Starving yourself bad for your health

starving food deprivation

Food deprivation is dangerous

Food deprivation is a condition in which one eats food too low or remains deprived of it. There are lots of reasons that compel the person to be deprived of food. Some may do it intentionally while some unintentionally.

Factors Leading To Food Deprivation

  • Anger
  • Frustration
  • For losing weight
  • Due to medicine side effects
  • Appetite loss
  • Severe illness
  • Socioeconomic factors
  • Sadness
  • Eating disorders

So whatever the rationale is, eating too little food results in a loss of vital nutrients and calories. Fluid intake is also affected. Just like a machine that needs fuel to work, our body is dependent on food to work and maintain our life.

Food Deprivation Leads to Loss of Body Energy

We eat so we can work, think, and create new things. We all are dependent on energy that enables us even to pick up a thing. If a person is not taking enough food, he would likely be deprived of all the necessary deeds, he desires to do. Eating little food can lead to a bad effect on body growth and development. The body needs all the essential nutrients and calories to maintain its homeostasis and growth properly. How one can do any physical activity when he is having a low diet. He will not be only a food-deprived person but also will be energy-deprived.

Food Deprivation Leads to Mental Changes

Food deprivation is a dangerous thing. It not only affects one body but may also lead to mental changes. Our brain needs glucose and energy all the time to carry outs its central functions. In case the body is running low glucose as a consequence of food deprivation, the brain will stop functioning. At first, the person will feel low, he may have a slow heart rate and low BP and in case, this condition of hypoglycemia continues person may undergo coma. Brain health will be badly affected.

Starvation and its Effect

A body deprived of food is likely to undergo starvation. All the body fats and proteins are utilized to supply energy to the body. People undergoing starvation may lose their muscle bulk. They will become thin and lean. Even the person will look like a skeleton as a result of the loss of muscles mass from the body which is internally utilized to provide energy.

With the loss of stored nutrients, the internal bodies, as well as organs, are affected badly. They undergo breakdown. The body finds it difficult to carry out its normal function. It may lead to failure of digestion and diarrhea and vomiting. These will further deplete the body from basic electrolytes. A continuous vicious cycle then occurs, even leading to further body deterioration. Heart function may fail and oxygen deprivation may occur. Death may be possible in case if enough food is not taken.

So your body having not sufficient carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and vitamins are likely to give you the risk of various dangerous diseases. Some people make themselves deprive of food to get in shape and lose weight. This thing ultimately leads to more food cravings. This further adds more agony and pain.

In short, eating healthy food regularly is only an answer to avoid such dangerous situations. If you are eating healthy food, regularly, you will achieve whatever you want to!!

JeffN

Amna Sheikh is a medical doctor with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), Bachelors in Economics and Statistics.  She is also a medical writer working as a freelancer for 10+ years and she is specialized in medical, health, and pharmaceutical writing, regulatory writing & clinical research. All her work is supported by a strong academic and professional experience.
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