Rooted in Resilience

Why You're Always Tired & Irritable (insights from The Minnesota Starvation Experiment)

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Nov 20, 2025
Explore how the Minnesota Starvation Experiment exposes the hidden effects of low energy availability on mood and behavior. Chronic under-eating can lead to obsessive food thoughts, irritability, and metabolic chaos, even amidst food abundance. Discover the slow process of recovery and how starvation reshapes personality and cognitive function. Insights connect historical famine experiences to modern dieting practices, highlighting the need for patience and a compassionate approach to nutrition and health.
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INSIGHT

Fatness Doesn't Preclude Physiological Starvation

  • You can have ample body fat yet be physiologically starved (Low Energy Availability, LEA).
  • Diet rules and chronic under‑fueling drive metabolic, hormonal, and behavioral changes similar to famine effects.
ADVICE

Refeed Slowly And Prioritize Nutrients

  • Slowly raise calories and prioritize micronutrients rather than chasing quick fixes.
  • Expect recovery to take months; refeeding needs sustained caloric and nutrient surplus.
INSIGHT

Baseline Controls Reveal True Starvation Effects

  • The Minnesota study used rigorous baselines: 12 weeks of control to set individual norms.
  • Baseline data lets researchers attribute later changes to semi‑starvation rather than practice effects.
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