What to do if you lose your appetite and feel sick. “I haven’t eaten anything for several days”: why my appetite has disappeared and how dangerous it is

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General information

A healthy appetite is considered to be nothing more than a clear sign of excellent health, general well-being and mood. The term " appetite"derived from the word" appetite", which in Latin means " pursuit" or " a wish". Appetite is a sensation that is directly related to the body's need for food. Plus, it is also a physiological mechanism that regulates the intake of various nutrients into the body. Unfortunately, not everyone has a good appetite, which indicates directly a malfunction in the work of one or another organism. Given this fact, this problem should be taken very seriously. In no case do not leave this fact without due attention. Right now we will tell you how the reasons loss of appetite as well as methods by which the current situation can be corrected.

Appetite - what is it?

Appetite is a rather ambiguous concept that is directly related to the functioning of a number of brain structures, which are called the food center. This center is located mainly in the hypothalamus and cerebral hemispheres. Immediately, we note that both the presence and absence of appetite are determined by a number of very diverse factors.

Their list can include:

  • the quantity and quality of food;
  • nutritional conditions;
  • the speed of assimilation of food;
  • the amount of water contained in body tissues;
  • fat storage level.
During the meal, the appetite gradually dulls. This is not surprising, since the food eaten stretches the walls of the stomach, after which they are digested. Then the cleavage products are absorbed by the body, causing in turn a feeling of fullness.

Types of disorders

Modern experts distinguish 2 types of appetite:
1. general or “I want to eat!”: in this case, a person does not care what to eat;
2. specialized forms: in this case, a person wants to eat something specific, which indicates a lack of some substance in his body. The body may lack both fats and carbohydrates, minerals, proteins or vitamins.

Any appetite disorders are often referred to as one single term, namely dysrexia . There are certain subgroups of this pathological condition.
Among them can be counted:

  • hyporexia: deterioration or poor appetite;
  • anorexia : complete lack of appetite;
  • hyperrexia: pathological increase in the desire to eat;
  • bulimia : uncontrolled gluttony;
  • parorexia: various perversions of appetite.

Causes of disorders

The list of reasons that can lead to loss of appetite is huge.
Here are the most common ones:
  • dementia ( dementia due to disease or damage to the brain);
  • hypothyroidism ( a condition characterized by a prolonged and persistent deficiency of thyroid hormones);
  • chronic liver pathologies;
  • lack of zinc in the body;
  • ulcerative colitis ;
  • period of pregnancy;
  • anxiety states;
  • nervous disorders;
  • chronic renal failure;
  • thalassemia ( blood pathology resulting from genetically determined insufficient or completely absent synthesis of hemoglobin by the body);
  • Crohn's disease ( recurrent chronic disease affecting various parts of the digestive tract);
  • acute viral hepatitis;
  • a course of drug therapy, including chemotherapy drugs, morphine, codeine, or antibiotics;
  • chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;
  • drug use, including heroin, amphetamine and cocaine;
  • cancer of the stomach, colon, blood, lung, pancreas, or ovaries;
  • hypervitaminosis ( excessive amounts of vitamin D in the body);
  • kidney inflammation ;
  • flu condition;
Some bad habits can also significantly worsen your appetite. So, for example, between meals it is not recommended to consume sweets or soft drinks. Often, appetite worsens against the background of anorexia ( loss of hunger associated with a neurological disease, hormonal dysfunction, or malignant tumors).

How dangerous is it?

Poor appetite is a rather dangerous phenomenon. The thing is that the food that we eat is, in a way, a link between our body and the external environment. In addition, numerous functions are assigned to food, namely energy, bioregulatory, plastic, protective, and many others. It is thanks to these functions that the body manages to both synthesize and build new cells. In addition, food provides the body with the necessary amount of energy, takes an integral part in the formation of hormones and enzymes, improves the functioning of all organs and systems, and also significantly increases the body's resistance to various pathological conditions.

Food products have another important function, namely signal-motivational. It is with its help that the appetite is stimulated. Experts say that the feeling of hunger occurs at times when there is a decrease in the level of nutrients in the blood. Simply put, appetite controls the intake of the right amount of both vitamins and proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, and fats into the body. It follows that poor appetite can cause nutritional imbalance ( ratio of food components).

What are the consequences of prolonged lack of appetite?

If a person does not want to eat for several weeks, this can lead, first of all, to the depletion of the whole organism, which is due to a lack of nutritional components that are so necessary for the normal functioning of all its organs and systems. Often the consequences are determined by the very cause that provoked a deterioration in appetite. So, for example, in people suffering from diabetes, malfunctions of both the nervous system and the kidneys, liver or eyes may occur. If the patient has cancer, prolonged lack of appetite can lead to his death.

Other consequences include:

  • decreased brain activity;
  • excessive fatigue;
  • drowsiness;
  • weakness;
  • disorders in the work of the musculoskeletal system.

loss of appetite during pregnancy

A fairly large number of pregnant women notice that in the first months of gestation, they lose all desire to eat. At the same time, it is important to remember that it is in the first 3 months that the formation of both internal organs and fetal systems takes place, so high-quality nutrition in this period is simply necessary. Only food can enrich the baby's body with all the necessary vitamins and minerals. Loss of appetite in the first months of pregnancy is most often due to a lack of vitamin B in the body. AT 9 , i.e. folic acid, and iron. These trace elements are considered to be the main ones for the body of both the expectant mother and her child. To enrich the body with these components will help eating a large amount of buckwheat and apples. Folic acid can also be purchased at the pharmacy in the form of tablets. It should be taken strictly according to the prescription of the doctor, so as not to be mistaken in the dosage. Most often, patients are prescribed from 400 to 800 mcg of this drug per day.

If you lose your appetite during pregnancy, experts recommend using the following tips:

  • walk outdoors as often as possible. After such walks, you will certainly want to eat;
  • make a meal schedule for yourself and strictly follow it;
  • buy new dishes that you will like. It is best to opt for red dishes. It's no secret that the red color stimulates appetite;
  • the table should be served beautifully so that it is pleasant to sit at it;
  • try not to eat alone. It is best to find yourself a company among which you will be pleased to sit at the dinner table.

Loss of appetite in the baby

When a newborn stops eating, young mothers are very worried about this. This is not surprising, since babies cannot yet tell what the true reason for their refusal to eat is. Do not panic ahead of time. In the very first place, the baby may refuse to eat due to the onset of a cold. Often, such little children refuse to eat due to the stress that they had to endure.
The thing is that even the most ordinary change of scenery can become a very stressful situation for them. Do not assume that the crumbs do not understand anything at all. They are especially acutely experiencing a change in both the climate and their environment. In such cases, try to give the baby as much attention as possible. You should visit a specialist only if the loss of appetite is accompanied by a significant decrease in total body weight.

loss of appetite in children

Babies' eating habits change all the time. Sometimes the child eats more, sometimes refuses to eat at all, and throughout the day, and sometimes for several days. In most cases, children refuse to eat when they do not feel hungry or do not feel well. Fatigue can also cause a child to refuse to eat. Often they eat sandwiches all day instead of eating three full meals. Children also have their own preferences regarding how exactly food is prepared and presented to them. So, for example, they are happy to eat raw carrots, but steamed carrots simply cannot be forced to eat them.

Possible causes of loss of appetite in a child

One of the most common causes is the onset of a cold or any other pathology. In such cases, there is no need to force the baby to eat. The best thing to do is pay close attention to how he behaves. It is quite possible that in a few hours he will complain of pain in some part of the body, or you will notice a fever or a rash in him. Sick children should be given as much liquid as possible in the form of juices, tea, water or broths. All food should be easy to digest. The body doesn't need any more stress. As soon as the child recovers, his appetite will immediately return to him.

Often, babies refuse to eat due to the use of a certain amount of sweets. It can be both cookies and carbonated drinks, sweets or juices. All of these foods tend to suppress appetite. If dinner is not ready yet, and the child asks for food, then instead of sweets, offer him a few vegetable sticks for a snack.

Emotional stress is another fairly common cause of loss of appetite. In such cases, the most important thing is to find an approach to the child. Soothe him, caress him and help the baby get rid of the problem with joint efforts. If nothing can be done on your own, then show the baby to a specialist who will definitely help you.

Factors affecting the baby's appetite

1. Intensity of hormone synthesis: the child grows unevenly. So, for example, in children under one year old, as well as in adolescents, there is a production of a very large amount of both sex hormones and parathyroid hormones, as well as the thyroid gland. This is not surprising, since it is during these periods of life that the child grows and develops especially rapidly. Given this fact, his appetite, as a rule, increases;
2. Seasonal patterns: since in winter the body produces much less hormones, the child eats less, but in summer everything happens the other way around;
3. Individual features of metabolic processes: surely many of you have noticed more than once how two well-nourished children have different body weights, i.e. one of them is recovering, but the other is not. In this case, a special role is given to the amount of not eaten, but digested food;
4. Level of energy costs: regular consumption of food allows you to enrich the body with both all the necessary nutrients and lost energy. It's no secret that children are especially mobile, therefore, every day their body loses a fairly large amount of energy. The more energy they expend, the better they eat.

Diagnostic methods

To identify the true cause of poor appetite, the patient is most often referred to a number of examinations. Among the diagnostic methods that are used in such cases include:
  • HIV test;
  • Assessment of kidney function;
  • Assessment of hepatic function;
  • barium enema ( x-ray analysis of the colon);
  • Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity;
  • Erythrocyte sedimentation rate test;
  • Study of the thyroid gland;
  • Colonoscopy ( visual inspection of the lower parts of the digestive tract from the inside);
  • Sigmoidoscopy ( examination of the sigmoid colon).
The last two studies are carried out only if the specialist suspects the presence of cancer. In some cases, it can not do without the help of a psychotherapist.

Appetite Loss Therapy Methods

The course of therapy for the loss of normal appetite is determined, in the very first place, by the cause that led to the development of this condition. If some pathological condition is to blame, then the appetite returns immediately after it is cured. By itself, appetite is restored during pregnancy, so expectant mothers most often do not need special treatment. If a person stops eating normally due to nausea, then you can’t do without special medications. In most cases, these patients are prescribed promethazine or ondansetron.

Surgical intervention is performed in patients who have a deterioration in appetite caused by appendicitis. If a person suffers from dementia, then the course of treatment involves the use of special high-calorie nutrient mixtures. In extremely severe cases, artificial nutrition is prescribed directly through the gastrostomy tube.

Deterioration of appetite due to a decrease in the total amount of thyroid hormones is treated with special drugs that tend to replace the missing hormones. If the appetite worsens against the background of an infectious disease, then it can not do without antibiotic drugs. And finally, for oncological diseases, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery are performed.

Tips for those who have lost a good appetite

1. Forget about breakfast in bed and snacks in the bedroom or nursery;
2. Clearly follow a certain schedule for eating, and do it in rooms designed for this;
3. Sitting at the dinner table, in no case do not rush. Meals should last from 20 to 30 minutes;
4. Between meals, drink as much liquid as possible in the form of coffee, unsweetened tea, or gas-free mineral water;
5. Minimize the consumption of both chocolate and many other sweets;
6. Regularly consume cabbage juice, which tends to perfectly stimulate the appetite;
7. Eat meat broths or broths as often as possible;
8. Various sauces also help to improve appetite, so add them to any dishes;
9. Learn the concept of the norm and never overeat;
10. You need to eat often, but at the same time in small portions;
11. Carefully review the medications you are taking;
12. Exercise regularly;
13. Eat only those foods that suit your taste.

medicinal plants

1. Recipe #1: take 20 gr. herbs centaury umbrella, pour it with 1 glass of boiling water and leave for a quarter of an hour. Then we filter the infusion and take it 2-3 tbsp. l. 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals. From the same plant, you can also prepare a special tincture, which should be taken 40 drops three times a day. Both remedies will help both improve appetite and restore the normal process of digestion;

2. Recipe #2: mix 1 part of calamus roots with 2 parts of wormwood, put everything in a bottle and fill it with good vodka. After 10 days, we filter the tincture and use it for oral administration, 25 drops three times a day a quarter of an hour before meals;

3. Recipe #3: excellently increases appetite and gentian yellow. We take 20 gr. root of this plant, carefully grind it, pour vodka and leave to infuse. Then we filter the tincture and take it 1 glass 3 times a day. Before use, the required dosage should be diluted with a small amount of water;

4. Recipe #4: 1 tsp crushed parsnip roots, pour 400 ml of water and let it boil for 10 minutes. Then we leave the broth to infuse for another 30 minutes, filter it and take it according to the following scheme: 1st week - 0.25 cup 3 times a day a quarter of an hour before meals; 2nd week - three quarters of a glass immediately before meals;

5. Recipe number 5: pour 200 ml of boiling water 2 tbsp. l. chopped melissa herb. After 4 hours, we filter the infusion and take it orally in half a glass four times a day before meals. Every day we prepare a new infusion;

6. Recipe number 6: you need to take 1 tsp. anise fruits and pour them with 200 ml of hot boiled water. After 60 minutes, we filter the infusion and use it for oral administration in half a glass 2 times a day 30 minutes before meals;

7. Recipe number 7: steam 1 tbsp. l. blue cornflower flowers in 2 cups of boiling water. As soon as the infusion is infused, we filter it and take it in 3 divided doses 30 minutes before meals;

8. Recipe number 8: take 4 tsp. raspberries and pour them with 400 ml of boiling water. After 3-4 hours, the infusion is ready for use. It is recommended to take it in half a glass four times a day. It is very important to use it exclusively in the form of heat;

9. Recipe number 9: carefully grind the rhizomes of calamus, after which 1 tsp. Pour the resulting raw material with 2 cups of boiled water and boil over low heat for 15 minutes. All this time the pan should be covered with a lid. Then we filter the broth, add a little sugar to it and take half a glass inside 3 times a day before meals. This remedy is especially effective if the appetite has worsened against the background of the development of some kind of gastrointestinal disease;

10. Recipe number 10: grind 2 tsp. dandelion roots and pour raw materials with 1 cup of boiled water, after cooling it. After 8 hours, we filter the infusion and use it for oral administration, one quarter cup four times a day. The use of this tool will improve the process of digestion, and, consequently, restore appetite.

Herbal preparations

1. Collection number 1: mix 1 part of wormwood herb and dandelion officinalis with a half part of common yarrow herb and the same amount of white willow bark. 1 st. l. pour the resulting collection with 1.5 cups of hot boiled water and leave to infuse for 30 - 40 minutes. After that, we filter the infusion and take it orally in half a glass three times a day 10 minutes before meals;

2. Collection number 2: take 20 gr. centaury herbs and fragrant rue leaves, 10 gr. leaves of sage officinalis and the same amount of angelica roots. To prepare this remedy, pour 3 cups of boiling water 3 tbsp. l. received fee. After 30 minutes, we filter the infusion and take it 1 glass three times a day. It is very important that this infusion be taken before meals;

3. Collection number 3: we immediately note that it can be given even to children. We mix 15 ml each of burdock tincture, anise seeds, vegetable glycerin, chamomile root and ginger, after which we place the resulting mass in a dark, cool place. Before each use, the product must be shaken thoroughly. It is recommended to take it in 1 tsp. before every meal;

4. Collection number 4: it can also be given to a child. We take 7 mg of sassafras, sarsaparilla, as well as chamomile roots and mix it all with 1 tbsp. l. grated ginger root and 400 ml of boiling water. The resulting product is placed on fire and boiled for a quarter of an hour. Then we filter the broth, add a little honey to it and take 1 tsp. before eating.

Complete loss of appetite or anorexia

Anorexia is an eating disorder, and most often of a mental nature. This disorder is characterized mainly by increased attention to both food and body weight, which pushes people to extremely severely restrict themselves in food.
We note immediately that this condition is observed mainly in adolescents. So, for example, almost 50% of girls, whose age ranges from 13 to 15 years old, are of the opinion that they need to get rid of extra pounds. All anorexics are haunted by the fear of getting fat, which is why they can not eat for weeks, despite a number of problems directly related to their health.

Signs that indicate the development of anorexia include:

  • general malaise;
  • dizziness;
  • fatigue;
  • fainting states;
  • excessive fragility and dullness of hair;
  • blueing of the skin;
  • pain and constipation in the abdomen;
  • increased sensitivity to cold;
  • the appearance of a large amount of hair in the form of a fluff on the body and face;
  • complete cessation of menstruation;
  • malfunctions of both the digestive and central nervous, as well as the cardiovascular system.
As for the course of treatment of this pathological condition, it provides, first of all, for psychotherapy, since this disease occurs against the background of mental disorders. Certain medications are prescribed to patients in limited quantities. Most often, this medication is called cyproheptadine, which tends to increase overall body weight, as well as act as an antidepressant. Equally important is the special medical nutrition, which also contributes to a gradual increase in total body weight.
Before use, you should consult with a specialist.
Loss of appetite, medically referred to as anorexia, can be caused by a variety of conditions and diseases. Some of the conditions may be temporary and reversible, such as loss of appetite from the effects of medications. Some of the conditions may be more serious, such as from exposure to a cancerous tumor.

Not everyone can boast of a normal (healthy) appetite. In most cases, people suffer from an appetite disorder, followed by malnutrition or overeating. However, external signs: excessive thinness and excessive fatness are not the only problem that arises in this case. Loss of appetite is an alarming signal that indicates serious changes in the functioning of the body. Recently, cases of loss of appetite and uncontrolled weight loss have become more frequent, which have a negative impact on health.

How dangerous is loss of appetite?
To understand how dangerous a poor appetite can become for a person, it is important to realize the very need for food. Food is the link between the human body and the environment. In addition, it performs a number of important functions: plastic, energy, protective, bioregulatory and adaptive-regulatory, which are involved in the reproduction and construction of new cells, serve to cover energy costs, increase the body's resistance to disease, take part in the formation of enzymes and hormones, contribute to the normal functioning of various body systems.
There is another function of food - signal-motivational, which is to stimulate appetite. The desire to eat (in the lane with lat. appetite) appears when there is a decrease in the concentration of nutrients in the blood. In other words, it is the appetite that regulates the intake of the required amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals into the body.
In the part of the brain (hypothalamus) there are two centers that are responsible for satiety and hunger. A decrease in blood glucose levels gives a signal that the body needs nutrients, while the entry of the active substance (cholecystokinin) into the blood signals satiety. Thus, loss of appetite can disrupt the nutritional balance - the correct ratio of nutrients in the body, including essential ones (proteins, vitamins, minerals).
Interestingly, in animals, as in ancient people, the concentration of nutrients decreases in the process of hunting, so the need for food increases when food is obtained. In the modern world, a person no longer needs to get food in the truest sense of the word, so people eat food with the appearance of appetite.

Consequences of poor appetite
Of course, a poor appetite, at least once in a lifetime, happens to every person. Our body is wise and capable of self-healing, therefore, with a short-term decrease in appetite, nothing terrible will happen. But the systematic refusal of food for a long period of time has extremely negative consequences for the body, it can cause "starvation" of all organs and tissues, including the brain.
With a balanced rational diet, the food ration corresponds to the gender, age, occupation and weight of the person. Thus, the nutrition and appetite of preschool children differs from the nutrition of schoolchildren and students. And the food of an adult, depending on the type of activity, should bring replenishment of physical exertion or mental labor expended. In the same way, it is important to take into account some features of the nutrition of the elderly, nutrition in the post-rehabilitation period, during pregnancy, etc.
If the child does not have an appetite, the baby may not receive biologically valuable substances, vitamins, macro and microelements necessary for its normal growth and development. Poor appetite for students and people with mental activities, reduces brain activity. With a decrease in the appetite of those who are engaged in physical labor, an increase in fatigue is noted. It is hard to even imagine what a bad appetite of a nursing mother for a baby can turn into. Exhaustion of the body, weakness, dizziness, drowsiness - all these are consequences of loss of appetite.
Refusal to eat for a long time can cause a serious illness - anorexia. The disease is manifested by partial or complete loss of appetite and is caused by psychopathological disorders. Anorexia nervosa has become especially widespread in recent years. In the course of the disease, the patient manifests a persistent desire to correct the "excesses" of the figure. In a neglected state, with anorexia, muscle atrophy occurs, disturbances in the functioning of the musculoskeletal system are noticed, the functions of entire systems and the work of individual organs are disrupted. A person rejects food for so long that it is no longer absorbed by the body.

What to do: lost appetite?
Appetite control is one of the most important characteristics in maintaining proper nutrition. It is equally important for health to reduce appetite when overweight and stimulate appetite when exhausted.
In most cases, we suffer from eating poor quality food and overeating, so there are a huge number of recommendations, available methods and methods that tell how to reduce appetite. To be brief, they all boil down to the fact that it is necessary to eat low-calorie foods, exclude the use of sweets and flour products, fried and spicy foods, foods that stimulate appetite, and exercise intensively. The availability of information will help you choose the right diet or the most appropriate way to lose weight.
For people suffering from a lack of weight, it is necessary to provide an increase in appetite, that is, to arouse the desire for food. If the appetite is gone, you do not need to despair, but you should not put off solving the problem either.

Any persistent symptoms of lack of appetite should be evaluated by a qualified gastroenterologist.

loss of appetite nausea

With heart failure, loss or change in appetite or nausea may occur. Some people feel heaviness in the stomach, even if they have eaten very little. They may also experience pain or tenderness in the abdomen.

These symptoms are often due to a buildup of fluid around the liver and intestines that interferes with digestion. If you notice any changes in appetite or digestive problems, this may mean that heart failure is progressing and you should contact your doctor or nurse.

Loss of appetite and nausea are also common side effects of certain medications.

In order not to risk your own health once again, do not trust folk methods, but consult a doctor.

Weakness loss of appetite

Lack of vitamin B causes loss of appetite, weakness and apathy, increased irritability, insomnia, weight loss, vague dull and sharp pains, mental depression and constipation. In children, this often results in growth retardation. In cases of severe thiamine deficiency, beriberi disease may occur. Since B is necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system, its deficiency manifests itself in the loss of ankle and knee reflexes, neuritis or muscle weakness of the legs, calves and thighs. Psychological symptoms of deficiency include mental disturbance, poor memory, unaccountable fears, stiffness, and persecution delusions.

The relentless tendency of a person to self-destruction of his body remains a mystery of scientists all over the world. Contrary to common sense, the almost perfect mechanism of a human being is destroyed due to improper lifestyle and nutrition. Often shameless intemperance in food gives rise to a brutal appetite. On the other hand, despite the natural appearance of appetite, a person rejects food, preventing the body from receiving nutrients that are so necessary for normal life. Here are the main reasons that cause poor appetite.
Disruption of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT)
Gastritis, cholecystitis, dysbacteriosis can be accompanied by pain, toxicosis, weakness, which often leads to poor appetite and severe exhaustion.

Wrong diet
With irrational nutrition, when the desire to lose weight is accompanied by debilitating diets that limit or exclude the consumption of a certain category of foods, a decrease in appetite is one of the problems that arise. Rapid weight loss, develops into uncontrolled weight loss and without the intervention of qualified professionals, can lead to complete or partial loss of appetite (anorexia).

Starvation
There are several ways of fasting, which, as a rule, are accompanied by a long or one-day refusal of food. It should be noted that, subject to all the recommendations and under the supervision of nutritionists, therapeutic fasting is beneficial. However, non-compliance with the conditions and rules of fasting, the presence of diseases in which fasting is contraindicated, can lead to a complete loss of appetite. Fasting should include the voluntary refusal of food and as a protest.
The result of improper treatment and the use of harmful products

Long-term use of drugs, herbal infusions or strong drugs, without the advice of doctors or in connection with an erroneous diagnosis, is one of the causes of poor appetite. Refusal of food can be the use of narcotic substances, smoking, the abuse of means for weight loss, the use of low-quality medicines.
Improper (irrational) nutrition
Untimely eating, as well as poor quality food, lead to the formation of poisons and toxins, which lead to a breakdown and loss of appetite. In addition, in the diet, it is necessary to observe the correct combination of food products of different groups (vitamins, proteins, fats).

Psycho-emotional state
One of the reasons a person refuses to eat is psychological and emotional disorders associated with the loss of loved ones or animals, quarrels and other troubles. Often, the resulting depression and feelings of inferiority, the cause of isolation and refusal of food.

Since the loss of appetite leads to weight loss, a timely visit to the doctor will help to avoid problems such as exhaustion or anorexia.

temperature loss of appetite

In most cases, all this occurs during the poisoning of the body. After all, infectious poisoning always has symptoms of incessant vomiting and diarrhea, and with all this, weakness of the body is observed, constantly throws into a cold sweat. But if vomiting is accompanied, then at the time of all this you will need to drink somewhere around two liters of water in order to cleanse your intestines from infection. But after all this, you need to take the patient to the infectious disease department of the clinic. After a series of droppers and gastric lavage, the acid-base balance is restored in the body. And with all the weakness of the body, it will let go a little. The patient in case of poisoning will need to sit on a strict diet and take special antibiotics in order to subside all infections that provoked the disease.

But if a patient has malignant histiocytosis, then it is accompanied by weight loss, and also with it there is an increasing weakness and a high temperature rises. But it also often causes diarrhea.

But with stomach diarrhea, symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, weakness of the whole body, and dry mouth also occur. But there may even be dizziness, loss of appetite and bloating that will turn into a sharp pain.

But diarrhea is very dangerous for the body, because during dehydration of the body, the water-salt balance is disturbed, which, if left untreated, can lead to death. Vitamins we need, such as calcium and magnesium, which are very necessary for the normal functioning of the body, are removed from the body.

After all, every hanging temperature and diarrhea, which leads to weakness of the body, is not an ideal state of a person.

On the contrary, it is considered not a very useful condition, because any infection in the human body can lead to a number of different diseases. And all these symptoms should be treated only under the supervision of a therapist. Since proper treatment can prevent dehydration of the body and the loss of salts and essential minerals from the body, which contribute to the proper and efficient functioning of the body. Because not every disease can be cured independently and at home.

Loss of appetite in a child

Picky eating can persist in school-age children

Parents very often believe that their children are finicky or capricious in matters of nutrition. Indeed, in a study of eating behavior in young children, it was shown that up to 50% of parents consider their children to be picky eaters.

Although picky eating does not last long in some children, in others it becomes an ongoing problem. According to one study, in 21% of cases, parents characterized their children at the age of 4-5 as picky eaters. In another study, it was found that picky eating in some children persists until the age of 9 years.

Typical picky eater behaviors include:

They eat very little;
so much for certain types of food;
eat few fruits and vegetables;
refuse to try new types of food;
interrupt or delay food intake.

Excessive pickiness in nutrition can lead to gaps in your child's diet:

Fastidious children often receive significantly less protein and energy than children with normal appetites;
in addition, finicky children are often deficient in certain vitamins and minerals when compared to children with normal appetites.

Potential dangers observed in children with constant food whims and poor appetite:

Differences related to nutrient intake;
reduced consumption of fruits, vegetables and fibers;
reduced consumption of certain trace elements;
growth disorder;
mental retardation.

Tips: how to cope with a child's picky eating habits and improve appetite:

Try not to distract the child while eating: eat in a calm environment;
take a neutral position in relation to the behavior associated with food: avoid excessive praise, criticism, stimulation and coercion;
feed the baby at regular intervals and avoid "snacking" in order to increase the child's appetite: feed him at intervals of 3-4 hours and do not give anything in between;
limit the duration of the meal: the meal should last 20-30 minutes, and if the child does not eat, 15 minutes;
use products according to the age of the child;
introduce new foods one at a time and offer the same food to your child up to 5 times before you agree that he will not eat it;
encourage the child to independent nutrition;
accept that while eating, the child conducts additional research characteristic of his age.

How to know if a child is in danger

Talk to your child's doctor about picky eating behavior. This is especially important if the child:

Loses weight or has stopped gaining weight;
growing slower than expected
looks tired or lacks energy;

Dear parents, do not risk the health of your children, consult a doctor.

Symptoms of loss of appetite

Loss of appetite is a partial or complete refusal to eat. Loss of appetite is a defensive reaction of the body. This reaction is expressed in slowing down the process of digestion in order to prevent the ingestion of substances that can interfere with recovery. Loss of appetite can be a symptom of a serious illness.

Not only diseases lead to a decrease in appetite, but also the intake of various medications: preparations containing digitalis; antibiotics; cold medicines containing FPA (phenylpropanolamine); painkillers; medicines for diabetes; anesthetics; drugs for chemotherapy.

Loss of appetite may be a symptom of the following conditions

Addison's disease (Bronze disease)
Still's disease (Chronic polyarthritis in children)
Still-Shoffard disease (Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis)
Typhoid fever
infectious diseases
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (Gastroesophageal reflux)
Dementia (Dementia)
Depression
Peptic ulcer (stomach and duodenal ulcer)
Crayfish
seasonal affective disorder
schizoaffective disorder
Anorexia

Treating a disease at an early stage is always much easier and faster, so don't put it off until tomorrow, see a doctor now!

diarrhea loss of appetite

Normally, a series of undulating muscle contractions propels food through the digestive tract. If they become too fast, the large intestine cannot absorb as much liquid from food as it should. This leads to diarrhea.

Diarrhea can be acute or chronic; the frequency of loose stools can change from day to day and varies from person to person. The stool may be bloody, contain mucus or pus, or both.

Simultaneously with diarrhea, a person usually experiences pain or cramps in the abdomen, he may have nausea, vomiting, weakness, loss of appetite. Depending on the causes of diarrhea, the type of stool and other symptoms vary.

Diarrhea and other symptoms of an acute intestinal infection
suddenly occurring exclusively loose stools;
strong odor of stool;
painful and sensitive abdomen;
nausea;
heat;
chills;
weakness;
poor appetite;
weight loss.

Diarrhea and other symptoms of colon cancer
bloody diarrhoea, interspersed with pencil-thick stools;
abdominal pain;
loss of appetite;
weight loss;
weakness;
depression.

Diarrhea with sore bowels
In this case, diarrhea may alternate with constipation and normal stools.
painful, tender, or bloated abdomen;
stomach upset;
nausea.

Diarrhea and other symptoms of ulcerative colitis:
recurring bloody diarrhea containing pus or mucus;
spasmodic pain in the lower abdomen;
mild fever;
loss of appetite;
sometimes nausea or vomiting.

Since diarrhea can mean not just an upset stomach, but a very serious illness, do not self-medicate, but consult a doctor immediately.

Loss of appetite and weight

A healthy appetite is a sign of good health. But even minor physical or psychological problems can affect a healthy person's appetite. Loss of appetite can be affected by a variety of factors, from digestive problems to serious medical conditions. In this article, we will look at the causes and treatment of loss of appetite.

Causes of loss of normal appetite.
1. Serious liver diseases: chronic renal failure, cirrhosis.
2. Serious diseases of the cardiovascular system, acute heart failure.
3. Pneumonia, HIV, hepatitis, kidney infections, influenza.
4. Inflammation of the intestines, alimentary canal or pancreatitis.
5. Endocrine problems, low thyroid hormone, diabetes.
6. Some types of cancer - blood cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer.
7. Autoimmune diseases - rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma.
8. Certain medications, antibiotics, anesthetics, chemotherapy, diabetes medications.
9. Drugs digitalis, demerol, morphine, sympathomimetics - for example, ephedrine.
10. Mental disorders: anorexia nervosa, depression, schizophrenia.
11. Pregnancy.
12. Certain types of dementia - for example, Alzheimer's disease.

In addition, some bad habits also cause loss of appetite: drinking non-alcoholic sweetened drinks or sweets between meals. Sometimes excessive consumption of "heavy" meals rich in saturated fats can cause loss of appetite. Apart from this, there are many more reasons. And in some cases, it happens that it is simply impossible to identify the cause.

Diagnosis of loss of appetite.

If there is a gradual loss of appetite, accompanied by weight loss, a medical examination is necessary - these symptoms can signal serious health problems.

During a medical examination, a series of tests are performed to find out the causes of poor appetite. With the help of a blood test, it is determined whether the cause lies in hormonal imbalance, diabetes, or liver disease. Urinalysis can detect kidney infections. A chest x-ray can reveal lung cancer or pneumonia. Among the medical procedures that diagnose the causes of poor appetite, the most common are:

complete blood count,
HIV Test,
examination of the abdominal organs,
testing of kidney, liver function,
barium enema,
study of thyroid function,
Analysis of urine,
x-ray of the upper gastrointestinal tract,
pregnancy test.

Consequences of long-term lack of appetite.

If a lack of appetite persists for several weeks, the result of this may be an exhaustion of the body, a lack of nutrients necessary for its normal functioning. Many of the consequences depend on the cause that caused the loss of appetite. So, diabetes can lead to disruption of the functioning of various internal organs (kidneys, nervous system, eyes), and cancer can lead to death.

Treatment for loss of normal appetite.

Much of the treatment depends on the cause of the condition. As a rule, appetite is restored after the disease that caused poor appetite is completely cured.

If the loss of appetite is associated with pregnancy, then, as such, no treatment is required, after a few weeks the appetite will recover itself.
If the loss of appetite is caused by nausea, then drugs such as ondansetron or promethazine are mainly used for treatment.
If the loss of appetite is caused by appendicitis, surgery will be required.
People suffering from dementia are prescribed high-calorie nutritional mixtures, and even artificial nutrition through a gastrostomy tube.
If the loss of appetite is associated with a low level of thyroid hormone, special hormone replacement drugs are prescribed.
If the cause of the lack of appetite is infectious diseases, treatment is carried out with antibiotics.
The main methods of cancer treatment are radiation and chemotherapy, surgery.

Getting rid of bad appetite at home.

At home, the inclusion of nutritious meals, snacks, and drinks rich in proteins in the diet will help to cope with loss of appetite.
Yeast, together with the vitamin B complex, is one of the most effective nutritional supplements. Green vegetables are also very good at stimulating the appetite. The lack of the mineral zinc affects the sense of smell and touch, and this negatively affects the appetite of a person.
You can stimulate your appetite with herbal infusions if you drink them half an hour before meals. With loss of appetite caused by emotional problems, herbal decoctions based on chamomile, lemon balm, dill, peppermint should be used. The healing properties of these herbs will help not only calm the psyche, but also stimulate the appetite.

Since there can be many reasons for loss of appetite and weight, we still advise you not to self-medicate, but to undergo an examination program.

Video about loss of appetite

Many people do not think that a good appetite is a sign of well-being and health. As soon as the desire to eat delicious food disappears, the question often spontaneously arises: “why”. But the reason can be various factors. If the cause of the lack of a good appetite is not eliminated in a timely manner, you can bring your body to a state where nothing and no one can help.

Not all people who experience hunger have a good appetite. Alas, not everyone eats with pleasure. The manifestation of appetite is measured by the amount of gastric juice. If all human organs function properly, then the amount of enzyme to process the incoming food is sufficient. When eating in such cases, the walls of the stomach are in tension, their movements are impulsive and strong, and the secretion of juice is plentiful. It is in such cases that a person eats food with appetite.

A good appetite is a sign of health and well-being

An integral attribute of proper nutrition and the pleasure received while eating is the beauty of the dish and the time spent on its absorption. Slow and careful eating brings more benefit and satisfaction than hastily consumed food. No wonder the French say that appetite comes with eating. The role of taste buds is important.

At the same time, appetite is influenced by various factors, both internal and external. It can be:

  • chronic diseases;
  • oncology;
  • violation of the regime;
  • an overdose of alcohol or drugs;
  • stressful situations;
  • pain sensations;
  • intoxication of the body;
  • the use of certain drugs;
  • overwork;
  • nervous and mental disorders;
  • endocrine and hormonal disorders;
  • injury and other factors.

The appearance of one focus of excitation reduces the other. This rule is.

If appetite disappears, then another focus of excitability has appeared. Conversely, the appearance of appetite is a sign of the retreat of the disease or some kind of tension. As they say, a good appetite is characteristic of healthy and prosperous people.

Appetite doesn't just disappear. The main thing is that it would not be for long

But do not confuse a good appetite with the desire to eat something specific, that is, a dish whose taste and aroma a person can anticipate. This is not about satiety and the proper functioning of the body. In such cases, there is a psychological factor of satisfaction.

The influence of the human brain on the emergence of appetite: video

…and his loss

Appetite disorder is almost always associated with violations of the food center. They can be caused by an organic lesion of the central nervous system, but more often they are functional in nature, as they are associated with a change in the effect on the cerebral cortex, as well as with impulses from peripheral receptors for chemical homeostasis and metabolism in the body if they are involved in the pathological process.

Poor appetite implies a lack of positive emotions from the anticipation of food. This negatively affects health.

The main causes of loss of appetite

One of the significant factors affecting appetite is the occurrence of intestinal dysbacteriosis. This disease is necessarily associated with a violation of the microflora of the digestive system, which in the normal state takes an active part in the assimilation of substances necessary for the human body. When it is modified or absent, malabsorption develops, which leads to weight loss and a gradual decrease in appetite against the background of pain.

Dysbacteriosis is one of the causes of lack of appetite

With dysbacteriosis, after eating even dietary food, pain usually occurs due to stretching of the walls, the appearance of flatulence, the absorption of toxins, and the occurrence of inflammatory processes. The brain associates their appearance with the consumption of food, which leads to a lack of appetite. If there is no necessary treatment, and the “hunger strike” lasts for a long time, muscle atrophy occurs, leading to dysfunction of the body systems. Over time, a person gets used to the lack of food so that even if it enters the esophagus and / or stomach, it ceases to be absorbed, receiving rejection in the form of spontaneous vomiting. The result is anorexia.

With gastritis with any secretory activity, especially during periods of exacerbation, people often lose their appetite. This is due, as in cases of dysbacteriosis, primarily with the onset of pain that occurs almost immediately after eating. The food center blocks the desire to eat, the unhealthy digestive system protects itself from unnecessary work using this method. As a result, a person loses interest even in their favorite dishes. Drowsiness and lethargy appear, immunity decreases.

Gastritis can cause loss of appetite

If in such a situation to listen to the "wishes" of a sick stomach, then you can bring yourself to complete exhaustion. Therefore, the occurrence of gastritis cannot be ignored. When a person, against the background of an exacerbated disease, loses more than 10 kg in weight, this condition can lead to serious malfunctions of the whole organism and to anorexia.

Some types of food allergies may be accompanied by a decrease in appetite. Many foods can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, among which are often:

  • stomach ache;
  • swelling in the oral cavity;
  • numbness and swelling of the tongue;
  • allergic enterocolitis;
  • vomit;
  • constipation;
  • diarrhea.

Initially, with allergic reactions to some food, a clear connection with the causative food is distinguished. And as a result of this, the food center in the brain sends an impulse associated with the rejection of certain foods. Gradually, there may be a loss of appetite in general. Therefore, when an allergy appears, a very important point is the timely recognition of the true causes. Allergenic food should be replaced in time with an equivalent, but non-irritating product.

Food allergies can cause you to stop eating

senile dementia

Dementia is not a single disease, but a group of progressive neurodegenerative diseases that lead to the disintegration of the personality. This violates:

  • memory;
  • thinking;
  • speech;
  • logics.

Unreasonable fits of rage can be replaced by depression, hallucinations are perceived as a reality. With this senile dementia, an error in the perception of reality occurs. It often seems to patients that neighbors or relatives want to poison them. Against this background, a person refuses food. There is a decrease in appetite. In parallel, due to memory problems, older people forget about food. The condition is complicated by a violation of the day regimen, when patients begin to confuse day and night. All this is happening against the backdrop of exacerbation of chronic diseases and delusional ideas. The result can be deplorable and transient.

Senile dementia is often the culprit in loss of appetite.

If a person’s appetite suddenly disappears, weight decreases, and there are no obvious reasons for this, then some kind of malfunction occurs in the body. Sometimes a persistent unwillingness to eat can be the first sign of a dangerous disease - oncology. Often in the early stages of development, cancer is asymptomatic. There is no pain, discomfort, special signs of the presence of malignant neoplasms. However, against the background of loss of appetite, there may be:

  • constant fatigue;
  • long-term non-healing cuts and abrasions;
  • low or high body temperature for no reason;
  • violation of the menstrual cycle (in women);
  • bad breath;
  • frequent colds and infections;
  • discoloration of the skin and sclera of the eyes;
  • sudden weight loss;
  • hair loss and brittle nails;
  • causeless shortness of breath and hoarseness in the voice;
  • the appearance of suspicious moles;
  • sleep disturbance.

If all this continues for more than two weeks, then you should immediately consult a doctor. Early examination and timely treatment can prolong and even save lives.

The neoplasm releases toxins into the blood - the products of its vital activity. In addition, a malignant tumor of the internal organs has a pressing effect from the very first days of its appearance. Intoxication and a false representation of the fullness of the stomach (this is present in cancer of the pancreas, lungs, liver and other organs located near the digestive system, as well as stomach cancer itself) causes a persistent loss of appetite - hyporexia. Often the refusal of food occurs at a time when the tumor disintegrates and metastases spread throughout the body.

Loss of appetite is one of the symptoms of cancer. The main thing is to notice the disease in time!

Almost 80% of cancer patients with a progressive form of cancer for various reasons experience a decrease in appetite and a dulling of hunger. Sometimes changes in metabolism or early satiety due to accumulation of fluid in the peritoneum (ascites) can be the reasons for the lack of desire to eat tasty food.

“There are no absolute diagnostic symptoms (feelings of the patient himself) or signs (changes that may also be noticeable to others), so diagnostic studies should ultimately involve taking tissue samples and examining them under a microscope (biopsy), since this is the only way to prove having cancer."

M. Whitehouse

But there are other causes of loss of appetite in oncology - these are chemical and radiation therapy. The therapeutic and at the same time toxic effect of medicines and chemicals can provoke a persistent aversion to food associated with the occurrence of nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea after eating.

arterial hypertension

If, against the background of a sharp loss of appetite, a person has the following pathological symptoms at the same time, then we can talk about arterial hypertension:

  • frequent headaches of varying degrees of intensity, localized in the back of the head;
  • glare and sparks in the eyes with a sharp change in body position;
  • drowsiness and weakness;
  • increased sweating;
  • memory impairment;
  • attention disorder;
  • insomnia;
  • anxiety and distraction;
  • dyspnea;
  • decrease in working capacity;
  • nosebleeds;
  • severe pallor and / or redness of the skin of the face.

When there is no necessary and timely treatment, then nausea and vomiting, dizziness and numbness of the fingers of the extremities can join to dull the feeling of hunger.

High blood pressure and loss of appetite are linked

All these manifestations only exacerbate the loss of appetite, as a person automatically loses his main activator - a full-fledged physical activity. It is the increase in pressure that prevents a person from wasting energy, which then needs to be replenished through nutrition. The absence of even a feasible manifestation of activity gradually leads to sensitization: strength and desire disappear. A sedentary lifestyle and drugs that control blood pressure lead to a worsening of the condition. In such cases, only the right self-organization will return the taste of your favorite products and the joy of life.

Nervous disorders

Very often people lose their appetite when various nervous disorders occur. Stressful situations are varied:

  • the period of falling in love;
  • loss of loved ones;
  • shock due to a serious illness;
  • problems at work;
  • moving;
  • discord in personal life.

And first of all, it affects the physiological and mental health.

Depression is the main causative factor that can make even your favorite food tasteless and hateful. A person does not see the point in getting pleasure from eating food. Sometimes the aroma of food can cause nausea. At the same time, many, against the background of nervous disorders, experience an overflow of the stomach, rapid saturation from the minimum consumption of food, and even vomiting when trying to eat something.

Nervous disorders and stress can lead to irreversible consequences

As a rule, young women suffer from loss of appetite on the background of nervous disorders. They think that refusing food is normal. First, there is a desire to lose weight, various debilitating diets are used with a restriction or exclusion from the diet of foods needed by the body. Weight loss turns into rapid weight loss when the appetite completely disappears. Then, to restore the body's working capacity, hospitalization is required, since prolonged abstinence from eating food leads to severe exhaustion and the development of anorexia nervosa, which can lead to death.

Taking antibiotics and other medications

Sometimes the appetite disappears with oral antibiotics. These funds, killing pathogenic microorganisms, affect the microflora of the digestive system. The most dangerous drug poisoning, overdose and / or misuse. Usually, this happens with self-medication, when a person uses large doses of the drug.

Do not get involved in drugs. The difference between medicine and poison is the dose!

Poisoning with medications entails not only loss of appetite and signs of food poisoning. Gradually join:

  • fever;
  • diarrhea;
  • jumps in blood pressure;
  • disturbance of consciousness;
  • high body temperature;
  • convulsions.

In such cases, emergency hospitalization is required, as the consequences can be irreversible: hearing loss, kidney failure, eye damage. So in such cases - loss of appetite is not the worst thing. This is just a protest of the body to take medications.

Metabolic disorders and hormonal changes

It is not uncommon that hormonal disorders and metabolic disorders are accompanied by a lack of appetite. In such cases, "companions" become:

  • memory impairment;
  • dryness of the skin and mucous membranes;
  • pressure reduction;
  • thirst;
  • drowsiness and weakness;
  • sensory disturbance in the extremities;
  • intolerance to low temperatures;
  • weight gain (surprisingly).

Poor appetite and simultaneous weight gain is one of the main signs of hormonal dysfunction. (As well as increased appetite and weight loss).

This usually happens with type 2 diabetes, hypothyroidism, adrenal insufficiency, and even pregnancy. Serious changes in the body can lead to a change in taste preferences, as well as irreversible changes in the functioning of organs.

Endocrine disruption can lead to loss of appetite

In addition to the above, there are still a large number of diseases and conditions in which there is a significant decrease or complete loss of appetite. Among them:

  • parotitis (mumps);
  • scarlet fever;
  • irritable bowel syndrome;
  • pancreatitis;
  • various kinds of fever;
  • alcoholism and drug addiction;
  • stomach ulcer;
  • intestinal obstruction;
  • stomatitis;
  • hepatitis;
  • appendicitis;
  • cirrhosis of the liver and others.

Loss of appetite is a bad sign.

Worm infestations

Decreased appetite can be when a person is infected with worms. However, most often, with helminthic invasion, the patient loses weight against the background of increased interest in food. Helminths absorb all the nutrients that come with food. A person wants to eat all the time. Pains and weakness come at a time when the patient is hungry. Therefore, helminthic invasions cannot be called the main cause of loss of appetite.

Restoration of appetite in adults

How to deal with loss of appetite? Force feeding will not lead to the desired result.

It is necessary to diagnose the disease underlying the appearance of such a symptom as lack of appetite. Only by establishing and eradicating the cause, you can eliminate the symptoms.

To determine the true cause, a number of medical diagnostic procedures are performed:

  • complete blood count;
  • urine and stool tests;
  • Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity;
  • study of the thyroid gland;
  • fluoroscopy;
  • HIV test;
  • MRI and CT - if necessary;
  • for women - ultrasound of the pelvic organs and pregnancy testing.

In each case, the treatment will be individual.

  1. If it is established that the reason for the lack of appetite in a woman was pregnancy, then no special measures will be required. It is enough to make some changes in the diet and after a couple of weeks the desire to eat delicious food will return by itself.
  2. When appendicitis or intestinal obstruction is the culprit, surgery is indispensable.
  3. In infectious diseases, appetite is restored against the background of properly selected therapeutic treatment.
  4. If the reason lies in senile dementia, then high-calorie nutrient mixtures are used, and, if necessary, artificial nutrition through a tube.
  5. When medications are to blame for the pathology, sometimes it is enough to cancel or replace them. Medicines taken orally are replaced by injections.
  6. If oncology is detected after radiation therapy or surgery, the patient's condition improves.
  7. If loss of appetite is associated with nausea and a gag reflex, then medications such as Ondansetron, Promethazine are used.
  8. Hormonal failures help to correct replacement therapy using artificial hormones.
  9. When the cause of loss of appetite is depression, then antidepressants, stimulant drugs, hypnosis, acupuncture, physiotherapy, cardio loads, and vitamins are prescribed. And sometimes safe sedatives, such as motherwort tincture, and / or valerian, are enough. Their regular use relieves nervous tension and at the same time improves the activity of the digestive tract.
  10. If arterial hypertension was the established cause, then it is enough to prescribe drugs that stabilize the situation and follow the doctor's recommendations so that the patient regains his appetite.

An exhausted body requires rest and treatment corresponding to the underlying disease.. At the same time, it is necessary to normalize the portion of food and its schedule.

Nutrition Features

To restore appetite, you should follow a special diet: meals by the hour, at regular intervals, at least five times. In this case, portions should be small. Each dish must be thoroughly chewed, spending at least 20-30 minutes eating. Snacks with sweets should be avoided, as well as foods high in fat. food should be rich in minerals, vitamins, amino acids, complex carbohydrates, fiber. Product tolerance must be taken into account. Do not get involved in cold and very hot food.

If, for medical reasons, there are no restrictions on the use of spices, spices and marinades, then it is advisable to use them as an addition to the main meal to stimulate appetite. Each meal should start with salads of fresh vegetables or fruits.

It is advisable to include in the diet once the patient's favorite dishes in combination with fresh sweet peppers and white cabbage. A complete exclusion from the menu of carbonated sugary drinks and alcohol is required. In this case, the volume of fluid consumed should be maximum.

There are a number of foods that can stimulate the production of digestive enzymes and provoke an increase in appetite:

  1. Citrus. All these southern fruits, except for some types of grapefruit, are able to activate the digestion of food.
  2. Apples. It is better to give preference to fruits of green color. The best choice is soaked apples.
  3. Korean carrot. Spices combined with the taste of carrots can cause appetite. In the absence of contraindications, it is recommended to eat a small amount before the main meal.
  4. Sauerkraut. It instantly accelerates appetite, but at the same time it is a product with a “minus calorie content”, since more energy is spent on digesting this product than it gives the body.
  5. Fresh tomatoes with onions. It is impossible to get enough of this salad, however, it perfectly kindles the desire to eat.
  6. Salted cheeses. Compensate for the lack of calcium and at the same time stimulate appetite.
  7. Chewing gum. In the process of its use, a large volume of salivary fluid is produced, which, when it enters the stomach, provokes the production of gastric juice. All this provokes the desire to eat tasty food.
  8. Ginger. A natural antiseptic and a product that revitalizes the digestive system of the human body. When using it, a person begins to experience a feeling of hunger.
  9. Pickled vegetables. They are best used in limited quantities, as these products can retain fluid. However, a small cucumber a day will not hurt, but will only stimulate the appearance of appetite.
  10. Soy sauce. This is one of the natural flavor enhancers that will help to open and feel the bouquet of many dishes.

All people are different, and in any case, a separate menu is developed from those products that are allowed to be used for a single individual, in accordance with his individual needs and capabilities, taking into account the state of health.

Foods that stimulate appetite: photo gallery

Citrus fruits - they are so appetizing Apples can stimulate appetite Ginger, when consumed in any form, will help to stimulate appetite Sauerkraut is a good appetite stimulant This product is both tasty and healthy. Salty cheese can stimulate the appetite Ripe juicy tomatoes even outwardly cause an appetite One cucumber eaten before a meal will help restore appetite Gum can increase the secretion of digestive juices and cause appetite Korean carrots can cause appetite in many Soy sauce will give many dishes an unforgettable taste

Application of traditional medicine recipes

You can try to stimulate the appetite with various herbal decoctions, teas and infusions. Means based on chamomile, mint, lemon balm, dill will help, which not only have a positive effect on appetite, but also have a calming effect on the human psyche.

With the permission of a doctor, you can use the following traditional medicine recipes:

  1. Hop cones. It is used most often in the form of a decoction, but can be used as a tincture or dry powder. 1 teaspoon once a day with water.
  2. Wild chicory root. The most classic remedy for loss of appetite: brew the root, and drink half an hour before meals. You can combine it with a coffee drink from cereals in a ratio of 1:4.
  3. Berries of black currant. It is recommended to eat fresh berries in half a glass 30 minutes before meals, or drink currant juice 2-3 times a day, 100 ml each.
  4. Wormwood. Pour a teaspoon of chopped dry grass with one glass of boiling water, let it brew for half an hour. Drink 20 minutes before meals three times a day, 1 tablespoon.
  5. Melissa officinalis. Pour a glass of boiling water 4 teaspoons of vegetable raw materials, let it brew for 4 hours. Drink 4 times a day for half a cup.
  6. Anise with cinnamon. Pour 500 grams of sugar with one liter of boiling water, add 40 grams of anise seeds and 1 gram of cinnamon. Mix everything well. Insist 45 days, then strain. The resulting infusion should be taken 1 tablespoon after meals.
  7. Onion. To increase appetite and improve digestion, it is very useful to use infused or boiled in vinegar onions.
  8. Parsley. Pour parsley seeds (1/3 teaspoon) with a glass of cold water, steam for half an hour. After cooling, strain the broth. Take 1 tablespoon 5 times a day.
  9. Celery. A good appetite stimulant is celery juice, it should be taken 1 teaspoon 20-30 minutes before meals.
  10. Juniper. With loss of appetite: pour dried juniper cones into boiling water (1 tablespoon per 2 cups of water), boil for 15-20 minutes, then strain. Take 1 tablespoon of the drink three times a day.
  11. Lemon with sugar. Mix grated fruit peel with granulated sugar in a ratio of 2: 1. Take 1/2 tablespoon before meals.
  12. Cornflower. Brew 1/2 tablespoon of flowers in one glass of boiling water. Infusion to drink half an hour before meals.
  13. Horseradish with honey. Take 1 teaspoon of grated horseradish with sugar or honey daily before meals.
  14. Yarrow. Pour a tablespoon of herbs with one glass of boiling water, steam for 15 minutes, then let it brew for 20-30 minutes. Cool the infusion, strain and take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day half an hour before meals.
  15. Dandelion. Pour two teaspoons of crushed plant roots with 1 glass of cold water and leave to infuse for 8 hours. Take four times a day, 50 ml half an hour before meals.
  16. Meadow clover. Pour 1 teaspoon of inflorescences with one glass of boiling water, leave for 5-8 minutes, strain. Drink 1 tablespoon 4 times a day.

According to the prescription of the attending physician, in the diet, you can use drugs (dietary supplements) with B vitamins and zinc, which increases the body's need for food and improves the sense of smell.

Folk remedies: photo

A decoction of hop cones will help restore appetite Chicory root stimulates appetite
Currant - tasty and healthy, stimulates the appetite Melissa will help activate the appetite Anise is not only a spice, but also an appetite stimulant Ordinary onion will help to cope with lack of appetite Horseradish as a cure for lack of appetite A decoction of ordinary clover promotes appetite

Medical treatment

If the loss of appetite carries a clear threat to human life and is not temporary, then the attending physician prescribes special medications. In this case, all adverse reactions and contraindications must be taken into account.

  1. Iron preparations: Ferrum lek, Sorbifer, Fenyuls.
  2. Histamine and serotonin antagonists: Supersan, Peritol, Tsiprodin, Astonin, Vinorex and others.
  3. Elixir Pernexin is a safe drug on a natural basis.
  4. Anabolic steroid. To increase appetite, many tend to believe that Primobolan is the best.
  5. Insulin. Popular among athletes who need to increase their appetite and gain weight.
  6. Pharmacy bitters. Excellent stimulate the production of pepsin and increase appetite.
  7. Antiemetics: Volagen, Albex, Digezan, Motilium, Peridon and others.
  8. Dopamine blockers and digestive activity regulators: Pramin, Cerucal, Viskal, Maksolon.
  9. Bioadditives: Limontar, Stimuvit.
  10. Peptides: Hexarelin, GHRP-6, -2.

You can not self-medicate and use medications without a doctor's prescription.

If the lack of appetite is a pathology that has arisen against the background of diseases requiring surgical intervention, then it can only be eliminated surgically (this has already been discussed above). Indications for surgery may be the following diseases:

  • appendicitis;
  • intestinal obstruction;
  • oncology;
  • stomach diseases: hernia, ulcer;
  • tumors of various etiologies, including benign ones.

Surgery is not a treatment for lack of appetite. This measure is used only when there is no other way to restore or improve the condition of a sick person.

What to do if there is no appetite: video

Prevention

To increase the level of appetite and feel the joy of life will help: the right diet, physical activity and harmony in the family.

  1. Many nutritionists recommend "working up an appetite." Walking along the park or the embankment is an ideal option for saturating the lungs with oxygen. This will help create the desire to eat delicious food. It would be useful to walk past a bakery or cafe, from where you can smell the pleasant smells of fresh pastries. This will help awaken your taste buds.
  2. Physical activity in nature is a great appetite activator. Jogging, cycling, any kind of outdoor sport, and swimming is the best. Classes on the water can cause "wolf hunger." But you can not overexert yourself, because exhaustion can lead to the opposite effect. Only pleasant fatigue will certainly return the appetite lost before.
  3. Often problems with appetite are associated with a malfunction in the daily routine and food intake. Normal sleep should be restored. Then the appetite will show itself.
  4. There is an opportunity to restore your appetite by doing your favorite things. In a depressed state, it is worth remembering an old hobby - this is very useful.
  5. It is worth abandoning bad habits, as they negatively affect the entire body.

Consequences of prolonged lack of appetite

Sometimes the loss of appetite can be selective. Sometimes it is temporary, and this condition goes away on its own. However, often in the absence of appropriate therapeutic measures, a persistent lack of appetite can lead to anorexia (complete loss of desire to eat food) or sitophobia (fear of eating against the background of fear of increasing some kind of pain).

Prolonged loss of appetite can lead to irreversible consequences in the human body. Therefore, it is necessary to consult specialists in a timely manner, such as:

  • therapist;
  • gastroenterologist;
  • oncologist;
  • allergist;
  • psychotherapist;
  • neurologist;
  • infectiologist.

Attentive attitude to yourself and your loved ones will help to timely identify and eliminate the fundamental factors in the development of such a pathology as lack of appetite.


A healthy appetite is a sure sign of a properly functioning organism. What to do if there is no appetite?

The main rule is not to ignore the "alarm bell" from your own body.

It is necessary to understand the reasons and, of course, try to eliminate them as soon as possible.

Let's talk about what may lie behind the reluctance to eat and what to do if there is no appetite.

Table of contents [Show]

  1. Appetite: causes of violations and ways to solve problems
  2. What to do if your pet refuses food

Appetite of a person, the causes of its violation and ways to solve problems

Appetite in the general sense of the word is identified with the feeling of hunger: one of the basic reactions of the body, inherent in any living organism.


To live, you need to eat - and how and when to do this, the brain (or rather, its part called the hypothalamus) signals us with the help of hunger.

Also, the word appetite can describe the eating habits of a single person.

"He has a great appetite!" - the tenderness of grandmothers by the way their grandchildren wrap home-made cutlets with puree - this is just right here.

And, finally, appetite can manifest itself as a particular desire to eat something special, following the signals of the brain about the need for certain substances.

Find out what loss of appetite can signal

Thus, appetite embraces and satisfies the three goals of our nutrition:

  1. Getting energy
  2. Getting vitamins and minerals
  3. Getting pleasure

All of the above are equally important for a healthy body.

The first and second are the key to physical well-being, but for the harmony of the mental state, one cannot do without the third.

Decrease or loss of appetite (hypo- and anorexia, respectively) is a serious problem that can occur in a person of any age.

It is not always a cause for concern, but always a reason to “slow down”, listen to yourself and understand why the body decided that it didn’t really need food.

Loss of appetite as an independent problem

Hypo- and anorexia are not always a sign of some disorders in the body.


As a rule, this can be easily understood by the absence of associated symptoms.

Wrong lifestyle and bad habits will sooner or later make themselves felt

If all you're experiencing is loss of appetite, the cause is most likely one of the following:

  1. Unhealthy Lifestyle. Bad habits affect the normal functioning of internal organs and lead to a decrease, and sometimes loss of appetite. A sedentary lifestyle also reduces our need for food, as energy is practically not wasted. The solution is simple and complex at the same time - go in for sports, give up bad habits, and your appetite will normalize on its own.
  2. Weather. Weather-sensitive people may experience a decrease in appetite during troubled periods, but those who don't suffer too much from weather changes tend to eat less during the hot summer months. At this time, the main task of the body is to maintain a normal water balance - you need to drink more fluids, and your appetite will return when the heat subsides.
  3. Reaction to medication. Some medications have a noticeable decrease in appetite among the side effects. Never take pills without a doctor's prescription and read the instructions carefully.
  4. Excessive dieting. When dieting, people often ignore the feeling of hunger or mock the body in other ways - and all this undermines the very mechanisms of regulation of hunger, and it can simply turn off. Be sure to consult a nutritionist, choose the diets that suit you and do not follow them for too long.
  5. Stress, strong emotions, or burnout can also cause temporary loss of appetite. Losing your appetite for a day because of excitement is normal, but make sure that such cases do not become a habit. Take care of your psychological comfort, and the brain will answer you with gratitude - and a good appetite.

To avoid the manifestations of anorexia due to these factors, study how your body works in a normal state.

This will take some time and require some discipline, but the result is worth it: knowing your norms, you can easily identify deviations from them, and it will become easier to notice the reasons.

Loss of appetite can also be caused by decreased physical activity and an unhealthy lifestyle.

Tip: keep records not only about your physical condition, but also a “mood diary”. With its help, you can easily observe the dynamics of your own psychological state, and if problems arise, you can determine when and why they began.

In addition, the reasons for the lack of appetite can be quite natural.

If an elderly person has no appetite, you do not need to immediately wonder what to do.

If a person is generally healthy, and the reluctance to eat is not accompanied by other symptoms, most likely this is just a manifestation of age. The older we get, the less energy the body needs.

Many parents start to panic if the child has no appetite.

What to do in such situations? I like Dr. Komarovsky's advice: don't force children to eat.

A healthy child, having walked up, spending energy, must beg for food himself, and only then it is worth feeding him.

This works well for ages 2 and up. What if there is no appetite for a younger child who still cannot properly communicate his needs to his parents?

Stick to a proper feeding schedule, make sure your baby is full during the meal, and don't encourage snacking - even if it gives you an hour or two of peace.

Do not force your child to eat

If loss of appetite is the main problem that bothers you, it will be easy to solve.


First, use the tips already given above for each individual case: give up bad habits, try to improve your lifestyle and take care of the emotional sphere.

Diversify the diet: sometimes loss of appetite is caused by the monotony of food.

Eat more foods that stimulate your appetite

Treat yourself to delicacies or try to dine in good company - perhaps the food will also seem more attractive with an interesting conversation.

Eat more foods that stimulate your appetite.

These include:

  1. Citrus
  2. Sour apple varieties
  3. grenades
  4. Cranberry
  5. Raspberry
  6. Blackberry
  7. Garlic
  8. Sauerkraut
  9. radish
  10. Cheremsha

There are plenty to choose from. You can also supplement the diet with freshly squeezed vitamin juices and just vitamins - but first you should definitely read about the rules of use and daily allowances.

Secondly, you can resort to folk remedies.

You can return the missing feeling of hunger with useful herbal decoctions. Appropriate fees can be found in pharmacies, or you can prepare yourself.

In older people, lack of appetite is often age related.

I want to tell you about my favorite lemon balm tincture, which is especially good if your appetite is gone from stress: it will calm your flabby nerves, and return the desire to have a bite, and please you with taste.


To prepare, take two teaspoons of lemon balm herb, brew half a liter of boiling water, cover with something and leave to infuse for four hours.

Half an hour before the planned meal, drink half a glass, sweetened with honey if desired - you will notice the result very soon.

Loss of appetite as a symptom

Loss of appetite can sometimes indicate more serious problems.

As a rule, such cases are easily identified by the presence of accompanying symptoms: if anorexia is a symptom of a serious problem, it will not come alone.

Wild garlic is considered an excellent means of combating poor appetite (and at the same time a storehouse of the first spring vitamins).

Let's look at the most common diseases, among the manifestations of which is loss of appetite:

  1. The first on the list will be the common cold - and at the same time all kinds of SARS and other infectious diseases. If you or your child has a fever, snot, cough or other cold-flu symptoms, and no appetite - do not worry about the question "what to do": go to the therapist or call the family doctor at home. Do not worry - the lack of appetite in such diseases is completely normal. The forces of the body are aimed at getting rid of the cause of the disease, the immune system is working at its full potential, and there are simply no resources left for digestion. Do not try to eat or force-feed the patient - when the disease passes, the appetite will return by itself.
  2. If the lack of desire to eat is accompanied by intense nausea, vomiting and / or diarrhea, you are most likely poisoned. Intoxication, no matter what caused it, is a very serious problem: do not wait until it "passes by itself" and call an ambulance.
  3. Diseases of the digestive system itself and the internal organs of the abdominal cavity can cause the complete disappearance of appetite. Abdominal pain is usually an accompanying symptom. It is also important here not to start the problem and go to the gastroenterologist in time.
  4. Interruptions in the work of the endocrine system. This requires attention to yourself, since the rest of the symptoms can be easily attributed to stress, fatigue, and many other factors. In order not to miss the onset of problems with the endocrine system, regularly undergo a medical examination and take blood tests - in particular, at least once a year for thyroid hormones.
  5. Depression, problems in the functioning of the nervous system, mental disorders. In this case, you need to look not so much for physical as for emotional symptoms. Constantly low mood, indifference to everything, or, conversely, periods of increased activity and euphoria, accompanied by loss of appetite, may be evidence of serious nervous disorders. Do not be afraid to go to a specialist for advice.
  6. And, finally, the most unpleasant option is oncology, which can be suspected if you have no appetite, feel sick (especially in the morning) and feel dizzy, there is chronic weakness. In this case, the loss of appetite can be both general and related to individual foods that you used to eat with pleasure. What to do, obviously - immediately contact a specialist.

Tip: If you are unsure about one or more of the symptoms, visit a general practitioner or consult your family doctor. He will help you figure it out and direct you to a specialized doctor.

Try a simple and delicious decoction of lemon balm and honey

What to do if your pet refuses food

The people were dealt with; now let's talk about those cases when you noted the disappearance of your pet's appetite.

Understanding that a cat or dog has no appetite is simple: the bowl sits untouched all day, and the pet often also behaves unusually, demonstrating lethargy or unusual activity. What to do?

Of course, first of all - do not worry.

Remember, an animal - that a small child cannot say that it hurts or worries, but it perfectly feels the mood of the owners.

Your experiences will not help him in any way, but you may well aggravate the problem. So - calmness and only calmness!

The only thing you can do at home if your cat or dog doesn't have an appetite is to make sure you offer the pet the right food.

If the animal has stopped looking at food with interest, take him to the veterinarian

Sometimes our four-legged friends understand long before us that some product is spoiled, and refuse to eat it; this happens and the reaction to a new, unusual food or even a new taste.

For example, my cat ignored rabbit-flavored canned food for days on end, although all the other products of this manufacturer were dying with a bang behind their ears. Everything is individual.

If you have established that the reason for the lack of interest in food does not lie in the food itself, then the answer to the question “what to do” can be only one: urgently take your pet to the veterinarian!

Explain to him that the cat / dog has no appetite, tell him how long this has been going on and what you have already done.

After examining the animal, the doctor will determine the cause and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Animals are the same little children

Tip: do not try to diagnose a pet yourself!

I just want to wish that there is nothing serious behind the interruptions in appetite, and that problems are solved quickly and efficiently.

Be healthy!

life-reactor.com

Sudden and severe weight loss is no less worrisome than weight gain. If a person loses more than 5% of the total body weight every week, this negatively affects the overall well-being and appearance. The reasons for losing weight are divided into 2 large groups: general and medical. With common causes, a person can cope on his own or with the help of friends and relatives. As for the second group, one cannot do without the help of medical knowledge. Weight loss associated with diseases of organs and systems is the most life-threatening. Read about 10 diseases from which people lose weight on estet-portal.com.

Common reasons for losing weight

It cannot be said that a sharp weight loss can be associated purely with the course of pathological processes in the body. There are other reasons for losing weight. Stress and depression, mental stress, phobias and other problems can provoke weight loss. In addition, the worship of a thin body pushes modern girls to follow diets, exhaustion by physical exertion, and all this, together with the fast pace of life, leads to strong weight loss.

So, the first group of reasons for weight loss:

  • eating disorders:
  • phobias;
  • diets and even hunger strikes;
  • transitional age;
  • hormonal disruptions;
  • dependence on drugs or alcohol;
  • increase in physical activity.

Weight can “jump” during sessions and exams, when moving to a new job, when moving to another country or city, when falling in love. Sometimes, with hormonal surges, weight can decrease, although most often in the female body there is an accumulation of fat deposits and a set of extra pounds.

10 diseases that cause weight loss

80% of cases of weight loss are due to medical reasons for weight loss associated with impaired functioning of one organ or the whole organism. Be careful and watch your weight. In the event of a sharp decrease in body weight and a deterioration in well-being, you should immediately consult with specialists and undergo a medical examination.

Oncology - cancer does not sleep

When there is a change in the color of the skin or sclera of the eyes, weight decreases, hair falls out, nails break - this is only a small part of the consequences of the first stages of a cancerous tumor. The patient may not yet know that a life-threatening formation is growing in the body. And weight loss can greatly speed up the pathology detection process. Most often, the patient loses weight with the development of malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and pancreas. These diseases can be accompanied by strong weight loss from the first days of the onset of the tumor. As for other types, weight loss may appear after the growth of metastases in the body.

General and first signs of a cancerous tumor:

  • non-healing of wounds and ulcers;
  • the presence of seals;
  • violation of urination and stool;
  • hoarseness, cough;
  • weakness;
  • change in skin color.

Pulmonary tuberculosis

This disease is manifested by a rich clinical picture, one of the first symptoms of which is weight loss. Tuberculosis is considered an intractable disease that can only be fought in the early stages. Other signs of tuberculosis include:

  • chest and wet cough;
  • attacks of coughing with the release of blood and pus;
  • weakness, drowsiness, loss of strength;
  • severe sweating;
  • chest pain, runny nose.

Tuberculosis cannot be treated on its own, only a stay in a dispensary, under the supervision of doctors and long-term use of medications in the first latent stage, can guarantee a cure. A person dies 2-3 years after the lungs are affected by tuberculosis in case of refusal of treatment.

Diabetes

Another reason for weight loss is diabetes. It is the first type of diabetes that provokes weight loss, the second type contributes to obesity. Usually the patient constantly experiences increased appetite, and it is almost impossible to satisfy it, hunger is always present. This is due to an imbalance in blood glucose. During the course of the disease in the blood, there is an increase in glucose and insulin deficiency.

Other symptoms of type 1 diabetes:

  • dry mouth and thirst;
  • sweating;
  • irritability and weakness;
  • the presence of constant hunger;
  • vision problems;
  • frequent urination.

Thyrotoxicosis

This disease is a pathology of the thyroid gland. In the body, intoxication with thyroid hormones occurs with dysfunction of the thyroid gland secreted by these hormones. Also called hyperthyroidism. Weight loss in this disease is associated with an increase in metabolic rate. The patient constantly overeats and at the same time loses weight.

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism:

  • intolerance to stuffiness;
  • cardiopalmus;
  • tremor;
  • diarrhea;
  • thirst;
  • violation of menstruation in women and decreased libido in men;
  • attention disorder.

Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia is characterized by a pathological fear of obesity and an eating disorder (intentional) associated with maximum weight loss in the individual. This disease overlaps with bulimia and binge eating. Adolescents and girls under 25 are most susceptible to this disorder, although men can also have problems. It seems normal for patients to refuse food in order to lose weight. This leads to severe depletion of the body, and if this disease is not stopped, it can lead to death.

Symptoms of uneven anorexia:

  • fear of getting better;
  • sleep disturbance;
  • the patient's denial of their fear of being overweight and the presence of a problem in general;
  • depression;
  • feelings of resentment and anger;
  • changing perceptions of family and social life;
  • dramatic changes in behavior.

Adrenal insufficiency (hypocorticism syndrome, Addison's disease)

With this disease, the process of producing hormones by the adrenal cortex is disrupted. Types of adrenal insufficiency: chronic and acute, primary and secondary. The disease manifests itself:

  • muscle weakness;
  • increasing fatigue;
  • darkening of the skin (to a bronze color);
  • lowering blood pressure;
  • craving for salt;
  • loss of appetite;
  • pain in the abdomen.

Alzheimer's disease

Also called senile dementia. The disease is a loss of neural connections in the brain. It usually affects older people over 65 years of age. Although Alzheimer's disease can develop at an early age, after 40 years, if there is a genetic predisposition. Manifested by loss of partial memory and disorientation. Most often, the last events in life fall out of memory, then there is a loss of long-term memory. A person is lost on the ground, ceases to recognize faces, feel emotions, loses acquired knowledge, speech and hearing apparatus are disturbed. The patient may forget to eat, relieve himself, fall asleep or wake up. As a result, a significant body weight is lost, a person cannot exist without additional help from relatives or close people.

Lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease)

This oncological disease is a "growth" of lymphoid tissue, which contains giant Reed-Berezovsky-Sternberg cells. In the first stage, the disease is manifested by an increase in lymph nodes. The cervical and axillary nodes are usually inflamed.

Associated symptoms:

  • loss of appetite;
  • enlargement (inflammation) and reduction of lymph nodes;
  • increased nighttime sweating;
  • temperature rise.

Ulcerative colitis

This disease is chronic and is an inflammation of the lining of the colon. It is mainly manifested by the following intestinal symptoms:

  • pain in the abdomen (cutting, aching, radiating to the left side);
  • diarrhea;
  • bloating;
  • loss of appetite;
  • fever;
  • disruption of the kidneys and heart.

Bowel obstruction

Violation is caused by narrowing of the lumen of the large intestine and is an advanced stage of cancer. The lumen of the large intestine narrows due to the growth of a cancerous tumor, which blocks the patency of feces and intestinal juices.

It manifests itself with such symptoms:

  • stool and gas retention;
  • pain in the abdomen on the left side;
  • vomit;
  • asymmetric bloating (from the side of the large intestine).

The above diseases are accompanied by weight loss and severe weight loss against the background of poor health. Any reasons for losing weight should alert a person. In case of identified violations, you should immediately seek help from specialists. Only timely treatment can serve as an early relief from other consequences of severe exhaustion of the body.

estet-portal.com

Many people these days notice that they have no appetite at all. What to do in such a situation? Before taking any action, it is necessary to find out what is the reason for the absolute absence of hunger.

Why did the appetite disappear?

Loss of appetite is not always associated with some serious illness. Today, doctors identify several of the most common causes of this condition:

1. Overeating. No matter how much has been written and said about the benefits of a balanced diet, few people follow the number of calories. In addition, many people are accustomed to eating everything that is on the plate, even if you no longer feel like it. And others are accustomed to constant snacking “in between times”. All this leads to the fact that when the time comes for the next meal, the body simply does not need additional calories, and the feeling of hunger does not wake up.

2. Poor quality food. This is another reason why there is no appetite. What to do in this case? Firstly, give up fast food, sandwiches, chips and other unhealthy “goodies”. The abuse of sweet, fatty and dry foods leads to the fact that the secretion of the digestive glands is disturbed, a phenomenon such as reflux occurs (food is thrown back into the higher sections of the gastrointestinal tract), and fermentation and decay processes begin in the intestines. As a result, there is a permanent background discomfort, due to which a person physically cannot experience the feeling of hunger.

3. Overwork and stress. Physical and emotional fatigue, worries, feelings of depression - all this beats the craving for food completely. Therefore, be sure to ensure that the loads in your daily routine reasonably alternate with rest, both active and passive.

4. Diseases of the digestive system. Peptic ulcer, gastritis, cholecystitis, enterocolitis and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract lead to indigestion, which also leads to loss of appetite.

5. Pregnancy. In the first trimester, women often do not experience hunger due to toxicosis. And in recent months, the situation is very common when the uterus squeezes the stomach, reducing its volume. As a result, even after eating a small amount of food, a feeling of fullness arises, which creates the illusion of a lack of appetite.

As for serious diseases, then, of course, the lack of hunger can be a symptom of one of them. However, as a rule, severe illnesses bring with them a whole “bouquet” of unpleasant symptoms (general weakness, rapid unreasonable weight loss, and others). Therefore, do not worry ahead of time, it is better to analyze all other reasons again and think about what is the reason for your indifferent attitude to food.

So, you realized that you have no appetite lately. What to do? Official and traditional medicine offer several recommendations for those who wish to regain their normal appetite.

First, review your diet. Your diet should be complete so that the body receives all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals it needs. It is best to eat homemade food, steamed or boiled dishes. Your menu must include fruits, vegetables, juices and dairy products. It is important to stop snacking and not overeat. It is not for nothing that doctors so insistently advise eating in small portions, but often (5-6 times a day).

There is another trick that will help you overcome the lack of appetite. "What to do?" - you ask? Everything is extremely simple. There is even a special concept in cooking - “aperitif”. In simple terms, this is an appetizer that is eaten before main courses to improve appetite. Ideal as an aperitif, a salad of fresh vegetables, a few tablespoons of a spicy snack or a slice of lemon is suitable.

Do not underestimate the role of spices as your assistants. They not only improve the aromatic and taste qualities of dishes, but are also very useful. Many of them help the digestive system digest food better, cleanse blood vessels and blood, break down bad cholesterol, and saturate the body with vitamins. For example, horseradish improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and helps in the treatment of diseases of the kidneys and liver, and bay leaf strengthens the immune system. Literally each of the spices known to us has its own beneficial properties that you can use for yourself.

Do not panic if you have lost your appetite. What to do in such situations, you already partially know. But, in addition to all of the above, the problem may lie in abnormal blood sugar levels and a lack of certain vitamins (in particular, vitamin C). Therefore, it will be useful to start drinking ascorbic acid. A tablet of this remedy must be taken 30-40 minutes before. before the meal.

Some people seeking to increase food cravings resort to the help of pharmacy bitters. They are sold without a prescription and act as irritants to the stomach receptors, thus increasing appetite.

There are also folk recipes that will help you if you have no appetite. What to do and how to take them? Here are the main tools that help to cope with the problem in most cases:

    Pour a teaspoon of crushed bitter wormwood with a glass of boiling water. The infusion must be kept for half an hour before use, and then drink a tablespoon of medicine before meals (3 rubles / day).

    We buy crushed dandelion roots. Pour two teaspoons of raw materials with a glass of cold water and insist for 8 hours. The remedy is taken four times a day, a quarter cup.

    It is necessary to squeeze the juice from four carrots and a bunch of watercress, dilute the resulting liquid with clean water in a ratio of 1: 1. Take before a meal.

When should you see a doctor?

If, in addition to the lack of a natural feeling of hunger, you observe other disturbing symptoms (pain, weakness, nausea, weight loss), do not waste time trying to cope with the problem at home. It is better to undergo an examination as soon as possible and find out why the body failed, and then undergo the appropriate course of treatment.

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By a decrease in appetite, doctors understand a partial or complete refusal to eat. This happens for various reasons, including serious illnesses and, in the absence of qualified assistance, leads to serious consequences.

Table of contents: General information Causes of loss of appetite Accompanying symptoms Diagnosis What to do if appetite is lost - How to improve appetite for an adult - Traditional medicine to improve appetite

General information

It is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of hunger and appetite. Hunger is a reflex that manifests itself if the body does not receive food at a certain time. The mechanism of its development is as follows: the level of glucose in the blood decreases, after which a signal is sent to the centers of hunger. At this moment, a person may feel an increased secretion of saliva, an aggravation of the sense of smell, a pulling sensation "in the pit of the stomach." This area is a projection of the stomach, so it always lets a person know about the feeling of hunger.

note! When hunger appears, a person does not have a desire to eat only certain foods. He eats everything.

Appetite is a special manifestation of the feeling of hunger, in which individual favorite foods are selected. It is influenced by the time of day, emotional state, national identity of a person, religion, finally.

Decreased appetite refers to a state where a person does not want anything. There is a concept of a change in appetite when habitual taste needs are violated. Doctors also diagnose a complete lack of appetite, leading to anorexia.

Causes of loss of appetite

Decreased appetite is usually preceded by:

  • Intoxication of the body due to inflammation or poisoning. Due to the fact that at such moments he spends all his energy on removing toxins, digestion of food fades into the background.
  • Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, which are accompanied by pain, discomfort.
  • Malfunctions of the organs of the endocrine system in diabetes mellitus, hormonal imbalance.
  • Oncology (cancer of the stomach, colon or blood).
  • Autoimmune diseases (scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis).
  • Depression, neurosis, neuropsychiatric disorders.
  • Side effects after taking pain medications - morphine, ephedrine.
  • Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia.
  • Pregnancy.
  • Excess fatty foods in the diet.
  • Metabolic disorders due to malnutrition.
  • Adaptation of the body during physical exertion, to which it lends itself for the first time.
  • Little mobility and sedentary work.
  • Individual lactose intolerance, celiac disease.
  • Bad habits - smoking, alcohol, drugs.

Important! A dullness of appetite can also be caused by quite harmless habits, namely: the abuse of chocolate, coffee, and powerful energy drinks.

It should be noted that there are diseases in which a person also loses the desire to eat.

This is about:

  • Bronze disease, or Addison's disease, is an endocrine disease associated with dysfunction of the adrenal glands.
  • Still-Chaufer disease - juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Typhoid.
  • Dementia.
  • Gastroesophageal reflux - when the contents of the stomach are thrown back into the esophagus.
  • Ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.
  • Schizoaffective disorder.

Associated symptoms

There is an opinion that a good appetite is a sign of health. Due to the fact that during the day the feeling of hunger and appetite replace each other, a person saturates his body, while remaining at the same weight. This is a kind of balance that ensures normal life.

If this balance is disturbed for psychological or other reasons, the appetite may disappear. Along with it, the feeling of hunger sometimes disappears.

Note! The lack of desire to eat for several hours is not a reason for frustration. This happens when a person eats a too high-calorie meal at a previous meal. In other words, at such moments the body is provided with energy for a longer period of time.

The lack of hunger for 5 - 8 hours makes you think. By the time they expire, the level of glucose in the blood will certainly decrease, and the person will feel a breakdown, weakness. After saturation, the stomach, full of food, will stretch, the concentration of glucose will increase and a signal will go to the brain and the need to stop saturation.

Interestingly, scientists have found that a person subconsciously chooses those products that his body needs at a given time. Athletes prefer to eat salty foods after training to make up for the loss of salt due to sweating.

Diagnostics

In case of loss of appetite, you should consult a doctor. He will prescribe a complete examination of the body, including:

  • a clinical blood test, an analysis of sugar levels, hormones to exclude diabetes, hormonal failure, liver disease;
  • urinalysis to rule out inflammation of the kidneys;
  • chest x-ray to detect pneumonia, lung cancer;
  • HIV test;
  • Ultrasound of the gastrointestinal tract;
  • pregnancy test.

What to do if you lose your appetite

If diseases that could cause a decrease in appetite are identified, therapy is prescribed to eliminate them. In parallel, doctors recommend adjusting the schedule and portioning of meals. In other words, they advise eating 5 - 6 times a day in small portions. The last meal should be 4 hours before bedtime. For one absorption of food, you need to spend about 30 minutes, chewing the pieces slowly.

Snacks should be avoided. Sweets should be replaced with fruits, sauces and marinades with spices, as they whet the appetite. For some patients, doctors prescribe vitamin B, zinc, which enhance the sense of smell. It is also important to observe the drinking regimen, especially when playing sports.

Note! Nausea during this period is removed with Promethazine and other similar drugs. To improve the functioning of the thyroid gland, hormone substitutes are prescribed. Dementia is treated with high-calorie nutrient mixtures, inflammation with antibiotics.

How to improve appetite

Eating three whole meals a day can seem like a daunting task when you don't have a healthy appetite. A more motivating way to eat is to divide your three main meals into five or six smaller meals.

As your appetite improves, you can start increasing the amount of these meals or adding more ingredients to increase your calorie intake throughout the day. For example, if you're eating a meat sandwich, include some vegetables and cheese as well to add more calories and nutrients.

Let's summarize a little:

Eat five or six smaller meals a day instead of three large ones. As your appetite improves, you can start increasing portions and adding more ingredients.

2. Eat Nutrient-Rich Foods

People who have a poor appetite tend to consume empty calories such as candy, potato chips, ice cream, and baked goods in order to gain weight. Although these types of foods may seem more appetizing and high in calories, this is a bad idea because they provide very few nutrients to the body.

Instead of consuming similar foods, focus on foods that provide you with calories and a wide range of nutrients, such as proteins and healthy fats. For example, instead of ice cream for dessert, you can have 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt with the sweetness of berries and cinnamon added to it. Similarly, if you feel like eating pizza, you can make it at home and add more vegetables and protein for extra nutrition.

Let's summarize a little:

Reduce your intake of empty calories. Instead, focus on eating more nutritious foods containing protein, healthy fats, and whole grains.

3. Add more calories to your meals

If you are concerned about how to increase your appetite, there is another way to help increase your appetite and ensure that your body gets enough nutrients throughout the day. You just need to add more calories to your diet.

One way to do this is to cook meals with high-calorie ingredients such as butter, nut butters, olive oil, or whole milk.

For example:

  • Add 45 calories: cook eggs with butter.
  • Add 80 Calories: Make oatmeal with whole milk instead of water.
  • Add 80 Calories: add olive oil and avocado to salads.
  • add 100 calories: Spread apple slices with a little peanut butter and use as a snack.

Simple supplements like these can additionally supply your body with healthier calories and increase your overall intake.

Let's summarize a little:

When preparing various meals, add high-calorie ingredients to consume more calories throughout the day.

4. Make mealtimes enjoyable.

How to increase appetite easily and pleasantly? Cooking and dining with other people can help stimulate your appetite more than eating alone. To make the food more appetizing, you can invite friends and family for lunch (dinner). If they can't come and keep you company, try eating while watching TV.

These strategies can help keep your attention away from food. A study found that eating with friends can increase your intake by 18%, and eating while watching TV can increase your intake by 14%. Sharing meals and meals that are combined with entertainment can help you enjoy your food more and improve poor appetite.

Let's summarize a little:

If you eat with friends and family or eat in front of the TV, you can distract yourself from the food you are eating, which will encourage you to eat more of it.

5. Trick your brain with different plate sizes

How to improve appetite by tricking your brain? If you have a poor appetite, the sight of large portions can make you feel overwhelmed and reluctant. The way to avoid these negative feelings is to trick your brain into thinking that you are still eating a small portion. You can do this by serving your meals on a large plate instead of a small one.

Some research has shown that increasing the size of your plate can make you eat larger portions of food. This happens even if you don't really like the food. In other words, you can eat more food if you serve it on a large plate. This can increase your daily calorie intake, especially if you eat high-calorie foods.

Let's summarize a little:

Eating food from larger plates can help you eat more.

6. Eat on time

Try to plan a daily meal schedule and set a reminder for each meal to start eating regularly. A regular meal schedule is important for stimulating your appetite, which will help you consume enough calories and nutrients every day.

Let's summarize a little:

Scheduling and setting meal reminders can help you increase your appetite and keep track of your food intake.

7. Don't skip breakfast

Consuming breakfast on a daily basis is important when you want to boost your appetite and gain weight.

A review study found that skipping breakfast can cause you to eat less throughout the day, with the opposite effect. In addition, breakfast helps increase the body's thermogenesis effect, causing you to burn more calories throughout the day. It's good for the appetite.

If you're trying to eat more, having a daily breakfast is just as important as regular meals throughout the day.

Let's summarize a little:

Eating breakfast daily can increase your appetite and increase thermogenesis, which may encourage you to eat more.

8. Eat less fiber

A high-fiber diet has been shown to promote a feeling of fullness and reduce calorie intake - especially helpful for those who want to lose weight but just want to improve their appetite and possibly gain weight.

Although high-fiber foods are recommended in a balanced diet, they can slow down digestion and keep you feeling full longer. Therefore, you may want to adjust your fiber intake if you are wondering how to improve poor appetite.

To improve your appetite, increase your intake of low-fiber foods, and slightly reduce your intake of high-fiber foods - this will help alleviate feelings of fullness in the stomach and may help you eat more throughout the day.

Let's summarize a little:

Reducing the amount of fiber in your diet can reduce the feeling of fullness in your stomach and encourage you to eat more food throughout the day.

9. Drink your calories

Drinking calories can be a more motivating way to increase your calorie intake than chewing food when you don't feel too hungry. A practical way to drink up your calories is to replace some of your meals with nutritious, high-calorie drinks.

Smoothies, milkshakes, and juices can be good drinks to replace certain meals. Try cooking them with nutritious ingredients like fruits and vegetables. You can also add good protein sources such as whole milk, yogurt, or protein powder for extra calories and nutrients.

Let's summarize a little:

Drinking high-calorie and nutritious drinks instead of some snacks throughout the day can help motivate you to consume your food.

10. Include Healthy Snacks

Eating large meals can be intimidating for you, while small, easy-to-eat snacks can be more convenient, making it less of an effort to increase your food intake. Snacks can also be helpful when you're on the go.

However, appetizers are not meant to replace main meals, but rather to complement them. Therefore, avoid eating snacks before meals because it can worsen your appetite.

Here are some examples of healthy snacks:

  • Fruits such as bananas, apples and oranges.
  • Protein bars or muesli bars.
  • Greek yogurt or cottage cheese and fruit.
  • Olive oil and crackers.
  • Salty snacks such as popcorn or a mixture of dried fruits and nuts.

Let's summarize a little:

Eating small, healthy snacks throughout the day can help increase your calorie intake and increase your desire to eat.

11. Eat more of your favorite foods

How to increase appetite - what foods? When you have a dish in front of you that you know and love, you are probably much more likely to eat it than a dish that you find unappealing. Research shows that if you can choose your food, you will be able to eat more and eat more often than if you did not have the opportunity to choose your foods.

In order for you to consume more of these foods, it is important to spend some time planning and preparing them ahead of time so that you can always use them. However, if your favorite foods are unhealthy (such as those from fast food restaurants), you can try making your own or serving them with healthier ingredients to make them more nutritious.

Let's summarize a little:

Eat more of your favorite foods. This will help you eat normally and stimulate your appetite.

12. Use herbs and spices

Another remedy that improves appetite is herbs and spices. Certain foods can slow down digestion and produce gas, which can lead to a feeling of fullness in the stomach, bloating, and decreased appetite.

A type of seasoning called carminative herbs and spices can help reduce bloating and flatulence, and improve appetite. They can also stimulate bile production to help digest fats.

Here are some examples of carminative herbs and spices that are appetizing foods:

  • fennel
  • black pepper
  • coriander
  • cinnamon

In addition to helping to reduce the feeling of heaviness in the stomach, these herbs and spices can help make your meals more palatable and appealing. When your food smells and tastes good, it can create a good appetite.

Bitters are another type of herbal preparation that can help increase appetite by stimulating the production of digestive enzymes. Here is an appetite improving herb that belongs to the bitter tonics:

  • gentian
  • knicus blessed
  • centaury ordinary

You can start supplementing some of these herbs, spices, or bitter tonics by adding them to your meals or consuming them as a tea or tincture.

Let's summarize a little:

Some herbs, spices, and bitters are good for increasing appetite, aiding digestion, reducing flatulence, and making your food more palatable.

13. Increase physical activity

How to induce appetite naturally without resorting to various herbs? During physical activity, your body burns calories to maintain energy levels. Physical activity can increase your appetite as your body needs to replenish the calories it burns.

One study involved 12 people who were exposed to physical activity for 16 days. During this period, they burned an average of 835 extra calories per day. In addition, the scientists observed increased food cravings in the subjects, from which they were able to replenish 30% of the calories burned during training.

You shouldn't expect to improve your appetite after your first workout, but if you're consistent and stick to your weekly training schedule, your appetite will likely improve in just a few days.

In addition, physical activity can affect several processes in your body that have been found to stimulate hunger. These include an increase in metabolic rate and muscle mass, as well as changes in hormone production.

Let's summarize a little:

Physical activity can make you burn more calories and stimulate your appetite by increasing your metabolic rate and hormone production.

14. Limit Drinks During Meals

Drinking fluids before or with meals can affect your appetite and make you eat less. Studies have shown that drinking water before meals can reduce calorie intake and help with weight loss. This appears to affect older people more than younger ones.

In contrast, abstaining from drinking water or drinks before meals can increase calorie intake by 8.7%. So try to drink water at least 30 minutes before meals and see if your appetite improves.

Let's summarize a little:

Drinking water or other liquids before or with meals can affect your appetite and cause you to eat less.

15. Some Supplements May Also Help

Deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals can reduce appetite. If you're wondering how to increase your appetite, consider including some of these supplements in your diet, which serve as an appetite booster when deficient:

  • Zinc: A lack of zinc in the diet can lead to loss of appetite and taste disturbances, which can contribute to reduced desire to eat (see Zinc Deficiency: Symptoms in Women and Men).
  • Thiamine: Thiamine deficiency can lead to decreased appetite and increased energy expenditure during rest, leading to weight loss.
  • Fish fat: Some studies have shown that this natural preparation in the form of clear gelatin capsules can help increase appetite, and reduce the feeling of fullness in women after eating.
  • Echinacea: This is a plant used to stimulate the immune system and fight disease. Studies have shown that echinacea also contains compounds called alkylamines, which can stimulate your appetite. You can learn more about the beneficial properties and use of echinacea here - Echinacea: medicinal properties and contraindications, the use of echinacea.

Let's summarize a little:

Deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals can cause loss of appetite. Taking certain supplements can increase your appetite.

16. Keep a food diary

Keeping a food diary will help you keep track of what you eat and make sure you consume enough calories throughout the day. Recording each meal and your hunger levels can also help you understand how your appetite is improving. Strive to write down every food, dish, and snack you eat, no matter how small. When your appetite is low, counting every calorie gives you an idea of ​​how well you are reaching your daily goal.

Let's summarize a little:

Keeping a food diary will help you track your food intake and improve your eating habits and appetite.

Summarize

Many factors can affect your appetite, including physical illnesses, mental conditions, medications, and vitamin or mineral deficiencies. However, small changes can make a big difference. You can try to increase your appetite by inviting people to dinner and cooking new recipes, as well as using spices, herbs and high-calorie ingredients to make food more attractive and nutritious.

Try to limit your intake of water and drinks before and during meals, and moderate your intake of high-fiber foods, as they can impair your appetite. If you find large meals difficult, motivate yourself to eat smaller meals more often and you may be able to increase your appetite.

Another trick is to eat the largest portion when you are hungry. The rest of the time, you can include shakes and high-calorie drinks in your diet that are easier to consume. If you're having trouble eating, it's always a good idea to check with your doctor, who can give you advice on how to increase your hunger and put on healthy pounds.

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