What to take if you have no appetite. Why no appetite? How to increase appetite in an adult? Why is this condition dangerous?

Loss of appetite is a signal from the body that something is wrong. Healthy man always needs food as a source of energy. Therefore, you should treat this symptom responsibly and find out its causes. Of particular concern is a decrease in appetite that lasts more than ten days.

Causes of poor appetite in adults

A person may lose interest in food due to several factors. But they all have a negative effect on the body.

Lack of appetite due to illness

Appetite decreases when various diseases appear:

• ailments from the side gastrointestinal tract. They can be both inflammatory and infectious in nature;
• diseases of the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys;
• diabetes and illness thyroid gland;
• rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases;
• influenza and ARVI;
• oncology;
• neurological and mental disorders.

Wrong diet

The appetite of someone losing weight can also decrease significantly if they have an insatiable desire to get rid of it in any way. excess weight. An ill-conceived diet based on a small amount of calories exhausts the body.

A person becomes fixated on the fact that eating more food is a serious crime. Uncontrollable and long-term use widespread methods of rapid weight loss can lead to anorexia, when any food causes painful aversion.

Incorrect fasting technique

The popularization of the so-called “miraculous” fasting, which supposedly improves health and eliminates even incurable diseases, often leads people to acquire additional problems, including loss of appetite. Most often this happens when they are treated independently, without the supervision of a nutritionist.

Protest fasting uncontrolled by specialists also brings painful consequences.

Eating in different time, as well as the use Low-quality products or eating at fast food chains can lead to the production of toxins in the body. Their effect weakens a person and ultimately impairs appetite.

With this method of eating, the situation is aggravated by an unbalanced diet. Typically, protein intake is reduced and fat and carbohydrate intake is increased. Often absent essential vitamins and microelements.

Digestion may be upset, and subsequently metabolism will be disrupted.

Chemical drugs

Reduce appetite side effects some medicines:

• antidiabetic;
• anesthetics;
• antibiotics;
• painkillers;
• cold medicine, etc.

Taking strong medications without medical advice can also be harmful. But usually after a certain time this effect goes away.

Due to strong feelings caused by the departure of loved ones, troubles at work, domestic quarrels, a person often finds himself in stressful state, which is fraught with lack of appetite. Long stay in similar situations can lead to depression, which is also characterized by refusal to eat. Antidepressants prescribed by a specialist can help.

In addition to those mentioned, there are a number of other reasons for decreased interest in food. Suppress appetite nicotine, alcohol, drugs, excessive amounts fatty foods, sweets and carbonated drinks. To these factors you can add low physical activity and prolonged use of herbal infusions.

Health hazards and possible complications

The lack of essential substances supplied with food first appears feeling unwell, pronounced nutritional imbalance.

1. People busy physical labor, complain of fatigue.
2. Decreasing brain activity in students.
3. Drowsiness, dizziness, and then exhaustion of the body are observed.

Psychopathological disorders in those who lose weight cause anorexia. Now this disease is often neurogenic in nature. In advanced cases, the body cannot absorb food, muscles atrophy, and all systems fail. Possible death.

If you don’t feel like eating for more than two weeks, you need to go to the clinic. Experts will determine what causes this reaction in the body.

What to do if you have no appetite

If the loss of appetite is caused by irregular eating, you need to start eating more often, but little by little. The body will learn to regularly produce enzymes to digest it. During this period, you should refrain from snacking.

There are several other ways to get out painful condition food aversion.

Physical exercise

Physical activity on fresh air helps awaken appetite. Even after a regular walk, a certain amount of energy is consumed, which must be replenished with food.

1. Not complicated gymnastic exercises indoors with open window also stimulate appetite.
2. It is important to ventilate both bedrooms and workrooms more often.
3. It is necessary to walk on weekends, as well as in the morning and evening, and in any weather, even rainy.
4. Need to drink more water, especially if physical exercise are increasing. After all, sometimes it is dehydration that causes loss of appetite.

Infusions of plants with healing properties increase appetite,
if taken correctly - 30 minutes before meals. In case of emotional breakdowns, teas are brewed with peppermint, chamomile, lemon balm, and dill.

Bitter infusions of calamus or dandelion roots, wormwood leaves, yarrow, black currant, and plantain can restore appetite. Before using them, you should consult your doctor. Almost every plant has some contraindications for use.

1. Juice from the leaves and stems of yarrow, mixed with honey, drink one teaspoon three times a day.
2. In spring, salads are made from dandelion leaves.
3. An infusion of two teaspoons of crushed dandelion rhizomes is obtained by pouring 200 g of them cold water and leaving for 8 hours. Drink 50 g 4 times a day.
4. Grind one teaspoon of wormwood and pour 200 g of boiling water. After 30 minutes the infusion is ready. Drink 20 g three times a day 20 minutes before meals.

Food of plant origin

Some common vegetables and fruits are good appetite stimulants:

• are in the lead onion and garlic. Onions activate intestinal motility and strengthen the stomach. Garlic helps with exhaustion of the body;
• radish juice;
• citrus;
• grape;
• peaches;
• apricots;
• bananas;
• sour apples;
• sauerkraut.

Spices and spices are also on this list. Use in reasonable quantities:

• pepper;
• horseradish;
• mustard;
• anise;
• fenugreek;
• rosemary;
• ginger;
• cinnamon.

Drugs to increase appetite

If the decrease in appetite is not due to illness, the attending physician will prescribe medications that will help cope with this problem. Except medications, a course of taking vitamins will be useful. These can be various multivitamin complexes, but it is desirable that they contain a high percentage of the most essential ones: C and B 12.

The presence of such in multivitamins is welcome useful mineral, like zinc. Its deficiency leads to a decrease in the sense of smell. And this feeling is very important for increasing appetite.

Effective in this process food supplement- yeast. They contain a whole vitamin B complex.

In order for the desire to eat to arise systematically, it is strongly recommended to give up smoking or at least reduce the number of cigarettes smoked. In addition, it is advisable to stick to a daily routine.

One of the main reasons to sit down at the table is its beautiful setting, as well as deliciously prepared and nutritious food. When recovering from a crisis, it is advisable to eat foods rich in proteins.

Conclusion

Long-term loss of appetite is a serious health threat.

Appetite may for a long time be absent due to illness, irregular nutrition, stress, medication, non-compliance with diet rules and therapeutic fasting.

Loss of appetite threatens disruption of processes in the gastrointestinal tract, metabolic disorders, and irreversible changes in the body.

You need to eat regularly, increase physical activity, drink infusions medicinal plants, vegetables, fruits, herbs, prescribed medications.

In contact with

Unfortunately, in pursuit of perfect body and due to excessive enthusiasm for strict diets, many slimming people forget about health. On the contrary, the first symptoms of problems in the body are greeted with joy, considering them a sign of the success of the chosen weight loss method. These symptoms include loss of appetite.

It would seem, on the contrary, what’s wrong with that? The less you want to eat, the faster your weight loss progresses... But not everything is so rosy and simple. Diets.ru invites you to talk today about alarms, which our body sends when the “road to slimness” veers off the right path.

When the desire to snack disappears, there is no need to sound the alarm. However, there are cases when lack of appetite is the first sign serious violations in the body that must be responded to urgently. Sudden weight loss should not always be considered as a plus - it is better to find the cause of the disease in time and eliminate it.

What is appetite

Translated from Latin language the word "appetites" is translated as "desire". This means that a person experiences pleasure while eating. If viewed from medical point view, then this phenomenon is a special physiological type mechanism through which the human body is provided necessary substances for normal life.

In turn, there are two types of appetite:

General
When it is possible to consume absolutely any product

Special
When the body requires certain food, based on the needs for fats, carbohydrates, proteins and other necessary components

Thus, appetite is a rather complex concept. It is associated with the work of not only the digestive system, but also the structures of the brain - the food center.

That is why hunger is dictated more by the head than by the stomach.
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What does hunger depend on?

When the food center of the brain receives information about the food consumed, as a rule, it is processed according to a certain algorithm. First, it is clarified in what quantities of food was received, then the process of assimilation, nutritional conditions are established, and then - most importantly - how the resulting substances will be consumed.

However, appetite does not arise when the body’s food resources have completely exhausted themselves, but in advance. Moreover, if there is a sudden change in the usual nutritional system, the brain sends an alarm signal, and appetite-forming stimuli begin to act differently: hence acute hunger appears, or the desire to snack completely disappears.
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During normal functioning of the digestive system, appetite appears when
when the stomach feels empty and its walls begin to contract.
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At low temperature body, a person also wants to eat. In addition, the desire to snack arises due to conditioned reflexes: for example, when seeing gourmet dish with a unique aroma. Even Wall Clock can signal to the brain that it is lunch time and time to take a break.
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Any disturbance of appetite is serious illness, requiring appropriate treatment.
General medical term illness - dysrexia.
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The concept, in turn, includes four groups of pathologies:

Hyporexia– significant decrease in appetite
Anorexia– complete absence desires for food
Hyperrexia – normal height appetite
Bulimia– extreme stage of hyperrexia, characterized by gluttony
Pararexia– symptoms of perverted appetite

Why don't you want to eat?

If we consider lack of appetite as a sudden phenomenon, experts point out following reasons occurrence of this problem:

In the cases listed above, there is no need to struggle vigorously with loss of appetite. It makes more sense to start eliminating the problem of his disappearance with the truth.

To do this, you should consult a doctor, take necessary tests, identify the disease, begin treatment and, as a concomitant action, review your usual diet, including more healthy foods.

Other 5 reasons for loss of appetite

In addition to the main reasons for the lack of desire for food, there are also other factors that lead to a decrease or complete loss of appetite.

1. Wrong diet
Often, in the pursuit of slimness, not the most are chosen best methods, which not only do not lead to the desired result, but can also cause harm to the body. An unbalanced, debilitating diet can lead to stress, and the weight loss process will spin out of control. In this case, the most dangerous consequence There will be a complete lack of desire for food - anorexia.

2. Climatic conditions
In the summer, many people experience a decrease in their desire to snack. This is due to the fact that due to the heat, the body does not have to expend calories to heat the body, therefore, it does not feel the need to replenish reserves, because they are already normal. In addition, during the hot season, the load on the cardiovascular, nervous and excretory systems increases. Therefore, much less time is allocated for digestion.

3. Movement deficiency
At sedentary Throughout life, appetite often decreases. Sedentary work in the office, absence sports load– all this leads to less energy consumption and, as a result, a slowdown in metabolism, which leads to a lack of desire to eat. In this case, it is recommended to add a little activity to your usual lifestyle, otherwise it can lead to serious health problems.

4. Stress
IN medical practice There is a special diagnosis - “stressorexia”. The disease is a type of digestive disorder that is usually detected in women aged 20 to 40 years. Their tired and exhausted body is no longer able to continue living like this, so it tries to attract attention by declaring a “hunger strike.” The situation can only be corrected by changing your lifestyle.

5. Old age
Over the years, the perception of taste and smell weakens significantly, so even at the sight of the most delicious dishes the required amount is not allocated gastric juice and, as a result, the desire to have a snack does not particularly remind you of yourself. In addition, in old age, the intestines become more “lazy”, problems with the digestive system begin, and most importantly, metabolism slows down. Despite irreversible processes, proper nutrition is very important - and you shouldn’t limit yourself to it, even if sometimes you have to force yourself to eat.

What to do

Treatment for loss of appetite mainly depends on the cause. similar condition. For example, if this is due to climatic conditions, then no intervention is required, and the body will recover on its own after some time. However, in other cases, intervention is necessary - especially for people who are underweight or have serious problems with the digestive system.

Fresh air
Many people have probably noticed that if you walk for at least half an hour in the park, you immediately feel slightly hungry. Oxygen enriches the body, normalizing many internal processes, thereby restoring the natural need for food.

Herbs for appetite
Some types medicinal herbs stimulate appetite and restore its loss. Doctors recommend taking infusions of parsley, wormwood, yarrow leaves, and dandelion root. However, it is better to consult a specialist about the dosage of use. Harmless, but effective means for appetite is normal green tea with mint.

Protein + vitamin
In order to restore your appetite at home, you need to include protein-rich foods and drinks in your diet. In addition, it also helps restore the natural desire for food.

Green color
To stimulate appetite, it is recommended to eat as much as possible. This color has a stimulating effect on the body, causing it to need food.
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Depending on the accompanying symptoms together with the problem of loss of appetite
need to contact to the following specialists:
nutritionist, gastroenterologist, psychologist, neurologist and endocrinologist.
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In order to restore your appetite, you need to approach the problem responsibly. If the disease is eliminated in time, it will ensure excellent health for a long time. long years forward!

The body must work like a clock, so do not neglect it. And it is best to carefully monitor its operation, avoiding failures.

The need to eat food is inherent in us by nature, but there are times when for quite a long time this natural desire is absent.

Thanks to physical activity in young people, the need for food is restored quite quickly.

But if an elderly person has no appetite, what to do in this case?

Loss of appetite in older people almost always indicates functional disorders in the body due to physical or emotional reasons.

Long-term lack of appetite in older people has a negative impact on health and can lead to serious consequences.

Causes of loss of appetite in an elderly person

Loss of appetite in older adults can be caused by a number of reasons. Short-term lack of appetite in old age is quite common.

Refusal to eat for a long time should be a concern. In this case, most probable cause A gradual decrease in appetite, accompanied by weight loss, is a disease.

Diseases accompanied by loss of appetite include:

1. inflammatory diseases of the digestive system, intestines;
2. chronic and liver failure, cirrhosis of the liver;
3. heart and vascular diseases;
4. various types, kidney infections;
5. , thyroid diseases, metabolic disorders and hormonal imbalances;
6. autoimmune diseases;
7. , and some other mental disorders, as well;
8. taking medications.

Lack of appetite in older people may be caused by bad habits or taste preferences, for example, to fatty foods.

Consequences of poor appetite

A complete lack of interest in food or poor appetite in old age is a very serious problem.

Insufficient food does not provide an elderly person with the amount necessary for normal functioning nutrients, and microelements.

This condition, in addition to weight loss, is fraught with the occurrence serious problems with health.

Headache is one of the reasons poor appetite

General weakness, exhaustion of the body, exacerbation chronic diseases, disruption of the brain and other vital important organs- these are just the main consequences of poor appetite.

Eating small amounts of food for a long time can cause muscle atrophy, problems with musculoskeletal system and can ultimately be fatal.

If left untreated, the effects of poor appetite can develop into total loss desire to eat, so-called anorexia or cause sitophobia, in which a person is afraid to eat food because of the possibility of pain.

How to increase appetite in an elderly person with treatment

It is quite difficult to answer the question of how to increase appetite in an elderly person. To do this, it is necessary to determine the root cause that caused the decrease or complete loss of appetite.

To do this, it is better to go through the full medical examination. But since it is quite difficult for an elderly person to do this, the examination is limited to a minimum set of diagnostic procedures.

Such procedures include:

• detailed blood test;
• complete urine examination;
• Ultrasound abdominal cavity, thyroid gland;
• fluoroscopy and gastroscopy of the gastrointestinal tract;
• Magnetic resonance imaging.

Further treatment is prescribed depending on the diagnostic results. If the cause of lack of appetite is illness, the elderly person is prescribed appropriate treatment and, upon completion, the appetite is usually restored.

Medicines can be either antibiotics or drugs to treat of cardio-vascular system, hormone replacement medicines, insulin.

If loss of appetite poses a threat to the life of an elderly person and his physical condition allows, the doctor may prescribe special drugs, increasing appetite.

These include some iron-containing drugs, anabolic steroids, pharmaceutical bitters, dopamine blockers and digestive activity regulators, as well as some biological active additives for food.

They should be taken only as prescribed by a doctor, taking into account possible side effects. In some cases, the question of how to increase appetite in an elderly person can be solved by surgical operation, chemotherapy.

In the absence of the need for food caused by depressive states and mental disorders, in addition to sedatives, stimulants, and unconventional methods, such as physiotherapy using the latest medical devices, .

Quite often, especially in cases of senility, good nutrition for an elderly person is possible only through the introduction of high-calorie mixtures into the body through a gastronomic tube.

To increase the appetite of older people, depending on their physical condition, also prescribe walks in the fresh air and minor physical activity.

Increasing appetite at home

How to increase the appetite of an elderly person at home? The answer to this question is deeply individual, because you can increase your appetite at home without visiting a specialist only in the absence of serious illnesses.

To do this, it is necessary, first of all, to reconsider the diet of an elderly person. It is necessary to exclude or minimize the consumption of sugary carbonated drinks and alcohol from the diet.

To improve appetite, almost every meal an elderly person eats should start with vegetables and consist of favorite foods and foods rich in protein, zinc, various vitamins and amino acids.

If there are no restrictions, you can use various spices and spices to stimulate your appetite. At home, you can also use herbal infusions that increase the desire to eat.

Good effect give tinctures of chamomile flowers, dill, lemon balm and peppermint. There are quite a lot traditional methods to increase appetite in older people.

One of these ways to stimulate appetite is to take an infusion of wormwood or dandelion half an hour before meals.

Elderly people also stimulate eating by drinking lemon juice diluted in warm water, chicory, yarrow juice.

Improves the need for food and general state body freshly squeezed carrot juice. Decoctions prepared from centaury, angelica, sage and rue have a good effect.

Folk recipes for increasing appetite at home are distinguished by the availability of medicinal plants, ease of preparation and use.

Conclusion

Most older people are able to control their food needs on their own, and although they sometimes suffer from loss of appetite, it is temporary, does not require treatment, and in most cases goes away on its own.

And in order to prevent a temporary phenomenon from developing into a serious problem requiring treatment, it is important to surround your loved ones with care and give them a little of your time and attention.

Video: Appetite in old age determines aging

A complete lack of appetite is an alarm bell, signaling a malfunction in the body ( endocrine disorders, rheumatic diseases, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys, etc.) Let's try to figure out what the causes of poor appetite are, whether it is possible to quickly improve nutrition and restore health.

Why do I lose my appetite?

Decreased appetite or refusal to eat leads to an imbalance in nutritional balance, a decrease in the content of nutrients and glucose in the blood, which is dangerous for normal operation body. The main functions of food - energy, bioregulatory, plastic, adaptive, protective, signal-motivational - ensure the vital activity of the body and constancy internal environment. Once in the body, food promotes the construction of new cells, participates in the formation of enzymes and hormones, and replenishes the body with proteins, minerals and vitamins.

If there is no appetite for a long time or any other disturbance in the habitual relationship with food appears, this is a signal that the person needs help. A psychotherapist, gastroenterologist, nutritionist, and endocrinologist are specialists who will determine the causes of appetite disorders and help restore it.

Loss or decreased appetite in adults can have a number of causes:

• Intoxication of the body as a consequence inflammatory processes and poisoning.

Occurs during ARVI, intestinal infections, hepatitis B and C, chronic renal failure. Intoxication is accompanied by rheumatic diseases in acute form(lupus erythematosus, polyarthritis, vasculitis, rheumatoid arthritis), poisoning food products, medications, low-quality alcohol, carbon monoxide. A person has practically no appetite, weakness appears, as the body has difficulty digesting food. You cannot force feed a patient so as not to harm. It is useful to drink plenty of fluids, which will help get rid of toxins that have arisen when the body fights infection. To find out the cause of the malaise, it is recommended to undergo a detailed blood test and stool culture for intestinal pathogens.

• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Acute conditions.

Digestive disorders occur with gastritis, enteritis, colitis, peptic ulcer stomach, liver diseases. Accompanied by nausea, vomiting, heartburn, belching with bitterness, painful sensations in the esophagus and stomach. At the same time, the person is purely reflexively afraid to eat. Frequent recommended fractional meals(liquid porridges based on oatmeal, buckwheat, semolina, rice cereals, without salt and seasonings). This diet should be supplemented traditional treatment which the doctor will prescribe. It is important to undergo an ultrasound of the abdominal organs, fibrogastroscopy (for gastritis), and general analysis blood and liver tests. In order to exclude viral hepatitis, it is recommended to donate blood for hepatitis B and C.

• Disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine system.

Lead not only to loss of appetite, but also to fatigue, constant drowsiness, decrease blood pressure, slower speech. Such symptoms appear for many years. Pathologies of the thyroid gland are sometimes associated with malfunction pituitary gland and hypothalamus.

It is necessary to be examined by an endocrinologist, donate blood for thyroid hormones T3, T4 and TSH. If there is a suspicion of malfunction of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, the doctor will prescribe computed tomography brain.

• Metabolic disorders due to cancer.

Malignant formations disrupt the metabolism in the body, therefore they are distorted taste sensations and loss of appetite. The person feels nauseous, weakness appears, and intolerance to meat and dairy products often occurs. Oncologist in case of suspected malignant tumor prescribes examinations in accordance with clinical manifestations and, based on the results, prescribes treatment.

• Diseases nervous system, psychological disorders(loss of appetite due to depression, neuroses, dementia).

Appetite can change both downward and upward. Loss of appetite for nervous soil characterized by a lack of sensation of taste in food. Sometimes the very mention of food or its smell triggers negative reaction up to nausea and vomiting. A person eats only to survive, since food itself does not bring pleasure, and even a small portion of food taken causes a feeling of fullness in the stomach.

Anorexia nervosa is one of the mental disorders and is common among young girls. The pathological desire to correct the “flaws” of the figure at any cost, even at normal weight, leads to a refusal to eat. Over time, a persistent aversion to food appears, muscles atrophy, and the functioning of the musculoskeletal system is disrupted. Patients refuse food for so long that it ceases to be absorbed by the body. A change in the psyche occurs, and the person is no longer able to get out of this state on his own. A psychotherapist will help, and severe cases– and inpatient treatment.

Loss of appetite during pregnancy, children and the elderly

If a child has lost his appetite, he does not receive enough vitamins, micro, and macroelements necessary for growth and development. Babies do not want to eat when their baby teeth are cutting in (from 3 months to 3 years), since this process is often accompanied by elevated temperature and pain. Infants and older children refuse to eat if they have stomatitis (rashes and sores on the oral mucosa), which causes pain.

Pregnant women may lose their appetite for a short period of time.

Pregnant women may lose their appetite for a short period of time. Foods that a woman loved before pregnancy often cause disgust at the beginning of pregnancy, morning or daytime nausea appears, which does not contribute to appetite.

Exist simple ways increase appetite:

• Eat less, but more often.

Fractional meals are better accepted by the body. It is recommended to eat small meals in 4-5 meals at the same time. A beautiful table setting will help whet your appetite.

• Fresh air, sports.

Walking in the fresh air and physical activity will give you a boost of energy and stimulate your appetite.

• Get rid of bad habits.

Deprived of the pleasure of nicotine and alcohol, the body will look for it in something else, and most often in food.

• Healing herbal infusions and products.

Infusion of wormwood, tea with mint, radish juice, onion, garlic, parsnip, chicory, calamus, black currant, plantain, all citrus fruits, green vegetables increase intestinal motility, strengthen the stomach, and increase appetite. A course of vitamins, minerals, ascorbic acid will strengthen the body and stimulate appetite.

• Increased drinking regime.

In case of poisoning or overeating, clean drinking water – best medicine. It flushes poisons and toxins from the body. Dehydration disrupts everything vitally important processes at the cellular level.

• Treatment of the underlying disease.

For gastritis and other gastrointestinal pathologies, kidney diseases, and rheumatic diseases, you need to get qualified medical advice and treatment.

• One-day fasting and diet.

Helps improve appetite short-term fasting within 12 or 24 hours. The body will rest and get rid of residues undigested food, poisons and toxins. If you have gastritis, fasting is contraindicated.

Inclusion in the diet fermented milk products(kefir, yogurt) and fiber (microcrystalline cellulose, vegetables, fruits, bran) in large quantities restores digestive system, normalizes intestinal microflora and stimulates appetite.

Conclusion

To increase the appetite of a child or adult, you need to promptly find out and eliminate the causes of disorders (cure diseases, change lifestyle, adjust diet). A healthy appetite will ensure wellness and mood for many years of life.

Appetite may decrease because the need for calories decreases or metabolism slows down. This can lead to:

It's hot outside. The body does not have to expend calories for heating, which means there is no need to consume large quantity food. In addition, in the heat, the load on the cardiovascular, nervous, excretory system. And the body decides to make the task easier for itself and not waste energy on digestion.

Inactive lifestyle. Appetite often worsens when a person moves less. For example, when changing a job in which he had to work physically to a sedentary job in an office. Energy consumption decreases, metabolism slows down, and, as a result, the desire to eat decreases.

Elderly age. Over the years, our sense of smell and perception of taste weakens, which means that less digestive juice is produced when we see a dish. The intestines become lazier with age, and constipation may occur. Metabolism slows down, and there is no special desire to eat.

What should I do?

To improve your appetite, you need to approach menu organization wisely. First of all, switch to fractional meals - eat little by little, but every 3-4 hours. Remove heavy foods from your diet: mushrooms, fried and fatty foods. Try to eat more vegetables, fruits, berries - their acids stimulate your appetite. If there are no contraindications (gastritis, heartburn), you should use spices and seasonings. And of course, you need to work up an appetite - move more, take a walk.

Need strength for something else

Sometimes the body turns off its appetite because more important processes are taking place in it, to which energy needs to be directed.

Intoxication due to illness. For ARVI, influenza, etc. inflammatory diseases Sometimes you don’t feel like eating at all. Microbes and viruses that cause them release many toxins during their life processes. The liver must remove them. Since it is actively involved in the digestion process, the body decides to remove the additional burden from it.

Stress. When we are nervous, the hormones adrenaline and cortisol are released into the blood, which increase heart rate, breathing, and increase sweating. The brain needs to regulate all these processes, and it is distracted from digestion. True, this is typical only for acute stress. If it is hidden and sluggish, many people, on the contrary, try to console themselves with food.

What should I do?

If you don't feel like eating, acute period illness (against the background high temperature) you can get by with a vitamin drink: juices, fruit drinks, tea with honey. But when it gets better, you need to eat so that the body can replenish lost energy. Priority is given to light protein dishes, vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins A and C.

You need to force yourself to eat afterward nervous tension. When it subsides, the body is depleted - its resources need to be restored. Products rich in magnesium are especially important for this: nuts, legumes, buckwheat, cabbage, beef.

When to go to the doctor

Decreased appetite - frequent companion gastritis, hepatitis, problems with the pancreas. It can occur when the thyroid gland is malfunctioning, diabetes mellitus. Very often appetite worsens with cancer and autoimmune diseases. Depression can cause food aversions.

What should I do?

Contact your doctor if you experience a noticeable decrease in appetite for a week or more; if, against the background of reluctance to eat, pain occurs in the abdomen, joints, back, headache, nausea; if there is no appetite, and you feel anxiety, apathy, loss of strength, unusual irritability; if, although your appetite is poor and you eat very little, your weight does not decrease and even increases. Most likely, a series of examinations will be required, after which the doctor will make a diagnosis and begin treatment.