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Beth Cowan19-year-old British woman who beat an eating disorder
Country:
 Great Britain |
Content:
- Biography of Beth Cohen
- A Brave Battle
- The Start of a Struggle
- Losing Control
- Seeking Help
- A Journey to Empower Others
- Never Give Up
Biography of Beth Cohen
Beth Cohen, a 19-year-old British woman, has overcome an eating disorder and transformed herself from restricting her diet to just one apple a day. Today, the young woman from Chester-le-Street, County Durham, has regained her beautiful and healthy physique and is preparing to compete for the title of Miss British Empire 2015.
A Brave Battle
Beth took the stage at a recent beauty pageant to share her inspiring story of how she fought against her eating disorder. She hopes that her performance will inspire others to never give up in their own struggles with similar illnesses. At one point, Beth weighed less than 42 kg with a body mass index of 13.2, indicating that she was severely underweight and at risk of life-threatening conditions.
The Start of a Struggle
Beth recalls, "I was 16 years old and still in school. I don't know how it started. There were no specific reasons. I just started restricting what I ate. I would run on the treadmill for an hour and eat only one apple a day." Beth realized the extent of her problem when she walked past a mirror in a store and couldn't believe how emaciated she looked. Others told her she appeared on the verge of death. She decided to seek medical help, knowing that she needed to take action if she wanted to have children in the future.
Losing Control
The illness took away everything from Beth. She felt a loss of control as she tried to regulate her weight. Her condition became so dangerous that she could no longer attend school and had to switch to homeschooling. Remarkably, she managed to pass her high school exams. Today, Beth aspires to become an educator.
Seeking Help
Realizing that she was at risk of being hospitalized, Beth started seeing a specialist for her eating disorder, who helped her turn her life around. Beth recalls, "The doctors told me that if I didn't do something now, I would become a hospital patient who would be fed through a tube because my weight was too low." She adds, "The thought of being in the hospital made me cry. I was terrified."
A Journey to Empower Others
Today, Beth is preparing to showcase her beauty and intelligence in the Miss British Empire 2015 pageant. She has come a long way from the days when she survived on just one fruit a day to now using her strength to encourage other girls to seek help and not fight bulimia and anorexia alone. Beth states, "My mom cried, and my family begged me, telling me that I needed to do something. I used to promise that I would start tomorrow, but tomorrow never came. I was lying to them and lying to myself." She continues, "It became a habit I couldn't break, until I turned 19 and things started to improve. I now weigh 57 kg, but it's still not the weight I want. I want to gain more." Beth concludes, "I had anorexia and bulimia. I just want other girls to know that you can't handle it on your own. But there is a way out. Recovery won't happen overnight, but you can take control of the situation."
Never Give Up
In closing, the 19-year-old beauty queen declares, "I wouldn't be here today if I hadn't made the choice to fight. Never give up."
