Thin isn't always healthy: The Lindsay Lohan Story

By now you've probably heard that Lindsay Lohan admitted she has the eating disorder, Bulimia which is when you eat a lot and then make yourself throw up because you don't want to gain weight. Although it is important to be healthy, being too thin and especially depriving and hurting your body to get thin is definitely NOT healthy--in fact you can die from it!! Starving yourself or throwing up to be thin can be even worse than overeating or being overweight. In fact it is almost impossible to look the way Lindsay Lohan did and still be healthy!! Being at a healthy weight does not mean being super-thin. Your body needs food to grow healthily and if you're too thin you won't grow and develop the way you should. This is why girls with Bulimia and other eating disorders often end up spending a lot of their lives in the hospital.

There is a lot of pressure from people on TV and in the movies, to be skinny. Sometimes they make you feel that if only you were as skinny as them you would be incredibly happy, popular, have an amazing boyfriend and maybe even be rich! Hah!! This just isn't true--lot's of things in the movies and on TV aren't true. And Lindsay Lohan's admission proves it. Her life seems happy--even perfect--but actually she's suffering from an illness that could kill her. All because she wanted to be thinner than she needed to be.

If you are overweight and you don't like the way you look, it's important to do something about it. But that does not mean starving yourself, throwing up, taking drugs or anything else that can hurt your body. Make good choices, lose weight slowly and be healthy. If you don't need to lose weight, but you still think you do, it's important to speak to an adult you trust to help yourself begin get a healthier body image.
Be healthy and happy--they go together
Dr. Susan