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How to Prevent Feeling Hungry When You Are Not Able to Eat Solid Food

Hunger is one of many phenomena in the human body that’s both useful and detrimental. The sensation can help notify us that we need more fuel for our bodies, but it can also draw us into unhealthy eating habits or plague those unable to satisfy the urge to eat. For those who are not able to tolerate solid food because of a medical condition, hunger can become a constant companion, one that diminishes quality of life, but it can often seem like there are few solutions to the issue. If you or someone you know is struggling with hunger because they can’t enjoy meals the way they used to, you’ve probably found yourself wondering how to prevent feeling hungry when you are not able to eat solid food. To find out, keep reading as the team at ENU – makers of well-rounded meal replacement shakes – share their insight on the topic.

Nutrients That Can Help Prevent Feeling Hungry When You Can’t Eat Solid Food

Battling hunger is a struggle many people face, but it becomes much more complicated when solid food isn’t even an option. While some may decide to turn to medication or lifestyle changes to address the issue, it’s worth noting that a number of different nutrients can help to curb a person’s appetite and may prove beneficial to those who are not able to eat solid food. We’ll look at a few of these useful nutrients below:

Protein

For people of virtually every age group or activity level, protein provides a host of benefits, from preserving muscle mass in seniors to boosting gains after the gym as part of nutritional support for athletes. One of protein’s many powers is the ability to fight hunger and make a person feel fuller more quickly. Research suggests that it’s because protein lowers the level of ghrelin, a hunger-related hormone, in your system while boosting the output of another hormone, called peptide YY, that promotes satiety.

Fiber

Most people know fiber as the nutrient that helps keep you regular, but it’s also a great tool for limiting hunger. During digestion, fiber slows the movement of food through the digestive tract by soaking up water in the intestines, and the slower movement of food means you don’t feel as hungry as quickly.

Complex Carbs

There are lots of different sources of carbs in our modern diet, and while some of them are rightly regarded as unhealthy, some carbs are quite beneficial, especially if you’re battling hunger. Complex carbs – the kind found in beans, vegetables, and whole grains – take longer to digest, and the more time they spend in your stomach, the less hungry you’ll feel.

Healthy Fats

Like carbs, fats tend to be demonized in today’s diet- and nutrition-focused media, but – also like carbs – there are some fats that can improve your health. Unsaturated fats can help people who can eat solid food because they offer lots of calories (i.e., energy) in a small package, and there’s research indicating that a type of fatty acid in these fats – a substance called oleic acid – may play a role in telling the brain that you’re full.

The Dangers of Preventing Hunger When You Are Not Able to Eat Solid Food

For someone unable to eat the kinds of meals they once enjoyed, the inability to tolerate solid food can be distressing in the extreme. The constant hunger alone can be enough to greatly diminish a person’s quality of life, and while preventing yourself from feeling hungry may seem like a good idea, it also carries some potential dangers that need to be explored.

For one thing, those who are not able to eat solid food often suffer from the condition because of some serious illness or its treatment; for instance, providing proper nutritional support for cancer patients often necessitates working around an inability to eat most food, either because of the disease itself or because of the side effects of chemo and other treatments. Unfortunately, these patients also often contend with another major health risk: the threat of malnutrition.

If you are not able to eat solid food because you’re battling a major illness, preventing hunger may not be in your long-term interest. The less hungry a person feels, the less they naturally want to eat, and cancer patients – and those in similar situations – need as many calories and nutrients as they can get to maintain their strength. For these patients, adding things like weight management shakes to their diet may be better than aiming to reduce hunger, as it can help patients keep their energy up and ward off malnutrition.

If you or someone you know is in a position where they can’t eat solid food and struggle with constant hunger, consulting with a physician or nutritionist to work around the issue is almost certainly a better option than hiding it with foods or supplements meant to suppress hunger (though those products may factor into the treatment they prescribe).

Try an ENU Nutrition Shake or Powder When You Are Not Able to Eat Solid Food

The inability to eat solid food is a serious medical issue, one best handled by a doctor familiar with your particular situation. That said, ENU nutrition shakes and high-protein nutritional powders can be powerful tools for hitting your dietary goals when solid food is no longer an option. Learn more about the benefits of ENU products by visiting us online or calling (855) 266-6733 today.

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