Controlling the Hunger-Causing Hormone Ghrelin
December 5, 2022Controlling the Hunger-Causing Hormone Ghrelin: You are what you eat is a common term among dietitians. And that is true considering that if you eat healthy foods rich in nutrients that your body needs to keep going strong and develop a strong immune system, you will be healthier. You can improve both your health and physical and mental state by following a proper diet. Those with diabetes can maintain great health if they follow a correct diet plan low in refined sugar and full of healthy cholesterol. Apart from medical reasons, following a great diet has other health benefits for your body, such as less fatigue.
If you are getting enough sleep but still feeling fatigued during the day, you might be following a bad diet. Other factors might be contributing to your body fatigue, such as mental fatigue and psychological distress. However, if everything else is in place and you still find yourself sleepwalking during the day, it might be because of your diet.
Even after weight loss surgery, eating "junk food" or "slider foods" can lead to weight regain at some point and it can also cause dumping and affect your energy level, leaving you to feel sluggish and worn out.
The food we eat contains calories, which are the fuel that our body runs on. When you consume food with empty calories such as cakes and sodas, it means your body shall be running on poor energy levels as compared to an individual that consumes food rich in healthy calories such as spinach and nuts. Your body is just like your car and won’t perform well when it doesn’t have proper fuel and thus you might feel tired a lot.
When you eat junk and fast foods, and you miss healthy food choices such as fruits and vegetables because they are often not on many fast-food restaurants' menus, you miss essential vitamins and chemicals that are packed in fruits and vegetables which your body requires to maintain energy. A mineral such as magnesium is important in regulating the production of energy, body proteins, and even muscle contractions.
People who eat a high glycemic index diet that is common in sugary foods and processed grains, which are commonly low in fiber-filled fare tend to experience high levels of fatigue compared to individuals who consume healthy foods. Processed foods are also known to contribute immensely to inflammation, which is related to low energy levels.
Ghrelin and Bad Food Choices
Ghrelin is the hunger-causing hormone produced in your belly when it gets empty. This is the hormone that tells your body to look for food, and the emptier your stomach, the more of this hormone is produced and the more the hunger.
When you consume foods that are low in nutrients, your body starts to crave for more of the nutrients it needs to survive and pushes you to eat more of these bad foods. With the increase in hunger comes more increase in food intake. When you eat more than you can burn, it leads to extra fat storage and waste calories, which makes you obese with time.
Ghrelin, apart from being a hunger-causing hormone, also affects the energy expenditure in our bodies. An increase in this hunger hormone tends to regulate the energy in our bodies. When you overeat, the energy expenditure can heighten and cause a lack of energy.
A spike in ghrelin leads to an extreme hunger that subconsciously leads people to take risky eating behavior, such as consuming unhealthy food to clear the hunger. This hormone is known to make the mind’s decision unclear because it influences the hypothalamus of the brain and thus you make rash decisions, such as eating an unhealthy bag of potato chips.
If an individual has a high level of the ghrelin hormone, they can easily be obese, always hungry, and even in some instances have a learning difficulty. This particular hormone is also known to spike when an individual is dieting. And that is why it tends to be difficult for people to stick to a strict diet plan.
Controlling the Ghrelin Hormone
One of the most effective ways of controlling the ghrelin hormone is to observe a good diet. A good diet offers the essential micro-and macro-nutrients. Considering that ghrelin levels tend to spike three hours after consuming a meal. When you eat at the right time, your ghrelin and leptin hormone levels can be stable. On the other hand, crash diets and calorie restrictions, which are common in junk foods, can spike your ghrelin hormone and lead to poor food choices and strong cravings.
The second most effective way to control the ghrelin hormone is to consume more proteins because proteins slow gastric emptying and provide satiety. They also boost metabolism and reduce appetite. Considering that proteins are by far the most filling food nutrients, they can be effective in reducing ghrelin levels in your body. This will lower your hunger levels and make you consume fewer unhealthy calories. Proteins are also known to help improve muscle building and repair, which increases your body’s energy level.
Keeping your ghrelin hormones optimized and controlled is important for your health. When your ghrelin hormones are too high or too low, it can easily lead you to poor health choices. It is important to stay on track with a healthy eating plan, good sleep, and good habits. A lack of good sleep will not only make you fatigued the following day, it will also increase levels of ghrelin and decreased levels of leptin, which leads to increased hunger and appetite. With a sudden high appetite, it is easy to consume unhealthy food choices.
Tammy J. Colter is an OH staff writer and has proudly served the ObesityHelp community since 1999, helping members and professionals alike. Tammy wears many hats at ObesityHelp, she works as an author, editor, and account manager. Read more articles by Tammy!
