For Young Athletes, Good Reasons to Break the Fast-Food Habit


Breaking a fast-food addiction is similar to breaking other addictions, experts say: Begin by admitting there is a problem, then make a plan to stop.

Your body on Fast-Food

A steady diet of fast food not only leads to a bulging waistline and more vulnerability to a range of serious health problems, but experts say it can also cause the following:

Constipation: The standard fast-food fare is low in fiber and tends to bog down your digestive process.
Flatulence: In addition to the gassy effect of the aforementioned challenge, food intolerances to many of the ingredients in fast food — gluten, dairy and corn, for example — can also lead to unwelcome emissions.
Buildup of pesticides, heavy metals and other chemical/environmental toxins: Toxic chemicals picked up through nonorganic feedlot meats and heavily processed grains can impede weight loss by disrupting the endocrine system, depressing metabolism, and increasing inflammation and oxidative stress.
Body odor: When the body has a hard time eliminating wastes through the bowel, it tries to rid itself of some of the toxins from junk food through your sweat glands and breath.
Acne: The surge of insulin that follows a meal high in refined carbs and sugar leads to an increase of sebum on the skin, which can cause acne. Delayed food allergies can also contribute to skin inflammation and acne.
Brain fog and fatigue: You might feel initially hyped up after munching a sugary, fat-laden fast-food breakfast, but when your blood sugar crashes several hours later, both your brain and your body will have trouble working properly.

Posted in: Food Tips

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