For many years, society has debated weight and its relationship to individual health. Being overweight is given the most attention, whereas being underweight is ignored. The rule for assessing whether a person is underweight or overweight is not the individual's body weight. You check with the help of the body mass index (BMI) tool. A person can easily find the BMI tool online, where they can enter their information and get the results. A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered a normal or healthy weight, while a BMI less than 18.5 is considered underweight. However, when you are underweight, your body exhibits symptoms that we often overlook. So here are some of the things that can happen if you are underweight and what you can do about it.
The symptoms of being underweight or malnourished vary greatly. Underweight people may experience extreme fatigue, low blood pressure, and possibly low blood sugar. Due to a lack of vitamins and minerals, they may have difficulty sleeping and building muscle. However, there could be other reasons as well. Some of the ignored reasons include:
Underweight Symptoms
1) Vitamin Deficiency
The human body requires vitamins and minerals as vital nutrients to function properly. When you are underweight, you might not acquire enough nutrients and energy to keep a healthy weight. As a result, you might not obtain enough vitamins and minerals. These nutritional deficiencies can lead to health problems such as anaemia, poor wound healing, and night blindness.
2) Weakened Immune System
Our immune system fights infections and diseases, and if you are underweight, you are most likely not eating enough and are not getting all of the nutrients required for a strong immune system. However, immunity cannot be built overnight; you must consume a well-balanced diet rich in essential nutrients in order to produce immunity-boosting cells.
Also Read: What Is Calorie And How Cutting Calories Impact Your Body?
3) Fertility Concerns
Your body requires a certain amount of fat to function properly, and if you are underweight, you likely have a low body fat percentage, which may cause fertility problems. Moreover, a lack of body fat interferes with hormone production, resulting in fertility issues in both men and women.
What To Do If You Are Underweight?
If you recently lost a lot of weight due to illness and are now underweight, these tips may not work for you, so it is best to consult an expert.
1) Indulge In Snacking
If you're eating three meals a day and still not gaining weight, you're probably deficient in calories. Adding mini meals in between meals can help you increase your calorie intake. The only thing to remember is that you should binge on vitamin and mineral-rich foods. As an example, consider fruits, nuts, or oats.
2) Start Strength Training
There is a distinction between exercising to lose weight and exercising to gain muscle. When you lift weights, your body becomes depleted and starts craving and digesting more food. Moreover, the weight gain that happens with exercise is also healthy weight gain.
Also Read: 5-Step Beginners Guide To Growing Your Weak Muscle Group
3) Eat More Fats
In comparison to protein and carbs, which contain only four calories per gram, fats contain nine calories. So, whenever you sit to eat, your goal should be to load up on healthy fats. Healthy fat sources include eggs, nuts, desi ghee, chicken, and olive oil.
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