Why is there poor appetite? Lost appetite: what to do next, causes

17.03.2016

Appetite and its absence are not always associated with any diseases, especially if it is not accompanied by any additional negative symptoms. And in vain: after all, excessive or insufficient appetite can be an indicator of disease gastric tract, endocrine system and other pathologies.

Rare changes in appetite occur during periods of hormonal surges - mainly in women during periods before menstruation or during pregnancy. If the appetite disappeared suddenly and without objective reasons, and this condition continues long time accompanied by sudden weight loss, you should consult a doctor to rule out serious illnesses: cancer, diabetes, etc. Perhaps the lack of appetite is caused by neuropathological ailments or digestive disorders. dysbacteriosis. The doctor will make an accurate diagnosis by conducting the necessary tests.

Poor appetite in a child can be caused by insufficient activity or lack of physical activity, necessary for his age. If a child has always had a good appetite, but it suddenly disappears, there may be disruptions in the functioning of systems in the body.

So, the main ones serious reasons that there is no appetite:

• diabetes - can be accompanied by both an increase and a decrease in the desire to eat; the same changes in appetite occur during pregnancy.
• stomach cancer - characterized by selective appetite - certain foods are rejected, mainly meat, sometimes complete indifference to meals, anorexia appears.
• gastritis – chronic form Gastritis is marked by a lack of appetite due to decreased activity of the pancreas.
• sitophobia – arises as a derivative of stomach diseases and is manifested by a conscious refusal to eat, due to fear of pain after eating, for example, this condition is typical for patients with stomach ulcers.
• other gastrointestinal problems - usually any problems with the stomach lead to a decrease in appetite of various types.

Appetite

Let's figure out what appetite is and why it is absent during illness. Appetite is translated as “craving or desire.” That is we're talking about about the pleasure brought to a person while eating food. If we rely on the medical interpretation of the concept of “appetite,” then doctors refer to it as physiological mechanisms, forcing people to meet their nutritional needs.

Appetite is a concept associated with the work of special parts of the brain. They are called food centers, the most active of which are located in the cortex and hypothalamus. Thus. The desire to eat is formed in the head.

Why does appetite occur?

The brain has a center responsible for food. Signals are received there about the amount of food consumed, the degree of its digestibility, and the consumption of reserves by burning energy. The signal about the desire to eat - appetite - appears ahead of the natural depletion of resources, and even a change in the usual diet will lead to the appearance of alarming “beacons”.

Reasons affecting appetite

• speed of metabolic processes in the body;
• the presence in the blood of substances necessary for existence;
• water balance;
• fat reserve;

Appetite occurs as a result of contraction of the walls of the empty stomach. Appetite also increases when triggered conditioned reflexes taste and smell. Visual stimuli in the form of a clock whose hands are approaching lunch time.

Suppression of appetite occurs during the period of eating food, when the walls of the stomach stretch, nutrients enter the blood, gradually changing hormonal background. As a result, the brain receives a command about satiety. Satiety is felt no earlier than 15 minutes after the start of the meal. Therefore, in order to prevent overeating, you should spend at least 20 minutes at the table, chewing your food slowly and thoroughly.

Types of appetite

• willingness to eat any food – general;
• selective appetite, reflecting the need for one or another group of substances - proteins, fats or carbohydrates;
• psychological in nature - “eating” a bad mood, resentment, etc.

Appetite starts preparatory processes digestion of food - separation of saliva, secretion of gastric juices, and if there is no appetite all the time, this indicates problems with the gastrointestinal tract or other body systems.

Sometimes there is no appetite due to psychological problems or mental disorders; a brain tumor can affect the desire to eat.

Appetite is stimulated by changes in sugar levels, especially a sharp increase in blood sugar. If you eat a dozen candies or drink half a liter of sweet soda, sugar can increase its content in the blood by 2-3 times, the body tries to quickly get rid of the excess, converting the latter into fat. At the same time, sugar again falls below normal, sending a signal to the food center about the need to eat to make up for the deficiency. Thus hunger arises again.

Mental disorders affecting appetite

Dyslexia mental nature unites all types of appetite disorders - both its unmotivated increase and absence.

1. Hypo- and anorexia – respectively, a decrease or complete absence appetite.
2. Bulimia and hyperrexia - gluttony and pathological increase in appetite
3. Parorexia is perverted changes in appetite.

Appetite disorders should not be confused with pseudo-dyslexia. This is a state when a very hungry person literally eats with a voracious appetite, and someone who overate at a banquet in the evening does not feel hungry in the morning.

Bulimia and complete lack of appetite

Gluttony or bulimia is a serious disease characterized by uncontrollable appetite. At the same time, a person is not able to stop eating even after absorbing the required amount of food. Daily uncontrolled eating of large amounts of food disrupts the functioning of all systems of the body, which, unable to cope with excess sugar, protein and fat, processes everything into reserves, as a result, the work of the excretory system and liver is overloaded. Gluttony leads to obesity and disease internal organs. The walls of the stomach stretch, requiring more and more food each time. This problem needs emergency treatment. This condition can occur in a child, a teenager, and an adult.

Complete lack of appetite or anorexia is mainly observed in people on a strict diet. This is more of a psychological “fad” - eat as little as possible or, in general, stop eating in order to become slimmer. The next stage is taking diuretics and laxatives. Gradually, the body becomes exhausted, and the coordinated functioning of its organs is disrupted. It is necessary to recover from such a “hunger strike” in a hospital setting, and after that the person will have to undergo a long psychological rehabilitation.

Often stress at work, loss of loved ones, divorce, serious illness of parents lead to ignoring food and lack of appetite. Often people, on the contrary, “eat up” problems or difficult life situations.

In the case of anorexia, with a pathological desire to lose weight as much as possible, it back side manifests itself in bulimia. The mechanism is as follows: unable to withstand prolonged restrictions and refusal of food, breakdowns with overeating occur, after which patients induce vomiting and take laxatives, trying to remove foods from the body before they are absorbed. Anorexia-bulimia patients are difficult to treat because most do not view their condition as a disease. Firstly, they do not gain extra pounds, and secondly, trying to eat and get rid of food alone, they do not show off their habits.

Disturbances and changes in the habitual perception of food are an alarming symptom and require observation by a doctor. The following can help you deal with poor appetite:

• gastroenterologist;
• endocrinologist;
• nutritionist;
• psychotherapist.

Sometimes it is necessary to consult all four types of specialists to comprehensively solve the problem. First of all, you should make an appointment with your primary care physician. He, after initial examination, will refer you to the necessary specialist.

A good appetite is one of the signs of health. And although many people do not attach much importance to a decrease in appetite, this factor may indicate a disorder of body functions or impending diseases. But let’s assume that none of the doctors could tell you the reason why your appetite decreases and you can’t even gain weight.

Coldness to food, if it is constantly present, will certainly disturb you and reduce your level of vitality. It is difficult to imagine a person who does not leave the gym or is able to work 12 hours and raise three more children and at the same time eat nothing))).

But in most everyday situations, this symptom can be eliminated, vitality restored and body weight normalized by cleansing the body and harmonizing metabolic processes.

This is what our article is about, based on the experience of hundreds of people who have already used the Sokolinsky System. It is aimed not at the symptom - loss of appetite, but at eliminating possible reasons why the body sends such signals.

The main reasons for lack of appetite and what you can do

Loss of appetite is not a disease, but can be a symptom of a deeper disorder in the body. Among the reasons that most often cause a decrease in desire for food, in practice we see several main reasons:

1. Impaired functioning of the liver and gall bladder. Discomfort in the right side, heartburn, bitterness in the mouth, intolerance to fatty foods, bloating are typical symptoms and they are accompanied by loss of interest in food. The body cannot cope with digesting food and therefore asks “not to send any more.” You will find a recipe for using natural remedies if you are prone to bile stagnation and if you have gallstones, and to support the liver at a deep level we always use Liver 48.

This is a herbal formula of herbs, sulfur and iron with a history of use of several centuries, it is now produced specifically for the Sokolinsky Center and helps to harmonize the work of the liver when it is hard.

2. Problems with the intestines and stomach. Everyone knows that when you don’t go to the toilet normally, you develop, if not aversion to food, then you definitely won’t eat much. With irritable bowel syndrome or chronic constipation, gastritis, the problem is not only that appetite decreases, but also that there is no normal absorption of nutrients. Hence, there is no strength, immunity is impaired, and there is no way to gain weight.

At the same time, maintaining normal bowel function is not so difficult if you adhere to a reasonable diet and use natural remedies. Take a natural course of cleansing and nutritional support.

3. Chronic stress. When you are busy with work or worries, you usually don’t want to eat. But if the stress lasts for months, the loss of appetite can become uncontrollable. But there is a deep solution to this problem when, with the help of a unique set of Bulgarian herbs Neurolaxin and the natural remedy Biolan, we protect nerve cells from damage. They are part of our author's "". Of course, no herbs can change your attitude towards the problem, but giving time to calmly solve it and support the body’s energy when you need to get yourself together is possible.

5. Sluggish appetite and digestion may be associated with decreased function thyroid gland. If you live in conditions of iodine deficiency and do not take thyroxine prescribed by your endocrinologist, you can initial stages hypothyroidism (at least 30% of women over the age of 40 are in this condition), use a combination of Biolan + a natural precursor of the hormone thyroxine - the amino acid Tyrosine and Spirulina Sochi with selenium. The course lasts 2-3 months. But we take Biolan 1 capsule per day (pour it under the tongue) for only 20 days every month, and Tyrosine and Spirulina Sochi contain selenium every day.

Diseases and hormonal changes

Loss of appetite can be observed in many diseases, ranging from viral infections and influenza, and ending with such serious illnesses, How renal failure, heart failure, cirrhosis, hepatitis, etc. Decreased appetite is often a symptom inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract. The desire to eat also disappears in case of autoimmune diseases (scleroderma, rheumatoid polyarthritis), for problems with the endocrine system (diabetes, hypothyroidism), for tuberculosis, asthma and many other diseases. Moreover, in some cases, loss of appetite is the first signal of an impending disease.

Emotional states and mental pathologies

Appetite may disappear with a wide variety of psychological problems and as a result nervous overstrain. Stress, depression, phobias, neuroses and other conditions can lead to loss of appetite. This problem can also occur when mental illness, such as anorexia, schizophrenia, dementia, etc. But this is not the topic of our article.

Taking medications

Lack or excess of substances needed by the body

The cause of loss of appetite can be either hypovitaminosis or hypervitaminosis. In addition, even a deficiency or excess of any one substance can affect appetite. For example, interest in food often disappears if there is a lack of zinc. This can be corrected by taking the mineral in an easily digestible form, Spirulina Sochi Zinc, just 1 tablet per day, in the afternoon, without combining it with grains and tea.

A similar situation occurs when the body is oversaturated with vitamin D. To reduce the risk of overdose, when taking vitamin D for a long time, for example, for osteoporosis, we recommend using a high-tech liposomal formula in an aerosol. It is not sold in pharmacies, but at the Sokolinsky Center you can order vitamin D in an aerosol for safe use.

Why does my appetite worsen?

Loss of appetite may be the only sign pathological condition, but most often accompanied by other symptoms. For example, in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, nausea, vomiting, bloating, belching, painful sensations, and subsequently, against the background of this, a fear of eating develops and appetite disappears. This is typical for ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, gastritis, pancreatitis, colitis and other diseases.

If at first the appetite disappeared, and soon the temperature rose, general weakness appeared, this may indicate ARVI, influenza, colds. When, along with a deterioration in appetite, there is a decrease in vitality in general (drowsiness, fatigue), there may be problems with the endocrine system.

Thus, if the problem is chronic and not associated with mental pathology, then it is quite possible natural means deal with it through influencing the causes. In case this side effect medications - consult your doctor, and the same should be done when loss of appetite is accompanied by acute manifestations infections or pathologies gastrointestinal tract.

How to learn to solve several health problems at the same time and simply?

We have already been taught that for every single symptom there is a cure. And this is correct when you are in a hospital or encounter acute illness. But if your goal is to improve health and improve performance, everything will be exactly the opposite. Everything in the body is connected and eliminating symptoms does not lead to a solution to health problems, but only masks them. Real changes come from addressing the causes of poor health.

If you want to feel better, influence the body using deep universal mechanisms that simultaneously eliminate similar disorders in different organs: correcting nutrition, a reasonable lifestyle, detox, nutrition and protection nerve cells, restoration of microflora, normalization of digestion, natural anti-inflammatory agents and antioxidants.

The Sokolinsky System offers a systemic naturopathic approach based on a deep understanding of physiology, modern research, tested in practice by more than 10,000 people since 2002.

Natural products are produced specifically for use in the Sokolinsky System.

THEY ARE NOT A MEDICINE!

The system was developed by the famous Russian nutritionist Vladimir Sokolinsky, author of 11 books on natural medicine, member of the National Association of Nutritionists and Dietetics, the Scientific Society of Medical Elementology, the European Association of Natural Medicine and the American Association of Practicing Nutritionists.

Appetite is a mechanism aimed at regulating the food entering the body. It usually occurs against the background of hunger and intensifies when we see or smell food. So, in a person who has developed his own diet, by a certain hour digestive juices begin to secrete - they prepare the digestive tract for work.

The feeling of hunger is a consequence of a physiological decrease in blood glucose levels - the centers of the brain are irritated, thereby stimulating a person to search for food. Hunger provokes a strong appetite. However, sometimes appetite can manifest itself as a response to an attractive appearance dish (and its aroma) or arise selectively as a reaction to a certain type of food - the one from which a person receives maximum pleasure (even if he is not hungry). This behavior may be a sign of a disorder eating behavior according to the external type (a person eats unconsciously - external stimuli become a trigger for eating. - Note ed.).

There are quite a few reasons why your appetite may disappear. For example, if we get sick viral infection and our temperature has risen, the body will have to spend strength and energy not on digesting food (after all, a rather energy-intensive process), but on fighting the infection. This is why a person often loses his appetite during the first days of illness - he may only want to drink and not want to eat at all. In addition, appetite may disappear due to various chronic diseases gastrointestinal tract, endocrine and nervous systems, oncological diseases, chronic infections, brain diseases and various mental problems.

As a rule, with age, appetite decreases - the number of taste buds and receptors that respond to smells decreases, appetite weakens and older people often begin to eat less, while receiving less pleasure from food.

Moreover, if a person is experiencing severe stress, his appetite may also disappear: all thoughts are aimed at solving some problem and the brain works hard to solve it - one focus of excitation in the brain temporarily blocks all other centers of excitation. Often in such a situation, a person basically forgets about his own physiological needs, for example, the need to eat or sleep.

If a person is healthy and has already developed a certain diet, he may simply not experience a strong appetite - he does not allow long intervals between meals and the feeling of hunger does not have time to fully develop. In this case, the saying " appetite comes with eating" fits perfectly. When it’s time for lunch or dinner, it’s enough for a person to see food or smell it for an appetite to appear (even if there was none before). Therefore, the main thing is to follow the regime and not skip meals. If, in principle, there is never any appetite, perhaps the reason is hidden in psychological and mental problems (for example, in) or in any other chronic disease.

If you don’t have an appetite, you can first try to get it back - beautiful table setting, delicious dishes, a walk and physical activity on fresh air before eating will only contribute to this. Plus, analyze your nutrition during the day: perhaps you are interrupting your appetite with too frequent or too high-calorie snacks and sugary drinks (this is also food). Perhaps you basically do not have any regime and you eat chaotically. In general, try to establish a regimen, and if this does not help, contact a therapist - he will prescribe the necessary examinations. Treatment will depend on what disease or condition the doctor suspects upon presentation. Yes, there is therapy that helps restore appetite, but most often it is carried out purposefully if a person is very exhausted. Usually this complex therapy, aimed at increasing appetite, and at correcting the body’s nutrition, and at solving psychological (or any other) problems that caused the development of anorexia.

When there is no appetite, any food seems absolutely tasteless. The amount of calories entering the body is very low, and therefore reserve energy reserves begin to be used up. As a consequence, weight loss occurs, and often this phenomenon is catastrophic. In medicine, this disorder is called anorexia.

Symptoms

It is generally accepted that a good appetite is an indicator good health and excellent physical fitness. In this situation, hunger and the feeling of fullness periodically change places, so a person can be in the optimal weight category for himself. But with poor appetite caused by anorexia, this balance is disrupted. Anorexia is caused by a number of factors. They can be both psychological and organic in nature. In certain cases, the patient may completely lose his appetite, and he does not feel hunger.

But, of course, don't panic if you don't feel hungry for several hours. This does not yet prove that a person is unhealthy. It is possible that during the previous meal a dish that was too high in calories was eaten. Therefore, the body has made an appropriate energy reserve, and for a certain time does not need to replenish energy.

Caution should be exercised if a person does not feel hungry for five to eight hours. The fact is that during this time there is a decrease in blood glucose levels, and as a result, weakness and loss of strength are felt. At this time healthy people a feeling of hunger appears, and the stomach reminds of its existence.

After a person has eaten, the level of glucose in the bloodstream rises, and the brain receives a signal that the feeling of hunger has been satisfied and has given way to satiety. When the stomach assumes the appropriate state, it is distended by food and the glucose concentration is increased, hormonal interactions send a message that food intake should be stopped. The peculiarity is that each person subconsciously includes in his diet exactly those foods that the body needs most at a given time.

Experts have found that people who are actively involved in sports often add too much salt to their dishes after training. This suggests that the body strives to replenish salt losses, since during physical exercise it was released a large number of sweat. Homeostasis is observed - regulation of internal balance. If hormonal regulation is disrupted, then appetite decreases, the feeling of hunger disappears, and body weight is quickly lost.

Causes of decreased appetite

Decreased appetite often accompanies diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract. This may be constipation, as well as stomach upsets caused by consuming foods with excessive amounts of fat and spices. Lack of hunger may be caused by gastrointestinal infections. Usually these are gastritis, or infectious diseases, food poisoning low quality products. Often, appetite disappears when a person has an individual intolerance to celiac disease, lactose, or other food components. For chronic intestinal inflammation, such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, diverticulosis, there is also no appetite, and the patient does not remember hunger.

Another reason for the loss of appetite can be diseases of the pancreas, gall bladder and liver. Among them are hepatitis, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, cysts and tumors of the listed organs.

Reasons from the psyche are various fears and phobias, stressful conditions. Personal problems also have a significant impact, such as failures in love, betrayal of a loved one, as well as bulimia nervosa.

Other diseases include various manifestations of colds and flu, kidney and heart failure, and decreased thyroid function. The cause of lack of appetite can be neurological diseases, for example, Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's disease. Anorexia is often observed in people who abuse alcohol, drink narcotic drugs and nicotine. Some influence medications, chemotherapy sessions for the treatment of cancer.

Also, decreased thirst and poor appetite happens in old age, but experts do not name the exact reasons explaining this fact. It is possible that this is due to insufficient production of hormones, which is observed in parallel with a decrease in metabolic rate.

What to do if you have lost your appetite

Of course, the first thing you should do in this case is to visit a doctor. Especially when not only the feeling of hunger disappears, but also body weight “melts”. Taking into account the signs, your doctor may advise you to consult other specialists.

It makes sense to visit an endocrinologist, therapist, as well as a psychologist, psychosomatic doctor.

Before you start medical examination, the doctor will ask you in detail about the signs and symptoms. This is called taking a medical history. The specialist will not ignore those diseases that have bothered you in the past, and may currently exist.

Questions asked by the doctor at the appointment

When you visit your doctor with complaints of lack of appetite, you will need to describe your condition in detail and answer a number of questions.

1. When did you notice that your appetite had worsened? Do you have any idea that this is related to a specific incident in your life?
2. Has it ever happened that your appetite disappeared and then returned again?
3. What kind of stool do you usually have?
4. Do you follow a diet and how much food do you eat?
5. Are there additional signs that you haven't mentioned? For example, nausea, pain, heartburn, diarrhea, feeling of bloating, elevated temperature bodies?
6. Do you often get overworked, feel emotional emptiness, sadness, or experience stressful situations?
7. Are such sensations new to you, or were they observed a certain time ago?
8. Do you currently have chronic diseases, and are you seeing a doctor about this?
9. Are you allergic to certain foods?
10. What medications are you currently using?

As you can see, there are quite a lot of questions, but you should carefully answer each of them, as this will help you create a more accurate clinical picture existing disease. Next, taking into account the information received and based on the results of the examination, the doctor will prescribe diagnostic procedures. Usually this is a blood, urine and stool test, as well as an electrocardiogram, ultrasound of organs abdominal cavity, colonoscopy. If the doctor examining you suggests that anorexia may be caused by mental disorder, then a specialist psychiatrist will be involved.

Treatment

If symptomatic weight loss occurs, the main therapeutic goal is to return normal body weight. Emphasis is also placed on nutritional adjustments. The standard formula that determines body weight is used as a guide. The optimal index value is determined by the numbers 18 – 24. If the index value exceeds 25, then this is, of course, obesity. If less than 17, the person is clearly underweight.

But you should know that a BMI level of 13–14 is considered a life-threatening indicator. When the indicator is even lower, then additional artificial nutrition is required to save a person, which is carried out either through gastric tube, or parenterally. But first of all, the patient must be ready to cooperate, which is extremely important both in this treatment, and when solving the problem of any other disease.

To recover, the patient must eat much more often and more than before. You should give preference to the most high-calorie dishes, but be sure to take into account other diseases from which he suffers.

If the doctor determines organic cause loss of appetite, he will prescribe appropriate treatment in order to eliminate it. As an addition, medications that have a positive effect on appetite may be prescribed. Such drugs contain ketotifen, which stimulates secretion gastric juice and salivation.

Patients who have a distorted perception of their own body take much longer to recover because for a certain time they cannot understand that they need serious treatment. Psychological treatment enables the sick person to realize what exactly the disorder is, and helps to derive joy from daily food intake.

Prevention

To improve your appetite and sit down at the dinner table with pleasure, you should follow a few simple, but nevertheless very effective rules. Eat wisely, choose foods that contain a lot of fiber and vitamins. Your stomach will always be in good shape and will ensure proper and timely digestive functions.

Eat the foods you want, trust your own feelings. As already mentioned, your body knows perfectly well what it lacks at the moment. If you want something sweet or salty, don’t deny yourself, although, of course, there should be moderation in everything. Eat regularly, at least three times a day. Learn to savor every bite and enjoy your food. By eating right, you will be pleasantly surprised how quickly your normal appetite will be restored!

A good appetite has always been considered a sign of health and normal operation body. The feeling of hunger is a natural phenomenon that signals that a person needs to “recharge” and restore lost energy. Accordingly, a lack of interest in food may indicate a number of diseases or problems in the functioning of internal organs. What does lack of appetite mean in adults, and in what cases should you consult a doctor?

A signal that the body needs to replenish its reserves of proteins, carbohydrates and other substances is formed in the brain. It is transmitted through neural endings to the digestive organs, as a result of which the secretion of gastric juice is activated, the level of insulin in the blood increases, and the person feels a feeling of hunger.

Lack of appetite indicates disruptions in this process - these could be diseases digestive tract, hormonal disorders, oncology and much more.

The reasons for loss of interest in food are divided into pathological, that is, those that are the result of malfunctions in the body, and non-pathological - they do not pose a threat to health and do not require medical intervention.

Non-pathological causes of decreased appetite

Non-pathological causes can be distinguished from health-threatening conditions by a number of signs. In this case, there is no appetite for 3-5 days (maximum a week), after which the body’s functioning returns to normal on its own. Such episodes are repeated no more than once a month, do not cause serious weight loss and are not accompanied by nausea, weakness, fever and other symptoms. Similar reasons include the effect on the body external factors and some changes in its functioning that can be corrected without medical intervention.

1. Accommodations. Lack of appetite can be observed in certain conditions - for example, during very hot weather or a sharp change in climatic zones.
   
2. Chronic fatigue. The body spends a large amount of energy on digesting food, and when chronic fatigue he subconsciously tries to save strength by refusing food.
   
3. Nervous stress. Any serious emotions, negative or positive, can have a negative impact on your appetite. If interest in food occurs immediately after stress is left behind, there is nothing to worry about, but some negative situations can lead to prolonged depression and chronic lack of appetite.
   
4. . Snacks on the go, eating fast food, monotonous meals, strict diets and starvation can lead to malfunctions digestive organs, and, as a result, to a lack of appetite.
   
5. Premenstrual syndrome and pregnancy. Before menstruation and during pregnancy, a woman’s body is under the influence of hormones, which can cause weakness, headaches and abdominal cramps. As a rule, such conditions disappear on their own after the end of hormonal changes.
   
6. . Smoking, alcohol or medication abuse, and drug use negatively affect the functioning of internal organs and appetite.
   

Decreased appetite is often observed in older people, which can also be considered a variant of the norm - in adulthood, metabolic and digestive processes slow down in the body.

Pathological causes of lack of appetite

Reasons for loss of interest in food that are associated with various diseases, pose a serious health hazard. Vitamins, microelements and nutrients stop entering the body, which over time can lead to general exhaustion and even death. These include:

• infectious diseases and exacerbations of chronic ailments;
• disruptions of the endocrine system (especially those associated with pancreatic dysfunction);
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
  
• serious mental disorders(neurosis, anorexia);
• allergic reactions;
• intoxication of the body.
  

In this case, loss of appetite is usually accompanied by nausea, vomiting, dizziness, abdominal pain, etc. If these symptoms develop, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible, as this condition can have serious consequences.

Of particular concern should be cases when a person becomes sick from one type of food, or begins to experience an aversion to once favorite foods (for example, meat dishes) - this phenomenon often accompanies cancer.

What to do if you lose your appetite?

If lack of appetite is not accompanied additional symptoms, you can try to restore it by following simple rules. If you have an aversion to food, you should not force your body - it is better to eat when you want, in small portions, but at the same time it is advisable to organize your food intake and eat at approximately the same time. Dishes should be tasty, healthy and beautifully presented - so that interest in food is awakened by just one look.

In addition, if your appetite decreases, you should drink as much water as possible to prevent dehydration, walk in the fresh air more often, engage in physical activity and get proper rest. It is recommended to take vitamin complexes, especially those containing vitamin B12 and ascorbic acid.

What should the menu consist of for loss of appetite in adults? The key rule is that the diet should be balanced and contain all the microelements and nutrients necessary for health. In addition, there are a number of products that help increase appetite - primarily herbs, spices, hot and salty foods, as well as marinades. True, it is categorically not recommended to abuse them - in large quantities, such food can cause digestive disorders, gastritis and even ulcers.

You should also not eat a lot of fatty and heavy foods - after eating you should feel full, not heavy and full in the stomach.

Before meals, you can drink 50-100 grams of dry red wine or other light alcohol with a bitter aftertaste - aperitifs in reasonable quantities contribute to a good appetite.

Foods that help improve appetite include:

• black radish juice– take a tablespoon for several days, washed down with a spoon of clean water;
  
• mustard seeds, which can be ground with olive oil as a replacement for store-bought mustard, or simply swallow 20-30 of them daily with liquid;
  
• onions infused in vinegar essence half and half with water(can be used as a seasoning for salads and other dishes);
  
• grated horseradish– eat a teaspoon, mixing with sugar or honey;
  
• celery– consume a piece a day in its pure form, or take a teaspoon of freshly squeezed juice 30 minutes before meals;
  
• fresh or dried raspberries Brew in a thermos, drink half a glass four times a day.
  

Rule similar treatment consists of the following: from potent drugs(horseradish, mustard, onion, radish) you need to choose one, and you should use it no more than 20 days in a row.

Medicines to increase appetite

Medicines that increase appetite should be used only in extreme cases after consultation with a doctor. Each of them has a number of contraindications and side effects, and if used incorrectly and in dosage, it can cause serious harm to the body.

For neuroses and psycho-emotional disorders associated with loss of appetite, patients are recommended to take antidepressants and sedatives in combination with psychotherapy and other treatment methods. The most common drugs include Amitriptyline, Fluoxetine, Cipramil, Paxil, but their prescription and dosage calculation must be made by a doctor.

"Fluoxetine"

Video – “Elkar”

How to improve appetite using folk remedies?

Can be used to increase appetite folk remedies, which act no less effectively than medications, but do not harm the body.

1. . The fruits and seeds of the plant contain essential oils, which have antispasmodic and antiseptic effects, and also have a beneficial effect on digestive processes. They can be added as a seasoning to dishes, or to prepare medicine. Steam a tablespoon of raw material with a glass of boiling water, leave covered for 10 minutes, then strain and drink half a glass 2-3 times after meals.
   
2. . Sweet dill is often used for colic in newborns, but few people know that remedies from this plant can increase appetite. Fennel infusion is prepared as follows: steam a teaspoon of chopped fruit with a glass of boiling water, leave for two hours, then strain. Consume 3-4 times a day, 1-2 tablespoons before meals.
   
3. . Regular dill has no less effective healing effects than its sweet counterpart. Take 100 g of dry herb or 200 g of fresh, pour into a sealed container, pour a liter of dry white wine into it, leave in a dark, cool place for a month, shaking from time to time, then filter and squeeze out the remainder. If you have loss of appetite, take the infusion 25-30 g before each meal.
   
4. Dandelion. Fresh dandelion leaves - useful supplement to a diet that improves digestive processes and appetite. The leaves should be collected in environmentally friendly places, away from roads and industrial facilities, and a medicinal remedy can be prepared from the roots of the plant. Take 2 teaspoons of dry ground root, pour 250 ml cold water, leave for 8 hours and drink ¼ glass four times a day.
   
5. . Wormwood is recommended for use by people who suffer from loss of appetite and general weakness after serious illnesses. The plant can be dried, ground into powder and taken ½ teaspoon before each meal. The second way to use the plant is as follows: take 2 tablespoons of crushed leaves, steam with a glass of boiled water, simmer in a water bath for 15 minutes and leave for 30-60 minutes. Next, the product needs to be filtered and topped up with boiled water so that the total volume is 250 ml. Drink a tablespoon 3-4 times a day.
   
6. Pomegranate. Freshly squeezed pomegranate juice not only has a beneficial effect on digestion, but also increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood (it is recommended even for pregnant women to eat pomegranate fruits). iron deficiency anemia), and medicine can be prepared not only from grains, but also from peels. It can be ground into powder, mixed with olive oil and eaten a teaspoon twice a day.
   

Any means to improve appetite can be used only in cases where the underlying cause of the disease is known - without appropriate therapy, loss of appetite will become chronic, and the body’s condition may worsen significantly.