Nutrition 360: How Eating Affects Your Health from All Angles

When you hear the word nutrition, what do you think of? Healthy eating habits? Dieting? How you look or feel? Nutrition often gets associated with a narrow range of health benefits. But the truth is, nutrition affects so many aspects of your health. Let’s take a look!

Sleep

What you eat can impact your sleep quality. Research has linked a lack of key nutrients, such as calcium, magnesium, and vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K with sleep problems. This research does not prove cause-and-effect, but it supports the likelihood that diet affects the hormonal pathways involved in sleep.

Digestion

It might seem obvious that what you eat impacts digestion. But more than the immediate process of digesting the food you just ate, your nutrition influences the health of your gut. A healthy gut can better absorb nutrients, fight off illness, and so much more. If your body needs a bit of support in digesting and absorbing nutrients, try Enzyme Power™, a full spectrum of potent, plant-based enzymes for digestion.

Energy

Food is fuel for your body. Just like putting soda in your gas tank would impact the ability of your car to drive, putting poor quality food in your body impacts its ability to operate properly. Your body needs nutrients to carry you through the day!

Skin

Macronutrients (protein, fats, and carbohydrates) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) work together to maintain the body’s outermost barrier - the skin! When the body is lacking certain macro- and micronutrients, the skin’s structure, function, and appearance can be compromised. Key nutrients for skin health include vitamins A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, essential fatty acids (like omega-3s), and flavonoids (compounds found in most fruits and veggies).

Immune System

We've already discussed that food provides the fuel for your body to do its job. And one of its most important jobs is giving our immune system what it needs to help fend off bugs. Plus, when your body is running optimally, it is more resilient when we do fall under the weather.

Mood

What you eat directly affects the structure and function of your brain and, ultimately, your mood. Your brain can operate at its best when it gets plenty of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These provide nourishment for the brain and protect it from oxidative stress — the free radicals produced when the body uses oxygen, which can damage cells.

In addition, research has found a correlation between a diet high in refined sugars and impaired brain function — and even a worsening of symptoms of mood disorders.

Quality of Life

All of these factors play into one big factor: your quality of life. If your sleep, digestion, energy, skin, immune system, and mood are less than optimal, so is the quality of your life.

Reframe your mindset on nutrition from something you “should” focus on or “have to” care about to something you want to care about – your body and your health will benefit in so many ways! And if you need extra support in meeting your nutrient needs, consider one of our multivitamins. They can help fill gaps in your diet while helping you feel your best from head to toe!