We can find many reasons for losing our appetite, including medicines, malnutrition and some diseases. So, the obvious solution of eating more may not work. However, the key here would be to increase your appetite.
The poor appetite can lead to even more health problems. Malnutrition is one of them, and it can cause tiredness and irritation, and if left untreated it can weaken the immune system, which can lead to other health problems and dehydration. Therefore, it is essential to know how to increase your appetite naturally and find the exact reason for what is causing this.
Although there can be various reasons for poor appetite, the most common are digestion problems, nervousness, emotional disturbances, tension, anxiety, or depression. Other problems can be more serious, such as stress, job loss, the death of someone close to you, illnesses such as flu and infections, anorexia nervosa, and legal and illegal drugs. Also, often poor eating habits at the time of eating between meals can eliminate hunger at the time of main meals, and poor appetite can also be a symptom of a more serious problem.
Natural ways to increase your appetite naturally
Below you will find several homemade ways to increase your appetite naturally that will help you improve your digestive system and avoid any health problems.
1. Ginger to increase appetite
Ginger can help improve digestion and help eliminate intestinal gas that occurs during digestion. The best way to consume it is to add it to your food. For faster results, add half a tablespoon of ground ginger to your tea, and the best way to sweeten it is with honey.
2. Vegetables and vegetables
Some vegetables are known to contain certain ingredients that aid digestion, thereby helping to improve appetite. A good example is raw, grated radish that can be mixed into a snack, white onion and cucumber, both raw, also have properties that help whet your appetite. Tomatoes can also deal with indigestion and can help improve your appetite. Besides eating them in salad, it can be added in sauces, soups and other recipes.
Another interesting fact is the regular consumption of bitter foods, which also help improve the secretion of digestive juices and increase appetite.
In addition, green vegetables, such as arugula, cabbage, chicory, endive, and watercress, also aid in digestion and are important for those looking to increase their appetite naturally. They also help the body produce more juices and digestive enzymes. They also help break down fatty foods in particular so that they can be easily absorbed by the body.
3. Increase appetite with carminative spices
During the digestion process, some gases are produced in the intestine, and their presence makes us feel uncomfortable and makes us feel heavy. Another negative point is that they also interfere with the intestine to digest the food present, and as a result, abdominal gas causes a lack of appetite and bloating. To help with that discomfort, look for carminative spices. They have properties that help release gases and have a powerful digestive action.
Carminative herbs are easily found, some good examples are: coriander, mint, black pepper and cinnamon. By adding them in your kitchen, you will notice a gradual change in your appetite. A good clue on how to use them would be to season your salad and vegetables with one of those spices.
4. Sweet potato or sweet potato
The sweet potato is a tuber that helps with digestion, it can be useful for stomach pain and to whet the appetite.
5. Pepper
There is nothing better than pepper to speed up the metabolism and make food even tastier. There are studies that indicate that pepper not only speeds up metabolism, but also helps increase appetite. Try seasoning salads, eggs, paprika, and hot dishes like soups and creams.
6. Fruits
Some fruits are known to stimulate appetite, among them are grapes, apples and blackberries. Some of these fruits contain components that help improve digestion and, therefore, increase appetite.
Often times, appetite problems can be a reflection of an unhealthy lifestyle. Sedentary and smoking people are the most prone to have appetite problems.
7. Do a physical activity to increase your appetite
Many associate exercises with weight loss, but it also helps with weight gain and increased appetite, after all.
A good tip is to walk for 15 minutes to an hour, and it is recommended to practice two to three times a week. Nothing better than physical activity for those looking to increase their appetite naturally.
8. Keep stress and worry away from you
Often, with everyday worries, we forget to eat, or we opt for easier, more industrialized foods, such as chocolates and fast food.
Try to find a way out to control your stress and forget your everyday worries a bit. A good recommendation would be a massage, taking a couple of days off, acupuncture, or even a conversation and going out with friends.
9. Eat with more people and try new recipes
Eating alone and your own food sometimes ends up falling into a routine and ends up being tedious, furthermore, you can feel lonely and uninspired as you will have to make food just for yourself.
Try calling friends, family, or joining a community group. This will cause you to experience new foods and condiments made by other people, or if you make the food, it will encourage you to prepare different recipes.
10. Don't set fixed rules
Instead of trying to eat a lot at your three main meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), try to eat fewer servings more times a day, that is, small servings 6-7 times a day. But choose more caloric and nutritious snacks, such as peanut butter, nuts and homemade juices made with fruits, plain yogurt, and plant-based milks.
The calories consumed through snacks and main meals add up and you will never feel completely satisfied, causing you to eat better and more.
11. Change your menu
To avoid getting tired of the same foods, try making a change to your menu like buying a recipe book or buying a monthly magazine to browse for new recipes. Don't forget to add spices, onion, garlic, fresh herbs, greens, meat, and whole grains to intensify and change the flavor.
12. Consult your doctor
It is worth remembering that, as seen above, a lack of appetite can be caused by many reasons. If you are using antibiotics, in treatment for a disease such as cancer, or other medications that may be inhibiting your hunger, it is worth consulting with a doctor to analyze your problem in detail.
Based on that, you can even prescribe some vitamins or medicines to increase appetite, making the current treatment not affected by future malnutrition, because as we know, one problem leads to another.
High blood pressure (hypertension) can quietly damage your body for years before symptoms develop. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to disability, a poor quality of life, or even a fatal heart attack or stroke.
