I just posted a comment on a blog in response to a 'guest post' by an eating disorder specialist. She recognized that food allergies may play a role in eating disorders, but she focussed on the emotional consequences of those food allergies, which she presumed cause the emotional/mental eating disorder. Nowhere did she consider that PAIN, DISCOMFORT or INDIGESTION could influence 'eating disorder' habits. Of course most ED specialists say that those symptoms are caused by ED habits. I think the causes of gastro symptoms PRECEDED ED habit, that ED habits are a solution, albeit ineffective solution, to gastrointestinal problems which cause those symptoms. Here's what I said in my comment:
Like "IBS" terms like anorexia, bulimia, etc. are just labels for sets of symptoms. Like "IBS" those labels do nothing to explain cause or suggest effective treatment. Like "IBS" those terms allow medical 'experts' who can't explain the cause of anorexia, bulimia, etc. to suggest that those are 'mental/emotional' diseases. Like "IBS" that 'mental/emotional' explanation does nothing to treat physical causes of those symptoms.
When I had 'eating disorder' symptoms, I talked to my traditional physician, who suggested I see a therapist. So I told my therapist that eating caused me pain and bloating, that vomiting relieved the pain and constant reflux after meals, and that I never felt physically satisfied no matter how much I ate, although I felt painfully full after eating even small amounts. That therapist told me to talk to my doctor. My doctor gave me the 'IBS' label. My therapist gave me the "anorexia/bulimia" label. Neither of those labels explained the causes of my symptoms or suggested an effective treatment.
26 years later I learned I had celiac disease and 6 other delayed reaction food allergies. Eating any of those allergens caused me cramping pain, bloating and nausea.
Abstaining from the allergens didn't eliminate the overly full feeling after eating small amounts or resolve the reflux. After more tests I learned that I had hypochloridia and needed supplemental betaine hydrochloride to digest normally (as well as absorb nutrients). Taking those supplements with meals allowed me to feel satisfied (rather than painfully full, but dissatisfied) after meals. My bloating also completely disapppeared. I was the same size before and after eating.
Finally I learned that my symptoms of fatigue and low core body temperature (as well as irregularity) were caused by autoimmune Hashimoto's hypothyroidism NOT low body weight (or anorexia as I had been previously told).
Today I weigh about the same as I weighed in my 20s when I was told I had anorexia. I eat anything I want EXCEPT my food allergens, and feel satisfied but not painfully full after eating. I'm warm, energetic and 'regular'.
I also wonder how many others who were given the 'eating disorder' really have gastrointestinal disorders, like celiac disease or food allergies, or even hypochloridia or hypothyroidism. I wonder how many therapists even consider physical causes for symptoms included in the eating disorders label.
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I was recently told by my dentist about her patient who has Crohn's disease. Before that was diagnosed the patient was thought to have bulimia. I thought I was the only one whose celiac symptoms were misdiagnosed as 'bulimic behaviors'. My dentist gave her patient my phone number so that we could share traditional medicine misdiagnoses experiences. I also gave my dentist the name and number of the naturopath who diagnosed my other 5 food allergies after Enterlab diagosed gluten and dairy intolerances (delayed reaction allergies).
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