Embrace the Life Force
Who hasn’t experienced the overwhelming desire to eat something specific, whether it be chocolate , potato chips, a burger, or some other food? We’ve all experienced cravings , but we should be careful about the way in which we satisfy them. By understanding what your body is actually deficient in (assuming it is a physical, not an emotional food craving ) you can get to the root cause of the cravings, and eventually kick them all together.
Before you satisfy your cravings, drink a tall glass of pure water. Quite often we misinterpret our body’s signal for thirst as a signal of hunger. By drinking a tall glass of water first, you may be giving your body exactly what it wants and alleviate cravings altogether. Some experts estimate that up to 80 percent of the population is chronically dehydrated, so start with water before you try to decipher your cravings. Then, wait at least half an hour before you satisfy them. Read on to learn more about what your cravings might mean. And, of course, always strive to eat something that gets to the heart of your cravings. For example, if you crave chocolate you may have a magnesium deficiency. Choose to eat foods higher in magnesium such as nuts, seeds, fish, and leafy greens.
Chocolate: Cravings for chocolate often indicate that your body is deficient in magnesium, which is a common deficiency. Eat foods high in magnesium, such as nuts, seeds, fish, and leafy greens.
Sweets: If you crave sweets you may be experiencing blood sugar fluctuations. Giving in to cookies, cakes, candies, or other refined sweets will only make the problem worse and cause a blood sugar roller coaster that leads to more cravings. Instead, choose a piece of fruit when you’re craving sweets. And, regularly choose more high-fiber foods like beans and legumes, and complex carbohydrates like whole grains keep your blood sugar stable.
Salty Foods: Cravings for salty foods like popcorn or chips often indicate stress hormone fluctuations in the body. Getting on top of the stress in your life is step one. Try meditation , breathing exercises, or other stress management techniques . Research at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City showed that people who take a break to breathe deeply or meditate before reaching for salty snacks reduced their stress hormones by 25 percent and cut the bingeing in half.
Red Meat: Not surprisingly, cravings for red meat usually indicate an iron deficiency. Often people crave burgers or steaks. Women of menstruation age are especially vulnerable to iron deficiencies. Eat more iron-rich beans and legumes, unsulphured prunes, figs, and other dried fruits.
Cheese: Cravings for cheese or pizza often indicate a fatty acid deficiency, which is common in most people. Eat foods such as raw walnuts, wild salmon, flax oil; add ground flaxseeds to your diet.
Reaching for junk foods at the onset of cravings will only satisfy them temporarily. Making dietary changes that address deficiencies or imbalances can help eliminate them altogether.
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Michelle Schoffro Cook, DNM, DAc, CNC, is a six-time and best-selling book author whose works include: The Life Force Diet, The Ultimate pH Solution, and The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan. She is a doctor of natural medicine, holistic nutritionist, and holistic life coach®. Visit: www.TheLifeForceDiet.com to learn more.
Week 3: Embrace the Life Force
Sure, the body is smart enough to communicate nutritional deficiencies through some cravings. It is, however, important not to over-read into the possible nutritional meaning of cravings since, en messe, cravings can be nothing more than conditioned responses in a Pavlovian sense (e.g. emotional eating dynamics: an emotional state is paired up with comfort foods and becomes a CS (conditioned stimulus) for a craving (CR – conditioned Response).
Pavel Somov, Ph.D., licensed psychologist, author of "Eating the Moment: 141 Mindful Practices to Overcome Overeating One Meal at a Time" (New Harbinger, 2008) http://www.eatingthemoment.com
Excellent true practical suggestions Michelle!
Love
Rajesh
http://rajeshmsharma.blogspot.com
Yes, this is true that some cravings are linked with emotional states and conditioned responses, my article is intended to address cravings that are linked with nutritional deficiencies. Most people are unaware that poor eating habits, lack of variety, a decline in the nutritional value of our food supply, and digestive deficiencies, can over time cause nutritional deficiencies. Nutritional deficiencies are far more common than most people realize. And, frequently, our cravings reflect our body's intuition in guiding us to what we need.
Thanks Rajesh!
I think I need a pocket/wallet cheat-sheet with this list so I can reference it quickly when those cravings arise. Thanks!
Tom,
You might want to keep a copy of my book, The Life Force Diet, handy at home!
Cheers,
Michelle
Michelle
I have been enjoying your series, but this one totally caught my attention. My cravings, particularly for chocolate and sugar, rule me!! This list is very helpful.
Thank you for work and sharing it here on Intent!
Mallika