Bad Eating Habits And Their Dangers Effects On Health

It is normal to get confused when deciding which foods are healthy and which are not. You generally have to avoid certain foods if you want to lose weight and prevent chronic illnesses. There is nothing wrong with turning to your favorite food items from time to time because after all, there is a reason you enjoy eating them.

But how well do you know exactly what they put in your food to make it tasty and so desirable? The cream you add in your coffee each morning, canned chicken noodle soup that reminds you of what you used to eat as a kid, the nicely portioned frozen meals you pop in the oven when you do not have time to make lunch. It all seems harmless enough but that is not true. Due to food manufacturers and deceptive marketers, even the healthy meals (as they claim it to be) are filled with trans-fats, artificial ingredients, and preservatives that are hazardous to your health. Do you know what foods are bad for your health? When analyzing the ingredients of your diet, it can be difficult to determine what foods are healthy or not.

In this article, some harmful foods and their potential hazards are mentioned to make you understand what you eat on a daily basis.

What are bad foods?

The most common bad foods include highly processed eatables such as junk foods and snack foods. Highly processed foods tend to have low nutritional values such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and high in empty calories due to the content of refined flour, added sugars, fats, and sodium.

Examples of processed foods include:

• Chips
• Cookies
• Cakes
• Sugar
• Instant drinks
• Cereals
• All bakery items
  
  

Harmful effects of bad eating habits:

Consumption of fast food can lead to a lot of health problems, some of them are mentioned below.

1. Gastritis:

Your diet is important for your digestive system and overall body health. What you put in your stomach can make a difference on the health of your brain and body. For instance, some types of gastritis are caused by drinking alcohol too often or too much at a time. Avoiding some foods, beverages and eating others can help manage the gastritis and its’ symptoms.

There are some foods that may help manage your gastritis and minimize the symptoms. These include:

• High fiber foods such as whole wheat, oatmeal, cruciferous vegetables, apples, broccoli, carrots and beans
• Low fat foods such as fish, chicken and turkey
• Foods with low acidic value or more alkaline in nature such as leafy green vegetables
• Natural drinks without caffeine or carbonated water
• Probiotics foodssuch as pickles, kombucha, yogurt, kimchi and sauerkraut

Studies also suggest that probiotics may help to cope with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). H. pylori are bacteria that cause an infection in the digestive system which can lead to gastritis or stomach ulcers.

Fatty or deep fried foods may worsen inflammation in the lining of the stomach. Some other foods to avoid because they can irritate your stomach are mentioned here:

• Alcohol
• Coffee
• Acidic foods like tomatoes and some fruits
• Citrus fruit juice
• Fatty foods
• Fried foods
• Carbonated drinks
• Spicy foods
• Allergenic or symptomatic foods

2. Gastritis diet with an ulcer:

At some stage, gastritis can eventually cause an ulcer in the stomach. If it happens, the types of foods that you should eat or stay away from are similar to those for gastritis. With an ulcer, you should make sure you are getting foods that are full of fiber and vitamins with low caloric value. A healthy diet full of vitamins and other nutrients makes it easier for the ulcer to heal.

You may also consult your doctor about eliminating milk from your diet even if it seems to reduce your ulcer pain. It may actually make the pain and other symptoms worse later.

3. Acidity:

In this hectic lifestyle, acidity is the one problem that catches us off guard. It is one common thing that all of us have faced at some point regardless of what we do or where we stay.

Acidity occurs when the basic pH balance of our stomach remains acidic over large period of time, it upsets the tender linings of our stomach. In a few cases a stomach abnormality is named as hiatal hernia and it can cause acid reflux. This happens when the stomach acid is thrown back into the food pipe or esophagus because of the inadequate closing of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). If one is obese then the diaphragm which is the muscle that separates your stomach from your chest is pushed upwards causing the LES to be stressed open.

What is the treatment for acidity and gastritis?

Based on your condition, your doctor will prescribe drugs such as antacids to neutralize the acidity. If the condition is chronic and too severe, he may suggest surgery (Vagotomy) to reduce the production of HCL acid in the stomach.

As per in situation of gastritis, you can take OTC medicines or the doctor will prescribe you some drugs such as proton pump inhibitors, histamine blockers or antacids based on your symptoms. The doctor will further give you some instructions about adopting a healthy lifestyle and avoid such foods causing stomach inflammation that you should follow on.

Some other health damages caused by processed and junk food are the following:

1. Increased weight or obesity:

One of the most common harms of consuming unhealthy and junk foods is increased obesity. It is composed of loads of sugar, empty calories and trans-fats that contribute to weight gain. Obesity can cause many health issues like diabetes, joint pain and heart diseases.

2. Depression:

Junk foods are loaded with excessive sugar and artificial fats that can cause certain chemical reactions in our brain which damage its proper functioning. By consuming too much of this food, the body loses essential nutrients and amino acids. These symptoms eventually lead our brain to be unable to deal with stress and leave you feeling depressed.

3. Worsens Appetite and Digestion:

Consumption of excess processed food leaves the brain in a dilemma. Excessive sugar intake can cause blood sugar level to go up and down swiftly and makes the brain demand more food, which eventually leads to overeating. It makes it impossible for the body to digest the food properly before the next meal due to a short duration.