A decreased appetite, eating less, and not wanting to eat even delicious food... Many people experience this feeling in the summer. Why is that? Why is the appetite poor in the summer? And what should be done about a poor appetite in the summer?
Why is there no appetite in the summer?
1. High temperatures lead to a rejection of hot food.
The temperature is high in the summer, so people are psychologically averse to steaming hot food. Moreover, when high environmental temperatures act on the human body, they transmit the high-temperature stimulus to the thermoregulatory center through neural conduction. Through the connection between the thermoregulatory center and the feeding regulation center, an inhibitory effect is exerted on the feeding center, leading to a reduction in food intake.
Solution: It is recommended to let food cool down to a warm temperature before eating. Of course, it is not advisable to eat leftover food directly, as leftovers can easily breed bacteria, which can easily lead to gastrointestinal diseases, causing diarrhea and being detrimental to health.
2. Less exercise in the summer slows down metabolism.
People tend to sweat when they exercise in the summer, so they try to minimize their activity to avoid sweating. However, reduced exercise slows down the body's metabolism, reduces energy consumption, and slows down gastrointestinal motility, which in turn reduces the need to eat, leading to a loss of appetite. Over the long term, this can lead to insufficient intake of nutrients, which is not good for your health.
Solution: You shouldn't completely give up exercise in the summer just because it's hot. It is recommended to engage in moderate exercise in the morning or evening, such as walking, dancing, or swimming, to increase energy consumption, promote gastrointestinal motility, and stimulate your appetite.
3. Insufficient water intake.
The high temperatures in the summer cause increased sweating, leading to more water loss from the body, so water intake is higher than in other seasons. However, if water intake is low, it can affect the secretion of digestive juices, thereby affecting appetite.
Solution: It is recommended to drink an appropriate amount of water one hour before meals to ensure sufficient secretion of digestive juices, which can stimulate appetite and help with the digestion and absorption of food.
4. Drinking too much water or too much juice.
It's important to drink more water in the summer due to increased sweating, but if you drink large amounts of water, the digestive juices in the stomach are diluted, which can impair digestion and lead to a poor appetite. Drinking large amounts of water also occupies the limited stomach volume, which can also lead to a loss of appetite.
In addition, some people drink large amounts of sweet beverages like juice to quench their thirst. The sugar in these drinks can raise blood sugar and affect appetite. Furthermore, frequently drinking iced beverages can interfere with the normal function of the spleen and stomach, causing dysfunction in these organs, leading to bloating and diarrhea.
Solution: Drinking water frequently replenishes the body's fluids and promotes metabolism, but it's not a case of "the more water, the better." It is recommended to supplement with about 3000 milliliters of water per day in the summer. At the same time, drinking water should be spread evenly throughout the day and night; do not drink too much water in a single hour. Also, avoid drinking too much iced water or iced beverages.
What to do about a poor appetite in the summer?
1. Drink an appropriate amount of soup or a cold drink before a meal. This can counteract the inhibition of the feeding center caused by the excitation of the drinking center. Soups like vegetable, fish, or meat soup can promote the secretion of digestive juices and help stimulate appetite. If you choose a cold drink, do not overdo it, and the temperature should preferably not be lower than 10°C, as a temperature that is too low can dull the sense of taste.
2. You can pair your meal with some cool porridges (like mung bean porridge), cold dishes (like cucumber salad), or cold soups (like loofah soup) to supplement electrolytes like sodium and potassium, as well as fluids, and to increase your appetite.
3. Increase the use of seasonings in your diet (such as scallions, ginger, garlic, and vinegar) to stimulate the secretion of gastric juice and improve appetite.
4. After labor or exercise in hot weather, if you feel your appetite is poor, it is recommended to rest before eating. You can also take a shower first to feel cool and comfortable before eating, and choose a cool dining environment.
5. You can appropriately choose foods that are less likely to be cloying and are refreshing and appetizing, such as:
Cold dishes: Such as spicy and sour radish shreds, kelp and lettuce with carrots, century egg with cucumber, mixed nuts with spinach;
Cold soups: Such as loofah and seaweed soup with dried shrimp, kelp and winter melon with coix seed soup, bitter melon and pork bone soup with soybeans, cold tomato soup;
Porridges: Such as mung bean porridge, millet porridge, sweet potato porridge, eight-treasure porridge;
Fruits and melons: Such as cucumber, tomato, watermelon, peach;
Salads: Such as lemon and black pepper chicken salad (ingredients include chicken breast, lemon, bell peppers, cucumber, lettuce, onion, potato);
Others: Such as mung bean soup, sour plum soup, lemon water, soy milk, yogurt, etc.
6. Ensure adequate fluid intake. Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink water. Try to supplement fluids with cool boiled water, soups, porridges, melons, and fruits, as well as sports drinks, rather than alcoholic and high-sugar beverages.
7. Maintain a balanced diet. For example, a moderate amount of fat can enhance the aroma of dishes and stimulate appetite, but not too much. Ensure you eat an appropriate amount of high-quality protein-rich foods every day, such as fish, meat, eggs, milk, and legumes. Pay attention to getting sufficient vitamins, minerals, and especially vitamin B1, which helps promote appetite and digestion. This can be supplemented by eating foods like millet, oats, mung beans, red beans, sunflower seeds, peanuts, or by choosing appropriate nutritional supplements.
8. Other precautions, such as:
Maintain moderate exercise, which can help maintain a healthy weight and promote the digestion and absorption of food, helping to increase appetite;
Keep a pleasant mood and avoid irritability and emotional fluctuations;
Ensure adequate sleep, such as avoiding staying up late at night and taking a short rest at noon;
Take the initiative to cook and enhance the pleasure of eating by varying the types and colors of food.
9. Finally, if you suspect that a poor appetite is caused by illness or medication, you should consult a doctor proactively to find a suitable solution.