Take action

Since being in recovery for the past 7 months I have always been a keen enthusiastic person on helping people who are both ashamed and open about their Eating Disorder. I have had many people confiding in me, even when their closest friends do not know of the problems they are battling with. This personal involvement with people has helping myself to recover as much as possible and eradicate my old unhealthy and dangerous thoughts and help and advise people in the process.

I've always been open about my struggles and recovery process, but I think it's time to address something that I never thankfully knew about....Pro-Ana/Mia websites/blogs.

"Pro-ana refers to the promotion of the eating disorder anorexia nervosa. It is often referred to simply as "ana" and is sometimes personified by anorexics as a girl named Ana. The lesser-used term pro-mia refers likewise to bulimia nervosa and is sometimes used interchangeably with pro-ana.
Pro-ana organizations differ widely in their stances. Most claim that they exist mainly as a non-judgmental environment for anorexics; a place to turn to, to discuss their illness, and to support those who choose to enter recovery. Others deny anorexia nervosa is a mental illness and claim instead that it is a "lifestyle choice" that should be respected by doctors and family" - Taken from Wikipedia.

I only really found out about these websites after being diagnosed 2 years ago and thankfully when curiosity got the best of me, I was absolutely horrified of what I was reading and the pictures that were being posted. For me, Tumblr is disgustingly full of these blogs and some actually contact people with Eating Disorder's and tell them that they look fat and other very harmful things that should never ever be said not only to a healthy person, but saying this to a person with an Eating Disorder can potentially cause their unhealthy illness to kill them.

• 1.6 million people within the UK alone suffer from Eating Disorders.
• Eating Disorders have the highest mortality rate
• Only 1 in 10 people receive treatment.
• 30% of sufferers have it long term 40% fully recover.

We have the highest rate for Eating Disorders in Europe if that isn't such a huge shock I don't know what is.
Recently, more well known people within the music/acting industry have became more open about suffering from Eating Disorders thus making people more aware of how many people actually struggle with it. Here are a few celeb's that have admitted to suffering from an ED.

• Lady Gaga
• Sharon Osbourne
• Nicole Richie
• Mary Kate Oslen
• Felicity Huffman
• Isabella Caro
• Ana Carolina Reston
• Lily Allen
• Audrey Hepburn
• and her late Princess Diana

Recently I came across Franca Sozzani who has spoken publicly about wanting to eradicate Pro Ana/Mia websites after coming across a few on Facebook. She has recently posted a speech for Harvard that can be found here, but also she crated a petition that we all should sign which is to battle for all Pro Ana/Mia or Thinspiration sites to be shut down and Vogue Italia is doing it's best to support this

"Fashion has been always blamed as one of the culprits of anorexia, and our commitment  is the proof that fashion is ready to get on the frontline and struggle against the disorder."

I feel so strongly about this and have also emailed B-Eat about wanting to be a dedicated part of the team. It would mean a lot if you supported this and signed this petition so we can make a difference and possibly save people's lives.



"It is of paramount importance to explain teenage girls that being skinny does not equal being perfect and to promote beauty standards which  start from and are all about being healthy."



For more information
http://www.disordered-eating.co.uk/
http://weighingthefacts.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.b-eat.co.uk/
http://www.eating-disorders.org.uk/