We all understand the importance of a healthy diet and informed nutrition. The wrong choices can lead to a wealth of health problems, including heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, high blood pressure, stress, and some cancers, as well as making it increasingly difficult to control your weight. However, did you know that your diet could have just as many implications for your health? Sometimes it’s not enough to cut foods out, or to alter your lifestyle; you should first understand how your body harmonizes with the food you’re providing, and the kinds of changes that are likely to occur once you embark upon such a diet.
If you’re considering beginning a diet to lose weight and improve your health, you’d do well to address the potential issues that you’re getting yourself, and your body into. For example, dieting can…
Make you hungrier
It doesn’t matter which diet you’re exploring, the likelihood is that you’ll be starving your body of something; whether you’re forgoing a particular food group, certain meals, or hundreds of calories, diets exist to restrict the body’s nutritional intake in some form or another. This deprivation will cause your body to hold onto every nutrient it can, and increase the levels of fat stored around your cells and organs. Followers of so-called ‘yo-yo’ diets risk placing their body under immense pressure, and will usually find themselves hungrier more quickly following a meal.
Put you at risk of long-term health issues
Yo-yo dieting, or the act of losing and gaining weight in quick succession, can severely impact a person’s health and wellbeing; your body is unaccustomed to altering so rapidly, and will react to the stress it’s being placed under with detrimental consequences. Extreme dieting can affect cholesterol, blood pressure, and the heart, causing inflammation around the muscles and organs. In addition, your brain is likely to be running under capacity, making it difficult to function at work or play.
Destroy your body’s relationship with food
The right food choices are likely to improve your general health and wellbeing, enabling you to enjoy mealtimes and maintain a steady weight. The wrong choices, however, can destroy that relationship with food, leading to depression and anxiety around mealtimes. We eat food to enjoy its flavors and textures, and so our bodies can make the most of its vital nutrients.
Extreme dieting can cause your metabolism to slow, your blood sugar to spike and fall, and your muscles to break down. You might begin to feel hungry and dehydrated, unsatisfied after every meal. So, what can you do to offset the damaging effects of dieting? Firstly, learn to recognize the symptoms of poor diet choices, which can include increased appetite, an inability to feel full, lethargy, a lack of concentration, and digestive woes. Often, the best way to approach the issue of dieting is to listen to your body, and to adopt a lifestyle that works for you. Discuss your options with a nutritionist or medical professional, and find a diet that won’t indulge, or restrict, your body outside of its comfort zone. A healthy attitude to nutrition can go a long way towards supporting a nutritious diet.
Health issues affected by dieting
It’s vital that you seek a professional opinion prior to undertaking any radical dietary changes, particularly if you’re at risk of aggravating an existing medical complaint. Certain issues, including celiac disease, diabetes, thyroid problems, intolerances, and metabolism disorders are dependent upon a healthy diet and nutrition, and so minute changes to your lifestyle could have far-reaching consequences for your wellbeing. Some kinds of disorders can also affect your success with a particular diet. Those affected by hypothyroidism will usually find it very difficult to lose weight, while those with hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid, might find it increasingly difficult to gain weight, and maintain a healthy lifestyle. A healthy diet and informed nutritional choices are essential to the management of these kinds of disorders. Early diagnosis is vital. A simple, preventative thyroid test can determine whether you are living with an underlying condition that might be affecting your ability to maintain a healthy weight; valuable nutritional advice can then be applied to your lifestyle.
Before embarking upon any radical diets or lifestyle changes it’s essential to take stock of your health; and how your body is likely to be affected by any dramatic alterations to your diet and fitness. Diets are certainly not a universal solution. Indeed, some diets are more dangerous than others, particularly when you’re already battling medical issues that may or may not relate to your weight. Don’t forget that weight and size aren’t always a good indication of overall health, and always seek medical advice before making any big changes to your diet or lifestyle; no diet is ever worth risking your health for.