While many Americans wish they didn't like to eat, should the wish come true, it is more of a nightmare than a blessing. If you find yourself with a poor appetite at most meals, schedule a physical exam with your physician, as loss of appetite can indicate serious conditions. Follow a healthy diet to make the most of the calories you consume.
Why You Don't Like to Eat
Many reasons can be behind why people don't like to eat, ranging from physical to psychological. Physical reasons include dental problems, abdominal pain, nausea, gastroesophageal reflux disease, loss of the sense of smell or taste, infection, heart failure, illicit drug use, prescription medication side effects, breathing problems, liver disease, kidney disease and human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV. Some types of cancer might also cause you to lose your appetite.
Psychological reasons might cause you to dislike eating, including depression, bipolar disorder, being forced to eat as a child and other anxiety forms. Elderly people sometimes lose their appetite for reasons that are never determined. Some healthy individuals just don't get hungry as often as most people and find it a bother to take time to eat.
USDA MyPyramid.gov Diet
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has developed a food pyramid that delineates the number of servings an individual should eat from different food groups: grains, fruits, vegetables, milk products, meat and beans, and healthy oils. They have created an online system that allows the user to assess her daily food intake and activity level, according to her individual needs. The USDA food pyramid diet is an excellent choice for you if you don't like to eat, but do wish to follow a healthy diet.
Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is quite different from the typical U.S. diet, and you might find that it entices your appetite while meeting your dietary needs. Mediterranean food groups include the plant-derived group, which includes vegetables, olive oil, fruits, grains, seeds, nuts, legumes, spices and herbs; the fish and seafood group; the poultry and eggs group; and the meat and sweets groups. This healthy diet plan allows more healthy oils, while allowing fewer animal products, than the USDA diet plan.
Tips to Help You Eat
If you seldom feel hungry, but have no underlying physical or psychological reason for it, you might have to schedule your meals to get proper nutrition. Drink nutritious beverages between meals, such as milk or a meal-replacement beverage. Eat foods that you know you like, but also try small quantities of new foods. Increasing your physical activity level might increase your appetite.
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