Beat the Cravings

So What do you really crave and Why?

No matter what we we crave, food cravings are your body's cry for nutrients... NOT for cookies, crisps and sweets! 

"Your brain constantly monitors your blood for nutrients. If a nutrient is missing or in short supply, you start to feel hunger. Answer this cry for nutrition with nutrient-deficient junk food and hunger quickly returns and your craving is stronger than ever.

Giving in to a craving and eating a pound of cookies or crisps makes matters worse because, until you get the nutrients you need, cravings are never satisfied and, the more you eat the more you will crave.

Sugar and carbohydrate cravings are a cry for essential nutrients, especially essential fatty acids."
                                                                                                                         Dr. Russel

The body is amazing! It knows when its time to go to sleep, when to wake up, go to the bathroom.... your heart never misses a beat, your lungs are always breathing. Our body knows what it really needs, but sometimes its hard to recognize what it really is... 

6 Causes of Cravings

1. Lack of primary Food
Being dissatisfied with a relationship or being bored, stressed, inappropriate exercise      routine (too much, too little or wrong type) can all cause emotional eating.

2. Water 
Dehydration can manifest as a mild hunger, so the first thing to do when you get a craving is to drink a full glass of water.

3. Hormones
When women experience menstruation, pregnancy or menopause, fluctuating testosterone and estrogen levels may cause unique cravings... So there is a reason why I crave chocolate certain time of a month... :)

4. De-evolution
When things are going extremely well, sometimes a self-sabotage syndrome happens. We crave foods that throw us off, thus creating more cravings to balance ourselves. This often happens from low blood-sugar and may result in strong mood swings.

5. Yin/Yang Imbalance
Eating foods that are either extremely yin or extremely yang causes cravings in order to maintain balance. For example, eating a diet too much on sugar (yin) may cause cravings for meat (yang)

Balancing foods: Leafy greens, Fruits, Nuts, Whole Grains, Fish and Vegetables

6. Lack of Nutrients
Sugar and carbohydrates are a cry for a real nutrients

If you are craving....

Sweet= You are maybe already eating too much sugar and processed foods which cause even more cravings... How do you start your day? Is it already loaded with carbs and sugar?   Maybe some coffee with sugar and milk, and some toast and Cereals? (1 slice of toast has 3 tsp of Sugar and bowl of Cheerios 3-4tsp!!) And don't forget thatscan of soda with 9tsp of sugar... and maybe some ice cream for dessert with whopping 23tsp/ 1/8 quart. 

Craving for sugar can be also a lack of essential fatty acids or proteins! I mostly eat vegetarian food, but sometimes I notice that I need more protein! Then I add some fish, eggs or chicken in my diet to avoid those sweet cravings.

Salty= maybe you are not getting enough minerals, or maybe using lots of medications or supplements

Spicy= Basic American Diet is tasteless, all flavors coming from chemicals! Too much fat, cholesterol-> over weight -> poor circulation -> craving spicy foods (ex. Mexican food!) 

Creamy= example ice cream! Emotional food, stressed people who actually needs a hug, physical contact instead of food! Try not to compensate that empty hole with food. 

When you start to recognize why and what you are craving, you can start to make better choises! 

if you crave...                  What you really need...                     Healthy choise...

Chocolate                                 Magnesium                                 Raw nuts, seeds, fruits,legumes

Bread                                        Nitrogen                                      High protein foods: fish, meat,
                                                                                                           nuts, beans

Oily Snacks/                           Calcium                                        Broccoli, kale, legumes, cheese, 
Fatty foods/                                                                                     Sesame
Soda    

Salty foods                               Chloride                                       Fish, unrefined sea salt, raw                                                                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                          goat milk

Sweets                                      Chromium                                  Broccoli,grapes,cheese,chicken
                                 
                                                  Carbon                                          Fresh Fruits
                                        
                                                  Phosphorus                                 chicken, beef,liver,fish,eggs, 
                                                                                                          dairy, nuts, grains, legumes