If it’s not from a chronic illness, beware! – Health news
Nutrition and diet specialist Tuba Sungur states that wrong eating habits and an unhealthy lifestyle can cause fatigue in the body, highlighting that important benefits can be achieved with a few simple changes. Here are 7 nutritional mistakes that cause fatigue:
1 – Loading carbohydrates Carbohydrates are the first nutrients that are quickly converted into energy in our body. Carbohydrates are divided into simple (refined) and complex. In a healthy diet, it is necessary to give preference to complex carbohydrates with a high fiber content and healthier blood sugar fluctuations. Simple carbohydrates such as floury foods, pastries, sorbet desserts and white bread should be consumed sparingly because they are low in fiber, high in calories and cause a rapid rise and fall in blood sugar. Simple carbohydrates also cause weight gain, fatigue and many chronic diseases. If you don’t want to experience constant fatigue, instead of refined sugar and sugary foods; It is beneficial to favor foods such as whole grains, bulgur, oats, legumes, vegetables and fruits by paying attention to portion control.
2- Caffeine Overconsumption As a society, we consume a lot of caffeinated beverages like tea and coffee in our daily life. Unfortunately, the consumption of such drinks has increased during the pandemic process. Excessive caffeine consumption causes anxiety, headaches, irritability, restlessness and fatigue due to insomnia. For adults, daily caffeine consumption should average 250-300 mg. This is met with 1-2 cups of filter coffee and 1 cup of Turkish coffee per day. However, it would not be right to excessively cut back on caffeine for people who consume much more caffeine than these daily amounts. By gradually increasing the daily amount to reach the required doses, you can more easily overcome the withdrawal symptoms.
3- Insufficient fluid intake Sufficient fluid intake is very important to replenish the lost water in our body. If not enough fluids are taken in, the body becomes dehydrated and people feel more tired. Drinking tea and coffee throughout the day also acts as a diuretic (rapid urination) in the body, dehydrating the body even more. To prevent this, 30-35 ml of water per kilogram should be drunk per day.
4- Diets deficient in protein Protein deficiency causes muscle loss in the body over time. The body’s resistance decreases, the metabolism slows down. In the event of a prolonged insufficient protein intake, the body must use the protein in its own tissues. As a result, body weight decreases, weakness, anemia (anemia), and edema (swelling) occur, and the person feels more tired. Adults should consume meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese, milk and protein-rich products in personalized portions throughout the day. While the amount of protein that should be consumed daily increases in athletes, this amount may need to be limited in some diseases.
5- Skipping meals and low-calorie diet Eating low calories and skipping meals causes irregularities in blood sugar levels. For this reason, weakness develops and the person feels tired. To avoid this, a meal order should be provided and meals should be regular every day. If hunger is felt between main meals, then a snack should be made to regulate blood sugar levels. If your goals are to lose weight, you should follow a healthy and regular diet. Be sure to do this in consultation with a nutritionist and dietitian.
6- Alcohol consumption Alcohol lowers the number of red blood cells that carry oxygen in the blood. This causes anemia. People with anemia experience symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Apart from this, the person starts the day feeling like waking up early, headache, thirst and nausea (Hangover syndrome) the next day after heavy alcohol intake. This further increases the person’s feeling of fatigue.
7- Not consuming foods containing magnesium Magnesium deficiency; It causes fatigue, muscle cramps, mental problems, an irregular heartbeat and osteoporosis. If you feel intensely tired, you may have a magnesium deficiency. You can find out with a blood test. To prevent magnesium deficiency, you should regularly consume plenty of magnesium-rich foods during the day, such as pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, pine nuts, walnuts, spinach, beans, lentils, avocados, bananas and leeks. “You can be sensitive to many foods or food ingredients such as milk, eggs and gluten. After consuming foods to which you are sensitive, you may feel gas, bloating, abdominal pain and constant fatigue. It is enough to take a blood test to determine which foods you are intolerant of. By regulating it by eliminating it from your diet, your feeling of tiredness will disappear.