Did Amy Winehouse Die From Bulimia?
The story of soul singer Amy Winehouse is a tragic one that, as time marches on, seems to only get more tragic. The most recent development came in the form of an interview with the late singer's brother; he asserts that his sister died from bulimia as opposed to just drugs and alcohol.
Alex Winehouse told the Observer Magazine that Amy had a continual struggle with bulimia—which she developed at the age of 17. Bulimia is an eating disorder marked by regular episodes of overeating, followed by forced vomiting. The disease can lead to organ failure, heart attack and death.
Amy's death on July 23, 2011 was officially ruled to be from accidental alcohol poisoning. Her professional career was marked by an ongoing battle with alcohol and drugs. In February her ex, Blake Fielder-Civil announced that he regretted introducing the "Back to Black" singer to heroin.
Alex addressed his sister's drug abuse in relation to the eating disorder in his interview. He explained:
"[The bulimia] left her weaker, and more susceptible. She would have died eventually, the way she was going, but what really killed her was the bulimia."
Adding, "Had she not have had an eating disorder, she would have been physically stronger."
Alex also spoke about how Amy developed the devastating disorder.
"[Her friends] were all doing it," he said. "They'd put loads of rich sauces on their food, scarf it down and throw it up. They stopped doing it, but Amy never really stopped. We all knew she was doing it but it's almost impossible [to tackle], especially if you're not talking about it."
A documentary on Amy's life with unseen footage is currently in the works.
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