The Signs of Good Health

Whilst it’s all very well and good eating healthy, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, it can sometimes be difficult to understand whether or not what you’re putting into your body is having any actual positive effects. This can often lead to us asking ourselves – ‘Am I actually healthy?’, and more worryingly – ‘I don’t think is working, should I stop?’. The answer to these questions are yes – you are healthier. And no – don’t stop. Having a healthy diet can be a drastic change for some people. For others it could just be eating a bit more fruit. We’re all different, and our bodies are too. There are no two bodies that are the same, so you should never judge your own personal progress against someone else’s. Focus on you.

Of course, the most expected change when changing to a healthy diet is weight loss. Because of things like the internet, magazine articles and the like, many people have come across things called ‘fad diets’. These diets are supposedly the best way to lose weight, however, they are only popular for a short amount of time. They’re the food and drink equivalent of fashion trends.  The problem with fad diets is that they promise better physical health, whilst cutting out key components of what makes us healthy in the first place, and because they are so easily accessible and promise better health regardless of who you are, many people indulge. Two of the worst fad diets that have been around for a while, and draw many people in are The Atkins Diet, and The Carnivore Diet. The Atkins Diet is a low-carb diet which suggests that foods with low carbohydrate quantities are better for us. Whilst there are low-carb food stuffs like fish, eggs, nuts and seeds etc., having a diet made from consistently low-carb foods can lead to severe health problems down the line. For example, Ketosis, a low-carb diet has led to some reported cases of ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition that effects our metabolism. Similarly, The Carnivore Diet is no better. For some reason, people are still opposed to certain choices like veganism. Some people even try to eat more meat, to counter their efforts, however in doing so, they are basically doing a fad diet. Meats contain high levels of saturated fat, and cholesterol, which although needed for our bodies to create healthy cells, too much of it can lead to a higher chance of developing conditions like heart disease later in life. This is why the best way to stay healthy, and the best diets to take part in, are the most simple. The ones we’ve known about for years. All you need to do, to optimise your health is to have a balanced diet, that doesn’t reduce or remove a substance from your body, nor add to it massively. And if you’re worried about your weight, this will naturally deal with it.

If you’re still worried about your health, and you still think that it isn’t actually doing anything for you, there are a few signs that can give you an answer as to whether it is or isn’t. These can include:

BLOOD AND CHOLESTEROL LEVELS – Whilst weight might be the most obvious change, it isn’t always the thing to go by. The average calorie intake for a woman is 2,000, and 2,500 for a man. However, you can eat healthy and not reach this number which could result in malnourishment. A potentially better way to tell whether you have good health is by checking your blood pressure and levels of cholesterol. Your doctor will be able to do this for you, and it is a good way of knowing what you need to cut out or add in provided you’re not as healthy as you should be.

HAIR – You know your body best. You know what feels right, and what feels wrong, and you’ll know if anything changes. Flaky skin and dry hair can often be an indicator that your nutrition isn’t right, and could be a sign of malnutrition. If this is the case, then for you skin, eat antioxidant foods like carrots and spinach. What these foods do is they protect your cells from free radicals (an atom that has an unpaired election) from damaging your cells. For hair, Omega-3 acids are the way to go in order to keep your hair strong and shiny, and your scalp flake-free. Omega-3 acids can be found in salmon and various nuts.

ENERGY – It might not seem like the worst thing in the world to do, but skipping meals isn’t great for your health. Insufficient calorie intake can lead to a variety of problems, albeit not major, however, these can develop into serious problems. Rather than eating massive breakfasts, lunches and dinners, try to incorporate a snack every few hours to maintain your calorie intake, but don’t eat junk. Have fruit, veg, meat, fish, grains, sugar. Essentially, a little bit of everything.

BOWELS – It’s not the most pleasant of conversation, and it’s something that might be frowned upon if you bring it up whilst talking to friends and family, but the amount of times you go to the toilet in a day can reflect on whether you have good health and nutrition or not. Because each of our bodies are different, and the rate at which we can digest and break down food, this is called metabolism, there is no set amount that is agreed upon as to how many visits we should take to the bathroom. However, as a broad rule, releasing your bowels anywhere from three times a day to three times a week is normal. A clear way of knowing that something is wrong with your stool is the consistency at which it comes out. Things like constipation and diarrhea aren’t normal and are sings that your nutrition and health might not be as good as they can be. To prevent things like this from happening, high-fibre foods like fruit, veg, nuts and seeds can prevent bloating, and induce regular bowel movements.