Anorexia and Bulimia

Anorexia and bulimia are complex eating disorders that affect body and mind together, often accompanied by a deep fear of weight gain or a sense of losing control around food. This page explains what the two disorders are, how Chinese medicine understands them, and how acupuncture, herbal medicine and nutritional guidance can support the recovery process alongside professional medical and psychological care. It is important to state upfront: complementary treatment does not replace medical or psychiatric diagnosis and treatment, it joins it.

What Is Anorexia

Anorexia is a dangerous eating disorder marked by significant, prolonged weight loss, which in extreme cases can be life-threatening. The name comes from Greek and means lack of appetite, though in practice the condition is far more than simple appetite loss. It mainly affects teenage girls and young women who develop an intense fear of gaining weight, and since 1975 it has been recognized as a mental illness, partly because it can be fatal in about five percent of cases. Its causes combine psychological, biological and genetic factors, and some practitioners link its onset during adolescence to an aversion to the body’s changes or difficulty coping with the transition into adulthood.

Anorexia in Chinese Medicine

Chinese medicine views people with anorexia as having a serious weakness in the digestive system, so treatment is aimed at strengthening the spleen and intestines. When the body goes without sufficient food for a long period, the digestive system weakens much like a muscle that goes unused, and struggles to return to normal function on its own. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine often help restore digestive function, improve absorption of food, and work on the psychological dimension of the disorder as well. When treatment is effective, the bloated feeling many patients report after eating gradually eases, along with other symptoms.

Herbal formulas are chosen to increase appetite and strengthen the digestive system, and acupuncture points are selected to calm the body, improve its function, and support its own capacity to heal. Certain foods, such as rice sprouts, wheat sprouts, radish seeds or cherries, can also help naturally. That said, it is important to stress: herbal remedies and acupuncture may contribute to restoring health, but this is a long, gradual process in which psychological support and professional mental health treatment are essential and cannot be replaced.

What Is Bulimia

Bulimia is also an eating disorder and a mental health condition, characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by attempts to “purge,” usually through self-induced vomiting, laxatives or extreme fasting. Those affected are typically young women in their late teens or early twenties, who experience low self-esteem and significant psychological distress. The binges happen in secret, involve large amounts of food of all kinds, and are followed by “cleansing” behaviors, sometimes to the point of becoming addicted to the cycle.

In terms of physical risk, bulimia is generally considered less dangerous than anorexia, since weight loss does not happen as sharply, but it can disturb the body’s potassium balance, damage teeth, and cause wounds in the esophagus and digestive tract. Alongside this, mood changes, fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath and low blood pressure may appear.

Bulimia in Chinese Medicine

Chinese medicine attributes bulimia to a significant weakness of the spleen and stomach, together with a disturbance in the patient’s spirit. The cycle of bingeing and purging harms the digestive system and can also burden the liver. Treatment focuses on strengthening the digestive system, so that when the patient eats she feels less discomfort and enjoys food in a healthier way.

Alongside herbal medicine intended to encourage and strengthen digestion, Chinese nutritional guidance is provided, and acupuncture points are chosen to strengthen the body and bring a renewed sense of vitality. As with anorexia, it is important to remember here too that Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture can support the restoration of health, but this is a long process that also requires professional psychological support and treatment.

Scheduling Treatment

At the Machat Ruach clinic in Jerusalem and Ramat Gan, Shai Davids tailors a personal treatment plan for every patient that combines acupuncture, herbal medicine and nutritional guidance, always alongside professional medical and psychological care. If you or someone close to you is struggling with anorexia, bulimia or another eating disorder, feel free to get in touch to learn how complementary treatment can help.