Extreme Diets and Stomach Pain

Although many individuals turn to extreme diets to quickly shed unwanted pounds the consequences of these restricted food plans can outweigh the benefits of weight loss. Extreme dieting will usually result in gaining the weight very quickly as it proves extremely difficult to keep the weight off. But, most importantly it can result in dangerous affects on your health. Extreme dieting can create a rise or drop in blood sugar, a deficiency of vitamins, and even stomach pain.
Diets with Very Little Calories
A popular type of extreme diet is one where total daily calorie intake is extremely limited or low. In some cases the total number of allowed calories can dip as low as 800. These diets are extremely dangerous for a variety of reasons including their tendency to cause severe stomach pain. One reason that these diets can cause stomach pain is due to hunger. Since the total allotment of calories is so low the amount food allowed is extremely small. When the stomach goes empty for long periods of time it reacts by producing stomach pains as a cue for the need of substance. Hunger pains are not serious by themselves but prolonged periods of hunger can lead to other medical conditions like increased stomach acid production and digestive problems.Another reason that extreme diets can cause stomach pain is due to improper nutrition. Extreme diets limit the amount of food you can eat so you may not be getting enough vitamins and minerals. Malnutrition, the medical term for a lack of vitamins and minerals, can cause stomach cramping, severe abdominal pain, abdominal dissention (swelling), diarrhoea, excess gas, bloating, nausea, and constipation. The best way to avoid these stomach ailments is to eat a variety of foods from every food group and avoid letting your daily calorie intake slip below 1200.
Diets that Only Allow One or Two Food Groups
Another type of extreme diet that can lead to stomach pain is a food group restrictive diet. When a diet calls for the total elimination of one or more food groups it is almost guaranteed that your system will end up lacking the nutrients it needs for proper digestive function. There are many types of diets that fall into this category but the most commonly known and used diets that feature food group restriction are the Atkins Diet, the Egg and Spinach Diet, the Cabbage Soup Diet, and the Raw Foods Diet.These diets require that the user get all of their daily calories from only two or three food groups. For example, the Atkins Diet restricts the intake of fruits and vegetables and leans heavily on the consumption of meat. A lack of fruits and vegetables can lead to malnutrition and an overabundance of meat consumption can lead to slowed digestion and constipation. In the case of the Cabbage Soup Diet the allowed foods are known for causing excess gas and bloating which can lead to abdominal pain, and the lack of fruits and vitamin C rich vegetables can again lead to malnutrition.