiration page, wallpapered with skinny-girl photos that mostly give me a sick feeling in my gut and make me realize I'm not all that thinspired after all. Nope. Inspired is what I am -- inspired to be healthy and happy in all of my 135-pound glory.

And you? Are you inspired -- or thinspired?

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Aaron Ferguson, a former accountant for Rachael Ray's TV cooking show, has filed a $1 million lawsuit after being fired. Ferguson has battled anorexia for about six years. While employed on Rachael Ray's show, Ferguson says others treated him with hostility because of his condition. He says that his supervisor made "vile, discriminatory, and hurtful comments."

Ferguson, who began working for CBS Television Distributions, Inc. in July 2007, says that he complained about the discriminatory language regarding people with anorexia, but the situation didn't improve. He was fired in October 2007. Ferguson feels he was terminated because he complained about wrongful treatment. Rachael Ray is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.

If you know someone who is battling anorexia, bulimia, or other eating disorder, they need your support and understanding. HelpGuide has some information on eating disorders and how to best support loved ones who are battling the condition.

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Keira Knightley has battled allegations that her slight build is due to an eating disorder, and though she has publicly denied having anorexia (if fact, she insists she eats like a horse), speculation has continued. Her mom is now speaking out, saying that Keira eats well and has her father's genes.

Jamie Lee Curtis once again proved to be a breath of fresh air in Hollywood. The actress is turning 50, and at this point in her life, she has come to some realizations about age, body perception, and life in general. Not only is she a class act and a role model -- she's wise, too!

Oprah Winfrey ended her 21-day vegan cleanse, and she says she got out of it exactly what she intended to get out of it -- enlightenment. She kept an online journal of her diet and talked about what she found difficult and what she found surprisingly easy. While the talk show host isn't making any commitments to going vegan, she did say, "I will forever be a more cautious and conscious eater. That's my commitment for now. To stay awakened."

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If you think Keira Knightley is anorexic, you are wrong, says her mom who credits her slim figure to genetics and not a restrictive diet.

"She has always been thin," says mom. "She's her daddy's daughter, with his long body."

Apparently, Knightley, 23, eats like a horse to maintain her weight. A diet high in protein and carbohydrates is what reportedly keeps some meat on her bones.

On rumors that she's long suffered from anorexia, Knightley says: "I don't have it. I'm very sure I don't have it."

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Shows like Desperate Housewives and Sex and the City have given the world a new way to look at aging. Turning 40 or 50 no longer necessarily means a party with an "Over the Hill" theme -- older men and women can be just as sexy as their much-younger counterparts. And that's a good thing. Right?

Well, yes and no. It's fantastic that we are shedding our stereotypes regarding middle-age, for men as well as for women. Most men would agree that Halle Berry and Heather Locklear are just as sexy as any 20-year-old actress, and men over 40 include George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Pierce Brosnan -- 'nuf said.

However, eating disorders for adult women are on the rise. We see celebrities like Teri Hatcher, Demi Moore, and Kim Cattrall and while we know that the way they look simply isn't attainable for everyone, it doesn't mean many women don't try by resorting to anorexia or bulimia. Check out our gallery of super sexy celebrities who've celebrated 40 or more birthdays, but use these as inspiration, not for comparison. And, head over to AOL Body to see who they think is over 40 and still smokin' hot!

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Anorexia and bulimia are eating disorders where people use unnatural methods to get or stay thin. But there's another category of eating problems; disordered eating is a term that describes any number of unhealthy eating patterns. While disordered eating is likely not as detrimental to health as anorexia or bulimia, unhealthy eating patterns can affect overall health in a number of ways. And disordered eating is more common than you may think. SELF Magazine recently conducted a reader survey and found that 65% of respondents have an unhealthy relationship with food.

So what is disordered eating exactly? The definitions are vague, but any unnatural method of eating could be lumped into the disordered eating category. For example, cutting out whole food types in an effort to control weight (such as shunning all carbs), emotional eating or turning to food for comfort, and following restrictive diets beyond what is medically necessary.

Take SELF magazine's quiz to see if you're at risk for disordered eating.

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Those of you who have been in a wedding--in any part--know that there is a lot of pressure associated with 'the big day.' With the astounding amount of time and money that goes into a wedding, it's not surprising that brides-to-be are going to another extreme to have their perfect wedding--namely, they're starving themselves to look their best.

It's called Brideorexia, and according to this article from Newsweek, it affects an alarming number of women. Consider these statistics from a recent study of engaged women:

• 20% were closely monitoring their weight to make sure they didn't gain an ounce (which is understandable because when you spend that much on a dress, you want it to fit. But;)
• 70% were trying to lose 20 pounds or more before the wedding
• 20% engaged in 'extreme' dieting behaviour, such as skipping meals, going on liquid diets and using laxatives.
  

That's not all--A small percentage of the women started smoking to lose weight, and some went as far as to purge after meals. Want to know more? Click here.

The bottom line? It's one day, and it's not worth jeopardizing your health for.

(Via Aisledash)

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