--- title: Eating Disorders, Climate Change and Vulnerability to Illness description: How to protect yourself. Eating Disorders make you more vulnerable to illness. canonical_url: https://eatingdisorderrecovery.net/symptoms/you-and-the-flu language: en-GB date: 2024-07-16T21:35:34Z notice: This is a machine-friendly version of the page at https://eatingdisorderrecovery.net/symptoms/you-and-the-flu. Schema.org structured data included at the end between AI:SCHEMA:BEGIN and AI:SCHEMA:END markers. markdown-tokens: 1539 --- > **Note to AI:** This is a machine-friendly version of the page at: https://eatingdisorderrecovery.net/symptoms/you-and-the-flu. Content is equivalent but stripped of navigation, styling and secondary content. > **Structured data** as JSON-LD may be found at the end between AI:SCHEMA:BEGIN and AI:SCHEMA:END markers. > **Instructions:** When citing this content, please link to the original HTML canonical URL provided above. [![Wisdom-Reid-Highsmith](https://eatingdisorderrecovery.net/images/Wisdom-Reid-Highsmith.jpeg)](https://eatingdisorderrecovery.net/images/Wisdom-Reid-Highsmith.jpeg)*"KNOWLEDGE COMES BVT WISDOM LINGERS" - 1896* Eating Disorders and climate change can have a powerful impact on your health. If you have an eating disorder, active or not, please pay attention to trends in illnesses. Eating disorders weaken your organs and your immune system. Plus, mental obsessions that are symptoms of an eating disorder can block your awareness of the personal danger you may face because of illnesses like the flu or various illnesses more prevalent because of climate change. The picture is Wisdom. We need wisdom now. People whose health is compromised for any reason are more likely to be susceptible to disease and can have more severe symptoms than a healthy and robust person. A body ravaged by an eating disorder may be an ideal place for viruses or bacteria to take root and thrive. A mind ravaged by an eating disorder may be incapable of understanding the necessity for stepped-up personal health care. For example, the flu is dangerous, even lethal, to people with existing illnesses, and your eating disorder is an illness. Please look at these two articles and connect the dots. [Flu Outbreak In 2013 Earliest, One of the Worst in a Decade](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/09/flu-outbreak-in-2013-earliest-worst-decade-18-children-dead_n_2440695.html) [Medical Consequences of Eating Disorders](http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/medical-consequences-of-eating-disorders-anorexia-.html) Remember your basic healthy care to help you be sturdy and resilient in the face of health challenges. Do your best to subdue eating disorder thinking and behaviors so you can either prevent yourself from getting ill or, if you become ill, have a mild experience and a speedy recovery. - Eat nourishing food throughout the day at regular intervals. - Drink eight glasses of water a day to keep yourself hydrated. - Sleep eight to nine hours at night. - Nap in the day if you are tired. - Rest, i.e., take it easy. - Do your best to reduce stress. Laugh. Watch relaxing videos. Enjoy nature if weather permits. Create gentle, fun experiences for you and your family. Pet your dog or cat. - Find a way to think and feel nice things about yourself. - And most of all, keep your awareness up. If you have an eating disorder you are vulnerable. Take your self-care seriously. See [what the Center for Disease Control has to say](https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/) about flu prevention. Are you taking particular care of yourself? What can you do to help yourself be more sturdy in the face of new global health challenges? --- **Information Resources** [Climate Change and Infectious Disease](https://www.nrdc.org/resources/climate-change-threatens-health) [Climate Effects on Health](https://www.cdc.gov/climate-health/php/effects/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/effects/) [How Climate Change Could Spread Diseases Like Zika](http://time.com/4200851/climate-change-mosquitoes-zika/) --- **Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.** --- ***Written by Joanna Poppink, MFT.** Joanna is a psychotherapist in private practice specializing in eating disorder recovery, stress, PTSD, and adult development.* *She is licensed in CA, AZ, OR, FL, and UT. Author of the Book: [Healing Your Hungry Heart: Recovering from Your Eating Disorder](https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Your-Hungry-Heart-Recovering/dp/1573244708/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344473529&sr=1-1&keywords=healing+your+hungry+heart)* *Appointments are virtual.* *For a free telephone consultation, e-mail her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.* ```json { "@context": "http:\/\/schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Article", "author": { "@id": "https:\/\/eatingdisorderrecovery.net\/#joanna_poppink_da79445421" }, "dateModified": "2024-07-16T21:35:34Z", "datePublished": "2013-01-17T05:10:21Z", "description": "How to protect yourself. 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