There are many reasons why someone may experience difficulty eating, ranging from physical issues to emotional concerns. Some common causes of difficulty eating include eating disorder, digestive disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Acid reflux, dementia or even depression and anxiety.
If you are having trouble eating enough food or if you are feeling uninterested in food, there are several things you can try to build up your appetite.
1. Eat Small Meals
As much as this sounds ironic, eat smaller, more frequent meals. Rather than eating three large meals a day, try eating five or six smaller meals spread throughout the day. This can help to keep your energy levels up and prevent you from feeling too full. This will also prevent you from feeling discouraged over the heap of food on your plate.
2. Avoid Drinking Water
Water is a natural appetite suppressant. Avoid drinking water while eating because it tends to occupy the space in the stomach resulting to the feeling of satisfaction. Instead of water, you can replace it with other tasty liquids. This will further build up the appetite.
3. Try Different Foods
Experiment with different flavors and textures. If you are feeling uninterested in food, try introducing new flavors and textures to your meals to stimulate your taste buds and make eating more enjoyable. There’s no harm in trying new types of food either.
4. Exercise
Regular physical activity can help to increase your appetite, especially if you are participating in activities that involve a lot of energy expenditure. Exercise can cause to exhaustion which will make you want to eat or sleep. Most times when there’s hunger, you tend to forget how picky you are when it comes to food.
5. Appetite Stimulant
Try using appetite stimulants If you are struggling to eat enough food. Your doctor may recommend appetite stimulants or other medications to help increase your appetite. An example of appetite stimulant is Apetamin which you can get in any pharmacy. Make sure you ask for the pharmacist’s suggestion before starting the dosage.
6. Eat With Others
Eating with friends or family can be a great way to build up your appetite, as it can make eating more enjoyable and social. This strategy helps to move your attention from how much you would be eating, instead you will eat more till you are done eating the meal with others.
7. Avoid Skipping Meals
Skipping meals can disrupt your appetite and make it more difficult to eat later on. Try to eat regular meals and snacks throughout the day.
Snacking in between meals is very essential in this case. It helps you gain more weight without stressing much and also helps to build up your appetite.
8. Seek Support
If you are struggling with a lack of appetite due to an underlying emotional issue, such as stress or depression, seeking support from friends, family, or a mental health professional can be helpful. You can try visiting a dietitian to help proffer a better and more effective long lasting solution.
Remember, it’s important to listen to your body and eat when you are hungry, rather than trying to force yourself to eat when you are not. It’s also important to speak with a healthcare provider if you are having trouble eating or if you are experiencing significant weight loss.
