Food. It puts the fuel in our fire and, when we do it right, it’s the secret to staying on top of our health. But, did you know that good foods can do a whole lot more than just keeping you trim and energized? As suggested by the phrase ‘you are what you eat’, food quite literally impacts and contributes to the majority of functions in our bodies.
Some of these are common knowledge, like the fact that healthy diets can contribute towards heart health. That’s magic stuff, but it’s just the tip of what food can truly do for us. To understand the full extent of benefits possible with a healthy diet, it’s important to delve a little deeper. And, we’re going to do that here by considering three healthy eating benefits that you’ve probably never thought about before.
The Cancer Conundrum
Considering that obesity can increase our risk of illnesses like kidney cancer, it might not be altogether surprising to hear that a good diet can reduce cancer risks. However, it’s surprising just how much of an impact diet can have. Experts believe that even simple changes, like grilling your meat in the right marinade can reduce the formation of carcinogens. Equally, a diet rich in fruit and veg has been found to reduce risks of lung cancer amongst both smokers and non. Meanwhile, lycopene-rich foods like tomatoes and watermelon could help to keep prostate cancer at bay if you eat two servings (or 75g) a day.
Can Food Affect Hearing?
Most of us know that there’s some link between diets and cancer risks, but did you know that what you eat can also affect your hearing in a few different ways? For one thing, links have been found between better hearing health and nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids. Experts are also increasingly linking hearing tests with health markers like diabetes. This is because a poor diet can have a secondary impact on hearing health when high blood sugar levels damage nerves and blood vessels in the inner ear. A diet high in sugar and refined carbs could, therefore, leave you struggling to hear, compared to a healthy hearing diet rich in foods like citrus fruits, dark leafy greens, and eggs.
Food and your brain
Food is fuel for your entire body, meaning that, as well as helping your muscles to grow, what you eat directly impacts your brain function. This is true in a range of ways, with studies showing that protein-rich diets can help to support mental health. Meanwhile, studies have previously shown that eating bell peppers two to four times a week can result in approximately 30% less risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. And, of course, high-quality foods that contain plenty of vitamins and nutrients nourish the brain, thus protecting it from oxidative stress, and the cell damage that can cause.
In case you didn’t know, diet matters, often more than you might expect. So, don’t fall into negative traps. If you are what you eat, make sure you’re eating right!
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