Are bad eating habits taking their toll?

MANY health problems can stem from poor dietary habits. These problems do not surface overnight, instead, they build up over time.

Listen to your body for it may tell you when something is wrong.

Dieting and healthy eating are no longer reserved for women or fussy eaters and this, paired with the global fitness trend, is good news for men.

Peter Jordan, principal officer of Fedhealth, stresses however that men need to be sensible when changing lifestyle and eating habits.

“Strict or restrictive diets may get results, but they remain a contentious issue regarding long-term health effects,” he says and suggests regular check-ups with your GP if you are committed to a specific diet that cuts out or increases a certain food type.

If, for instance, you are eating a lot of fats or oils on your diet, be sure you have your cholesterol tested regularly. Other suggestions include:

Listen to your hair. Diets low in protein, essential fatty acids, and nutrients such as Vitamin C, zinc and iron are associated with brittle hair, hair loss, thinning, and loss of pigmentation.

Bad nutrition will make you look a great deal older a lot faster. A diet rich in Vitamins A,C, D, and E, as well as antioxidants such as carotenoids, tocophernols, and flavonoids have beneficial effects on skin-aging parameters.

Inflamed or bleeding gums, tooth loss, mouth pain, and dental caries are warning signs of a poor diet. Eat more Vitamin C-rich foods such as strawberries and green leafy vegetables.

Memory or concentration problems are warning signs of poor nutritional intake. The brain depends on good nutrition, specifically omega 3 fatty acids, found in walnuts, flax seed, fish oil and wild salmon.

Always tired? If you struggle with consistently low energy levels, there’s a possibility your diet is heavy on the carbohydrates and low on the protein.

Sick all the time? If you are constantly fighting an infection, you could benefit from increasing your intake of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins A, C, and E, zinc, selenium, iron, and folic acid to boost your immune levels. You will find these in citrus fruits, leafy greens, popcorn and brown rice.