Everyone who loses weight knows a simple axiom: to lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than spend. But, as in any business, it is important to stop here on time. Regular malnutrition can lead to physiological problems and unwanted mental conditions.
1. Breakdown
Most people have a resting metabolic rate of over 1,000 kcal per day. And if you go in for sports, then this number should at least double.
If you consume less than 1,000 calories daily, yours slows down, leading to increased fatigue. Even the smallest physical activity, such as walking or climbing stairs, makes you tired, because you do not even cover the basic energy needs of the body.
Malnutrition can lead to rapid fatigue, because the body lacks energy for anything other than maintaining the most basic functions.
2. Hair loss
Lack of daily calorie intake, as well as deficiencies in protein, iron, biotin and other vitamins, causes excessive hair loss. When the body does not receive the amount of nutrients it needs, it primarily supports the functioning of vital organs such as the heart and brain. The health of the hair fades into the background as less significant.
If more hair is shedding than usual, this is a serious reason to pay attention to your diet.
3. Constant hunger
Studies have shown that malnutrition increases appetite because the levels of hormones that control satiety change. In addition, a calorie deficit leads to increased production of cortisol, a stress hormone that contributes to increased hunger and growth. Constant hunger signals that the body is in danger of exhaustion.
Malnutrition leads to hormonal surges that exacerbate hunger in order to force you to compensate for the lack of nutrients.
4. Failure to conceive
The pituitary gland and hypothalamus work closely together and are responsible for the hormonal balance of many organs, including the reproductive organs. The hypothalamus receives signals from the body and, based on them, determines when to force the pituitary gland to stimulate or inhibit the production of estrogen, progesterone and other hormones. Studies show that this complex system is highly sensitive to changes in weight and diet.
Pregnancy is impossible without the balance of sex hormones. The first sign of hormonal disruption of the reproductive function of the body is amenorrhea - the absence of menstruation for three or more months.
Calorie deficiency causes the body to send signals to the hypothalamus, which lead to disruptions in the production of sex hormones and the inability to get pregnant.
5. Sleep disorders
Research Sleep in eating disorders conducted on humans and animals have shown that fasting also leads to a reduction in its deep phase. This means that you have difficulty falling asleep, often wake up and do not feel rested the next morning. And if you go to bed or wake up feeling hungry, this is a clear sign that you are not eating enough.
Malnutrition negatively affects the quality and duration of sleep: you do not get enough sleep, no matter how much you sleep.
6. Irritability
If any little thing pisses you off, it might be worth looking into the plate.
During World War II, a group of young people took part in an experiment They starved so that others be better fed: remembering Ancel Keys and the Minnesota experiment held at the University of Minnesota. For six months, the volunteers ate critically little, helping researchers understand how to help war victims who survived famine. The experiment showed that one of the side effects of such prolonged malnutrition was extreme irritability.
Prolonged malnutrition and deliberately restricting oneself in food can lead to nervousness and mood swings.
7. Constant feeling of cold
To generate heat and maintain an optimal body temperature, we need to burn a certain amount of calories. Six-year study Long-term calorie restriction, but not endurance exercise, lowers core body temperature in humans, which was attended by 72 middle-aged people, showed that those who consumed an average of 1,769 kcal daily had a significantly lower body temperature than those whose daily diet was 2,300-2,900 kcal. Interestingly, these indicators did not depend in any way on the physical activity of the participants.
Analyzing research results Effect of long-term calorie restriction with adequate protein and micronutrients on thyroid hormones, the scientists noticed that those subjects who ate less had a lower T3 level. Among its other functions, this thyroid hormone is responsible for the energy metabolism of the body. Thus, the less we eat, the more we freeze.
Lack of nutrition can lead to a decrease in body temperature. This is partly due to a decrease in T3 hormone levels.
8. Constipation
Constipation is usually characterized as hard, hard stools three times a week or less. Study Dieting severity and gastrointestinal symptoms in college women, which was attended by 301 female students, showed that constipation and other digestive problems are primarily susceptible to those who adhere to strict diets.
Malnutrition leads to constipation because food moves slowly through the digestive tract and less waste is stored in the body.
9. Anxiety
An indicative large-scale study Adolescent dieting: healthy weight control or borderline eating disorder? which was attended by over 2,500 Australian teenagers. In 62% of those who severely limited themselves in nutrition, an increased level of anxiety and depression was noted.
The omega-3 fatty acids rich in omega-3 fatty acids will help to reduce the feeling of anxiety during the period when you are forced to limit yourself in food.
Heavy diets lead to depression, anxiety, and mood swings.
For a gradual weight loss, it is enough to limit yourself to 1,200 kcal per day, but you should not go below this mark. If you find any of the above signs of malnutrition, reconsider your diet: it is possible that your body is lacking essential nutrients.
In 2011, there were 850 thousand obese people in Russia, in 2016 - already 1.24 million. It turns out that in just 5 years the number of overweight people has grown by 45%. The main reason for this situation is unhealthy diet.
Every day I go to the store and see how people put sausage, sweets, white bread, sauces and other "harmful things" into the carts. Delicious food helps to dilute the gray routine, but you don't want to think about the sad consequences for health. In vain.
Why do people eat junk food
Most people know about the negative consequences of unhealthy diet, read smart books and magazines, watch TV programs about health. And they still eat up stress with sweets, warm up semi-finished products for breakfast, and cook something fat for dinner.
Interesting! There is no shortage of food in stores today. Even people on a small budget can buy healthy food. So, raw meat is cheaper than smoked sausage. Cereals, many vegetables and fruits, herbs, fermented milk drinks are sold at affordable prices. But, despite this, people are too lazy to cook on their own and continue to buy unhealthy foods!
Basically, the reasons for malnutrition lie in the head. Although the external environment also influences the internal choice. Why do people deliberately harm their health?
The proliferation of fast food chains
7 years ago in my city there were only 3 McDonald's outlets, and today there are more than 10. Plus, all sorts of Burger Kings, KFC, chain pizzerias and other eateries appeared.
Most of my friends work hard and get very tired. Therefore, they succumb to the temptation of fast foods. After all, the latter offer hearty snacks quickly and at affordable prices.
Interesting fact! In 2017, the leading countries in terms of the number of obese people included, in particular, the United States, Egypt, and South Africa. In these states, the fast food market is very developed and is popular with the population.
Negative emotions
Junk food, as a rule, contains many simple sugars and causes a spike in blood glucose. As a result, you experience a surge of energy. With the help of sweets, a person fights not only with stress, but also with boredom, routine, a sense of loneliness.
Money opens access to alternative entertainment: tourism, cinema, theaters and water parks, massage, spa. And what do poor people advise? Walking down the street, reading books. However, walking in the same places quickly gets boring. Knowledge workers have no desire to strain tired eyes and read something in the evening. Poor people, whatever one may say, often choose junk food to cheer up.
Accelerated pace of life
People choose the wrong food and do not follow the regime because they live in a rush. Healthy and tasty meals usually need to be prepared.
The increased workload often deprives an employee of a legitimate lunch break. Only in the evening there is a chance to satisfy your hunger.
In the commercials, consumers of chips, chocolate and other goodies look healthy and beautiful. Smooth skin, silky hair, sparkle in the eyes, smile. An installation creeps into the viewer's subconscious mind: "If I eat this, nothing terrible will happen."
Traditions
Improper children's nutrition begins with family holidays. New Year is not complete without mayonnaise salad "Olivier", Birthday - without a cream cake. And in the summer it is customary to go to barbecues with friends and drink beer. No one wants to be a black sheep and limit themselves while others are having fun.
And this is not the whole list of reasons why people eat unhealthy foods.
4 types of malnutrition
Not only the love of fast food is harmful to health. What types of malnutrition are identified by doctors and nutritionists?
High-calorie diet
This is the regular and excessive consumption of high-calorie foods. Both harmful and beneficial. The latter include nuts, honey, dried fruits, butter, urbech. The body does not have time to spend the calories received from food and stores the excess on the stomach and hips.
Important! The daily calorie intake for men engaged in mental work is 2800–3000 kcal, and for women - 2400–2600 kcal.
Unbalanced diet
The same foods can be attributed to both correct and unhealthy nutrition. The diet should be varied, include all the necessary vitamins and minerals.
Fruits, berries and vegetables are rich in ascorbic acid, meat and fish - in B vitamins, greens - in calcium. In addition, the body needs unsaturated fatty acids, fiber, lactic acid and bifidobacteria.
Violation of the regime
Incorrect eating habits lead to a violation of the regime:
- hearty dinner after 19:00;
- constant snacks on the go;
- skipping breakfast;
- alternation of hunger strike and overeating;
- eating food while working at a computer or watching TV;
- too long or short intervals between meals.
In fact, a person can eat healthy foods. However, due to a violation of the regime, food is absorbed incorrectly, and the organs of the gastrointestinal tract suffer. For example, with a long break, a large amount of gastric juice is secreted. It irritates the mucous membrane and provokes inflammation.
Passion for diets
Severe dietary restrictions are a gross interference with the well-established processes of digestion and metabolism.
Mono diets are especially dangerous when a person consumes only one product. The body does not receive the necessary vitamins and minerals, which affects the general well-being, the condition of the skin and hair. Immunity decreases.
Improper nutrition is the path to chronic disease
Health problems due to poor nutrition are not the invention of journalists and marketers. There are many scientific papers that support the famous proverb: "You are what you eat." Below I will list common diseases that arise from poor nutrition.
Obesity
What leads to an unhealthy diet 100% is overweight. A group of scientists from Harvard Medical School (USA, 2011) conducted a large-scale study and found out how diet affects weight change in women and men.
Obesity is encountered by people who regularly consumed the following foods:
- potato;
- bakery products made from premium flour;
- sweets;
- red meat and smoked meats.
The average rate of increase in body weight in people over 50 years old with such a diet is 0.5 kg per year. Likewise, the risk of obesity increases with lack of exercise, late dinners and long intervals between meals.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
90% of cases of the disease are diabetes mellitus of the second, not the first type. A key factor in its development is obesity, which, as we have already found out, arises from improper diet.
When eating sweet foods, the pancreas actively produces the hormone insulin. If a person is fond of sweets, then the load on the organ increases. Over time, insulin is produced in smaller quantities, and pancreatic cells become less sensitive to it. This is how type 2 diabetes develops.
Important! According to a scientific article published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society (UK, 2017), obesity in children increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus by 4 times.
Gastritis, stomach ulcer
Many sources indicate that 85-90% of cases of gastritis and ulcers are associated with the activity of the microorganism helicobacter pylori... Therefore, people mistakenly believe that the wrong diet has nothing to do with it.
Scientists at the Bethesda University of Medical Sciences (USA, 2007) conducted a study of how the properties of helicobacter pylori change depending on the host's nutrition. It turned out that a diet high in salt increases the activity of this bacterium, making it aggressive.
Important! Helicobacter pylori is an opportunistic pathogen that is present in the stomach of most people. However, 90% of carriers of the bacterium do not show symptoms of gastritis. Disruption of healthy intestinal microflora due to poor nutrition can lead to infection.
Atherosclerosis
Improper eating habits lead to deterioration of the condition of the blood vessels... This is the conclusion reached by scientists at the University of Pennsylvania. They selected 9 volunteers for the experiment.
At the first stage, the participants ate from 08:00 to 19:00, at the second - from 12:00 to 23:00. It turned out that late dinners lead to an increase in blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
And also scientists have repeatedly identified the relationship of malnutrition with other diseases: liver and kidney, nervous system, bones, thyroid gland. Unhealthy food is also harmful in the short term. Due to the lack of certain vitamins and microelements, a person is easily irritated, gets tired quickly, and has problems with the skin and hair.
