Complementary and alternative therapies are those which are not generally accepted in the traditional medical community. That does not necessarily mean they are ineffective or harmful. They can run the gamut from "untested" to "experimental", to those having a substantial amount of scientific validation ("nonstandard"). The term "complementary" suggests that such methods be used in conjunction with traditional therapies such as psychological counseling and medication. I do not attempt to put the substances and techniques described below into any of these categories, but merely offer them as starting points for further investigation. If you are interested in using any of them, it is up to you to investigate and evaluate them with a health professional.
There is anecdotal evidence that some therapies, especially those from Eastern traditions, are highly effective. But by nature, many are not amenable to scientific analysis using the traditional biomedical model.
American WholeHealth, Inc. digests medical journal articles on women's health, many of which describe studies on alternative therapies for eating disorders. A study reported there suggests that zinc deficiency is related to anorexia nervosa. Twenty females between the ages of 14 and 26 took 45-90 mg of zinc sulfate per day. Over a period of 8-56 months, 17 patients had weight gains of over 15%. In 13 subjects, menstruation resumed 1-17 months after beginning zinc therapy; an excellent sign, since loss of menstruation (amenorrhea) is a symptom of advanced anorexia.
In a February 5, 1996 press release, The American Zinc Association noted that zinc is essential for proper brain development and function. According to the press release, zinc controls brain receptors processing information about taste and smell.
The release cites the work of Dr. Laurie Humphries at the University of Kentucky. Humphries found that although anorexia has psychological causes, some patients subsequently develop zinc deficiencies which may further decrease appetite.
The release also cites a Journal For Medical Research article by Dr. Alex Schauss, which reported studies at Stanford University, the University of Kentucky, and the University of California at Davis which found most anorexics and bulimics were zinc-deficient. According to the release, a 5-year study showed an 85% remission rate for anorexia patients given zinc supplements. According to Dr. Barbara Levine, Director of the Nutrition Information Center at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, zinc-rich foods include red meat, seafood, cheese, and nuts.
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