We all know someone who can eat and drink anything they like and not put on weight, don’t we?  But does that mean they are healthy – not necessarily!  They could be thin and unhealthy.  Is this you?

We often judge others on how they look – whether they are overweight (= ‘not healthy’) or normal weight (= ‘healthy’) but weight isn’t always necessarily an accurate measure of health.  As I’ve written about before you can be healthy at any size although to reduce the risk of developing chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes having a healthy weight is beneficial.

Our bodies all work a bit differently and the person who eats ‘anything they want’ might be someone who exercises a lot, has an active job or they might just have the kind of genes which give them a high metabolic rate.  Alternately, they might have an undiagnosed gut disorder or even a hidden eating disorder.

Or maybe they are healthy most of the time and only eat ‘anything they like’ when they are with you!

I’ve met lots of women over the years who are of a normal or low weight but with high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol and blocked arteries (heart disease) or a gut disorder which turns out to be undiagnosed coeliac disease.

If you are thin and worried about your health, then do a health audit on yourself.

What’s a health audit?

Consider:

  • Just what is your weight and how does it measure up – check out the Nutrition Intuition e-tools to see how your BMI and waist to hip circumference rate.
  • What about your habits?  Do you have regular meals or skip meals all the time?  Are you getting all the nutrition and exercise you need – keep a lifestyle diary for a few days – check out the Nutrition Intuition Lifestyle Diary and compare your food intake and activity levels to those recommended for you.
  • Consider your bowel movements (yes – your poo!) – how often do you go to the toilet and what consistency is it?
  • Do you get enough sleep?
  • Are you stressed or anxious about anything?  If you are how does it affect you?
  • How much alcohol and drugs (legal and illegal) do you use and how are they affecting you?

What to do if you have any health concerns

If you’re worried about any aspect of your health, the first port of call is your General Practitioner.  Visit your GP and ask for a check up.  She’ll probably ask lots of questions, check your blood pressure and may do some blood tests based on any concerns you have.  Your GP may refer you on to a specialist doctor or allied health practitioners for more checks or advice.

Remember, don’t be an ostrich and hide your head in the sand – the sooner a health issue is picked up the sooner you can start improving things.  It may be as simple as eating better and being more active or it might take a bit of help from your doctor, either way, choose to take action today!

Live healthy!


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Post byDale Cooke

I'm a nutritionist, dietitian and personal trainer with 29 years of experience helping people improve their health. I really like using a non-diet philosophy to achieving a healthy lifestyle. Can I help you improve your health?