A prolific painter of portraits before and after the French Revolution ...
A prolific painter of portraits before and after the French Revolution ...
A prolific painter of portraits before and after the French Revolution ...
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I knew my dieting had gotten out <strong>of</strong> h<strong>and</strong>, but when I could actually see<br />
<strong>the</strong> movement <strong>of</strong> my heart beating beneath my clo<strong>the</strong>s, I knew I was in<br />
trouble. At first, <strong>the</strong> family doctor reassured my parents that my rapid<br />
weight loss was a “temporary phase among teenage girls.” However, when<br />
I, at fourteen years old <strong>and</strong> five feet tall, weighed in at sixty-three pounds,<br />
my doctor changed his diagnosis from “temporary phase” to “anorexia nervosa.”<br />
Anorexia nervosa is <strong>the</strong> process <strong>of</strong> self-starvation that affects over<br />
100,000 young girls each year. Almost 6,000 <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se girls die every year.<br />
Anorexia nervosa is a self-mutilating disease that affects its victim both<br />
physically <strong>and</strong> emotionally.<br />
As both a gymnast <strong>and</strong> a dancer, I was constantly surrounded by li<strong>the</strong>,<br />
muscular people, all <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m extremely conscious about <strong>the</strong>ir weight. Although<br />
I wasn’t overweight to begin with, I thought that if I lost five to ten<br />
pounds I would look, feel, dance, <strong>and</strong> tumble better. I figured <strong>the</strong> quickest<br />
way to accomplish this was by drastically limiting my intake <strong>of</strong> food. By<br />
doing this, I lost ten pounds in one week <strong>and</strong> gained <strong>the</strong> approval <strong>of</strong> my<br />
peers. Soon, I could no longer control myself, <strong>and</strong> ten pounds turned into<br />
twenty, twenty into forty, <strong>and</strong> so on, until I finally ended up weighing fiftyeight<br />
pounds.<br />
Several serious health problems bombarded me, <strong>and</strong> it’s a wonder I’m<br />
still alive. Because my body was receiving no nourishment at all, my muscles<br />
<strong>and</strong> essential organs, including my heart, liver, kidneys, <strong>and</strong> intestines,<br />
started to compensate by slowly disintegrating. My body was feeding on itch07.qxd<br />
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356<br />
Chapter 7<br />
explaining<br />
STUDENT WRITING<br />
Anorexia Nervosa<br />
Nancie Brosseau<br />
In her essay on anorexia nervosa, Nancie Brosseau writes from her own experience,<br />
explaining what anorexia nervosa is <strong>and</strong> what its effects are. Her essay<br />
succeeds not only because it is organized clearly, but also because it is so vivid <strong>and</strong><br />
memorable. Relying on specific details, her explanation shows <strong>the</strong> effects <strong>of</strong><br />
anorexia on her life.<br />
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PROFESSIONAL COPY—NOT FOR RESALE
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