What are the symptoms of Malnutrition?
I read a blog post this morning about a Kimkins dieter who has been experiencing health problems. (More here, and here, and similar stories on the Kimkins Survivors blog) It really scared me. I thought it sounded like she was displaying serious signs of malnutrition/undernutrition, similar to the symptoms weight loss surgery patients can face. (Kimkins is marketed as an alternative to weight loss surgery - calories are similarly suppressed but without surgical intervention.)
Here is one list of symptoms of malnutrition, obtained here:
feel tired and weak
low energy levels
difficulty losing weight
can't easily get to sleep
stressed and/or nervous
drowsiness during the day
can't concentrate or get confused easily
digestion problems
constipation or hard stools
mood swings or easily upset
no patience for anything
feel depressed
overly dry or oily skin
nausea or abdominal pain
annoying eye twitches
bruise easily
muscle cramps
lower back pain
nails are thin or brittle
hair loss
water retention
don't eat well-balanced meals every day
These symptoms don't magically resolve when you take a vitamin - these symptoms are signs of damage that can be very difficult, if not impossible, to reverse.
For more information about nutrition and weight loss, Bamagal's Back Across the Line blog is really valuable.
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2 comments:
Wow. I had many of those doing Kimkins. The most irritating was the eye twitch. I could not understand why my left eye twitched ALL the time. I hadn't realized it until now, but it stopped when I quit KK (then was BANNED) and started doing Protein Power. Amazing. Thanks for the great info!
All those symptoms are common for many disorders, but if a person has been on a very restrictive diet and is experiencing them, it's important not to be in denial about the possible relationship.
I've had the eye twitch thing before and it really can drive a person batty!
I think there are a lot of symptoms that aren't on that list, like irregular heartbeat, confusion, dizziness and panic attacks. I tried to find a more comprehensive list but didn't turn one up.
If I had time, I'd map this list to the people on the Kimkins Survivor blog!
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