Have you ever thought about why appetite decreases when you are sick? Is it just that the virus that causes the disease affects body functions, or can there be other factors as well?
Scientists attribute this to the change in brain chemicals when sick. Let’s look at the details…
It’s actually chemicals called cytokines that reduce your appetite when you’re sick.
When you’re sick, brain chemistry changes as cytokines (a group of proteins and peptides that allow cells to communicate with each other) are produced. This also causes loss of appetite. But this is not actually a negative situation, because the body already spends a lot of energy digesting food. When disease is added to it, the metabolism struggles more, but thanks to the lack of appetite, the body has more energy to fight the virus. So you don’t have to worry because I’m sick, I don’t have an appetite.
When you are sick, not only chemicals but also hormones change.
Dr. Donald D. Hensrud states that hormonal changes can also be seen depending on the disease state. In fact, when you’re sick, you might think that your urge to eat is kind of waning. Because that’s how the immune system reacts to the disease. But again, this is not actually a negative situation; It is a positive situation that shows that the body dedicates all its energy to fighting the disease more and is focused on healing.
Of course, let’s not go without saying that this situation is normal in short-term diseases. Because in long-term diseases such as cancer, loss of appetite leads to weight loss in the long term. So, loss of appetite may not be a positive situation for such serious diseases.
Of course, when the sense of smell and taste is lost, there is no pleasure in eating.
When you have the flu or cold, your sinuses are often blocked. This dulls your sense of smell and taste, making you want to eat less.
However, even if you do not have an appetite when you are sick, do not stay too far from healthy eating.
Of course, there is no such thing as you have no appetite when you are sick, you will stop feeding completely. For example, according to Everyday Health, if you constantly deprive yourself of the calories you need while sick, you will put your body’s immune system on alert. Thus, since the body is hungry for a long time, it lacks the energy it needs and your recovery process is delayed.
Experts recommend that you take plenty of fluids and rest during these periods. At the very least, you can strengthen your immune system by choosing foods rich in vitamins and minerals.
Sources: Huffpost, MeMD
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