饥饿是一种很强烈的生理感受，我们的身体很难忽视它。你是否经常刚吃完不久就饿了，越吃越多，根本停不下来？你知道饥饿感为何如此无穷无尽吗？

 

Hunger is complicated and can have many different triggers, said Dr. Monique Tello, a clinical instructor¹ at Harvard Medical School, practicing physician and director of research and academic affairs for the healthy lifestyle program at Massachusetts General Hospital.

哈佛医学院临床讲师、执业医师、马萨诸塞州总医院健康生活方式项目研究和学术事务主任莫妮克·泰洛博士说，饥饿感的产生很复杂，可能有许多不同的诱因。

 

Medical reasons:

健康因素：

 

First, it's important to rule out any medical issues. Anybody who is feeling very hungry all of the time and isn't able to gain weight or is losing weight should see a doctor, Tello said.

首先，排除健康问题，这点很重要。泰洛说，如果一直感到非常饥饿，体重未增加或正在减轻，就应该去看医生。

 

Conditions that could cause constant or excessive hunger, also called polyphagia, include:

可能导致持续或过度饥饿的情况（也称为多食症）包括：

 

Hyperthyroidism: When the thyroid is overactive, a person's body and metabolism² are "all revved³ up," Tello noted⁴. Besides being hungry, patients feel jittery⁵, shaky and their heart may be racing⁶.

甲状腺功能亢进症：泰洛指出，当甲状腺过度活跃时，人体新陈代谢“加速”。除了饥饿，患者还会感到焦虑、颤抖，心跳可能会加快。

 

Diabetes⁷: People with type 1 diabetes lose the ability to make insulin so their body can't process sugar. "They're usually telling me: I'm eating and eating, I'm losing weight and I feel terrible," Tello said.

糖尿病：1型糖尿病患者缺乏合成胰岛素的能力，因此身体无法分解糖分。泰洛表示，“很多患者告诉我，他们不停地吃东西，但是却在掉秤，感觉很糟糕”。

 

Damage to the hypothalamus: This part of the brain helps regulate feelings of appetite and satiety⁸. If it's damaged because of a tumor⁹ or head trauma¹⁰, it can cause uncontrollable hunger and hypothalamic obesity¹¹.

下丘脑损伤：下丘脑帮助调节食欲和产生饱腹感。如果下丘脑因肿瘤或头部创伤而受损，可能会导致无法控制的饥饿感和下丘脑性肥胖。

 

Psychological reasons:

心理因素：

 

If there isn't an underlying¹² medical issue, the problem could be in the head.

如果没有生理问题，那么问题可能出在心理上。

 

It's reasonable to be hungry every three to five hours given how the human digestive system works. But ever-present food marketing¹³ on TV and the constant stream of "food porn" on social media can trigger people to eat often and a lot.

考虑到人体消化系统的工作机制，每三到五个小时饿一次是合理的。但电视上不断出现的食品广告和社交媒体上的美食诱惑会促使人们经常大快朵颐。

 

There are also deeply ingrained cultural triggers, like the idea of eating three meals a day plus snacks, Tello said. She hates the "myth of breakfast" — or the notion people have to eat as soon as they wake up.

泰洛说，还有根深蒂固的文化诱因，比如一日三餐加零食的观点。她讨厌“神化早餐的重要性”——或者一起床就必须吃东西的观念。

 

"I tell patients, 'The more you eat, the more you want to eat,'" Tello said.

泰洛说：“我告诉病人，‘你吃得越多，你就越想吃'。”

 

"The more people eat, the larger the stomach gets. The stomach can stretch to accommodate large amounts of food — it's a distensible¹⁴ organ. Then if it's empty, it signals hunger. Well, if you've got a huge stomach from eating so much so often, the minute your stomach is empty, it's signaling you to eat and you're going to eat more."

“人吃得越多，胃就越大。胃可以扩张以容纳大量的食物——这是一个可膨胀的器官。如果胃是空的，就会释放饥饿信号。如果你经常吃得太多，胃就会变大，那么你的胃一空，它就提醒你要吃东西，你会吃得更多。”

 

A person's state of mind can play a role, too. Stress can increase levels of ghrelin, research has shown, and being sleep deprived is associated with higher levels of the hunger hormone¹⁵.

心态也会起作用。研究表明，压力会增加饥饿激素的水平，睡眠不足与饥饿激素水平升高有关。

 

Boredom¹⁶, anxiety and depression can also send people looking into the refrigerator when they're not truly hungry.

无聊、焦虑和抑郁也会让人在不太饿的时候想吃东西。

 

Lifestyle reasons:

生活方式因素：

 

Sometimes the best answer to the question "Why am I always hungry?" is the simplest one: You're eating too little, exercising too much, or both.

有时候，对于“为什么我总是饿着肚子”这个问题，最简单的最佳答案是：你吃得太少，运动太多，或者两者兼而有之。

 

Solutions:

解决对策：

 

Don't make yourself hungrier than you need to be: Limit your exposure to TV and social media. Try to watch your favorite shows without being exposed to advertising¹⁷, Tello said.

不要让自己产生没有必要的饥饿感：少看电视和社交媒体上的美食。泰洛说，试着跳过广告观看你最喜欢的节目。

 

Get honest: Ask yourself, "Am I really hungry? Or am I bored?" Remove yourself from any food temptations if it's the latter.

老实说：问问自己，“我真的饿了吗？还是我很无聊？”如果你只无聊得想吃东西，那就要远离食物的诱惑。

 

Consider intermittent¹⁸ fasting: It can reconnect you with true, biological hunger; make it easier to recognize feeling full.

考虑间歇性禁食：这样可以让你重拾真实的生理饥饿感；更容易识别饱腹感。

 

Feel fuller by adjusting the quality of your diet: Avoid processed carbohydrates¹⁹ and sugars found in foods like white bread, baked goods and cereal. Aim for a satiating diet higher in fiber²⁰, protein and healthy fats, Tello advised. Such choices will keep you more satisfied, longer.

通过调整饮食质量让自己更饱：避免白面包、烘焙食品和谷类食品中的精制碳水和糖。泰洛建议，饮食应以富含纤维、蛋白质和健康脂肪的饱腹饮食为主。这样的选择会让你更容易产生饱腹感、饿得更慢。

 

Watch your alcohol intake²¹: Alcohol lowers a person's inhibitions and self-discipline, which can make you eat more.

注意酒精摄入量：酒精会降低一个人的抑制力和自律性，这会让你吃得更多。

点击收听单词发音