Chewing Gum?

[WhereIsTheLove]

Anyone else with EDs chew a lot of gum? I am bulimic, but sometimes I fast as well. I chew gum a lot, but I do it a lot more when I am fasting or when I am trying to make a craving go away.

[Donna]

i dont because i dont like it, i do however do other things instead and understand exactly why you're doing it....and it DOES NOT work or benefit you in anyway.

but without meaning to be insensitive that isnt your real problem, the problem is your ED.

do you think this question might be a way of asking for help, either conciously or sub conciously? im asking that because it's an unusual question to ask on a forum like this..

im sorry, im not trying to be insensitive or 'nosey' just wondering if you're looking for a way to start the ball rolling so to speak...unfortunately im not very good at it and others here would be more informed than me.

i can tell you that it will damage your teeth despite sugar free chewing gum being sugar free and low calorie.

it will also cause you problems internally because the juice (whatever it's called) that you are ingesting from the gum will build up and create acid and bile in your digestive system not good for your stomach, or your teeth or your throat when it comes back out...and loose stools (which despite what you think will NOT cause any weight loss just temporary water loss, so thats not a 'good' side effect)

you will end up getting nasty heartburn and indigestion and other not so pleasant stomach complaints.

i am a hypocrite because i fast a lot too, but do you know what happens when you do? you waste and weaken muscles because your body turns on itself and takes needed fat from elsewhere the muscles it 'eats' that also include your heart.your body retains extra water which is why after a long fast you hit that plateau and stop losing, your metabolism slows right down another reason the weight loss stops, then as soon as you begin to eat you will regain all the weight you have lost your body will be tricked into believing it's ok again and will grab and hold as much fat as it can your metabolism will shoot back up again and the whole process will start again.

you will also become very dehydrated.

fasting or heavy restricting will not help you lose anything permenantly and your mind is very strong and will take over, then you will eat whether you want to or not (sound familiar) sure there are some who can and do stick to it and they keep on losing and have those wonderful bones showing just like we want to have, but those who are 'lucky' enough to get that far are the ones who end up in hospital being fed through a tube down your throat or in your stomach, or they continue to have more bones on show and end up in a coffin!

i could go on to tell you another hundred and one more things that it does to your body but wont.

please dont do this you are causing more damage to yourself than you think, please go and look for help, this is not a healthy life and despite all those tips and advice out there - if thats where the idea came from there- suggesting that kind of crap it is NOT a glamorous 'lifestyle' it is a serious and debillitating illness.

please try and think seriously about looking for some help.

again i hope i havnt offended you and im not very good at explaining things, and i know i derailed your question but im doing it delibarately with good intentions and hopefully you will get the gist of what im saying.

all the best, Donna.

Edited October 29, 2009 by Donna

[mscat]

Anyone else with EDs chew a lot of gum? I am bulimic, but sometimes I fast as well. I chew gum a lot, but I do it a lot more when I am fasting or when I am trying to make a craving go away.

I remember when I was in that phase. However, I soon got out of it , because of the sad fact that my teeth hurt so badly .... I could no longer even handle that . You will get to the point in your ED , that your tooth enamel will be so worn down from the bulimia , everything that touches your teeth will cause so much pain, you will with that you would have NEVER begun an ED in the first place. Then your teeth will began to absess , and literlly turn black , crumble and break out of your mouth right from your gums.

Then you have to go to the dentisit and have a series of root canals performed , and lose the tooth that died , and possibly the ones next to it as well. This is how Bulimia works. The longer you have Bulimia , the longer the damage you will have on your teeth.

Anther horriffic thing to keep in mind too, is your stomach. For yrs to come , you will have , for certain a messed up stomach lining for yrs to come. Stomach ulcers , acid reflex , the works .

Gum chewing produces salvia , which in turn makes a person more hungry. That is a fact. It also , if your not careful , which many are not. Chew with your mouth closed. It is gross when people do not. LOL .