The obsession with image in the western world is dangerous. With celebrity culture at the forefront of everyone’s mind, it is no wonder that so many women opt for dangerous diets. Many women, in the strive to be skinny, end up damaging their bodies. Over the past decade the problem has got worse and worse, with many women doing damage that the can’t repair.

The notion that a woman cannot be attractive unless she is skinny is one which the media reinforces to women on an everyday basis. This negative reinforcement leads many women to self-harm and even suicide. The pursuit of the perfect body is a danger to women, when they use unsafe, untested methods.

Of course, there are ways in which a woman can lose weight at a safe pace, whilst still getting all the nutrients she needs. Take a look at some appetite suppressant reviews, which show how women can eat only as much as they need. Women losing weight this natural way can ensure that their bodies remain healthy.

Some women have opted for more fad-style diets, which end up making them ill. These diets, if you can call them that, involve eating things which are not safe and also by depriving yourself of food your body needs.

One of the worst diets seen in recent years is the so-called ‘cotton wool diet.’ The diet meant that women who wanted to lose weight could do so fast. The diet consisted of eating cotton wool balls instead of food. As cotton wool can soak up liquid, when you drink it does just that, and you feel full.

The ‘cotton wool diet’ is one of the most dangerous diets you can try. You are tricking your body into thinking it is full, when in reality you are hungry. The cotton wool can stay in your system for a matter of years and do serious damage to your internal organs. In some of the most severe cases, women who tried this diet ended up in the hospital. It is not only the cotton wool, which is damaging here. There is also a lack of nutrients when attempting the diet. Women are not giving their body any of the natural vitamins and nutrients it needs, and cotton wool is certainly no substitute.

There are many examples of diets, which are just as bad as the ‘cotton wool diet.’ There is no substitute for food, yet women wanting a quick fix will try anything to get what they want.

Some of the worst offenders in dangerous dieting are teenagers. The pressure on teen girls to be skinny and pretty is immense. Peer pressure from those at school and pressure from the media to be slim and beautiful do more damage than we realise. Young, impressionable girls should not have to deal with such restraints and should enjoy their youth.

If you are a parent, it is important to let your teenage daughter know the dangers of some diets. Reinforce the idea of eating healthy food and a balanced diet to have a strong physique. Teaching children about food and diets now, before it is too late, ensures that they will not have any hang-ups about food.

There have been all too many news stories recently about teenagers killing themselves. Much of the time the reason for this is how they feel about their self-image. Ensure that you help your teens through this tricky time and let them know that they don’t need to put their health at risk to be happy.

Spend some time with your children to ensure they understand the benefits of eating when they are hungry.  Eating a balanced, controlled diet is the only way to maintain a positive weight.