How Heat Can Help Heal: A Warm Approach to Anorexia Treatment

More than a century ago, a physician named William Gull made a notable suggestion. He proposed applying heat to patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), a serious eating disorder. Gull was inspired by the work of Charles Chossat, a Swiss physiologist who accidentally discovered that heat had therapeutic effects on starved animals. Fast forward to the 20th century, when scientists stumbled upon heat's benefits again after a lab thermostat malfunction. This led to studies showing heat's crucial role in animal models of a type of anorexia linked to increased activity levels.In recent years, translational research has shown that a warm environment can significantly reduce mealtime anxiety in AN patients. Interestingly, this approach has been more effective than exposure-based therapies. Despite all this evidence, the idea of using warmth to help AN patients, particularly during meals, is often overlooked. You might wonder why heat matters so much in treating AN. Well, consider this: heat can influence our nervous system and hormones, affecting our hunger and anxiety levels. By creating a warm environment, we could potentially make mealtime less stressful for AN patients, helping them on their road to recovery.