Why Being Underweight is Unhealthy Too

One of the growing problems in America is obesity. Childhood obesity, adult weight gain, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. All of these detract from another problem: Being underweight. People are underweight for several reasons, including lack of sleep, lack of enough healthy food, stress, over-medication, and allergies. Why is this such an important issue?

Deprivation of Nutrition. When the body is deprived of proper nutrition, it must live on less. Tissue cannot be grown, muscle deteriorates and bones lose mass. Deprivation of nutrition is a good and fast way to cause Cancer. By the time you have starved your body of enough nutrients, being underweight will be the least of your problems.

Poor Immune System. When you are underweight, everything in your body suffers, including your immune system. A physical system set up to prevent disease, viruses and bad bacteria is compromised to the extent of being ineffective. So now, in addition to being underweight and deprived of nutrients, you are extremely susceptible to disease and the common cold and viruses, and you will have nothing with which to fight them.

Loss of Bone Mass. One of the fastest ways to acquire Osteoporosis is to be underweight. Bone naturally grows and is flexible and healthy because of proper exercise, fresh outdoor air, goodly amounts of sunshine, and proper nutrition. Being underweight and not eating enough only deteriorates your bone mass, and leaves your susceptible to broken bones.

Lack of Nutrition Processing. One of the reasons why being underweight is so unhealthy is the fact that your body is unable to process whatever nutrition it receives. You can help this along by exercising for short periods of time, daily. Your body will process the nutrition that you eat, gain muscle mass and feel a lot better!

Hair Loss. Because your body does not have enough nutrition to grow hair, when your hair naturally replaces itself, a new cycle of hair growth is not created. Thus, you will lose more and more hair until it is all gone. Keep your body mass up, filling your system with good nutrition and proper exercise (not over doing it!), and any hair loss you might have will be reversed.

Being underweight is just as dangerous, if not more so, than being overweight. Keep in mind that diseases, such as Anorexia and Bulimia, are good ways to commit suicide. Keep your body healthy and well-fed, and you will feel like an entirely new person.

Sources:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-can-i-do-about-being-underweight.htm

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5527556_effects-being-underweight.html