The Health Issues Ruining Your Diet
<This is a contributed post>
Nutrition is a hot topic at the moment. As the second national lockdown takes hold, more and more people focus on their diets and how they can improve them to ensure the next month isn’t a bust. After all, over 50% of Brits struggled to manage their weight from March to July, so it’s not uncommon to use restrictions as an excuse.
The sad thing is, it isn’t always the fact that it’s winter and you’re stuck inside for thirty days that’s problematic. Sometimes, it’s due to health problems you put up with because you don’t believe they’re significant to solve. In reality, they play havoc with your diet, and your physical and mental wellbeing suffers.
To combat them this time around, you need to know what they are. Without further ado, here are the seemingly insignificant health issues ruining your nutrition and the fixes!
Toothache
Do you get a dull ache in the back of your mouth? What about a sharp pain any time anything touches a tooth? These are signs of toothache, yet many people ignore them by utilising sneaky tactics, such as eating on the side of the mouth where there is no pain. Genius! Of course, this only wears the teeth and gums down more, leading to extra future issues.
Also, a toothache is very good at dictating what you eat since you have particular preferences. For example, if the pain is intense, you could resort to gorging on ice-cream since it’s cool and has soothing properties. While it’s food, ice-cream is packed with empty calories that lead to weight gain.
Therefore, the best option is to call and speak to your dentist. Emergency appointments are available during Covid, and a sharp pain that prevents you from eating property qualifies. Even if they don’t see you in person, you can advise you to buy medicines to blunt the pain.
Heartburn
Heartburn is another middle of the road health issue. It’s uncomfortable when you swallow, yet it’s not chronic. If anything, you hardly notice it when you’re not hungry or at mealtimes. Again, this makes it tempting to keep calm and carry on through the discomfort, although it’s the wrong decision again.
Acid reflux tablets stop stomach acid from travelling up the throat to the chest as they contain soothing chemicals that neutralises the PH levels. There’s no hassle or fuss. However, you do receive a blank slate to enjoy meals without the burning sensation in your chest or the sour taste in your mouth.
The reason this is important is that it encourages you to eat less. Although intermittent fasting has potential, starving yourself to prevent pain is wrong on so many levels and leads to bulimia and anorexia.
Over Exercising
A lockdown is an ideal excuse to exercise regularly. With fewer places to go and more time on your hands, it makes sense to get out while you can and enjoy the clear days. It’s the only chance you get to leave the house these days! But, the problem with working out too much is that you might adopt an unhealthy attitude towards food.
Instead of undereating, you eat plenty, yet you skip the nutrients you believe to be bad for your plan. Yes, we’re talking about carbohydrates! The dreaded carbs now have a stigma akin to saturated and trans fats, even though they are good for you. Sure, if you are trying to build muscle, you’ll want a large portion of protein; however, your muscles also need carbs.
The trick is to calculate the percentage that will help you put on muscle – around 55% to 60% – as well as which food groups have them. You’ll be surprised!
The Blues
Also known as depression, the impacts of a lockdown on mental health are increasingly under the microscope as staying inside for long periods is bad for the mind. It’s bad for the body, too, because there is a clear link between poor mental health and snacking.
It’s worth pointing out that snacking isn’t always unhealthy. When done correctly, it’s a smart way to reach mealtimes unscathed. However, suffering from the blues means you could lose your motivation and willpower, which encourages you to fill up on refined sugars.
Leave the sweets and chocolate alone. Instead, try and break the chain by going to exercise, or leaving the house, when your stomach rumbles and addressing the situation later. You should find that relieving stress allows you to make better lifestyle choices.
How is your diet going in lockdown 2.0?
