When dieting gets dangerous
HAVE you ever been in a situation where you’ve gained a few unwanted pounds and started a fad diet in a bid to drop the pounds and drop them fast? Did the weight go temporarily, only to return, putting you back to square one?
The desire to diet usually comes with good intentions but, if done improperly or done under the wrong conditions, can lead to more harm than good.
Below, Dr Alfred Dawes, general, laparoscopic and bariatric surgeon, shares a few of the dangers of dieting if…
1. You’re pregnant
Dr Dawes said during pregnancy it is the norm for women to gain an extra 25 to 35 pounds and an increase in calories is expected for you and your baby. “Dieting is threatening to your health and your unborn child’s health as well. There is also a risk of poor development to the baby if you’re malnourished,” he said.
2. You’re fighting a chronic illness
“If you have certain gastrointestinal disorders that cause malabsorption then you should stay away from harsh dieting,” he said. He added that diabetics and people with hypertension should eat healthy, but not do rigorous dieting.
3. You have kidney problems
“You may suffer further kidney damage if you use certain weight-loss methods. Instead of using fad diets or diet pills, overweight and obese people with kidney disease may adopt a weight-loss plan that incorporates a low-protein, low-calorie diet and exercise,” he said.
3. Your diet is low in calories
Dr Dawes said low-calorie diets are deficient in nutritional properties and places the body in starvation mode. “This breaks down muscle mass and the weight regained could be greater than what you started with because there is no muscle to burn the fat at rest,” he said.
4. You opt for a fat flush method
“These methods cause an electrolyte disturbance with diarrhoea and dehydration. It will be uncomfortable and when you become dehydrated it can lead to fainting, heart failure, weak pulse and low blood pressure,” Dr Dawes said.
5. You use diet pills
Dr Dawes said there is no weight-loss guarantee and you may experience multiple side effects such as upset stomach, constipation, headaches and mood swings. He added that they are addictive and they increase your risk for heart attacks and strokes.
— KH
