You may be suffering from malnutrition even though you eat all the time. It all boils down to what you are eating and if your body is properly absorbing the essential vitamins and minerals it needs to function properly. You need to pay attention to the foods that are going into your body to ensure you are supplying yourself with exactly what you need. You also should listen to what your body is trying to tell you. Even if you are eating a well-balanced diet, something may be getting in the way of helping your body to use what you eat efficiently. Consider six surprising causes of malnutrition that could be affecting your health and what you can do about it.
Having a Inadequate Diet – One of the biggest causes of malnutrition is a poor diet. You may not consume enough calories in a day, compounded by a lack of essential nutrients. The end result is weight loss, fatigue, and a lack of strength. On the other end of the spectrum, you may be consuming too much food that is not healthy for you. Overindulging and failure to get vital vitamins and minerals can lead to obesity. You’ll also be put at a higher risk for serious health conditions in the future. The old saying, “You are what you eat,” holds true. If you don’t eat well, your health can suffer.
Your Medication is Getting in the Way – The medicine that you put in your body could be blocking the absorption of nutrients or actually reducing the amount of important vitamins and nutrients in your body. Whether you are taking medication to manage cholesterol levels, hormone replacement medication, laxatives, antibiotics or pain relievers, each medication could have a detrimental affect on your nutrition. It doesn’t matter if it is an over the counter drug or a prescription drug. Both could be having a negative impact on your health.
Poor Oral Health – Gum disease, bone deterioration in your jaw or tooth decay can all lead to malnutrition. When your mouth is in poor condition, you will find it more difficult to eat the proper kinds of food or to eat at all. Failure to have good, oral hygiene or to visit a dentist will be a major factor in meeting your nutritional needs. Seeing a prosthodontist could be a step in the right direction. Advanced Dental Prosthetics in Mesa, AZ offers reconstructive dentistry options that can make a big difference in your life.
Using Drugs and Alcohol – If you use any type of drug on a consistent basis, including cigarettes and alcohol, you are more likely to suffer from malnutrition. When you take part in substance abuse, it affects your appetite. You will find yourself not eating at all or eating sporadically, failing to give your body what it needs.
Pre-existing Medical Conditions – A variety of medical conditions and physical conditions can lead to malnutrition. If you have any type of condition that causes pain and nausea, eating can be a chore. Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome can make it difficult for your body to absorb nutrients as everything is evacuated from the body. Severe trauma, from a burn or injury, can make your body use much more energy in the healing process. If you are not well, physically, emotionally or mentally, malnutrition is an unfortunate possibility.
Other Signs – If you are not getting the nutrition that you need to function at your best, your body will let you know. Rapid, unexplained weight loss is one of the biggest indicators of malnutrition. If you lack energy, can’t concentrate, and feel cold all the time, your body may be lacking in nutritional needs. Chronic infections, wounds that take a long time to heal, and lingering fatigue could suggest that malnutrition is affecting you.
You should look at your diet, medications that you are taking and see a doctor to find out if you are suffering from an underlying condition. Malnutrition can be remedied, but you have to take action.