eli5 How come your appetite decreases when you are ill?
In: Biology
There are two parts to your nervous system next to the brain (parasympathetic and sympathetic). The “active” and “passive” part. They are in opposition for energy and resources. Digestion, sleep, slowing your heart rate are part of the passive. Sport, fighting illness and such are the active part.
If you need to fight an illness the active part needs more energy and he takes that from the passive part, so his duties get shut down as much as possible. To reduce energy taken due to digestion you have lowered appetite and sometimes even throw up already eaten food. Thats why you should eat simple fast digested food if ill, like broths.
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