Based on studies, one of the top causes of early deaths worldwide is an unhealthy diet. Regularly eating unhealthy foods can result in conditions such as heart diseases, diabetes, and strokes.
Eating very few vegetables, grains, and fruits is an example of an unhealthy diet. It also includes foods with too much meat, sugar, and salt. These can cause significant health problems and causes more fatalities than alcohol consumption and smoking. With that said, here are the top dangers of an unhealthy diet:
Heart disease
In the past years, an estimated 15.3 million people have died because of cardiovascular diseases each year. And that is the 33 percent of all deaths worldwide from different causes.
A diet with too much trans and saturated fats will fill your arteries with bad cholesterol. This will increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, and other critical health problems.
Your liver produces cholesterol, an essential component of cell membranes and hormones. Cholesterol can also find it in eggs, dairy products, and meat. When you have a huge amount of the cholesterol called low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in your blood, it can cause a fat deposit in your arteries. These fat deposits restrict your blood flow and cause heart problems.
The truth is that cholesterol is not required in your diet because your liver produces sufficient amounts of cholesterol. So it is better to limit or avoid foods that contain high cholesterol. Healthy fats like polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats have more health benefits. You can also find these healthy fats in some vegetables.
Sleep problems
To achieve good health, one must eat right and get enough rest or sleep. Studies have shown that sleep is a must for all mammals. It is vital to regulate mood and certain memory functions such as learning.
And the very first step to achieving better sleep is eating nutritious, well-balanced food and snacks regularly scheduled each day.
If you eat too little for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon, it is more likely that you will eat a lot at night. This can lead to indigestion and stomach ache. But if you eat a few for dinner, it is more likely for you to wake up in the middle of your sleep to search for food. So eat evenly throughout the day, especially if you are undergoing a medi weight loss plan. You can maximize its results better if you are mindful of what you eat.
The next step is to combine foods that have tryptophan with a good amount of carbohydrates. Examples of foods that have tryptophan are:
- chickpeas,
- navy beans,
- lentils,
- red kidney beans,
- oat bran,
- oats,
- tofu,
- spirulina,
- chia seeds, and
- nuts, among others.
Tryptophan can bust insomnia, and for it to work correctly, it needs to have a way into the brain. That is why it is good to mix these foods with carbohydrates.
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. They compete with each other for transport into the brain. Insulin is released when you are consuming carbs. It will transport the competing amino acids into the muscle tissue. Still, it will leave behind the tryptophan to travel to the brain.
Type 2 diabetes
Having an unhealthy diet will increase your chance of having type 2 diabetes. The following are examples of unhealthy foods that can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes:
- Junk Foods
-
- Margarine
- Mayonnaise
- Onion rings
- Hamburgers
- French fries
- Doughnuts
- Burritos
- Hot dogs
- Drinks/beverages
- Sodas
- Sports drinks
In addition to those is not eating enough vegetables, whole grains, and fruits. Research studies have shown that people who drink a lot of soda consume more calories. They are more likely to weigh more, have poor nutrition, and have a high risk for diabetes.
Mental health problems
Youur mental health is also affected by what you eat, particularly your mood. Research studies have shown that the nutrients you get from foods are precursors to neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are the leading ones in regulating your mood.
Serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid are neurotransmitters that help in calming your mood. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that stimulates us. For your mood and responses to be appropriate in the situation, you should have balanced neurotransmitters.
Obesity
One of the leading causes of obesity is an unhealthy diet and a sedentary lifestyle. You should have a balanced diet and be physically active to control your weight. Hit the gym four to five times a week. Focus on cardio and strength building. Count your macros to maximize the results.
Do not forget that you are what you eat. Take good care of your body the way you care for your material possessions. Your body is the first thing that you should care for. It only makes sense that you invest in its health.
