Like many, you may have spent years not caring about what you eat. French fries, fast food, sugars, sodas, chocolate (palm oil included) and pasta is your go-to food. Dessert is at every happy occasion, with perhaps a little protein and less vegetables. . Perhaps, having realized the harm to your body as a result of not eating healthy foods, starting with obesity and the subsequent potential for other diseases, you are wondering whether it is possible for a healthy diet to compensate the body for years of neglect, or is the clock not turning back? Are there long-term effects of our failure to eat a healthy diet?
Well, let's start by clarifying the facts. It is not about losing weight just to appear in a perfect fit body. The first thing you need to monitor to know what damage your body is carrying is belly fat, then cholesterol, triglyceride levels, blood pressure, and insulin resistance (blood sugar), which warns of the possibility of diabetes. You have to monitor many fronts, then, to know the harm caused by not eating properly for a long time, do not forget that unhealthy food in the past also means depriving the benefits of healthy food, you certainly did not eat them together.
Of all these signs, the most obvious sign left by years of disastrous dieting is the accumulation of fat in the abdomen (visceral fat). This fat leaks out to hide among internal organs such as the liver, exposing the body to the risk of many diseases; Such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, some respiratory problems and cancer, and in this context, a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (an academic medical journal published by the American College of Physicians) concluded that belly fat raises death rates more than it does obesity; (2)
On the other hand, processed carbohydrates (those that have had the fiber removed such as white bread, pastries and pasta) cause blood sugar to rise quickly, and unhealthy fats are a direct cause of heart disease, which is considered the most common disease of the modern era, along with other problems such as Chronic inflammation and atherosclerosis, which results from high cholesterol in the blood, and the accumulation of plaque on the walls of the arteries, which leads to their narrowing, making it difficult for blood to move in the body, which increases pressure on the heart and blood vessels. Also, if your diet does not contain any nutritious foods, a deficiency in several essential vitamins and minerals may lead to an imbalance in the immune system. (3)
Not only that, although the medical field did not recognize in the past the link between mood and food, but nutritional psychiatry reveals to us today a lot about the relationship between the quality of our food and how we feel, as the digestive system produces about 95% of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps In regulating sleep and appetite, stabilizing mood and suppressing pain.
What happens in the digestive system then not only helps us digest food, but also guides our emotions, and ultimately this is reflected in our decisions.
The production of neurotransmitters (such as serotonin) and neuronal function is strongly influenced by the billions of “good” bacteria that make up the gut microbiome, bacteria that play an essential role in our health. It is the quality of food that determines the type of bacteria that are present in our digestive system.
Not only do good bacteria affect what our gut digests and absorbs, but they also affect the degree of inflammation throughout the body. Mood and energy level.
(5)
Well, there is some good news here.
Specialists like Paloma Gil del Alamo, a Spanish endocrinologist, tell us that if we mistreat our bodies it forgives and always gives us a chance to take care of it again.
(4)
According to an experiment published in The Lancet, reducing about 12% of our calories for two years reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (6). Healthy and fast foods, with increased intake of healthy fats, plant foods and leafy green vegetables, could be the lifesaver you need in your life.
On the other hand, a vegetarian diet that is low in processed carbohydrates and rich in fiber can significantly improve cholesterol levels, which contributes to the prevention of atherosclerosis.
Fiber also has anti-inflammatory properties, which is why it is considered one of the most popular treatments for atherosclerosis, and vegetarian diets low in sugar, fat and salt prevent the formation of harmful cholesterol in the blood, which prevents atherosclerosis from developing.
(7)
Although some studies suggest that atherosclerosis can be reversed with aggressive lifestyle modifications and some medications, the same studies reveal that the needed changes are more challenging for many than they can handle, so that improvement seems only theoretically possible, says Joanne E. Manson, professor of medicine at Harvard University.
(8)
You know, for example, that chronic high blood pressure is not completely cured, but moderate blood pressure can be maintained by reducing salt intake, increasing potassium, and stopping eating foods that contain a high percentage of sodium, while increasing the consumption of vegetables.
The DASH diet, designed by the US National Institutes of Health, which is rich in grains, fruits, vegetables, unsaturated fats and low-fat dairy, and low in sodium and sugar, is one of the most recommended diets in this regard.
(9)
Studies also indicate that "traditional" diets such as the Mediterranean diet reduce the risk of depression by 25% to 35%, because they are rich in vegetables, fruits, unprocessed grains, fish and seafood, and contain modest amounts of dairy products and lean meat, and they It is free from processed and refined foods and sugars, which are essential nutrients for the common diet in the West, for example.
(10)
The answer varies for different individuals, and generally if you have eaten unhealthy food for long periods, your body may get used to high insulin levels, and blood sugar levels are likely to fluctuate when you start a healthy diet, this can affect the quality of your sleep, but as the days go by The first will begin to stabilize sugar levels, and you will notice a difference in mental performance and an increase in your ability to be productive.
(11)
On the psychological side, following a healthy diet for two to three weeks, gradually cutting out processed foods and sugars, can make you significantly better physically and emotionally (12), after a month of a healthy diet you will notice the disappearance of symptoms such as migraines, joint pain and problems Irritable Bowel Syndrome if you suffer from one of them as a symptom of an unhealthy diet over a wide period of time. After a few months, your bones will be stronger, it is true that you may not notice it, but this means less stress and a lower risk of fractures, and the levels of glucose in your blood will be more stable than in previous months. (13)
It may take about 12 months for people who suffer from atherosclerosis, for example, before long-term changes are noticed, and it is a matter of changing the entire lifestyle and not for a short period as some do. (14) And the matter is longer in patients with diabetes, for example. A scientific study by researchers from the University of Cambridge revealed that a percentage of those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were able to recover by changing the lifestyle and following an intense low-calorie diet and exercising, as high glucose levels returned In their blood, it returned to normal within 8 weeks, and despite being a chronic disease that can lead to major complications, some patients were able to completely recover from it within five years, and the recovery rate was greater for patients who were able to lose 10% of their weight. (15th)
Of course we know that exercise has an important role in preventing and treating atherosclerosis, as it improves the function of the veins and arteries, and in this regard it is recommended to exercise aerobic because it has more impact on heart health than weight exercises, so 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise per week is considered A perfect start.
(16)
But despite the importance of exercise, it plays a secondary role compared to diet, which means that it will not protect our bodies from unhealthy food.
A study by researchers from the University of Eastern Finland reveals that regular exercise for people with atherosclerosis without changing other factors such as diet does not change their cardiovascular health, they just become fitter, and the bottom line is that exercise does not compensate for a poor diet. .
(17)
On the other hand, exercise plays an important role in reducing our desire to eat unhealthy food, and as a study by researchers from the University of Western Australia indicates, exercise plays an important role in reducing our desire to consume unhealthy foods that stress may lead us to feel the desire to eat. .
The study indicated that exercising for 10 weeks at an average rate can reduce the stress, anxiety and depression that can follow a period of mental stress, as well as reduce the psychological desire to eat “pleasant food” containing a high percentage of sugar and saturated fat, which we often consider.” Bonus" when we're stressed.
Exercise makes us feel less pressured to resort to this type of food, and it positively affects food choices, thus limiting the damage that stress causes to health and well-being.
(18)
Finally, you should know that if you succeed in following a healthy diet and sometimes have to eat unhealthy foods, on some holidays, for example, that you should return to the system quickly, the body quickly forgets, as a study by researchers from Virginia Tech found that our bodies can Respond to changes in diet in a shorter time frame than we thought, just five days of eating a high-fat diet can change the way the body processes nutrients and cause the body to be unable to respond to insulin, a risk factor for diabetes and other diseases. diseases.
(19)
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Sources
Cómo compensar los estropicios de llevar una dieta desastrosa durante años
Normal-Weight Central Obesity: Implications for Total and Cardiovascular Mortalit
How Long Does It Take To Reverse The Effects Of A Bad Diet
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