Have you ever heard the phrase ‘you are what you eat?’ There more truth to this phrase than most people realize though. Your diet does have a surprising impact on your health and more than just causing you to gain a few pounds. It’s important that you think about your diet and how it could be impacting you, especially when most of us are home snacking away (or is that just me?). Here are some of the interesting ways that your diet can impact your health.
Mental Health
Your diet can impact your mental health as well as your physical wellbeing. Many people are familiar with at least one form of this impact. For example, chocolate is commonly known to trigger a feeling of happiness when consumed even in smaller quantities. The way it works is a little more complicated of course, but it’s not too far from the truth. What people often miss is the low that hits. Just like taking a drug, consuming large amounts of chocolate can give you a high, but it is then followed with a low. It’s not the guilt of breaking your diet. It’s actually a chemical reaction that triggers changes in your brain and it’s not the one one that you might want to be aware of.
Research shows that a diet that is filled with the right nutrition isn’t just good for the body. It’s also beneficial for the brain as well. This concept is commonly known as nutritional psychiatry and there are lots of examples of this. For instance, one study suggests that depression increases by about eighty percent in teens that have a low-quality diet or what is commonly known as a western diet. Those who eat a high-quality wholesome diet are far less likely to suffer from this type of mental condition, based on this evidence.
What About Eyesight And Your Senses?
Does eating carrots actually help you see in the dark? Or is this something that we just tell kids to get them to eat their vegetables? There’s actually a lot of truth behind this. Research shows that carrots are rich in beta carotene. This can be converted by the body into a form of vitamin A which is commonly referred to as retinal. It’s a key part of ensuring that your normal eyesight is maintained.
You might be wondering whether changing your diet could improve eyesight that is already impaired. Unfortunately, there is limited evidence to suggest that this is the case. However, you should make sure that you are speaking to an optician if you are suffering from eye problems. This is crucial as it can stop your vision from getting worse over a relatively short period.
Of course, generally speaking, eyesight is just one part of the body that a good diet can help. Research suggests that the right diet can ensure that all your senses are working effectively.
Significant Health Issues
You might think that eating right is just about ensuring that you are able to effectively preserve the natural state of your health. However, this is not necessarily true. Eating well and keeping the right diet has also been linked to avoiding some of the worst health issues that can impact you in life. For instance, some studies suggest that what you eat will have an impact on whether you are more likely to suffer from conditions such as cancer. This depends on the types of food that are part of your diet. For instance, it’s possible that processed meats or refined carbs could make cancer far more likely.
It’s worth noting that while the right diet may reduce your chances of suffering from cancer, there is a range of variables. Furthermore, some diets actually seem to impact the effectiveness of treatment. For instance, plant-based and keto-based diets seem to ensure that treatment is more beneficial for certain patients.
What you eat stretches a little further than just ensuring that you are able to maintain your weight and stay in the shape. The right diet will guarantee that every aspect of your health is effectively protected and it may even improve your immune system!
