Can eating healthy now undo years of not eating healthy?

thepinkbananabanana

My parents did not know anything about nutrition, so I did not eat well growing up. I ate a lot of processed foods, canned vegetables, did not eat fruit often, and a lot of meat. I was very active and underweight for my entire childhood and into my teens. I gained some weight in my teens because I wasn't as active, though I was not overweight, and I ate the same mostly, except I cut meat out. When I moved out, I mainly ate Wal-Mart microwaveable meals, soda, processed foods, and soy substitutes. I lost weight again because I didn't eat much. I started having health problems in my early twenties like hormonal problems and asthma.

I did a lot of research on nutrition and fitness and realized how badly I had been eating and this past year (I'm in my late twenties now), and I've made a lot of changes. I eat a lot better, meaning less processed foods, next to no soy, and more fruits and vegetables, and I exercise regularly by doing cardio and weightlifting. I no longer have to take asthma medicine, feel a lot better, and things have been improving, but I still have irregular periods and swollen lymph nodes and things like that. I want my body to be healthy, but I don't know if I can ever undo the damage I did to it growing up. How long does it take to "heal" your body? Am I doomed to always have problems because of how I ate in the past?


tl;dr: I ate unhealthy growing up and had some health problems. I have been eating much better and exercising this past year (now in my late twenties) and want to know if I can undo the damage from being unhealthy for so long.

glovepuppet

you can undo most things. that's why it's always worth changing for the better.

but...

you have to accept that not all health issues that arise will be diet related. sometimes even the healthiest eaters, raised on the best diet available, taking plenty of exercise, will still have some health issues. bear that in mind when you're looking at your general health.
but looking after yourself is still important. how well you cope with the health issues that can't be easily fixed often depends on your general health.

have you had a full check up recently? it never hurts to get everything checked out, bloods, etc. if my lymphs were up for longer than a couple of weeks, i'd be getting myself checked for underlying issues.

Blueseraphchaos

^^ this. Food and nutrition can only do so much damage OR fixing. If you've cleaned up your diet and nutrition and are still having certain problems, it's worth going to the doctor and getting a checkup.

ninerbuff

Lacking nutrients isn't uncommon in today's average person. That doesn't automatically make them unhealthy. Health has a lot of variables with food intake just being one of them. Stress, environment, rest, weight, genetics, and lifestyle all contribute.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

SimoneBee12

You should definitely see a doctor if your lymph nodes are swollen, especially if you have a cat.

Also, as the other poster said, not all health issues will be related to diet, but eating healthy from now on will definitely keep you a lot healthier than just eating bad food forever.

Kalikel

Whether or not you can undo damage already done, it can only help you to eat a healthy diet. Eat right, exercise, get enough sleep and if you live in a place where you can get regular check-ups, do that. That's all anyone can do!

You need a doctor for the medical stuff.

corgicake

Not everything can be chalked up to how you live. Maybe some issues will need to be addressed with modern medicine and that's okay. Keep doing what you do because while not everything is helped by diet and exercise, some things are.