5 Signs Your Diet is Making You Sick

How are the foods you’re eating affecting your overall health? Here are five warning signs that your diet may be making you sick, with healthier alternatives.

**NERD ALERT WEE-OO WEE-OO**

I was relaxing and playing a video game last weekend called Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – the game is based in Ancient Greece in 431 BCE, long before the advent of modern medicine. One of the game’s tasks has you helping out a doctor named Hippocrates (you’ve likely heard of him – he was known as the father of medicine).

In the game, Hippocrates has been shunned by his peers and driven to a remote mountain location because of his “extreme” view that people can begin to heal themselves through diet and lifestyle choices. As presented in the game, the common belief held by the majority of doctors in that era was that sickness could be healed and health maintained through prayer, and even animal sacrifice (ick).

We’ve come a long way since 431 BCE. It is now traditionally accepted that our diet and lifestyle choices play a huge factor in our overall health. A poor diet in particular has been linked to a host of health problems, and many modern illnesses – including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune conditions – can often be traced back at least partially to bad dietary choices.

As the common phrase goes, “you are what you eat”.

Long before an actual illness manifests itself, the damage from a poor diet may have already begun. Looking back on the months and years leading up to my MS diagnosis, there were clear warning signs that my diet was affecting my health negatively. The five signs below are ones that I wish I’d paid more attention to.

1. Digestion issues

Upset stomach after eating? It could be a sign that you’re eating a food you’re sensitive to. Or that you’re consuming food toxins that are causing inflammation or negatively affecting your gut health. Or maybe you’re eating too much and the body can’t handle it.

Even if you think you’re eating healthy, some foods (particularly non-organic produce) contain pesticides, preservatives, or other ingredients that can cause a digestive malfunction. Step one is to identify any foods that are likely causing issues. Take a food sensitivity test, and avoid The Dirty Dozen: the worst offenders when it comes to chemical contamination.

2. Fatigue

Do you find yourself crashing after lunch most days? That’s likely the blood sugar dip that follows a heavy meal, particularly one that contains a lot of sugar and carbs. And if your blood sugar is dipping, it means it had to have shot up to begin with – causing inflammation and harm to the body.

One tip: eat a light, low-carb, nutrient-dense lunch and those afternoon crashes will become much less of an issue.

3. Always being hungry

Are you finding yourself famished only a short time after eating a meal? Chances are you’re not getting enough protein, fiber, and/or fat, and even worse…you may be replacing them with empty carbs that are unhealthy and causing inflammation. Your body may also be craving key nutrients or vitamins that it’s missing, and thus is turning on your hunger hormones.

The solution is to eat a balanced, nutritious diet focused on whole foods, vegetables, and good, healthy fats. Also make sure you’re getting enough sleep – a lack of sleep can lead to excess hunger.

4. Skin issues

A popular belief is that your inner health is reflected on the surface of your skin. If you’re struggling with acne, dry/oily skin, or itchiness, there’s a chance the food you’re eating is contributing to the issue – you could have an allergy or sensitivity, or perhaps your skin is becoming inflamed due to a leaky gut.

Staying well-hydrated and eating a healthy diet low in sugar and dairy is likely a good start. Also, focus on probiotic-rich foods that help heal the gut, such as sauerkraut and kombucha. Another trick that Tina swears has helped her skin: drinking water with a splash of apple cider vinegar at least a couple times a day.

5. Brain fog

Do you struggle focusing or remembering things, seemingly without explanation? Chances are it’s due to unhealthy habits, particularly lack of sleep and/or an unhealthy diet filled with carbs and sugar. Both of these cause inflammation in the body, which can affect the brain on a cellular level and lead to issues with energy, focus, and mood. Brain fog can also be a symptom of dehydration or more serious issues (like MS or Alzheimer’s disease).

To start improving brain fog, focus on good sleep habits, proper nutrition, and staying well-hydrated.

 

While the above five issues are some of the most common signs your diet is making you sick, there are other signs your body is telling you something is wrong. In my case, it was the beginning of sensory MS symptoms: numbness in the feet and rib area, particularly after I consumed unhealthy food (especially sugar). Pay attention to how you feel after eating – the body is exceedingly good at giving off signs that something isn’t right.

Fortunately, since Tina and I altered our diets in 2015, all of the above issues have improved or disappeared altogether. See Our Diet for details on how we currently eat.

Tina and I have often wondered how many people are living with chronic health conditions that could be healed through different dietary choices. Either because of a lack of knowledge or a lack of willpower, sadly these people continue eating a Western diet and hope their symptoms can be alleviated through prescription drugs.

Fortunately, the world is now waking up to the fact that our diets and gut health have a profound effect on our overall health. The fact that you’re reading this article shows that you too have made the connection.

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Later in the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey game, Hippocrates turns to the player’s character and tosses him an apple.

“I believe an apple a day can keep the doctor away,” he says.

Maybe he wasn’t 100% accurate, but ol’ Hippocrates may have been onto something.