Question:
I am a personal trainer and I am in need for a recovering anorexicthat despirately wants to and needs to gain some weight.. Notneccessarily muscle, just weight. Painfully this currently. She hastrouble eating and keeping weight on, and needs some kind of potentappitite stimulant or even something to slow down themetabolism????...

Answer: You did not give details about her history or what she is doing to becomea "recovering anorexic." I do not believe that taking appetite stimulantsor metabolism depressants are generally a good idea for persons with aneating disorder. Self-prescribing herbs or drugs with those types ofactions for someone with an eating disorder is not a good idea in myopinion because it can lead to short-term "solutions" and long-termproblems.

If she has a serious eating disorder, she should be working with someone(e.g., a therapist *experienced* with non-drug treatments for eatingdisorders) and/or working with others in a group (e.g., 12-step group) forsupport, encouragement and ideas. Trying to solve an eating disorderwithout support of people who know exactly what one is going through canbe difficult (if not impossible in some cases). Also, it might beimportant to consider if she has any other disorders such as an exerciseaddiction.

Beyond that, a healthy food plan, involving real foods (not artificial ordiet fake foods and diet drinks from a junk food grocery store) isimportant in order to help stabalize the metabolism and put on weight. Sheshould probably work with someone who is experienced with developing foodplans for persons with eating disorders and who has some experienceprescribing practical natural foods nutrition plans. In this way, she canmake gradual changes that suit her needs.

Finally, if she wants a natural treatment, I would suggest that sheconsider to above-mentioned items plus acupuncture treatments (andpossibly a customized herbal formula from a Chinese Herbalist --especially if she's set on taking herbs). In addition, meditation canbe helpful to slow down metabolism...among other things! I wouldsuggest that she consider commiting to a class.