Eating healthy can take some effort, but the risks of an unhealthy lifestyle make it worth it to choose nutritious foods. A healthy diet generally consists of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean protein with a small amount of monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat. Unhealthy diets are typically high in fat, sugar and sodium and low in nutrients.
Deficiencies
If you aren't consuming a healthy, balanced diet, you could be missing out on vital nutrients your body needs. If you go for too long without those nutrients, you may start to experience signs of a deficiency. Because every vitamin and mineral has a different effect on your body, the specific symptoms depend on which nutrient you are missing. A lack of vitamin C, for example, could put you at risk for scurvy. A lack of iron can lead to anemia. In some cases, the effects occur over decades. Consuming a diet low in calcium can eventually lead to osteoporosis.
Obesity
Eating unhealthy foods increases the chances that you will become overweight or obese. Gaining weight is the result of taking in more calories than you expend, and an unhealthy diet is frequently high in calories. People who are obese are more prone to developing diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and some forms of cancer. Obesity is also typically considered unattractive, so your social life may suffer as a result of your unhealthy diet. Additionally, there is a psychological impact to obesity, since many people are biased against obese individuals and prone to view them as lazy or lacking in self-discipline.
Disease
In addition to the long-term problems that being obese and nutrient deficiencies can cause, specific health problems may also occur as a result of particular unhealthy eating patterns. Consuming high levels of salt can lead to high blood pressure. A diet high in saturated fat can raise your cholesterol levels and contribute to arteriosclerosis, even if you don't become obese. Eating an unhealthy diet can also increase everyday illnesses. The amount of sugar in about two regular colas suppresses the immune system by up to 40 percent, according to pediatrician Dr. William Sears.
Low Energy Levels
The calories and nutrients in a healthy diet fuel all of the activities you do every day. Eating unhealthy food robs your body of that energy and can leave you feeling tired and run down as a result. Consuming foods high in sugar can throw off blood glucose levels, which can result in fatigue when blood sugar suddenly rises and then falls.
References
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: What Are Overweight and Obesity?
- NIH News in Health: The Salty Stuff
- Medline Plus: Balanced Diet
- Ask Dr. Sears: Feeding Your Immune System
- Obesity Review: School physical activity interventions: do not forget about obesity bias; P.V. Rukavina, et al.; Jan 2008
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