Hugh Hefner's Ex-Girlfriend Says He Saved Her Life By Curing Her Bulimia

Hugh Hefner didn't just sexy up the women in Playboy, he also saved their lives, according to ex-girlfriend Cristal Camden ... who credits Hef with curing her bulimia.

Cristal dated Hef for about a year after they met in 2003. She was bulimic at the time, but kept her illness a secret. She eventually moved into the Bunny House across from the Playboy Mansion and word got around about her illness.

Hef confronted Cristal about her eating disorder during one of his movie nights.

From the way Cristal describes Hef's intervention, you can tell it made a huge impact on her life. She says she went to treatment for 8 months before returning to the House all on Hef's dime.

She's had it under control ever since, and doesn't think she'd be around had Hef not intervened. As previously reported, Hefner passed away at the age of 91 last week.