Poor appetite or loss of appetite is common in humans, especially when we’re feeling on edge or as a symptom of illness or diseases such as AIDS, flu, fever, and cancer. Notwithstanding, poor appetite can also result from emotional, physical, or mental stress or anxiety.
Loss of appetite makes eating food, fruits, or even drinks difficult. This situation can result in malnutrition which causes weight loss after an extended period. The two main ways to increase your appetite are through your lifestyle or a healthy diet.
Medical Conditions That Cause Poor Appetite
Loss of appetite is a common symptom of some illnesses. This feeling can be caused by:
- Aging: age changes aid loss of appetite. The appetite for food in kids is way higher than in seniors.
- Anemia: is a result of low blood cells. Low blood cells reduce the desire for food while eating up your weight.
- Cancer: cancer causes loss of appetite, especially digestive tract cancer in the stomach.
- Diabetes: diabetes leads to a low appetite because of a slow rate of digestion. This situation increases the level of ketones in the blood and urine.
- Pain: pains are another leading cause of loss of appetite, especially pain in the stomach and migraine.
Effective Ways to Increase Poor Appetite
Try Cannabis
The trend of cannabis is in the air, and everyone is breathing it in. Many studies have proven that the substance increases appetite by stimulating food hormones such as ghrelin and leptin. The substance increases the taste and aroma of food, making it palatable. It also uses the hypothalamus to send unusual hunger signals to your stomach even when you’re full.
Cannabis is presently prescribed to patients that have a poor appetite. Studies have shown that the substance is also available for chemotherapy victims but restricted to some people. However, the compound is not yet available in many states. If you’re living where it is legalized and feel like giving it a spin, you can consult with your doctor to prescribe medical cannabis for you.
If you’re considering this method, keep in mind that there are many compounds of cannabis, but two are used in making products. THC and CBD are the two main compounds used to make products in the US approved by law. These products can be gotten over the counter, dispensary, or retail shop. THC has an intoxicating effect which creates a higher appetite than CBD. Many THC products are in the market, but THC gummies taste great. They also come with a surprising appetite, which helps you lose weight instantly. CBD reduces stress, anxiety, and inflammation, resulting in increased appetite.
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Keep up With Exercise
There is contradictory research on the effect and types of exercise to increase your appetite. Some people who don’t exercise have a lesser appetite for food because their hunger hormone, ghrelin, is regulated. But if they start exercising, they may experience an increase in appetite, trying to cover up their burnt calories to keep their body intact.
Those who overfeed may cease this privilege and eat to gain more calories due to increased appetite from their belief and exercise. Those who find it difficult to eat can slightly increase during exercise but are controllable.
Drink Your Calories
Some people need up to 8,000 calories each day. These calories can be found in the juice and some meals. However, these calories provide extra carbs, so if you’re avoiding any carbohydrates, stay off drinks or meals. Not consuming calorie drinks is a good way of maintaining weight loss but can also be used for weight gain from meals without fiber.
Protein shakes like coconut milk, nuts, butter, MCT oil, avocado, and manynutritious ingredients. These combinations are a great way to add muscle to your body. Liquid calories don’t fill the stomach as solid food does, so there can be more calories drinks than food.
Use Water to Your Advantage
According to science, water can quickly fill the stomach, but it’s an easy way to lose weight. Water dilutes stomach acid, which aids digestion and prolongs satisfaction. That’s the easiest way for people to watch their calorie intake.
However, drinking water after eating is suitable for people trying to increase their weight. Water helps to stretch the stomach creating space to have more food intake. So, it is best to mix food with shakes to increase your weight and appetite.
Mental Health Conditions Associated With Loss of Appetite
There are also mental conditions that can lead to poor appetites, such as:
- Anxiety: anxiety is overwhelming, decreasing a person’s motive to eat.
- Depression: clinical depression is a challenging medical condition that leads to a lack of energy or interest in eating food.
- Stress: the way some person’s body responds to stress can lead to poor appetite, while in others, it may increase appetite. Nausea and stomach pain are common stress syndromes that make food unappealing.
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- Substance Use: substance use acts in two ways depending on the substance and amount of usage. Some people may increase appetite and weight gain while on a substance, while others may experience the opposite.
Conclusion
Loss in appetite is common among humans and can easily be treated. There are many reasons for this fluctuation in appetite: emotional, mental, and physical conditions. If you’re experiencing a sudden and unprecedented loss in appetite, you can call for professional help. This fluctuation can result from a medical condition that a physician can treat.