What to eat if you have lost your appetite. Consequences of prolonged lack of appetite. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

What is appetite

Appetite is an emotional expression of a person's preference for food of a certain quality (desire for a certain food). Appetite is subjectively different from hunger. The feeling of hunger is based on general need body in nutrients and is usually experienced as an unpleasant condition.

Causes of loss or lack of appetite

Appetite arises from a nutritional need associated with ideas about the future meal, and includes the pleasant emotional sensations that usually accompany the intake of a particular food. Appetite is formed as a result of excitation of certain departments of the central nervous system(including the center of hunger in the hypothalamus) and is accompanied by conditioned reflex salivation and secretion of digestive juices, increased peristalsis of the gastrointestinal intestinal tract thus preparing the digestive organs for food intake.

Appetite is associated with the physiological needs of the body, as, for example, in the case of cravings for salty foods after the body has lost significant amounts of salt. But such a connection is by no means always traced; appetite often reflects an innate or acquired individual propensity for certain foods.

Thus, preference, as well as aversion (often very persistent) to certain other types of food, is determined by the availability of a given variant in a particular region and is modified by special features of an individual culture, usually rooted in religion, although later, perhaps rationalized. In light of this, the "appetiteness" of a dish, the main elements of which include smell, taste, texture, temperature, method of preparation and serving, strongly depends on our affective (emotional) attitude towards it.

Under the influence of strong external stimuli, for example, a particularly tempting and abundant choice of dishes, almost everyone eats more from time to time, this is required to replenish their energy reserves. Means, biological mechanisms regulation of food intake are overcome. Overeating is in principle compensated by subsequent food restriction, but in modern society not everyone is limited. Decreased appetite may be due to overwork, nervous situation at work and at home.

Pronounced selectivity of appetite is often observed in women during pregnancy, in patients. Changes in appetite can accompany various diseases. It should also be noted the important place of nutrition in behavioral disorders. They can be accompanied by both excessive food intake and refusal of it. A striking example- anorexia nervosa - a form of abstinence from food, most common in girls in adolescence; this disturbance of the development of the psyche can be so profound that it leads to death from exhaustion.

Anorexia

The term "anorexia" means lack of appetite in the presence of physiological need in nutrition. This common symptom disorders in the gastrointestinal tract or endocrine system. It is also characteristic of severe mental disorders.

Possible causes of anorexia

This symptom is observed with anxiety, chronic pain, poor hygiene oral cavity, an increase in body temperature due to heat or fever, a change in tastes that often accompanies growing up or aging.

Anorexia can be a consequence of certain medications or their abuse. Short-term anorexia practically does not threaten the patient's health. However, with prolonged anorexia, the body's resistance decreases and its susceptibility to various diseases. Chronic anorexia can result in life-threatening exhaustion.

In young children, anorexia develops more often with force-feeding, violation of the rules of complementary feeding.

Disorders in the endocrine system

  • Adenocortical hypofunction. In this disorder, anorexia develops slowly and sluggishly, causing gradual weight loss.
  • Hypopituitarism (insufficient function of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus). In this case, anorexia also develops slowly. Associated symptoms vary depending on the degree of the disease, as well as the number and type of missing hormones.
  • . Anorexia is usually a sign of a lack of hormones. thyroid gland.
  • Ketoacidosis. Anorexia develops, as a rule, slowly, accompanied by inflammation and dry skin, fruity breath, decreased blood pressure, increased heart rate, abdominal pain and nausea.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

  • . Anorexia is accompanied by general or local abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.
  • . Anorexia develops in the early stages and may be accompanied by weakness, nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, dull pain in a stomach. Anorexia continues after the onset of these early signs, which are complemented by drowsiness, slow speech, severe itching, bleeding, dry skin, enlarged liver, jaundice, swelling of the legs and pain in the right hypochondrium. Chronic anorexia in Crohn's disease leads to significant weight loss.
  • Gastritis. In the case of anorexia, it develops suddenly, and with chronic gastritis- gradually.
  • Hepatitis. When anorexia develops on initial stage diseases and is accompanied by fatigue, malaise, headache, pain in the joints and throat, photophobia, cough, rhinitis, nausea and vomiting, liver enlargement. Anorexia may also occur later, leading to weight loss with dark urine, jaundice, right hypochondrium pain, and possibly irritability and severe itching. In non-viral hepatitis, anorexia and its accompanying symptoms are the same as in viral hepatitis, but may vary depending on the cause of the hepatitis and the degree of liver damage.

Diseases of the genitourinary system

  • Chronic. Usually accompanied by chronic anorexia and, very importantly, changes in all body functions.

Other diseases

  • . In this disease, comorbid anorexia can lead to significant weight loss.
  • Crayfish. Chronic anorexia is observed along with possible loss weight, weakness, apathy and general exhaustion.

Mental disorders

  • . Usually accompanied by chronic anorexia, eventually leading to exhaustion.
  • Anorexia neurosis. Gradually developing chronic anorexia leads to life-threatening exhaustion, atrophy skeletal muscle, loss of adipose tissue, constipation, amenorrhea, dry skin, sleep disturbances, changes in appearance, shortness of breath and decreased sexual desire. Paradoxically, at the same time, a person retains increased excitability and tone, and is actively engaged in physical exercises.
  • depressive syndrome. In this case, anorexia is observed along with shortness of breath, inability to concentrate, indecision, delirium, insomnia, frequent change sentiments and gradual social degradation.

Medications and procedures

Anorexia develops as a result of the use of amphetamine, as, in principle, and other psychostimulants, including caffeine. Chemotherapy drugs, sympathomimetics (eg ephedrine) and some antibiotics. Anorexia can also indicate intoxication (poisoning caused by the action on the body of toxic substances that have entered it from the outside or formed in the body itself). Anorexia can cause radiation therapy possibly due to a metabolic disorder. An increase in blood glucose as a result of intravenous infusion of solutions can also lead to anorexia.

Treatment of anorexia

With a sharp weight loss hospital treatment, since there is real threat life from exhaustion and severe metabolic and endocrine disorders. It is necessary to assign fractional 6-7 meals a day in small portions under the supervision of staff, introduction to the diet variety of dishes, in children infancy- normalization of feeding.

Vitamins, small doses of insulin and drugs are prescribed to increase appetite. In severe depletion, multivitamins and hormones are indicated. With the neurotic nature of anorexia, tranquilizers, small doses of antipsychotics, explanatory psychotherapy about the dangers of fasting, the consequences of the disease with a reorientation of values, and in some cases hypnosis are indicated.

For the treatment of anorexia in schizophrenia great importance given to neuroleptics. Drugs and their dosages are selected individually, taking into account the tolerability and severity of the condition. V special occasions apply artificial nutrition with the introduction of nutrient solutions into the vein.

Anorexia nervosa

A special place is occupied by neuropsychic anorexia. This pathological condition, manifested in the conscious restriction of food in order to lose weight. It occurs in adolescents 15 years of age and older, more often in girls. There is an obsessive idea of ​​​​excessive fullness and the need to lose weight.

To achieve this goal, patients limit themselves to food up to a complete refusal of food, apply intensive physical exercise, walking or running long distances, take large doses of laxatives and diuretics. If it is impossible to endure prolonged fasting, patients eat, even overeat, but cause artificial vomiting.

At first, the appetite is not disturbed, at times there is a feeling of hunger, and in connection with this, periodic overeating. Weight drops quickly, appear mental disorders; mood swings from "bad to good" (from extreme to extreme), an obsessive desire to look at oneself in a mirror, etc.

Anorexia nervosa is very closely related to another pathology - dysmorphomania (this disorder is deeper, psychotic level when a painful conviction in the presence of an imaginary physical defect acquires an overvalued or delusional character, i.e. cannot be corrected and is accompanied by a lack of criticism from the patient). Painful conviction in excessive fullness leads patients to the idea of ​​getting rid of this deficiency.

This belief can arise on a real basis, that is, in the presence of a certain overweight, as a rule, psychogenic (offensive remarks about the patient - "thick as a barrel", "fat", "you need to eat less", etc.). In other cases, fullness is imaginary, and the thought of losing weight is overvalued or delusional, and the condition itself is initial stage in the development of schizophrenia.

At first, patients very carefully hide from their parents both the motives of their behavior and the methods of losing weight. They try to feed their portion of food to the dog, hide the food, and then throw it away, discreetly transfer the food to other people's plates. They try to stick to the most low-calorie diets. Even having achieved significant weight loss, they are not satisfied with this.

Persistently continue to lose weight using other methods (enemas, laxatives, exhausting physical activity). After 1.5-2 years, the diseases lose from 20 to 50% of their previous body weight and look extremely emaciated. by the most typical manifestation anorexia nervosa is amenorrhea (absence of menstruation), manifesting either immediately or after a period of scanty rare menstruation. Such patients, at the insistence of their parents, turn to gynecologists, not knowing about true reason menstrual irregularities.

It will only help to get rid of it. proper nutrition and weight gain up to a certain critical mass (usually 48-50 kg). For such patients, the desire to overfeed other family members is typical: mother, younger brothers and sisters. They take great pleasure in watching others eat and gain weight (like a recovered alcoholic enjoys getting others drunk and watching them get drunk).

Lack of appetite.

Loss of appetite when you don't feel like you're hungry, or you don't feel like eating. You cannot physically eat if your stomach is upset and will not allow you to eat. There are physical, mental and emotional signs and symptoms associated with decreased appetite.

Diseases and even minor ailments that can cause decreased appetite include cancer, hyperthyroidism, AIDS, eating disorders, fever, or headache. When you get sick, your body can change quickly, and even if you had a good appetite disease can take it away.

There are a number of medications that are associated with loss of appetite. These are cancer drugs, antibiotics, painkillers.

In the first trimester of pregnancy loss of appetite is normal. You can experience. For some women, loss of appetite is a sign that they are pregnant. Later, at the very end of a woman's pregnancy, a decrease in appetite may also develop as the body prepares for childbirth.



  • Rue leaves mixed with angelica roots, sage
  • leaf juice
  • In folk medicine, it is believed that it has juice, expectorant. Laxative, antispasmodic, analgesic, choleretic action. It stimulates appetite, stops fermentation and putrefactive processes in the intestines, enhances lactation of milk in nursing mothers.
  • Fresh juice: to improve appetite, it is recommended to mix yarrow juice with honey and take this mixture in a teaspoon 3 times a day.
  • In diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, various bleeding and as a tonic, such a salad is useful: 150 grams of sauerkraut, 25 grams of green onions, 5 young yarrow leaves, 10 grams vegetable oil, spices to taste. Yarrow leaves for this salad must be kept in boiling water for 1 minute.
  • Take crushed leaves (2 teaspoons) and pour one full glass of boiling water, leave for about 20 minutes and filter. You need to take a quarter cup once a day no later than half an hour before meals.

In our age, when harmony is a fashion trend, lack of appetite is more likely to be considered a gift of fate, and not a problem. However, a prolonged absence of food cravings and, accordingly, a small intake of it can lead to grave consequences. In this case, there is a risk of a deterioration in the general condition, a decrease in immunity and the development of anorexia ( complete absence appetite). What to do if there is no appetite? Let's figure it out.

Causes

Decreased need for food is often a sign of health problems. Among the diseases that negatively affect appetite, the following can be distinguished:

  • kidney failure;
  • cirrhosis of the liver:
  • disorders in the work of the cardiovascular system;
  • inflammatory processes in the intestines;
  • pancreatitis;
  • endocrine disorders;
  • oncological diseases (colon or stomach cancer);
  • HIV and hepatitis;
  • mental disorders.

In addition, loss of appetite may be side effect while taking some medicines(eg, antibiotics, anesthetics) or chemotherapy. Decrease in appetite is possible and absolutely healthy people. For example, this often happens to those who are used to snacking on the go or eating fast food.

Harmful addictions, such as smoking and drinking alcohol, significantly reduce appetite. The loss of cravings for food can also be caused by a passion for unbalanced diets that promise fast weight loss, or starvation. Finally, you should not write off stress, neurosis and depression, which can reduce hunger to a minimum.

Diagnostics

As mentioned above, poor appetite can be both a symptom of a disease and the result of an unhealthy lifestyle. Only a doctor can accurately identify the cause. Apply for medical care it is necessary if there is a long-term decrease in the need for food, accompanied by weight loss and a deterioration in general well-being.

First, you should visit a therapist who, through a survey and examination, will be able to identify possible problems with health and refer to a specialist for further examination. Mandatory are laboratory tests urine, blood, as well as a pregnancy test and the presence of antibodies to HIV. Next, you may need an ultrasound or x-ray of the organs. abdominal cavity and thyroid gland. Depending on the primary data, additional examinations are prescribed.

If there are no obvious reasons for the pathology, it makes sense to visit a psychotherapist. Quite often it neurotic disorders- reason for change eating behavior. They push some on the path of gluttony, while others, on the contrary, deprive them of their appetite.

Treatment

The method of therapy depends on the factors that provoked the development of pathology. Usually, after the main problem is fixed, the condition returns to normal. In severe cases, drugs that increase appetite are prescribed. There are also recipes from natural ingredients, borrowed from the arsenal of traditional medicine. For example, infusions and decoctions from the roots of calamus or dandelion, yarrow, wormwood and other plants give good results. However, the reception of even harmless, at first glance, funds should be carried out only under the supervision of a physician.

If you do not complain about your health, following some simple rules will help restore your appetite.

Diet. Try to organize meals at strictly defined hours. It is optimal to eat food 4-5 times a day in small portions, which allows you not to gain weight and feel great. Compliance with the regime will help set the body for a meal. After a while, the stomach itself will reflexively produce gastric juice v right moment that will whet your appetite.

Rejection junk food and flavor additions j. Dishes from restaurants fast food, semi-finished products, smoked meats will not add health to anyone. Passion for such food provokes a violation metabolic processes and decreased appetite. In addition, the addition of flavor enhancers to many foods makes familiar foods seem bland and unappetizing. It is better to cook food yourself, using spices and spices.

Drinking regime. An adult needs to drink 1.5-2 liters of pure non-carbonated water per day, which maintains the dynamics of metabolism, eliminates accumulated toxins, as a result of which it returns normal need in food.

Physical activity. Poor appetite - typical problem office workers who are used to sitting at their desks for hours. Certainly, at sedentary manner energy is spent a little life, so the need for its replenishment is reduced. Even in the absence of the opportunity to visit a fitness club, there is always time for a walk after work or outdoor activities on the weekend.

Eating foods that increase your appetite. If before a meal you eat any citrus fruit, apple, radish or sauerkraut, you will get much more pleasure from the main dish.

Table setting. The appearance of food can both excite the appetite and deprive it completely. Agree, it is much more pleasant to eat a salad beautifully laid on a plate than just chopped and mixed vegetables in a bowl.

By a decrease in appetite, doctors understand a partial or complete refusal to eat. It happens due to various reasons, including serious illness and, in the absence qualified assistance leads to severe consequences.

General information

It is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of hunger and appetite. Hunger is a reflex that manifests itself if in certain time the body does not receive food. 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 can feel an increased secretion of saliva, an aggravation of smell, pulling sensation"under the spoon". 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 products. He eats everything.

Appetite is special manifestation feelings of hunger, in which individual favorite foods are selected. It is affected by the time of day emotional condition, the 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.

Causes of loss of appetite

Decreased appetite is usually preceded by:

  • Intoxication of the body due to inflammation or. Due to the fact that at such moments he spends all his energy on removing toxins, digestion of food fades into the background.
  • Diseases gastrointestinal tract accompanied by pain and discomfort.
  • Failures in the work of organs endocrine system with hormonal imbalance.
  • Oncology (, or blood).
  • Autoimmune diseases (,).
  • , neuropsychiatric disorders.
  • Side effects after taking pain medications - morphine, ephedrine.
  • and other types of dementia.
  • Pregnancy.
  • Excess fatty foods in the diet.
  • Metabolic disorders due to malnutrition.
  • Adaptation of the body physical activity to which he succumbs for the first time.
  • Little mobility and sedentary work.
  • Individual , .
  • Bad habits -, alcohol,.

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

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

It's about O:

  • Bronze disease, or Addison's disease, is an endocrine disease associated with dysfunction of the adrenal glands.
  • Still-Chaufer disease - juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Dementia.
  • - when the contents of the stomach are thrown back into the esophagus.
  • 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 at the previous meal a person eats too much high-calorie dish. In other words, at such moments the body is provided with energy for more a long period time.

The lack of hunger for 5 - 8 hours makes you think. By the time they expire, it will certainly decrease, and the person will feel a breakdown, weakness. After the stomach is full, 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 in order to 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 appoint full examination organism, including:

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, which enhance the sense of smell. It is also important to observe the drinking regimen, especially when playing sports.

How to improve appetite

To return to the previous state help:

Traditional medicine to improve appetite

Traditional healers offer several recipes for remedies to improve appetite, including:

  • Infusion. For its preparation 1 tbsp. l. raw materials are poured with boiling water, insisted for half an hour, and then taken like tea. This infusion also improves mood and relieves


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 " 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 general sense words 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

For healthy body All of the above are equally important.

The first and second are the key to physical well-being, but for harmony mental state can't do without a 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 normal work 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 appetite normalizes 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 medicines have side effects noticeable loss of appetite. 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, experience strong emotions or emotional 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 bad lifestyle

Tip: Keep records of more than just physical condition, but also a “mood diary”. With it, you can easily observe the dynamics of your own psychological state, and in case of problems - to establish when and why they started.

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 correct mode feedings, 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. Raspberries
  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.

Return the missing feeling of hunger can be 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 has disappeared 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.

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

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

  1. First on the list will be 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 be tormented by 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, take regular 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, it is necessary to look not so much for physical as emotional symptoms. Constantly low mood, indifference to everything or, conversely, periods increased activity and euphoria, accompanied by loss of appetite, may be evidence of serious nervous disorders. Don't be afraid to go to profile specialist for a consultation.
  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 products 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 therapist or consult with 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 the animal is what Small child, he cannot say what hurts or worries, but he 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 general 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 pathological processes in organism. 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 female body there is an accumulation of body fat and a set of extra pounds.

10 diseases that cause weight loss

80% of body weight loss is due to medical reasons 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 is reduced, hair falls out, nails break - this is only a small part of the consequences of the first stages. 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 development malignant formations 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 diabetes 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;
  • patients' denial of their fear of 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. Illness is a loss neural connections in the brain. It usually affects older people over 65 years of age. Although Alzheimer's disease can develop in early age, after 40 years, if any 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 long-term memory. A person is lost on the ground, ceases to recognize faces, feel emotions, loses acquired knowledge, speech and hearing aid. 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 an "overgrowth" 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 increase.

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 late stage cancer. The lumen of the large intestine narrows due to the growth of a cancerous tumor that blocks the patency stool 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 feeling unwell. 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.

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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 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 ailments bring with them a whole “bouquet” unpleasant signs (general weakness, rapid causeless 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 understand that you have Lately no appetite. 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 it needs. nutrients, vitamins and minerals. 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”. Speaking plain language, 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 aromatic and taste qualities dishes, but also very useful. Many of them help the digestive system digest food better, cleanse blood vessels and blood, break down bad cholesterol 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 immune system. Literally each of the spices known to us has its own useful properties which 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 there is 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 into a glass cold water and we 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 clean water in a ratio of 1:1. Take before a meal.

When should you see a doctor?

If, in addition to the absence of a natural feeling of hunger, you observe other anxiety 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 decreased 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;
  • radiography chest 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