Anorexia

Anorexia means loss of appetite. It is a symptom of disturbed digestion and common in all diseases which lead to general weakness. This condition results from failure of the activity of the stomach and secretion of gastric juices due to low vitality which, in turn, can be due to various causes.

Causes and Symptoms

Persons suffering from anorexia may refuse to eat and suffer from insomnia. In course of time, emaciation becomes severe.

People suffer from anorexia when they habitually take a faulty diet and hardly do any physical work. It may also result from stress and strain such as domestic worry, emotional disturbances, difficult working conditions, and nervous disorders. General body disorders and diseases also lead to this condition.

Remedies

Oranges: Oranges are an extremely useful remedy for anorexia. They stimulate the flow of digestive juices, thereby improving digestion and increasing appetite. One or two oranges a day are advised.

Lime: Lime is also a valuable remedy for restoring a lost appetite. A preparation made from this fruit and ginger has been found very effective in overcoming this condition. About one teaspoon of the juice of lime should be mixed with an equal quantity of the juice of ginger. One gram of rock salt should be added to this mixture. It should then be placed in sunlight for three days. A teaspoon taken after each meal will tone up the digestive system and improve the appetite.

Apples: Apples are another variety of fruit useful in anorexia. They help digestion by stimulating the flow of pepsin, a protein- digesting enzyme, in the stomach. The old adage, ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’, is certainly a valuable one.

Garlic: Garlic possesses a special property to stimulate the digestive tone of the system and improve appetite. A soup prepared from this vegetable can be of immense help to a patient suffering from anorexia. Three or four cloves of raw garlic should be boiled in a cup of water. This soup can be reinforced with the juice of half a lemon and taken twice daily.

Ginger: The use of ginger is valuable in the loss of appetite. About five grams of this vegetable should be ground and licked with a little salt once a day for the treatment of this condition.

Dietary Considerations

The only effective treatment for anorexia is a thorough cleansing of the digestive tract, and adoption of a sensible diet thereafter, along with a change in the style of living. To begin with, the patient should fast on orange juice and water for three to five days. The procedure is to take the juice of an orange in a glass of warm water, every two hours, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nothing else should be taken, as otherwise, the value of the fast will be entirely lost If orange juice does not agree with the system, only water or half a glass of carrot juice mixed with an equal quantity of water may be taken. After the juice fast, the patient may adopt an all-fruit diet for a further five days, taking three meals a day of juicy fruits, such as apples, pears, grapes, grape-fruit, oranges, pineapple, peaches, and melons, at five-hourly intervals. Thereafter he may adopt a restricted diet of easily- digestible foods, consisting of lightly cooked vegetables, juicy fruits, and buttermilk for about ten days.

Other Measures

During the first three to five days of the juice fast, the bowels should be cleansed with a warm-water enema each day. The  poisonous matter will thus be eliminated by this self-cleansing

process.

The application of an ice-bag over the stomach for half an hour before meals, and a cool hip bath once or twice daily, will go a long way in curing anorexia. Other measures beneficial in the treatment of this condition are sun and cool air baths. An early morning sun bath, taken one day, should be alternated with an early morning cool air bath the next day. An outdoor life and abdominal massages are also advised.