
Emotional eating can be detrimental to one's efforts at weight loss. Learning to identify the situations and emotions that trigger overeating can help to break the habit and prevent future instances of compulsive eating. Read more: Emotional Eating Article
Multimedia: Slideshows, Images & Quizzes
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Learn to Spot Depression: Symptoms, Warning Signs, Medication
Know when you or someone else is depressed. Get information on depression symptoms, signs, tests, and treatments for many types...
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Food Cravings Slideshow: Chocolate, Carbs, Salt, Sugar
Learn which food cravings can wreck your diet. Whether your craving something creamy or crunchy, sweet or salty, food cravings...
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Eating Disorders: Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating
Discover the warning signs of binge eating disorder, anorexia and bulimia. Read about the symptoms and causes of eating disorders...
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Depression Myths: Overwork, Recklessness and More in Pictures
Folk remedies and half-truths still prevent many from getting treatment for depression. WebMD's pictures show unusual symptoms in...
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Visual Guide to Binge Eating Disorder
Learn about signs, symptoms, treatment, and recovery for this eating disorder. Get to know how binge eating affects emotional and...

SLIDESHOW
Surprising Causes of Weight Gain See SlideshowRelated Disease Conditions
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High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a disease in which pressure within the arteries of the body is elevated. About 75 million people in the US have hypertension (1 in 3 adults), and only half of them are able to manage it. Many people do not know that they have high blood pressure because it often has no has no warning signs or symptoms. Systolic and diastolic are the two readings in which blood pressure is measured. The American College of Cardiology released new guidelines for high blood pressure in 2017. The guidelines now state that blood normal blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg. If either one of those numbers is higher, you have high blood pressure. The American Academy of Cardiology defines high blood pressure slightly differently. The AAC considers 130/80 mm Hg. or greater (either number) stage 1 hypertension. Stage 2 hypertension is considered 140/90 mm Hg. or greater. If you have high blood pressure you are at risk of developing life threatening diseases like stroke and heart attack.REFERENCE: CDC. High Blood Pressure. Updated: Nov 13, 2017.
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Obesity and Overweight
Get the facts on obesity and being overweight, including the health risks, causes, reviews of weight-loss diet plans, BMI chart, symptoms, causes, surgical and nonsurgical treatments, and medications.
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Stress
Stress is a normal part of life, but chronic or severe stress can be harmful to your health. Learn what happens in your body when you are stressed and how you can manage your response.
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Fatigue and Exhaustion
Fatigue can be described in various ways. Sometimes fatigue is described as feeling a lack of energy and motivation (both mental and physical). The causes of fatigue are generally related to a variety of conditions or diseases, for example, anemia, mono, medications, sleep problems, cancer, anxiety, heart disease, and drug abuse.Treatment of fatigue is generally directed toward the condition or disease that is causing the fatigue.
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Anxiety
Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension and fear characterized by symptoms such as trouble concentrating, headaches, sleep problems, and irritability. Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 19 million American adults. Treatment for anxiety may incorporate medications and psychotherapy.
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Depression
Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. The principal types of depression are major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disease (also called manic-depressive disease).
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What's the Difference Between Anorexia and Anorexia Nervosa?
The word "anorexia" by itself simply describes the symptom of not being able or willing to eat. This can be caused by mental illness, but also by medical problems and chemotherapy for cancer, as well as infections and other disorders. "Anorexia nervosa" is the term for someone who fits the psychological criteria for a clinical eating disorder, the main symptom of which is self-starvation.
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Stress Management Techniques
Stress may be considered as any physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental unrest and that may be a factor in disease causation. Managing stress in our lives is important. Elimination of stress is unrealistic, since stress is a part of normal life. We can however, learn to manage stress through techniques such as exercise, relaxation, meditation, time management, and support systems so that we have control over our stress and its effects on our physical and mental health.
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Insomnia
Insomnia is the perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep because of difficulty falling asleep; waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep; waking up too early in the morning; or unrefreshing sleep. Secondary insomnia is the most common type of insomnia. Treatment for insomnia include lifestyle changes, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medication.
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What Is Compulsive Overeating vs. Binge Eating Disorder?
Compulsive overeating is eating more than needed. Binge eating disorder involves recurrent episodes of compulsive eating, even when not hungry. Symptoms of bingeing include rapid eating, secret eating, and feeling guilty following a binge. Vyvanse is the only medication approved in the United States for the treatment of binge eating disorder.
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Depression in Children
Childhood depression can interfere with social activities, interests, schoolwork and family life. Symptoms and signs include anger, social withdrawal, vocal outbursts, fatigue, physical complaints, and thoughts of suicide. Treatment may involve psychotherapy and medication.
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Binge Eating Disorder
Characteristics of binge eating disorder include eating more quickly than usual, eating until uncomfortably full, eating a lot of food despite not being hungry, eating alone due to embarrassment, and feeling disgusted by overeating.
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Fitness: Exercises for a Healthy Heart
Regular exercise can help reduce the risk of heart disease. To achieve maximum benefits, do a mix of stretching exercises, aerobic activity, and strengthening exercise. Aim to get 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at least three to four times a week. Consult a doctor before exercising for the first time, especially if you have health problems.
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Fitness
Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of disease. Regular exercise can also reduce the symptoms of stress and anxiety. There are fitness programs that fit any age or lifestyle.
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Childhood Obesity
Fast-food consumption and lack of exercise are just a couple of causes of childhood obesity. Health effects of childhood obesity include type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke, high cholesterol, asthma, sleep apnea, gallstones, fatty liver disease, GERD, depression, and eating disorders.
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Depression in the Elderly
Depression in the elderly is very common. That doesn't mean, though, it's normal. Treatment may involve antidepressants, psychotherapy, or electroconvulsive therapy.
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Autism: Early Signs and Symptoms
Autism is known as a condition that falls under the category of the "autism spectrum disorders" because there is wide variation in the type and severity of symptoms people experience. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that affects communication and behavior of an individual. Autism is said to be a "developmental disorder" because the signs and symptoms of the disorder generally appear in the first two years of life. However; toddlers, teens, and adults also can have autism. Early signs and symptoms can vary amongst infants, babies, toddlers, teens, and adults that may include; no eye contact, not responding to his or her name; doesn’t babble or “baby talk”; does not use language correctly; rocking; twirling; and head banging.
Treatment & Diagnosis
Medications & Supplements
Prevention & Wellness
- Emotional Eating in Kids: How Much of It Is Mom's Fault?
- More Teens with Eating Disorders Wound up in ER During Pandemic
- New Insights Into How Eating Disorders Alter the Brain
- Spotting an Eating Disorder in Your College-Age Child
- Be Alert to Early Signs of Eating Disorders, Pediatricians' Group Says
- Eating in the Evening Could Be Bad for Your Health
- Lockdowns Tough on People With Eating Disorders: Survey
- Eating Disorders Cost Billions in the U.S.
- Pizza Study Shows Body's Resilience to Pigging Out
- 'Stress Eating' While Social Distancing? Here's Tips to Avoid It
- Taylor Swift Anorexia Revelation Echoes Other Celebrity Eating Disorders
- More Teen Time on Social Media, More Eating Disorders?
- Diet Pill, Laxative Use Often Precedes an Eating Disorder
- Are You an Emotional Eater?
- Eating Disorders Linked to Suicide Risk
- Can Your Smartphone Make You Fat?
- Anorexia May Have Roots in Metabolism: Study
- What's the Deal With Breakfast?
- Does Your Family Eat Out a Lot? Watch Your Blood Pressure
- Slow Down! Eating Too Fast Can Pile on the Pounds
- Trying Whole30 Diet? Watch Out for Weight Regain
- Say No to Yo-Yo Dieting
- Putting the Brakes on 'Emotional Eating'
- How to Spot an Eating Disorder
- Slow and Steady Wins the Weight-Loss Race
- Are You Eating for the Wrong Reasons?
- Teasing Teens About Weight May Do Lasting Harm
- Stop Sabotaging Your Diet
- Are You Raising an 'Emotional Eater'?
- Stress Buster: Emotional Eating
- Many Women With Eating Disorders Do Recover, Study Finds
- Health Tip: Is Your Child an Emotional Eater?
- Teasing Girls About Weight May Cause Lasting Harm
- Food Rules for Toddlers May Lead to Healthy Eating Habits
- Kids' Obesity Risk Rises With Parents' Divorce: Study
- Magnetic Brain Stimulation Shows Promise Against Eating Disorders
- When Football Team Loses, Fans Reach for Junk Food
- Genetic Risks for Eating Disorders, Alcoholism May Be Connected
- Urging Your Partner to Diet May Backfire
- Health Tip: Avoid Emotional Eating
- Health Tip: Curb Late-Night Snacking
- Life Transitions May Trigger Eating Disorders
- 'People Pleasers' More Prone to Overeating: Study
- Why Comfort Foods Are So Comforting
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