Extreme diets and its harm to the body
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November 15, 2021
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You may have heard of many extreme diets that promises to help you lose weight and become healthy. With increased awareness of excess weight and its link to various diseases, different extreme diets have become a go to solution. In a world where everyone is constantly looking for a quick fix or an easy answer to health problems, these types of diets may seem like a good idea.
Just because a diet is popular doesn't mean that it's good for you. The truth is, extreme diets can do as much harm as good, especially if you aren't eating the balanced amount of essential nutrients needed for a body to function effortlessly. The trending fad of diets mostly lack scientific evidence. These extreme diets cater to people who want to lose fat and gain muscle, but don't want to put in the time and effort. Even though these diets may give you instant results, the long term effects can be downright dangerous to your health.
Side effects of extreme calorie restriction
According to various health department researches, the following negative symptoms are common side effects of a crash diet:
- Weakened immune system
- Dehydration
- Dizziness
- Irregular bowel movements
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Headaches
Excessive calorie restriction can aggravate chronic pain and other related conditions. It can result in fatigue due to nutrient deficiencies such as a lack of iron or vitamin B12 & lack of carbohydrate intake. With extreme calorie restriction, chronic pain-related fatigue may worsen. When the body does not have enough calories to burn, lean muscle tissue is metabolized, resulting in muscle mass loss.
Crash diets may harm your heart
According to research, rapid weight loss can slow your metabolism and deprive your body of essential nutrients, leading to future weight gain. Crash diets can also cause heart palpitations and cause cardiac stress.
Long-term calorie restriction can result in muscle loss in the heart. Dieting can also cause blood vessel damage. All of that shrinking and growing results in micro-tears, which set the stage for atherosclerosis and other types of heart disease.
Word of advice
Long-term lifestyle changes are more likely to result in a more toned and healthy physique while avoiding the turmoil of deprivation of a nutritious and complete diet. Rather than subjecting yourself to the stress and dangers of a crash diet, try to give yourself more time and set realistic goals. It certainly doesn't mean you have to give up the foods that you love completely. It just means that if you want to eat those foods, you have to take the time and effort to make sure they don't negatively impact your body in any way.
A well-balanced diet is the foundation for a healthy life. If you are serious about reaching and maintaining a healthy weight, consider healthy long-term lifestyle choices rather than short-term restrictive diets.