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Health Risks & Dangers Associated With
the Excess Consumption of Common Foods

Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites

Foods & Drinks in Excess Can Prove Dangerous & Fatal

Even those Good-For-You foods can put your good health at risk when they are consumed in excess - from cinnamon to water.

Although the body has the capacity to detoxify in certain amounts, when those amounts are exceeded, potential health risks are posed to the body.

It's also important to note that almost any food in excess has the potential to harm the body - just some foods, more than other foods.

Here are just a few common foods that when consumed in excess can create health risks:

Water - Health Dangers & Risks Associated with Excess Water:

The body is comprised chiefly of water which is kept in balance by our electrolytes: sodium, potassium and calcium. Too much water creates an imbalance which places the body at risk, including risk of death.

The recommended amount is currently 8 cups (not glasses) of water per day, but that amount of course varies from individual to individual.

An increase in activity requires an increase in fluids, as does living in a warm climate. It's important to note that many of the foods we eat are comprised chiefly of water which is applied to our daily fluid needs.

Drinking vast amounts of water in order to flush out the system, to cleanse the system, to create healthy-looking skin and so forth can prove deadly when water is consumed in a small time period.

Salt - Health Dangers & Risks Associated with Excess Salt:

One of those all-important electrolytes of the body.

Our body requires sodium to regulate the body fluids, to regulate blood pressure, and simply put - without salt, we could not exist.

But it only takes a tiny amount of salt to satisfy our daily needs - ranging from 500 mg's to the upper limit of 2,400 mg's, those amounts differing from individual to individual based on factors including weight, activity level, and current state of health.  

The sad news is that many individuals consume four times or more the upper limit of daily sodium recommendations.

The health risks associated with excess salt intake include: unstable blood pressure, kidney disease, heart attack, circulatory disease, stroke, including death.

Cinnamon - Health Dangers & Risks Associated with Excess Cinnamon:

Excess use of cinnamon such as chronic cinnamon gum use, or daily use of cinnamon-based toothpaste can trigger the following health issues: inflammation of the mouth, gingivitis, pre-cancer cell development, oral cancer including squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, issues with the digestive system, increased heart rate, breathing difficulties, skin irritations including contact dermatitis, perspiration of the hands, facial flushing.

Cinnamon has been touted as a remedy from everything to oral health to diabetes; before using to treat any ailment - including the daily use of cinnamon-mined products such as toothpaste and gum, please speak with your doctor first.

Nutmeg - Health Dangers & Risks Associated with Excess Nutmeg:

Many serious eggnog drinkers can be found at their spice cabinet sprinkling on generous portions of ground nutmeg, but may wish to rethink doing such. The amount necessary to place the body at risk of course, depends upon the individual, ranging from one to three whole nutmegs. Health risks include: palpations, nausea, dehydration, convulsions, hallucinations, circulatory collapse and potentially death.

Vitamin A Toxicity - Health Dangers & Risks Associated with Excess Vitamin A:

The current RDA (recommended daily allowance) of Vitamin A for men over 18 is 900 mcg; for women over 18 the RDA is 700 mcg. Excess use of Vitamin A has the potential to interfere with the calcium absorption process of Vitamin D, thus contributing to fractures. In the event of Vitamin A Toxicity, the following can occur: dry skin, sores in the mouth, nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, headaches, liver failure, and death.

Fruit Seeds - Health Dangers & Risks Associated with Fruit Seeds:

Toss those cores whose seeds contain toxins with potentially harmful side effects.

In Summary

Opt to get your daily dose of recommended vitamins from the foods you eat rather from a multi-vitamin, unless recommended by your doctor.

Include a variety of foods from the Official Food Pyramid Groups rather than concentrating on one food source for energy. Another reason why those one-food-diets are unhealthy.

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