The nutritionist spoke about the effect of diets on mental health

Compliance with strict dietary restrictions often has negative physical consequences: weight gain, deterioration of health and mental state. Marina Shitikova, brand chef and nutritionist at justfood, a subscription health food delivery service, spoke to Izvestia on May 8 about the possible consequences of dieting.

Some diets, by teaching people to rely only on rules and standards, cause a person to distrust themselves, as they ignore the natural signals of their own body. Thus, instead of trusting his feelings, the follower of the diet begins to follow other people's recommendations.

"If you don't keep track of how you feel when it's time to eat or when to stop, you may lose understanding of your desires in other areas of life. Detachment from one's own feelings makes it difficult to build a healthy life in which one really wants to exist," the nutritionist noted.

Also, with strict adherence to the rules of nutrition, the belief is gradually forming that until the result in weight loss is achieved, it is necessary to limit social life, which leads to isolation of a person and lack of communication with the outside world. Isolation arises from the danger of "snapping" at junk food during meetings, while lack of communication with people increases the risk of depression, the nutritionist warned.

Ignoring body signals and the lack of a natural feeling of hunger can lead to an eating disorder (EDS). Such a diagnosis will be very difficult to correct later without the help of specialists, says Shitikova. Dieting can also often result in a nervous breakdown. This creates self-disillusionment, lowers a person's self-esteem and self-confidence.

"We need to remember that balance is important both in food and in life. The ability to listen to your body, an active lifestyle and the absence of excessive demands on yourself will lead to a goal without negatively affecting your mental and physical condition," the expert said.

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On May 4, Mariana Jutova, a nutritionist at JSC "Medicine" (Academician Roitberg Clinic), told Izvestia that severe dietary restrictions can lead to serious disorders in the body, rather than the desired slimness. Thus, eliminating carbohydrates deprives the body of its main source of energy, which is manifested by weakness, irritability, and even problems with the cardiovascular system and kidneys, she said.