Loss of Appetite
Food and water are two essential things a human being need to live and survive. It is a part of the daily routine to eat an average of three times a day, excluding the snack breaks between them. The body and the mind need sufficient vitamins and nutrients in a healthy balanced diet for the organs (external and internal) and nerve cells to function properly, boost the immune system, and prevent diseases from entering the body. Loss of appetite means a person’s desire to eat reduces or decreases; sometimes, when it gets severe, the person avoids food intake. Food abstinence without medical advice (fasting) may lead to other illnesses. This condition may be categorized into three causes: psychological, physical, or medications. The psychological reasons include eating disorders (anorexia nervosa), depression, stress, anxiousness, and others.
Meanwhile, physical causes include colon-related problems, stomach pains, complications in the pancreas, kidney or heart failure, gastroenteritis, bowel obstruction, anemia, infections, and pregnancy. Furthermore, side effects of medication (such as antibiotics) include poor appetite. If this condition persists, changes in the body will become evident, as well as the risk of increasing the severity of underlying physical conditions.
