“Why You Lose Appetite When Sick and How to Restore it: A Consulto Report”

04:19 PM

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

I wrote – Nada Sami:

Some people suffer from loss of appetite and lack of feeling hungry when sick. This may happen for several reasons. This problem lies in increasing the negative impact on health, as the body needs the necessary nutrition to recover.

The Consulto reviews in the following report the reasons for not feeling hungry when sick, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Brain chemistry changes

When sick, brain chemistry changes with increased production of chemicals called cytokines. These chemicals can reduce appetite, which helps conserve energy to fight off short-term illnesses, such as the flu.

Since the body requires a lot of energy to digest food, anorexia gives the body the ability to devote more energy and resources to fighting the virus.

Smell and taste affected

Another side effect of the flu or common cold is sinus congestion, which can reduce the sense of smell. Since smell and taste are closely linked, a person may lose their appetite because they are unable to taste food.

pharmaceutical

Anorexia can be a result of medications or nutritional supplements that a person is taking. Some medications may cause loss of appetite as a side effect, and the most prominent of these drugs is antibiotics.

Mental state

The psychological state is affected by the state of the body, as the disease may cause feelings of sadness and loss of energy, and some people are concerned about the health situation they are going through, and this negatively affects appetite, which causes unwillingness and inability to eat.

How can appetite be restored during illness?

It may be difficult to restore appetite during bouts of illness, especially in more difficult or prolonged cases, but following some simple habits may help restore part of the appetite, maintain general health, and help the body recover quickly, as follows:

Eating regular meals helps restore appetite. Small meals can be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner, even when not feeling hungry.

Eating liquid meals, consuming the daily calorie intake through a liquid meal such as soup or fruit juices helps to provide the body with part of its needs, which helps in fighting disease.

Eat soft foods: Soft foods are usually soft and low in fiber, and do not include spicy or fried foods. Including dairy products, non-seasoned meats, vegetables or potatoes, bread and crackers, these types of foods will not irritate the stomach.

Foods rich in protein, vitamins and minerals: Foods rich in protein, vitamins and minerals can help replace any nutrients that the body loses.

Also read: For mothers – these are the reasons for your child’s loss of appetite