Eating healthy is often challenging. No matter how good your intentions, there are always things that pop up making it difficult to stay on track with your nutrition. Sometimes, it is difficult to know when we need to update our diet. If we eat the wrong food, we may not be getting all the nutrition we need. Our food can actually work against us instead of for us. It is important to understand what foods are not good for you. Once you understand how they negatively impact your body, you may be more willing to stop eating them to feel better every day. Here are eight signs you need to update your diet.

You’re Drinking More Alcohol

One of the top signs you need to update your diet is when you find that you are drinking more alcohol than normal. While there is conflicting information about the benefits of drinking beer or wine, it is well known that too much of it can be bad for you and your health. Drinking occasionally is not going to be harmful to your health, but drinking too much is one of the signs you need to update your diet. When you consume too much alcohol, it can have devastating impacts on your health.

Minimal to moderate use consumption of wines or beers seems to be not particularly harmful to the body. Moderate use of alcohol usually consists of one drink per day. Excessive alcohol use has been shown to cause cancer, such as cancer of the mouth. It can also cause pancreatitis, heart failure, high blood pressure, and liver disease. Too much alcohol can be the cause of accidental death or injury.

You’re Suffering from Cavities

When you find that you are having problems with your teeth and gums, such as cavities, it could be a sign that you have a poor diet. Cavities are areas of your teeth that are permanently damaged because they have tiny holes. Another term for cavities is tooth decay. This type of decay can happen to your teeth because you are drinking a lot of sugary drinks or failing to clean your teeth properly. When you visit the dental clinic or dentist and find you have cavities, they are signs you need to update your diet.

While diet is only a small portion of your oral health, it’s certainly not one that you should ignore. If you fail to eat properly and clean your teeth according to your dentist’s recommendations, you could end up needing fillings or a procedure like a root canal.

Your Teeth Are Yellowing

When you notice that your teeth are starting to yellow, or becoming more yellow, you may need a cosmetic dentist. The yellowing of your teeth may be one of the signs you need to update your diet. There are many foods that can harm your teeth and cause them to yellow or discolor. Coffee, tea, sauces, and dark berries are known to cause your teeth to yellow and discolor when used in excess. Even regular consumption of these foods can cause them to discolor your teeth. These foods contain tannins which are chemicals that color things, including the enamel of teeth.

These items produce residue that sticks to the surface of your teeth and colors the enamel. Soda is a large contributor to discoloring and staining teeth. The best way to reduce the amount your teeth are stained is to reduce or remove these foods from your diet. These foods are not healthy to eat and are bad for you in general. Foods with high sugar content, foods that are highs in carbs, and fizzy drinks can impact your enamel. Acidic or citrus fruits and drinks can wear down your enamel, as well.

You’re Going Out to Eat More Often

One of the biggest signs you need to update your diet is when you eat out often. While going out to eat at restaurants can be fun and allow you to experience foods you would not get at home, it can also be unhealthy. Eating out is often expensive, so your wallet and budget take a hit, too. When we eat out, we rarely know how the food is prepared.

Eating out at restaurants also causes us to overeat. You are served larger portions when you eat out and often have bread or chips on the table on which you can snack while you are eating. You may get appetizers and in general, just eat more food when you’re out. Restaurant food, especially fast food, tends to have more saturated fats and trans fats than the food you prepare at home. There tends to be a large amount of salt in foods from restaurants too, which can cause detrimental impacts to your body such as increased blood pressure, dehydration, and kidney disease. They can also cause problems such as headaches.

You Feel Disinterested in Hobbies

You may know that a proper diet keeps you fueled throughout the day. What you may not know is that a poor diet impacts your sleep which can make you feel fatigued during the day. When you feel fatigued during the day, you may become less interested in normal daily activities or hobbies. Things you once felt passionate about may no longer interest you. This can be anything from reading to floral arrangements. It could be more significant and impact your ability to function at work. If you are finding this to be the case, these may be signs you need to update your diet.

When you are not eating enough nutritious foods, you are not giving your body the fuel it needs to sustain everyday life. When you eat foods that have high sugar content, they cause a spike in your blood sugar and give you a quick but temporary high. Just as quickly your sugar level drops and you feel like you have little to no energy. You no longer want to do anything. If you remove foods that are high in fat and sugar, you can stop the endless cycle of spikes and drops in your blood. You should instead consider a more balanced diet of whole grains, low fat proteins, fruits, and vegetables.

You’re Experiencing Aches and Pains

You may feel aches and pains in your body for a number of reasons. An injury could be a cause of these aches and pains, but so can a poor diet. You may also experience dehydration, imbalance in your electrolytes, and sore muscles, all of which are signs you need to update your diet. When you consume a balanced diet, you are taking in essential nutrients, minerals, and vitamins that your body needs to ensure it is working properly. When your muscles are not fueled properly, they do not function well and you feel pain as a result.

While you want to treat the pain you are feeling with special treatments and equipment, like orthotics, that might not be the best way. It may surprise you to know that making simple changes to your diet may yield significant results and help reduce your pain. These changes may include eating small and healthy meals, usually five to six per day. You should include about six servings of vegetables in your daily food consumption. You should also include lean meat, whole grains, and dairy products that are low fat. Before you immediately consult a physician for the pain you are feeling, you should consider making a change to your diet and see if you feel any improvement in your health. You should give it about 30 days of eating healthier to really feel the benefits.

You’re Winded Easily

It should not come as any great surprise that when you are seeing signs you need to update your diet that you are probably not in the best shape. Most likely, you are not eating a healthy diet and should make changes. If you are eating foods that are high in sugar, fat, and carbs, you probably are not feeling your best all the time. If you find that you are becoming more out of breath when you walk up the stairs or participate in games at basketball facilities, you should consider a diet change. It is not always easy but when you make healthy eating habits, you will see great rewards.

When you give your diet an overhaul, you will be consuming healthy foods which are better for your body and overall health. You will also feel better and perform better. This means you will no longer feel winded when you walk up the steps or go for a run. You are only doing half the job if you work out but do not eat well. Your nutrition needs to match the effort you put in at the gym. If it does not, you are doing more harm than good to your body. You want to get five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. You want to make sure you eat smaller portioned meals, but five to six per day. These are great steps to get you started feeling better.

You’re Seeing a Doctor for Bloating or Abdominal Pain

When you are not eating well, your body does not respond well. This includes every aspect of your body from your energy level to your bowels. When you do not eat properly, your body does not work like the well-oiled machine that it is. If you suffer from bloating, abdominal pain, or constipation, your body could be responding to your poor diet. These could all be signs you need to update your diet. Instead of seeking immediate medical care, perhaps you should change your diet first. This could save you a substantial amount of money and tests you may not need. Switch to a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains first. You may have better results with a healthy diet full of nutrition and fiber to get your digestion back on the right track.

Do not underestimate the power of a healthy diet. It can do more for your whole body than you realize. Simply changing your diet may get you on the road to better health before you experience serious health issues.