How Long For 'healthy Eating'to Kick In?

[silliemillie]

My daughter was feeling a bit sluggish so decided about a week ago to swap her usual chocolate and cakes for fruit.

She says she feel better already and I'm not going to contradict her, if she feels better (or thinks she does) then that will encourage her to eat better.

But realisticly would she feel better this soon? I would have though it would take a while for her body to benefit.

[Jackdaw33]

Can't see why not.

[EDDIE51]

Mind over matter, if she thinks it is doing her good then it is!

[silliemillie]

That's what I was thinking EDDIE but I won't say anything as I want her to carry on.

[pastafreak]

There will be some immediate benefits like less bloating or water retention. Probably more energy too.
But, she should be careful with fruit as it's still a form of sugar.

[ummmm]

I suppose it depends on how much chocolate and cakes she was eating.

I gave up caffeine (coffee, chocolate, coke) and it made me really ill. I thought it was caffeine withdrawal but it was more likely sugar withdrawal.

Your daughter seems to be replacing bad sugar with natural sugar so she's still getting her sugar hit, albeit a healthier version.

I would guess that she could feel better in that short space of time because the fruits would help with digestion etc...

Encourage her to slowly replace fruits with raw veggies, with also contain natural sugars but at lower levels.

[KARL]

Pastafreak and ummmm are both correct, in my opinion. For most people the digestive system has a retention of a couple of days, so the response will be quite rapid there and the difference in feeling will quickly be noticeable. That effect will be even more pronounced if the individual is less than optimally suited to any particular dietary content which is eliminated.

[silliemillie]

Ok thanks all, that's encouraging.

[khaleesi]

I normally eat really well (I still have cake or chocolate, but just not to excess) and if I go more than two days eating loads of junk I really notice it - I feel sick and my tummy gets so bloated, so on this basis I would say yes she probably is feeling real benefits. Tell her to eat wholemeal carbs with vegetables and lean meat in a nice sauce and have lots of sugar free squash, water and/or herbal tea and she will feel even better for it.