Are you eating well? It is your body that tells you: here are the signs to pay attention to, to understand if your diet is right or you need to change it.
We are what we eat : behind this saying lies a very important truth. It is precisely through nutrition that we take all those nutrients that are fundamental for the proper functioning of our body, and every small deficiency can give very clear signals. How can you tell if the diet you are following is wrong and if your body is missing something? Here’s what you should watch out for.
The signs that tell us if our diet is wrong
Eating well is very important for staying healthy, and not just for losing weight. The World Food Day , which falls on 16 October, is an opportunity to raise awareness on this issue: to have a poor diet means it does not give the body all the tools it needs to function properly, running into dangerous deficiencies. What happens when this happens? Simply, the body sends you signals that sometimes may seem difficult to interpret. Let’s see which ones indicate that you need to change your diet.
1-You are always tired
A diet rich in fat weighs you down, so much so that after a binge it is very easy to fall asleep. But consuming foods that contain large amounts of sugars can also have the same effect: after a first burst of energy, the blood sugar level plummets and it is normal to feel tired. Another cause may be the lack of iron, a mineral essential for the production of red blood cells and for the oxygenation of organs. Fill up on green leafy vegetables and eat at least two servings of red meat a week to run for cover.
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2-You have mood swings
If eating too much is a rather frequent occurrence, it can happen, on the contrary, that you miss a few meals or do not have an adequate caloric intake (especially if you play a lot of sport). In this case the body reacts by giving signals also on a mental level, causing instability in mood. If this is your case, perhaps you should check that you are consuming the right amount of calories, also based on the physical activity you do.
3-You feel depressed
Many diets involve a drastic reduction in carbohydrates – if not a total absence of them. This food choice can cause the appearance of altered moods, leaving you with the feeling of suffering from depression. Sudden drops in blood sugar are to blame , so you can turn around and smile again by slowly introducing carbohydrates into your diet. However, it is better to opt for unrefined ones, such as bread, pasta and brown rice, which have greater health benefits.
4-You pee often
Do you often have to run to the bathroom? It is possible that your diet is too high in sugar : a high level of glucose in the blood affects the production of urine. The excess sugars are in fact filtered by the kidneys and expelled through urination. For this reason, a simple urinalysis shows the presence of glucose – a sign to be underestimated, because it can also indicate diabetes.
5-You lack concentration
If you find it hard to stay focused and remember things , maybe you need to supplement with vitamins and minerals. Some of these substances act precisely in the brain, and a lack of them can cause mental fatigue and attention problems. This is the case, for example, of the B vitamins : useful for the nervous system, if present in low quantities they can cause memory lapses and other difficulties. Zinc and magnesium are also important, because they improve cognitive functions.
6-You don’t sleep well
L ‘ insomnia is a problem to be reckoned with, because the night’s sleep is essential for the general welfare. If you can’t sleep, you may have consumed too much caffeine during the day. In this regard, it is good to remember that this substance is not only contained in coffee: it is found in many products such as tea, chocolate, some carbonated drinks and – in small quantities – even in decaffeinated coffee.
7-You suffer from constipation
Evacuation problems are often related to a wrong diet. In particular, they show a lack of fiber : these substances play many important roles, including precisely that of regulating intestinal transit. To fill up on fiber, consume lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes.
8-You lose a lot of hair
If you happen to notice excessive hair loss , you may have some dietary deficiencies. Among the nutrients that can cause this problem are vitamin B12 and vitamin D, as well as iron. Add a few extra portions of fruit and vegetables, but also some red meat – it’s the main source of vitamin B12, absent in plant-based foods.
9-You have dry skin
Dry skin is a sign of dehydration – you may be drinking too little water. Remember that you should drink at least one and a half liters a day, a level that you can also reach by consuming tea or herbal teas. Fruits and vegetables, very rich in water, help to hydrate the body, so never miss them on your table.
10-You get anxiety
If you often feel anxious, you may have a vitamin B12 deficiency. This substance intervenes in multiple processes in the nervous system and its absence has serious repercussions. Even the magnesium may be responsible: to introduce larger quantities in your diet, you can eat whole grains, legumes, nuts and dates, which are particularly rich.
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