It's time to talk about it.

Today starts the beginning of "National Eating Disorders" week. As soon-to-be dietitians, Jo and I spent a great deal of time learning about this disease and have seen it first hand in the hospital. A textbook can only teach so much. It is a complicated disease that manifests itself as a life threatening addiction.

Eating disorders are hard to diagnosis and even harder to understand. What may begin as a simple "diet" can escalade into years of sickness. This often hidden disease ruins the lives of millions of girls and takes an equal toll on their loved ones.

With the media's portrayal of the "ideal" rail thin body, it is easy to rationalize and deny there is a problem. There is not much you can do for someone suffering from an ED. Be there for them, support and love them, differentiate between who they are and the disease they are fighting, don't ignore the problem, and remember it's time to talk about it.

You may just save a life.