Every one of us has, at one time or another experienced a sudden urge for a particular food or beverage.
Unfortunately, these urges, commonly known as “food cravings” can be intense. And, they never work in our favor, especially when trying to lose weight. They can be strong enough to destroy even the “best laid eating or dieting plans” because we usually seek out foods that are high in calories or fat in order to satisfy the void we’re feeling when they hit.
Food cravings indicate a chemical or hormonal imbalance caused by lack of healthy nutrition. They generally occur because we haven’t eaten proper, healthy foods that are rich in vitamins, nutrients and protein at regularly spaced intervals. As a result, our blood sugar levels drop and cravings kick in.
The body has a language and is always talking to us and food cravings are the body’s way of speaking to us and relaying a need. In other words, it’s trying to get our attention. Once we meet that need, the craving stops. If we don’t meet the need, the “craving” becomes stronger and stronger.
There are many types of cravings each caused by a particular imbalance.
Low blood sugar – most often experienced when we become extremely hungry as a result of going too long between snacks or from a lack of food when trying to follow a very low-calorie diet – is a main trigger for food cravings. Studies show that regular dieters and others who regularly experience food cravings, often have an underlying blood sugar imbalance – meaning their blood sugar levels fluctuate causing them to eat too much of the wrong type of carbohydrate.
Emotional Causes – Stress, depression, boredom and the need for comforting are the most common emotional or psychological trigger for food cravings. Severe cases of food cravings can actually lead to binge eating or other dangerous eating disorders in which case you would need to seek help from your doctor.
Insomnia or sleep deprivation – Suffering from sleep deprivation or experiencing insomnia causes adrenal fatigue or outright adrenal exhaustion. You’ll likely resort to reaching for sugar or carbohydrate snacks all of which exacerbate the problem.
Hormonal – The strongest food cravings occur in the week prior to menstruation or during pregnancy and this suggests that hormonal swings do indeed have an influence on this urge to eat. Men are typically less affected by hormone imbalance than women and tend to develop fewer food cravings.
To reduce food cravings, the body needs real support and lots of it.
The first step is diet. Eating healthy foods can almost miraculously curb cravings. Over time, your damaged metabolism will balance and heal itself when provided with the necessary nutritional support.
The second step is to stabilize your blood sugar levels. You must correct the imbalance that started your food cravings. Fresh vegetable juice is the magic bullet and sure-fire quick way of achieving this.
Vegetable juices are cleansers, energizers, builders and rejuvenators of the human system. They act as healthy, harmless appetite suppressants and craving killers and are without equal in any diet or nutrition program.
The best vegetable juices are homemade from organic vegetables that are locally grown and in season. Some great vegetable choices are the different varieties of lettuce available, kale, carrots, parsley, chard and broccoli. Always include at least one green vegetable in your juice.
Each batch can be a new mystery “brew” for you. Try adding different herbs such as mint to change things up a bit. Just make sure to wash your vegetables thoroughly before juicing them.
And, don’t forget the role that exercise plays. Mood influences our eating habits, especially food cravings but exercise helps to control cravings by releasing chemicals called endorphin’s into the bloodstream that significantly improve mood.
Truth is, once your mind and body receive adequate amounts of the nutrients needed and you stop feeding your body substance’s that trigger insatiable desires, the cravings go away on their own.
The topic of food cravings is, without a doubt a complex issue and likely the reason that many people are unable to overcome and move past them. However, no one has to continue to fall prey to them. With a little education, understanding and practical know how anyone can successfully quell cravings and adopt a healthier, balanced way of eating.
If you’re ready to tap into the power of your self-healing processes in order to MAXIMIZE your level of health…
“Activate The Self Healing Process Within You” contains “simple Lifestyle Strategies to help resist aging and maintain superior health.” This powerful program, reveals the best natural techniques for preparing your body to defend itself against disease no matter how insidious the threat.
My goal in creating this empowering program is to help align your mind, body, and soul in such a way that motivation to take care of yourself and your loved ones is no longer an issue.
For more tools and resources from Carolyn Hansen to assist you in attaining your health and fitness goals and achieving the success you desire in life, please visit:
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