Summer is the season to bathe under the sun. However, the summer season has its own set of disadvantages too. Summers can cause heat related issues, such as indigestion, flu symptoms, and decreased appetite. Your appetite and mood to eat something you used to crave for can change drastically in the summer season. It is important to take care of what, when and how you eat. You can talk to a dietician or doctor regarding a customized summer diet plan to prevent these problems.
Why does your appetite decrease during summers?
According to a study published in The National Library Of Medicine, your appetite gets affected in high temperature seasons. Do you know why? Let's find out. Hypothalamus (a structure present deep in your brain, which controls coordination) in our brain is responsible for managing our appetite. It also functions in controlling things such as satiety, which indicates if you are full or not. The hypothalamus works with the hunger hormone ghrelin to identify hunger, providing satisfaction and managing your appetite. Hypothalamus is also responsible for regulating the body temperature as it acts as the thermostat of your body.
Therefore, the hypothalamus has to perform two tasks during summers, one being keeping your body cool and secondly, managing your appetite. When your body is sweating, the hypothalamus is unable to give complete attention to your hunger. The appetite also decreases because the digestive process produces some amount of heat, so the hypothalamus functions to decrease the appetite to reduce the pressure of its own jobs. This is the reason why people have a decreased appetite in summers.
Also read: Having A Loss Of Appetite? Here Are Its Symptoms And Causes That You Should Know
Ways to increase appetite during summers
Here are 4 useful ways to increase your appetite during summers:
1. Listen to your body
Listening to your body's hunger cues is important to manage appetite during summers. You need to balance the intake of certain macro and micro nutrients as per the body's requirements. Do not overeat or consume very less quantities. Try to eat smaller and frequent meals to manage your appetite changes in summer.
2. Stay hydrated
Drinking enough fluids throughout the day along with the consumption of hydrating fruits and vegetables is a useful way to keep your body hydrated. While it’s better to have lots of water, you can also have other drinks that hydrate your body. Keeping yourself hydrated will help in managing the body's temperature and restoring the fluids lost due to sweating. With the body temperature maintained, the hypothalamus will be able to focus on your appetite or hunger.
3. Level up your exercise game
Daily exercise does not mean taking a lazy stroll in the park. Instead, you should sweat it out with cardio sessions. If you level up your exercise regimen (swimming, jogging, etc), it will help in burning more calories, which can eventually make you feel more hungry. However, make sure that your daily activity should be worth taking more calories.
Also read: Loss Of Appetite: Causes, Symptoms Risk Factors And Remedies To Stimulate Appetite
4. Eat quality foods
Include nutrient dense foods in your plate so that you feel wholesome and fuller after having your meal. Try to eat fresh foods and lean proteins, including eggs or lean meats with vegetables that have high water content. If you fill yourself with nutritious food choices, it will become easier to control cravings and consumption of high calorie foods. Swap processed and packed food items with seasonal fruits and vegetables.
