Pharmacies in La Coruña: “guardians” against eating disorders
“Introducing intensive early intervention as key to improving prognosis” of eating disorders (EDs), whose high prevalence is overwhelming the capabilities of medical devices, to the extent that this month the waiting list in Association of Bulimia and Anorexia of A Coruña (ABAC) has grown by 60% and now has more than fifteen patients, as this newspaper reported yesterday, this is the main goal of the latest campaign launched The Official College of Pharmacists of La Coruña (COFC), in collaboration with other Galician colleges of pharmacists, the Official College of Psychology of Galicia (COPG) and ABAC itself, with a focus on teenagers.
“This is a campaign aimed at teenagers, where we speak their language, using their media (social networks, TikTok, Instagram…), with a set of 15 videos featuring psychologists, nutritionists, patients, pharmacists… . All involved medical professionals,” explains. Paula Briones, COFC Board Member for Foodwith a pharmacy on Arteixo Avenue, who hopes the initiative will “reach as many teenagers as possible.” “Our role in health prevention, aimed at the early detection of diseases, we want to accompany it with advice on healthy eating and regular exercise, giving priority to the Mediterranean diet as a model of healthy and balanced nutrition,” Briones elaborates, before detailing how the idea behind the Promotion placement continues.
“As part of the numerous training cycles that we conduct in KOFCcontinuing one on nutrition and eating disorders (which took place in May), and also seeing an increase TCA Since the COVID pandemic, we have found a need to prepare measures to continue this training,” says a member of COFC Food. “In addition, all this coincided with a meeting held with Eating Disorders Unit of the Galician Health Service (Sergas), UDAL Santiagowhere we were alarmed by the increase in the number of hospitalizations, in particular among adolescents. So we thought it would be a good idea, given that pharmacists are frontline and fully accessible health workers, and pharmacies are the most numerous and widespread health centers in the Galician territory, and we set to work,” he details. Briones, who reminds us that “pharmacies are visited regularly” and that “it is not difficult for anyone to maintain relationships with their patients” that “go beyond dispensing, monitoring, pharmaceutical care and health prevention.
At street level
“Patients often come to us for advice, to be listened to… And we know that our recommendations are taken into account. In addition, it is easy for us (given that most of our patients are with us for a long time) to know them well, to know many of the things that worry or suffer them, and we care about their health, so we anticipate any reason. for the anxiety we see. It’s simple,” he says.
“When thinking about how to do this,” he continues, “we immediately saw that this was a powerful campaign, that it had to reach everywhere and that this was not just a problem for the province of A Coruña,” so “it had to spread throughout Galicia. “In addition, given the multifactorial etiology TCAwe quickly realized that the more healthcare workers involved, the better. Here’s how We decided to collaborate with three other colleges of pharmacists in Galicia (Lugo, Ourense and Pontevedra), with COPG. and, of course, with ABACUS. The testimony of a patient who had overcome these disorders was important because they can be overcome. So we have already come full circle,” explains Briones, before clarifying: “Of course, we will not make any diagnosis, we will only cooperate by referring potential patients to specialized medical consultation.”
“It is important that we raise awareness of these disorders, which are psychological in nature, albeit with visible consequences, often physical, and help avoid stigmatizing them.”
It is emphasized that the vowel in the word “Food” KOFCin which the campaign seeks to “influence intensive early care as the key to improving prognosis.” “It is important that we raise awareness of these disorders, which are psychological in nature, albeit with visible consequences, often physical, and help avoid stigmatizing them,” Key points before thinking: “Teenagers need to debunk the hoaxes such as miracle diets, miracle foods and messages that are circulating on the networks (the medium they use to communicate today) without any scientific basis, and that they are only looking to achieve increased product sales.
“Adolescence is the period when we are most vulnerable. because that’s when identity and sexual role develop,” Briones continues, warning that “ TCA “They often begin to appear” at the stage at which comparison of bodies and criticism between equals constitute “an important factor.” “Teenagers also need to know the consequences of these disorders, which are numerous and important (problems with the heart, digestive system, bones, teeth and mouth…) and which they ignore, reaching extreme situations in which they are completely overwhelmed. They are putting their lives in danger,” he warns.
Prevention and early treatment
Incide, vowel of the word “Food” KOFC, in “the importance of prevention and early treatment.” “Those who suffer TCA They need to know they can get out of this. “Yes, it’s slow, but it’s working,” Briones emphasizes, before explaining that the campaign “also focuses on families” as “also important participants in this whole process.” “We want to warn them about risky situations that they may encounter and not associate with these problems. “So we will support them by giving them advice that will help guide them or prevent certain behaviors from worsening the situation,” he notes.
“We need to be careful if teens are isolating themselves and avoiding gatherings where they eat.”
“In pharmacies we see and hear various warning signs that may lead us to suspect the presence of eating disorder (ED)“explains Paula Briones, Member of the Board of Directors for Nutrition of the Official College of Pharmacists of A Coruña (COFC). “We have seen repeated requests for laxatives and diuretics that do not require a prescription. There is a misconception that these foods serve to absorb calories, but this, of course, is not the case. The only thing they do is reduce the amount of water entering the intestines, and overuse of it damages this digestive organ, causing colic, rectal bleeding, electrolyte imbalances and serious organ damage,” warns Briones.
“We also respond to requests for accessories (several TCA “are accompanied by exercises disproportionate to the structure of the body as compensatory mechanisms of intake) of all types: drainage, protein …,” he adds, before giving advice. “Also be wary” of “patients who suddenly lose weight for no apparent reason” and who go to the pharmacy “to be constantly weighed.”
“As for the family, warn them when suddenly their sons or daughters begin to lose weight, fool around, excluding certain foods… In general, girls are increasing their consumption of fruits and vegetables and decreasing their consumption of grains, while boys, on the contrary, want muscular bodies and increase their consumption of dairy products and proteins,” says a member of a nutrition organization. KOFC, which also advises to “be mindful of the 13 to 17 age groups.” “Also, when they isolate themselves and avoid gatherings where they eat, or in the case of girls, there is extreme anxiety about whether the pills will make them fat…”“, he adds, before reporting that “there are children who are already diagnosed with tooth decay, in addition, or gum recession (we know that these can be a consequence of vomiting…).” “School teachers need to raise awareness about these disorders and conduct seminars, and they are very good,” he recommends.
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