Fashion being an ever changing mode, individuals are forced to keep up with the eon and times. It seems that the latest fashionable chic however is the newly acquired notion that one has to be less than 120lbs to pass the thin line of what it means to be attractive. Arguably, the flat stomach, the absence of cellulites, and firm hips and buttocks, might be attractive or the in thing for most; but the steps taken in acquiring this desired look is most times not healthy.

Anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes individuals with eating disorders and is characterized by low body weight and distorted body image. Anorexic individuals tend to control their body weight by voluntary starvation, purging (self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas), excessive dieting and exercising or other weight control methods like diet pills and uses of appetite reducer such as hoodia and ephredra.

Medical studies confirm the notion that the condition largely affects young adolescent females between ages fifteen and nineteen, making up forty per cent of most cases. As a whole, about ninety per cent of the individuals with anorexia are females. Medical Doctor, Usain Brown, asserts that “about ten percent of the individuals who visit my office are suffering from anorexia nervosa. Ten percent may seem small in number, but when the statistics are done…ten percent becomes about two thousand persons for the year.”

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It is true that you are what you eat, and certain foods will definitely improve your beauty. The following is an extended list of such foods, and their subsequent roles in enhancing the beautiful you.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Besides having amazing healing properties, apple cider vinegar keeps skin supple. Its heavy concentration of enzymes helps to peel off dead skin cells. It also breaks down fat and helps food digest properly.

Carrots
Maintains the outer layer of the skin to prevent premature aging. What you will find in carrot is the same as you will get in the popular Retin A. Carrot is also said to give you clearer healthier looking eyes.

Cheese
To ensure a happy smile, add a slice or two of hard cheese into your diet. Choose Swiss, cheddar or Gouda to block bacteria in the mouth and prevent cavities.

Citrus Fruits
Holds the skin cells together by forming collagen. Collagen cannot be added to the skin topically, which is why fruits and fruit juices are such an important part of the daily diet. Vitamin C supplements are also a good alternative to fruits rich in vitamin C.
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According to recent scientific studies conducted in the US, there is enough fluoride in a typical tube of toothpaste to kill a small child if the entire tube was consumed at once.

Scientists against the use of fluoride toothpastes, also argue that not only does fluoride do little to prevent tooth decay, but test show that it is also damaging to human health. Fluoride, they argue, accumulates in the bones, making them brittle and more easily fractured; it also affects the pineal gland, which may inhibit the production of the hormone melatonin, which helps regulate the onset of puberty.

Fluoride also damages tooth enamel (known as dental fluorosis) and confuses the immune system, causing it to attack the body’s tissues. This can increase the growth rate of tumors in people prone to cancer.

However, many local dentists, while endorsing some of the above claims still suggest the use of fluoride toothpaste as the best choice for Jamaican consumers.

“I would strongly recommend the use of fluoride toothpaste because it prevents tooth decay. Non-fluoride toothpaste on the other hand does not,” said Kingston-based dentist, Dennis Jones.

“It must be noted however that like everything else, the over use of fluoride toothpaste has it consequences. Ideally, a kid should be given no more than a pea-sized amount of toothpaste to brush and does not need to brush more than twice a day. Care should also be taken not to have children ‘eat’ toothpaste,” he continued.

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