Signs & Symptoms of Not Eating Enough
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that in 2006 more than 72 million Americans suffered from obesity. With levels continuing to rise, the agency encourages citizens to partake in healthy eating habits. Engaging in healthy eating habits has been known to lessen your risk of heart disease, cancer and stroke. If you are attempting fad diets to lose those extra pounds, it is crucial to ensure that your body is still getting the nourishment it needs. Knowing different signs and symptoms of malnourishment will make your dieting process safer.
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Nerve Damage
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Malnutrition can cause nerve damage from a lack of vitamin B12. If you are not eating adequately and providing your body with essential nutrients, you may experience nerve damage. Signs and symptoms of nerve damage for a malnourished individual include a tingling, burning or numbing sensation of the hands and feet. Nutrients, such as vitamin B12, keep nerve endings healthy and in proper working order.
Bone and Joint Pain
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Joints of the knees and hips can become painful for people who do not eat enough. If you are not eating enough, you may experience bone and joint pain. Your body extracts calcium from many different foods, especially from dairy products. Calcium is an essential nutrient that encourages bone growth and bone density. Starving your body of this crucial nutrient will weaken your bones, creating pain, especially with the joints of your hips and knees.
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Chronic Diarrhea
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If you are not eating enough, be prepared to spend some time in the bathroom. The Cleveland Clinic describes chronic diarrhea as three or more loose stools per day for more than a one-month period. For someone who is not consuming enough food, his body's small intestine becomes malnourished and therefore is open to an increase of infections and unhealthy bacteria. Infections and unhealthy bacteria cause the small intestine to release loose, watery stools.
Dry Skin
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Itching can be a sign of a depletion in your body of vitamins A, B and E. If you are not eating enough and are experiencing dry, scaly skin, you are probably deficient in vitamins A, B and E. These vitamins are found in foods such as mangoes, sweet potatoes and almonds and help hydrate your skin and keep it healthy.
Diseases and Other Medical Issues
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Being informed about certain medical issues can help you prevent becoming malnourished. If you are suffering from a medical issue such as cystic fibrosis, celiac or lactose intolerance, be weary that your body could be malnourished. These medical issues do not allow your body to absorb crucial nutrients that help keep you strong and healthy. Proteins, carbohydrates and fats are some of the nutrients required to keep a body at a healthy weight level.
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References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Nutrition
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Obesity Among Adults in the United States
- Kid's Health: Hunger and Malnutrition
- Lab Tests Online: Malnutrition
- Journal of Nutrition: Diarrhea and Malnutrition
- Cleveland Clinic Center for Continuing Education: Acute Diarrhea
Resources
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