The Importance Of Having A Good Diet

Your body is your sanctuary, which is why it’s important to look after it. There are a whole plethora of ways to look after your body, from consuming enough water, getting enough sleep, and as we continue to look into today, by consuming a good diet. The reason it’s important to eat well is that it will help reduce the chances of you getting ill as well as improve your physical performance. Below are four reasons why having a good diet is important.

Improve Your Mood 

It’s very well documented that eating a bad diet can have a direct link to how you feel. If you are constantly eating badly, you can find yourself feeling tired and waking up not feeling fresh. By eating your five a day, reducing your alcohol consumptions (If you struggle with alcohol abuse, you can look into an outpatient alcohol treatment center) you will find that your mood improves and you feel better throughout the day. 

Weight Loss 

If one of your goals is to lose weight, then improving your diet will be a key part of your success. By having a good diet you will notice that you lose weight and don’t put weight on as easily. This is because fatty foods tend to have more calories than good foods, meaning the more fatty foods you eat the higher your calorie count normally is. When improving your diet, it’s a good idea to track the foods you eat so that you know what you are consuming and how many calories you are eating a day. To lose weight it is advised you cut your calorie allowance by 500 each day

Improve Your Sleep 

Another link to having a good diet and eating well is that your sleep will improve. You’ll find that the better you eat the higher quality of sleep you will get. If you currently struggle to sleep very well, you can find improving your diet is a key change to making a big difference. If you drink alcohol or caffeine during the day this also can be a big factor in why you struggle to sleep so not only will stopping improve your diet, but it will also help you sleep. It is recommended you get around 7-9 hours of sleep a day but this can vary depending on your age. 

Reduce The Chances Of You Getting Ill 

.A major reason to improve your diet to help with your mental health and reduce the chances of you getting ill. The healthier your diet is, the healthier your heart will be and the better your gut will be. You will also find that by eating cleaner your memory is better and you help keep your bones and teeth strong. When improving your diet it’s important you drink plenty of water and reduce your intake of sugary drinks. 

Why do you think it’s important to have a good diet? Would you add anything to the above four points? Have you recently started a new diet and how is it going? Let me know in the comment box below. 

4 Common Reasons You Keep Experiencing Mood Swings

Let's begin by making one thing perfectly clear; 'mood swings' refers to slight shifts and changes in your mood. One moment you're happy and energized, then you're feeling lethargic and sad. That's the type of thing this post will look at, not anything to do with severe personality disorders, etc. 

No, it's all about little shifts in your mood that might worry or annoy you. Why do they keep happening?

Hormonal imbalances

An imbalance in hormones can easily trigger mood swings. After all, hormones are basically the messengers in our body that tell us to feel certain ways. When we feel happy, it's because a certain hormone has been released. Many men and women have sex hormone imbalances, which can cause mood swings. Or, more commonly, a condition known as hypothyroidism. This is where the thyroid doesn't produce the right hormones, throwing your mood out of whack. 

Reactions to contraception

For women, your mood swings can be brought around by a reaction to contraception. Many girls that take the pill will experience mood swings within the first few months. They might go away, but a lot of people say that their mood swings are crazy while on it. Therefore, it might be worth visiting a clinic like Marie Stopes, where you can discuss other contraceptive options. Once you're off the pill, you may see an immediate change in your mood swings. If you do, then you know what caused them!

PMS

Yes, you may suffer from PMS in the weeks leading up to your period. Mood swings are a very common symptom of this condition, along with chronic fatigue, bloating, and a change in appetite. Unfortunately, there's not a lot you can do about this - other than realizing it's happening. Ironically, that can be enough to make it easier to deal with. Mood swings are much worse when you're clueless as to why you feel a certain way. 

Post-workout blues

The post-workout blues (also known as the post-workout comedown) relate to exhaustion and fatigue feelings after exercising. Contrary to popular belief, this isn't a normal reaction to working out. Most people will actually feel more active after exercising because you activate the sympathetic nervous system. This is the part of your CNS that makes you feel alert and energised. If you feel quite lethargic and down after exercising, it's probably because you're activating the parasympathetic system instead. This will make you feel more relaxed and mellowed out, which can be a massive shift from how you felt during your workout. 

If this is the case, you should incorporate more fast and energetic movements towards the end of your workouts. This triggers your sympathetic nervous system, meaning you leave the gym feeling happy and alert. 

Which one of these reasons is causing your mood swings? The best way to find out is to test each theory. Think about when you experience mood swings - is it before your period or after working out? Have they only just started since you've been on the pill? If you get no answers from these questions, it could be a hormonal imbalance, which will require a visit to your doctor. Anyway, I hope this article has given you things to think about and helped you figure out the cause of your mood shifts.