6 Tips to Control Cravings
6 Tips to Control Cravings
Cravings for unhealthy foods are very common.
Most people crave ice creams, breads, chocolates and potato chips. When that urge comes, you may feel lack of willpower to resist that urge, or pull. But. …is it all about your will power? You may be surprised to learn that certain foods can increase appetite, food cravings and cause addiction.
Once you understand how, you may be on your way to healing your appetite. But first, let us look at the foods that mostly set you up for physical increase in appetite and cravings:
• Aspartame
• High fructose corn syrup
• Milk (particularly pasteurized, unfermented milk)
• MSG (monosodium glutamate)
• Processed foods (like bread, chips, candy, cookies, and donuts)
• Refined, mineral-depleted salt (not sea salts)
• Sugar (all refined white sugars)
• Wheat or gluten
Just like any other addictive drug, eating sugary foods can release dopamine to stimulate the reward center in the brain. And like a drug, you can also develop a tolerance to sugary foods, where you need to eat more and more to get the same original pleasure response from the body. Brain imaging confirms that fatty and sugary foods create responses in the brain similar to heroin, opium, or morphine use.
As Michael Moss explains in his New York Times piece adapted from his 2013 book on the same topic, Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us, "That's exactly why junk food manufacturers are profiting from this multibillion dollar industry — because they're playing into the science of food addiction."
Researchers from the University of New Mexico, Arizona State University, and UC San Francisco concluded that gut microbes can dictate human eating behavior and choices. We can influence our inner ecosystem by changing what we eat so that our bacteria begin to crave the right foods. A noticeable effect on the gut micro-biome was seen within 24 hours of a diet change.
Here Are Your Easy 6 Tips:
1. Avoid sugar and processed foods - Sugar causes your body to produce more insulin, which then blocks leptin, a hormone that reduces appetite and induces fat burning. Processed foods are full of sugar and additives that actually increase your appetite, which can lead you to consume more foods.
Since the sweet taste is important, eat a natural sugar source such as fruit or foods that contain nutritional benefits, like raw natural honey (a personal favorite) or organic Stevia liquids.
2. Include fermented foods and drinks –Consuming fermented, cultured foods and drinks (kimchi, sauerkraut, Apple Cider Vinegar [ACV], kombucha [fermented green tea], and kefir) is one of the most effective and healthiest ways to reduce or eliminate cravings. Our modern diets are devoid of the sour taste and bringing it back into the diet can help to regulate appetite.
3. Examine your lifestyle – Cravings DO have an emotional component as well. Often referred to as “emotional hunger,” it can stem from a void or an emptiness in your life. We tend to replace our unmet needs with food. Facing these emotions head-on can relieve stress and unburden a complicated relationship with food. Pursue hobbies, work, and recreational activities that tap into your passions, make your life more joyful and fulfilled.
4. Nourish yourself – Practice self-care or self-nourishment. Just as you would nourish your inner body with fermented foods and drinks to promote robust gut health, it's important to nourish and care for your body each day to keep your health in balance.
5. Hydrate – Cravings are often confused with dehydration. Even mild dehydration can alter our body’s metabolism. Many times, the body asks us for sugar when it is actually craving water. Limit soda, caffeine, and alcohol consumption. When cravings come, have a glass of water first, then wait a little. That may distract your cravings.
6. Get some ZZZs – UC Berkeley researchers discovered that sleep deprivation can increase junk food cravings. Lack of sleep disrupts circadian rhythms and can lead to inefficient body regulation of energy balance, metabolism, and appetite. Strive for seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
From Cravings to Satisfaction!
Did you know that our bodies have a Cellular Memory of foods you crave? Hence, if you stick to your healthy lifestyle for only 4-5 days, you give your body a chance to heal from unwanted cellular memories.
Isn’t it encouraging to know that by committing to a new lifestyle plan, it is possible to retrain the brain and reverse decades of food addiction? Your gut lining turns over, your body sheds toxins, and you start to get in touch with the kinds of foods that will truly nourish you.
Give these tips a try and let me know what happens. Share your success.
