Bahamas Local Health Fitness Page - Nassau - Nassau / Paradise Island, Bahamas

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February: Eating Disorders Awareness and Screening Week and also Condom Week (Feb. 14â€“21)

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(COVID 19) (NO.2) ORDER, 2020

What Is COVID-19?

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.

COVID-19 Prevention Tips
As the spread of coronavirus, officially named COVID-19, has evolved in recent weeks, all are encouraged to use several effective measures to prevent any virus. They include:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based sanitizer.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes.
- Disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Get a flu shot - itâ€™s not too late!
- Stay home if you are sick... [Read More Here].
Coronavirus and COVID-19

HEALTH HEADLINES

FEBRUARY 2021: Celebrating National Condom Week

From February 14-21 we celebrate National Condom Week; the perfect reason to talk to those around you about the importance of using condoms to prevent both STIs and unplanned pregnancies. Because only internal or external condoms protect from both. When used correctly, condoms are 98% effective.

Available everywhere from bathroom vending machines to drug stores, from health centers to the internet, and next to the register at the convenience store down the street, condoms are a bright spot of accessibility in the world of birth control. And, in addition to being easy to find, on average they cost only $1 to $2 per condom... [Read more]

DECEMBER 2020: National Handwashing Awareness

Personal hygiene begins and ends with our hands. And though weâ€™re taught as youngsters to wash our hands before dinner, itâ€™s important to remember that germs donâ€™t care what time of day it is. Clean hands prevent sickness. So itâ€™s especially important to learn the basics about hand hygiene so that you, too, can become a champion hand washer! Letâ€™s examine some handy (see what we did there?) tips and info in honor of National Handwashing Awareness Week, which takes place each year during the first week of December... [Read more]

OCTOBER 2020: National Down Syndrome Awareness Month

Down syndrome is a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome. Chromosomes are small â€œpackagesâ€ of genes in the body. They determine how a babyâ€™s body forms during pregnancy and how the babyâ€™s body functions as it grows in the womb and after birth. Typically, a baby is born with 46 chromosomes. Babies with Down syndrome have an extra copy of one of these chromosomes, chromosome 21.

A medical term for having an extra copy of a chromosome is â€˜trisomy.â€™ Down syndrome is also referred to as Trisomy 21. This extra copy changes how the babyâ€™s body and brain develop, which can cause both mental and physical challenges for the baby... [Read more]

AUGUST 2020: National Breastfeeding Month

Breast milk provides optimal nutrition for babies. It has the right amount of nutrients, is easily digested, and is readily available.

However, the rate of breastfeeding is as low as 30% in some groups of women.While some women are unable to breastfeed, others simply choose not to.Yet studies show breastfeeding has major health benefits, for both the mother and her baby.
Breast milk provides optimal nutrition for babies. It has the right amount of nutrients, is easily digested, and is readily available.However, the rate of breastfeeding is as low as 30% in some groups of women.While some women are unable to breastfeed, others simply choose not to.Yet studies show breastfeeding has major health benefits, for both the mother and her baby... [Read more]

JULY 2020: World Hepatitis Day (July 28)

Hepatitis refers to an inflammatory condition of the liver. Itâ€™s commonly caused by a viral infection, but there are other possible causes of hepatitis. These include autoimmune hepatitis and hepatitis that occurs as a secondary result of medications, drugs, toxins, and alcohol. Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease that occurs when your body makes antibodies against your liver tissue.

Your liver is located in the right upper area of your abdomen. It performs many critical functions that affect metabolism throughout your body, including... [Read more]

MAY 2020: Lupus Awareness Month

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune condition that can cause inflammation throughout your body. However, it tends to primarily be a localized condition, so itâ€™s not always systemic. An autoimmune disease is a condition in which your bodyâ€™s own immune system is responsible for the inflammation and breakdown of its own cells.

Many people with lupus experience a mild version of it, but it can become severe without proper treatment. Currently, thereâ€™s no known cure for lupus, so treatment focuses on easing symptoms and reducing inflammation... [Read more]

2021 HEALTH & WELLNESS AWARENESS CALENDAR

Wash your hands seems like such a simple task to be so hard for so many right? A simple task that should not have been introduced by Covid but rather enhanced by it!

We're Moving To A Bigger and Better Space.

The single best way to protect against flu is to get vaccinated each year.

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Category:: Health & Fitness Consultants
Company:: Bahamas Local Health & Fitness Page
Address:: #149 Shirley Street
Town:: Nassau
Island:: Nassau / Paradise Island, Bahamas
Phone: 242-698-1300

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February:
Eating Disorders Awareness and Screening Week

6 Common Types of Eating Disorders (and Their Symptoms)

Although the term eating is in the name, eating disorders are about more than food. Theyâ€™re complex mental health conditions that often require the intervention of medical and psychological experts to alter their course.

What are eating disorders?
Eating disorders are a range of psychological conditions that cause unhealthy eating habits to develop. They might start with an obsession with food, body weight, or body shape.
In severe cases, eating disorders can cause serious health consequences and may even result in death if left untreated.

Those with eating disorders can have a variety of symptoms. However, most include the severe restriction of food, food binges, or purging behaviors like vomiting or over-exercising.
Although eating disorders can affect people of any gender at any life stage, theyâ€™re most often reported in adolescents and young women. In fact, up to 13% of youth may experience at least one eating disorder by the age of 20

Summary Eating disorders are mental health conditions marked by an obsession with food or body shape. They can affect anyone but are most prevalent among young women.

What causes them?
Experts believe that eating disorders may be caused by a variety of factors.
One of these is genetics. Twin and adoption studies involving twins who were separated at birth and adopted by different families provide some evidence that eating disorders may be hereditary.

This type of research has generally shown that if one twin develops an eating disorder, the other has a 50% likelihood of developing one too, on average.
Personality traits are another cause. In particular, neuroticism, perfectionism, and impulsivity are three personality traits often linked to a higher risk of developing an eating disorder.

Other potential causes include perceived pressures to be thin, cultural preferences for thinness, and exposure to media promoting such ideals.
In fact, certain eating disorders appear to be mostly nonexistent in cultures that havenâ€™t been exposed to Western ideals of thinness .

That said, culturally accepted ideals of thinness are very present in many areas of the world. Yet, in some countries, few individuals end up developing an eating disorder. Thus, they are likely caused by a mix of factors.
More recently, experts have proposed that differences in brain structure and biology may also play a role in the development of eating disorders.

In particular, levels of the brain messengers serotonin and dopamine may be factors .
However, more studies are needed before strong conclusions can be made.
Summary Eating disorders may be caused by several factors. These include genetics, brain biology, personality traits, and cultural ideals.

Anorexia nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is likely the most well-known eating disorder.
It generally develops during adolescence or young adulthood and tends to affect more women than men.

People with anorexia generally view themselves as overweight, even if theyâ€™re dangerously underweight. They tend to constantly monitor their weight, avoid eating certain types of foods, and severely restrict their calories.

Common symptoms of anorexia nervosa include:
- being considerably underweight compared with people of similar age and height
- very restricted eating patterns
- an intense fear of gaining weight or persistent behaviors to avoid gaining weight, despite being underweight
- a relentless pursuit of thinness and unwillingness to maintain a healthy weight
- a heavy influence of body weight or perceived body shape on self-esteem
- a distorted body image, including denial of being seriously underweight

Summary People with anorexia nervosa may limit their food intake or compensate for it through various purging behaviors. They have an intense fear of gaining weight, even when severely underweight.

Bulimia nervosa
Bulimia nervosa is another well-known eating disorder.
Like anorexia, bulimia tends to develop during adolescence and early adulthood and appears to be less common among men than women.

People with bulimia frequently eat unusually large amounts of food in a specific period of time.
Each binge eating episode usually continues until the person becomes painfully full. During a binge, the person usually feels that they cannot stop eating or control how much they are eating.

Binges can happen with any type of food but most commonly occur with foods the individual would normally avoid.
Individuals with bulimia then attempt to purge to compensate for the calories consumed and relieve gut discomfort.

Common purging behaviors include forced vomiting, fasting, laxatives, diuretics, enemas, and excessive exercise.
Symptoms may appear very similar to those of the binge eating or purging subtypes of anorexia nervosa. However, individuals with bulimia usually maintain a relatively normal weight, rather than becoming underweight.

Common symptoms of bulimia nervosa include:
- recurrent episodes of binge eating with a feeling of lack of control
- recurrent episodes of inappropriate purging behaviors to prevent weight gain
- a self-esteem overly influenced by body shape and weight
- a fear of gaining weight, despite having a normal weight

Summary People with bulimia nervosa eat large amounts of food in short periods of time, then purge. They fear gaining weight despite being at a normal weight.

Binge eating disorder
Binge eating disorder is believed to be one of the most common eating disorders, especially in the United States.
It typically begins during adolescence and early adulthood, although it can develop later on.

Individuals with this disorder have symptoms similar to those of bulimia or the binge eating subtype of anorexia.
For instance, they typically eat unusually large amounts of food in relatively short periods of time and feel a lack of control during binges.

People with binge eating disorder do not restrict calories or use purging behaviors, such as vomiting or excessive exercise, to compensate for their binges.
Common symptoms of binge eating disorder include:
- eating large amounts of foods rapidly, in secret and until uncomfortably full, despite not feeling hungry
- feeling a lack of control during episodes of binge eating
- feelings of distress, such as shame, disgust, or guilt, when thinking about the binge eating behavior
- no use of purging behaviors, such as calorie restriction, vomiting, excessive exercise, or laxative or diuretic use, to compensate for the binging

Summary People with binge eating disorder regularly and uncontrollably consume large amounts of food in short periods of time. Unlike people with other eating disorders, they do not purge.

Pica
Pica is another eating disorder that involves eating things that are not considered food.
Individuals with pica crave non-food substances, such as ice, dirt, soil, chalk, soap, paper, hair, cloth, wool, pebbles, laundry detergent, or cornstarch .

Pica can occur in adults, as well as children and adolescents. That said, this disorder is most frequently observed in children, pregnant women, and individuals with mental disabilities.
Individuals with pica may be at an increased risk of poisoning, infections, gut injuries, and nutritional deficiencies. Depending on the substances ingested, pica may be fatal.

However, to be considered pica, the eating of non-food substances must not be a normal part of someoneâ€™s culture or religion. In addition, it must not be considered a socially acceptable practice by a personâ€™s peers.
Summary Individuals with pica tend to crave and eat non-food substances. This disorder may particularly affect children, pregnant women, and individuals with mental disabilities.

Rumination disorder
Rumination disorder is another newly recognized eating disorder.
It describes a condition in which a person regurgitates food they have previously chewed and swallowed, re-chews it, and then either re-swallows it or spits it out.

This rumination typically occurs within the first 30 minutes after a meal. Unlike medical conditions like reflux, itâ€™s voluntary.
This disorder can develop during infancy, childhood, or adulthood. In infants, it tends to develop between 3â€“12 months of age and often disappears on its own. Children and adults with the condition usually require therapy to resolve it.

If not resolved in infants, rumination disorder can result in weight loss and severe malnutrition that can be fatal.
Adults with this disorder may restrict the amount of food they eat, especially in public. This may lead them to lose weight and become underweight.

Summary Rumination disorder can affect people at all stages of life. People with the condition generally regurgitate the food theyâ€™ve recently swallowed. Then, they chew it again and either swallow it or spit it out.

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder
Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a new name for an old disorder.
The term replaces what was known as a â€œfeeding disorder of infancy and early childhood,â€ a diagnosis previously reserved for children under 7 years old.

Although ARFID generally develops during infancy or early childhood, it can persist into adulthood. Whatâ€™s more, itâ€™s equally common among men and women.
Individuals with this disorder experience disturbed eating either due to a lack of interest in eating or distaste for certain smells, tastes, colors, textures, or temperatures.

Common symptoms of ARFID include :
- avoidance or restriction of food intake that prevents the person from eating sufficient calories or nutrients
- eating habits that interfere with normal social functions, such as eating with others
- weight loss or poor development for age and height
- nutrient deficiencies or dependence on supplements or tube feeding

Itâ€™s important to note that ARFID goes beyond normal behaviors, such as picky eating in toddlers or lower food intake in older adults.
Moreover, it does not include the avoidance or restriction of foods due to lack of availability or religious or cultural practices.

Summary ARFID is an eating disorder that causes people to undereat. This is either due to a lack of interest in food or an intense distaste for how certain foods look, smell, or taste.

CONDOM WEEK
(FEB. 14â€“21)

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