7 Signs You Should Invest in Your Health

Can you really afford to risk your health? We always seem to invest our time and money in material things, but what about the things that really matter and can affect our health and well-being?

When it comes to our body and state of mind, it’s all about how we treat them.

If you have any of these signs, it’s time to start investing in your health today!

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1. Poor Digestion

Your digestion habits are mainly to do with the types of foods you eat, and your diet as a whole. To distinguish how your diet is affecting your digestion, start to think about how you feel after you have eaten. Do you feel energised? Do you feel sluggish? Symptoms of poor digestion can also include: bloating, diarrhoea, stomach pain/cramps, and gas. The food you eat fuels your body, so you should be consuming foods that make you feel energised and good about yourself.

2. Weight Gain/Loss

Weight fluctuation is usually a normal part of day to day life, but it’s important to know when it isn’t normal. If the scale rises five or more pounds for longer than a day or two, chances are it’s time to make some adjustments.

Drastic weight loss/gain in a short period of time is never healthy, a healthy rate is around 1-2 pounds per week.

If you are losing more than that amount, you are most likely:

- Putting your body through too much change (e.g. crash dieting) which can place a heavy strain on your body.

- Not eating enough – losing 2 pounds per week requires a 1,000 calorie per day deficit – this can then slow your metabolism and lead to poor digestion.

- Not gaining enough nutrients (vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, fibre) per day – this will negatively affect the way your body functions.

If you are gaining more than 1-2 pounds per week this can lead to:

- Excess fat accumulation – this can endanger your health even if your BMI (body mass index) is just barely in the normal range.

- Less muscle accumulation – gaining a normal rate of weight is fine, but without exercise, around two-thirds of every pound gained is from fat.

- Not gaining enough nutrients – gaining weight quickly often results from eating foods that are high in sugar and saturated fats, but lacking in nutrients.

3. Sleep Issues

1 in 3 people suffer from poor sleep, which can be due to a number of factors, such as stress

and anxiety. A lack of sleep can have many effects on your health – mental and physical. Many people know that when you have had a bad sleep it can be harder to focus, you can become irritable and just be in a generally low mood. Did you also know that poor sleep can lead to a lower life expectancy? Plus, a number of serious medical conditions such as, heart disease, diabetes and obesity. If you aren’t able to get a good night sleep, it’s time to look into what factors of your life could be the reason why.

4. Low Energy & Mood

While also linked to sleep issues, having a low mood and a lack of energy can also be caused by your diet, water intake, stress levels, and work/school environment.

If you feel this way more often than not, it is extremely important to find out the root cause, and seek help, as this can also be linked to mental health issues, such as depression.

5. Skin Issues

Unfortunately, skin issues can be the cause of and caused by underlying mental health problems. An example of skin issues being the cause of mental health issues is that, psoriasis or severe acne can cause embarrassment and low self-esteem, which can then go on to cause

or contribute to depression and anxiety. An example of underlying mental health issues causing or worsening skin issues is that, stress is directly associated with skin issues. 44% of people report stress relating to initial flare ups of psoriasis and up to 80% say stress is related to recurring flare ups.

6. Chronic Pain

According to recent studies, physical exercise has now been established as an effective way to

manage chronic intractable pain as it is at least partially attributed to sedentary and inactive lifestyles. Exercise and increasing physical activity in daily life may be important in treating and preventing chronic pain, a life-style related disease.

7. Constant Illness

If you constantly have the sniffles, headaches or feel generally unwell, it could be your dietary habits as without a balanced diet, your body can’t function at its best. Factors that could contribute to this include: low vitamin D intake, dehydration, sleep deprivation, bad hygiene, immune system disorders, genetics, and stress.

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