Embarking on a journey toward a healthier lifestyle often begins with dietary changes. You've started to eat better, swearing off fried food, cutting your sugar intake, and substituting junk food with healthier options. While the long-term benefits of a healthy diet are undeniable, the initial transition period can sometimes bring about unexpected side effects. This article explores the potential side effects of dietary changes and provides guidance on how to navigate them effectively.
Initial Discomfort: The Body's Adjustment Period
When you switch to a new diet, you may experience temporary discomfort. This is because your body may take a while to adapt to the new changes. These side effects are usually mild and temporary. It's essential to remember that healthy eating is not a crash course or quick fix; it has to be a way of life. That means your diet needs to be sustainable. Don’t be hard on yourself if you slip a few times. Keep reminding yourself why you started eating healthier and what you plan to achieve.
Can You Undo Past Dietary Damage?
In your 20s, maybe you sometimes chose fast-food burgers and fries over healthier foods. You're now repenting for the sins of the past, but the question is, can you undo the damage? The answer is a little complicated, says Dr. JoAnn E. Manson, professor of medicine and the Michael and Lee Bell Professor of Women's Health at Harvard Medical School. "Some studies suggest that regression of atherosclerosis is possible," she says. While this may give you a glimmer of hope that you can reverse some of the harm you did to your arteries in your younger years, there is a caveat. The same studies also show that making the types of changes required to reverse the clogging in your arteries is more challenging than many people can achieve, says Dr. Manson. The goal should be to halt the development or progression of atherosclerosis, says Dr. Manson, and also to prevent its consequences, heart attack or stroke. With the right interventions, you can reduce your risk of developing heart disease by as much as 80%.
Strategies for Mitigating Cardiovascular Risk
With the right interventions, you can reduce your risk of developing heart disease by as much as 80%. So how can you do this?
- Watch what you eat: A healthful diet is one of the best ways to ward off cardiovascular disease. The Mediterranean diet, high in vegetables, healthy fats, nuts, and fish, has been linked to a reduction in cardiovascular disease, but it's not the only one. "The DASH [Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension] diet and several other dietary approaches also are effective," says Dr. Manson.
- Lower your cholesterol: Keeping your cholesterol in check starts by knowing your numbers. If your cholesterol is high, it's worth considering taking action, whether that includes making dietary changes or taking a statin or other medication. "Although statins have been linked to an increased risk of diabetes, there's strong evidence that they're effective in reducing heart attack and stroke risk in women and men," says Dr. Manson. Your doctor can help you weigh the risks versus benefits of statins for managing your condition.
- Control your blood pressure: The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association recently revamped their joint guidelines regarding blood pressure, essentially lowering the definition for high blood pressure to 130/80 from 140/90 (see "The new blood pressure guidelines at a glance"). So, what does that mean for you? If your blood pressure is under 140/90 but meets the new definition for high blood pressure, it doesn't necessarily mean you need to go on medication. What it does mean is that you should be even more vigilant about being physically active and making lifestyle modifications, says Dr. Manson. "It's a warning sign that you need to pay attention to," she says.
- Consider aspirin therapy: It's also a good idea to ask your doctor if you are a candidate for low-dose aspirin therapy. In addition to its benefits after a heart attack or stroke, low-dose aspirin may help prevent cardiovascular disease in adults ages 50 to 69 who have a 10% or greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the next 10 years (provided there are no specific reasons not to take it). A free iPhone app called Aspirin Guide, designed by Dr. Manson and her colleagues at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital, can help determine whether you might benefit from talking with your doctor about starting a low-dose aspirin regimen.
- Control your weight and be physically active: Other ways to reduce your cardiovascular risks are to maintain a healthy weight and be physically active. Those two steps will also lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Quit smoking: You've heard it before, but it bears repeating. The bottom line: Even if you've been less than virtuous when it comes to your health habits in the past, now is the time to start working toward a better future. "It's never too late to make lifestyle modifications. It's never too late to quit smoking or to become physically active," says Dr. Manson.
Common Side Effects and How to Manage Them
Digestive System Adjustments
Are you eating more fiber? Good for you! Whole grains have more nutritional value than refined grains, and those salads and steamed veggies are filled with vitamins and minerals. If you’re making a big change, though - say, going from fast food burgers and fries for lunch to salads - it can take your digestive system a little while to get up to speed. That doesn’t mean you should go back to pillowy white bread and potato chips.
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- Increased Fiber Intake: A sudden increase in fiber can lead to bloating, gas, and constipation. To mitigate this, gradually increase your fiber intake and ensure you're drinking plenty of water.
- Lactose Intolerance: Are you adding yogurt and other dairy foods? Some dairy products contain lactose, a sugar that many people can’t digest easily. If you’re lactose intolerant, drinking milk can lead to stomach cramps and diarrhea. Consider lactose-free alternatives or smaller portions of dairy.
The Problem With Diets
The most common critique of weight-loss diets is that they don’t work-and they don’t. That is, dieting is an ineffective means of losing weight for the overwhelming majority of people. Some people may experience temporary weight loss, but study after study shows that these results do not last. On the contrary, about 95% of dieters regain lost weight within five years (Grodstein et al., 1996). What’s more, many of these dieters ultimately gain back more weight than they initially lost.The lack of sustainable weight loss is not the fault of the dieters. It is not because dieters lack willpower or self-control; in fact, research shows that even dieters who maintain their diet and exercise programs do not experience long-term weight loss. The reason? Our bodies are designed to fight against it. Survival-based biological responses protect us from the perceived threat of starvation.
Physical Consequences of Dieting
But dieting impacts more than our weight, and our conversations about it should include more than claims about its effectiveness or lack thereof. Here are some (but not all) physical consequences of dieting beyond weight change. Note that these complications overlap and interact.
- Vitamin and mineral deficiencies: Vitamins and minerals play a range of essential roles in the body, and deficits can impair immune function, bone growth and density, skin and vision health, and more.
- Chronic fatigue: Without adequate food as fuel, we can experience fatigue that affects both our physical and mental functioning. We may feel exhausted or lethargic and have difficulty concentrating.
- Altered mood: Neurotransmitters that regulate our mood fluctuate when we’re hungry or our blood sugar is low, contributing to irritability and mood swings.
- Gastrointestinal issues: Gastrointestinal side effects of dieting include bloating, indigestion, and irregular or inconsistent bowel movements.
- Muscle loss: If the body is consistently not receiving adequate energy through food, it can start to break down muscles for energy.
- Low body temperature: Metabolic and hormonal changes related to dieting can influence our body temperature, resulting in feeling colder than usual.
Dieting and Eating Disorders
A diet is not an eating disorder, but a diet can foster an unhealthy relationship with food that could lead to an eating disorder in those susceptible. Dieting, in fact, is one of the greatest risk factors for developing an eating disorder. One study of teenage girls shows that those who moderately restricted their intake were 5 times more likely to develop an eating disorder than those who did not diet, and those who severely restricted were 18 times more likely (Golden et al., 2016).Though most people who diet will not develop a clinical eating disorder, dieting poses significant risks to our physical and mental wellbeing.
The Impact of Diet on Overall Health
Though the potential for weight gain and cardiovascular disease are commonly known results of an unhealthy diet, the general public often does not realize that their diet can also adversely affect other aspects of health-even mental health. Additionally, the extent to which the American diet affects society as a whole brings this issue to a greater public importance. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans states that the average American diet consists of excess sodium, saturated fat, refined grains, and calories from solid fats and added sugars1. Furthermore, the guidelines state that Americans eat less vegetables, fruits, whole grains, dairy products, and oils than recommended. Some of the blame has been placed on fast food chains, which tend to serve foods high in calories, fats, sugars, and sodium, and low in vitamins and minerals4. While these restaurants may contribute to the poor diet of the average American, they are not the sole cause. Stepping into any American grocery store will make it abundantly clear why the American diet is severely lacking. Nutritious foods, like fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean meats, are often more expensive than packaged foods. Packaged foods tend to contain higher amounts of sodium, refined grains, sugar, and unhealthy oils than recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans1. Poor diet is predominantly associated with weight gain and obesity; however, the harmful effects do not end there.
Diet-Related Health Concerns
Animal and human studies indicate that an unhealthy diet can contribute to the development of many diseases, like cardiovascular disease and cancer, and can even affect the brain. In animal models, animals are often fed some type of high-fat, high-sugar diet, referred to as a Western Diet or high-fat sucrose (HFS) diet, to simulate the diet that a typical American consumes. As expected, studies in mice and rats show that those following a Western diet tend to gain more weight than those eating standard chow6,7, although the extent of the difference between groups varies between studies; however, this variance could be caused by biological differences between mice and rats. In addition to weight gain, a Western diet also results in impaired cardiac function in mice, as indicated by changes in contraction and relaxation of the heart6. A Western diet has also been shown to elevate fasting insulin levels in rats and lower insulin sensitivity7. This result suggests that the rats on a Western diet were developing insulin resistance, which is a precursor to type two diabetes. Another health concern that is associated with diet is asthma. adults have asthma, and in 2013, over 3,600 people died from asthma10. Interestingly, studies have shown that unhealthy diets affect the brain as well as the body. Diets high in saturated fats and refined carbohydrates are associated with greater incidences of depression, depressive symptoms, and anxiety12,13. In older adults, an unhealthy diet is associated with a smaller left hippocampus, a brain structure associated with learning, memory, and mood regulation, and is thought to play a role in depression14. A study in rats showed that the longer a rat consumed a diet high in fat and sugar, the greater the effect on hippocampal functioning and brain plasticity, resulting in impaired learning and memory15. Further evidence of the impact of diet on the brain is provided by studies of diet-induced obesity and Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is characterized by clumps of a protein called α-synuclein in the brain. Rotermund et al.16 have shown that in mice, diet-induced obesity can increase the risk of developing these protein clumps. The study used a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease, in which the mice were genetically predisposed to develop α-synuclein clumps.
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Mental Health and Diet
Clearly, diet is incredibly important and can affect more than just physical size and weight - it can even affect mental health. Eating a diet high in fat and sugar, which many Americans do, can contribute to cardiac dysfunction, decrease insulin sensitivity, and worsen symptoms of asthma. Additionally, such a diet is associated with greater incidence of depression and depressive symptoms, impaired learning and memory, and greater risk of developing α-synuclein clumps, which are a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease.
Avoiding Diet Culture Traps
Diet culture wreaks havoc all year long, compromising our joy, peace of mind, health, and trust in our bodies. And now, as in years past, it has hit its peak season. Dieting’s unfounded claims and empty promises show up with renewed energy after the holidays, as if right on schedule every year.With the ring of the new year comes diet talk suggesting that we should “get back on track” after holiday eating or “jumpstart” the year with weight loss resolutions. Cleanses and detoxes and fasts galore, the clamor implies that we must change our bodies with the turn of the calendar. It sets an expectation that controlling our bodies will lead to happier, healthier lives via “new year, new me” goals.But weight-loss dieting is a misguided approach to happiness and health. Not only is it ineffective for most people, but it can actually cause harm to our bodies.
Practical Tips for a Sustainable Healthy Diet
There’s no question that a healthy diet is better for you than an unhealthy diet, and the beginning of a new year is the perfect time to make changes in your life that will improve your health. Unfortunately, it’s not always quite as easy as waking up one morning and saying, “I’m going to be healthy now.” Change can be challenging, even when that change is good.
- Read Labels Carefully: Don’t get duped by “healthy food” labels. There are a lot of foods that are marketed as being good for you because they are low in calories or low in fat. Many of these foods use artificial ingredients and additives in order to get rid of the “bad stuff” (which is a bit ironic).
- Focus on Whole, Unprocessed Foods: Prioritize fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.
- Cook at Home: This allows you to control ingredients and portion sizes.
- Plan Your Meals: This reduces the likelihood of impulsive, unhealthy choices.
- Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
- Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues.
- Seek Professional Guidance: If you have specific health concerns or dietary needs, consult a registered dietitian or healthcare provider.
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