“Silence everybody!! Nehal’s borborygmous is so distracting; we need to feed him pronto!” Stumped as to the meaning of the word? Well, borborygmus refers to the rumbling sounds emanating from your stomach when you are either hungry or feeling gaseous!
Yup! It isn’t a word I just made up – it’s one that is clearly defined in your dictionary!! Last week I enlightened you on 5 reasons why you may be constantly hungry. Let’s now figure out the other 5 reasons that push you towards bigger meals at shorter intervals of time.
- You’re not drinking Enough Water. Feelings of thirst can often be mistaken for feelings of hunger! If you’re always hungry, it may be helpful to drink a glass or two of water to find out if you are just thirsty, and not hungry.
- You’re Drinking Too Much Alcohol. Alcohol has well known appetite-stimulating effects. It inhibits leptin, while also impairing the part of your brain that controls judgment and self-control. This may lead you to eat more, regardless of how hungry you are.
- You Eat Too Fast. Studies have shown that fast eaters have greater appetites and a tendency to overeat at meals, compared to slow eaters. Eating slowly and chewing thoroughly gives your body and brain more time to release anti-hunger hormones and convey fullness signals.
- Your Diet is Carbohydrate-Loaded. Eating too much of refined carbohydrate leads to spikes in blood sugar levels, which in turn, leads to increased levels of insulin. This hormone (insulin) helps rapidly clear the blood of sugar. And so, when a lot of insulin is released at once in response to high blood sugar (caused by eating too much of refined carbohydrate), it works by quickly removing sugar from your blood, which may lead to a sudden drop in blood sugar levels. Low blood sugar levels signal your body that it needs more food; and that is why you feel hungry all the time!
- Your Diet Is Low in Fat and Fibre. Fatty and fibre-rich foods take longer to digest; they are satiating as they remain in your stomach for a long period of time. In the process, they release various fullness-promoting hormones.Including healthy fats in the form of omega-3 fatty acids (fish, nuts, seeds), avocados, eggs, and yogurt are some ways of keeping your hunger in check.
Now that you know it all, serve yourself delicately …. eat slowly… chew mindfully… and tank up on water skilfully! Learn the ropes of controlled eating, and stay away from years of unwanted over-nutrition!
Photo by Szabo Viktor on Unsplash
