Sunday, July 15, 2012

Top Tips to Whet Your Appetite

While most of the world would prefer to feel less hungry, people who are underweight may want to increase their appetite so they can gain weight and achieve a healthy a size. Poor appetite has a multitude of causes, but some cause's can lie in the digestive tract and nearby organs. Almost every stomach and intestinal problem will disturb appetite, including constipation, diarrhoea, indigestion and ulcers. Disorders of the gall-bladder, pancreas and liver can be a source of slow digestion from a lack of enzymes, and this in turn can cause appetite loss. When you need to consume more calories, try some simple techniques to increase your desire for food.
Get cooking. Prepare as many meals yourself as possible. Chopping, preparing and simmering food create incredible aromas. It doesn't only make your kitchen smell lovely; it also kicks off the secretion of digestive enzymes. Touching, tasting and smelling food before you eat it will prepare the body for digestion and improve your psychological relationship with food.
Appealing taste is vital for a hearty appetite. Healthy foods don't have to be bland. Use fresh herbs and spices to enhance flavours and aromas in your foods.
Eat regularly. Eat at least every 4-5 hours. Our bodies need regular fuel to maintain blood sugar levels & metabolism but enough time to complete digestion before more food is eaten.
Be mindful not to unintentionally isolate someone who has no appetite. Meals are typically social times; not being able to participate in them can feel lonely.
Read food magazines or find our nutritionists' recipes on our website. Those are bound to whet your appetite!
Drinking during a meal can hinder digestion as well as appetite. Wait until sometime after the meal.
Add cinnamon to your food. Cinnamon stimulates your appetite naturally. Other spices that increase appetite are ginger, peppermint, fennel, clove, cardamom and anise.
B vitamins or a B complex can be taken instead of, or in conjunction with yeast. Many green foods, especially alfalfa, are highly nourishing and stimulate appetite.
Vitamin C deficiency can cause loss of appetite. Vitamin C can be obtained through eating fruit and vegetables. An alternative method of obtaining enough vitamin C is through supplementation. A good product like Mixed Ascorbates provides 1g of vitamin C with magnesium, calcium, zinc, potassium and manganese and around 4g of antioxidant-rich berry extracts. It makes a great tasting antioxidant drink when mixed with water.
Zinc appears to stimulate appetite; researchers have conducted numerous studies on zinc and appetite in relation to eating disorders.
Bitter herb juices taken half an hour before meals, are excellent for stimulating the appetite
Snacks between meals should provide proteins, the essential fatty acids omega-6 linoleic acid and omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid. Some examples are avocados, nuts and nut butters, tuna and chicken.
Lactic acid fermented foods such as natural, unsweetened yogurt or kefir or probiotic supplements ( hyperlink Bio-Acidophilus) are also very beneficial to digestion and optimal absorption of nutrients because they create a healthy bacterial environment in the intestines.
Whole oats are very rich in proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, complex carbohydrates and cellulose, which stimulates intestinal activity.
Food is such an important part of our lives, getting the right nutrients from it is integral to a healthy lifestyle. This isn't always easy for everyone to do, but sometimes a few small changes can make a big difference.

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