Happy Halloween Everyone.
I came across an article, “Outsmart Your Cravings” by Jacqueline Andriakos, in Health Magazine’s, May 2018 issue. I thought it was interesting so I wanted to share.
According to the article, “Cravings are driven by a number of factors, including hormones, emotions, and even your surroundings”. There are “biological and psychological pathways of cravings”. “it becomes a lot easier to stop them before they get out of control” says Ethan Lazarus, MD, director of the clinical Nutrition Center in Greenwood Village, Colorado. What are some “common craving provocateurs and the mechanisms behind them?”
- Your stressed out
- “When you’re under a lot of pressure, it drives cortisol up, which in turn can stimulate cravings for foods high in fat or sugar.” “Your body wants foods that may trigger the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain to help you feel better…”
- solution: “replace the craving with something else that makes you fell good.” “This could be a hobby you find joy in, like yoga or reading.”
- “When you’re under a lot of pressure, it drives cortisol up, which in turn can stimulate cravings for foods high in fat or sugar.” “Your body wants foods that may trigger the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain to help you feel better…”
- Hormonal shifts such as PMS
- “some women go through cycles of low serotonin, which can intensify cravings…”
- solution: “you’ll want to do activities that boost serotonin so you don’t go looking to do that through food. “that could be a workout, or increasing your light exposure (which ups serotonin naturally) by spending more time outdoors.”
- “some women go through cycles of low serotonin, which can intensify cravings…”
- Sleep Deprivation
- “while we sleep, our fat cells produce hormones like leptin and adiponectin, which reduce appetite and insulin resistance.” Dr. Lazarus explains “if we rob our bodies of the sleep we need, even by 30 minutes, we get up hungry the next day and wanting carbs.”
- Solution: “You can short-circuit munchies born from sleep deprivation by having a healthy breakfast as soon as you wake up that combines unrefined carbohydrates with some protein and good fat in order to stabilize your blood sugar, and in turn, help prevent out-of-control snacking as the day goes on.”
- “while we sleep, our fat cells produce hormones like leptin and adiponectin, which reduce appetite and insulin resistance.” Dr. Lazarus explains “if we rob our bodies of the sleep we need, even by 30 minutes, we get up hungry the next day and wanting carbs.”
- You’ve Created Bad Habits
- “Many cravings occur because we connect memories with particular foods.” “These types of yearnings are usually more psychologically driven then physiologically driven.” “cravings are sensory, so the harder you ruminate over it, or smell it, or actually see the food you’re wanting, the more you will think you have to have it.”
- Solution: “This may mean keeping these foods out of your home.” “Sometimes the very act of identifying a psychological-based craving is enough to overpower it.”
- “Many cravings occur because we connect memories with particular foods.” “These types of yearnings are usually more psychologically driven then physiologically driven.” “cravings are sensory, so the harder you ruminate over it, or smell it, or actually see the food you’re wanting, the more you will think you have to have it.”
- Dieting
- “Strong urges typically happen after periods of limiting yourself.” Allegra Gast, RDN, owner of Aloha Nutrition in Oahu, Hawaii states that “for some people, it’s possible that their body is looking for a nutrient that it’s not getting enough of.”
- Solution: Dr. Lazarus says, “don’t let your gas tank get empty.” “I recommend people eat fives times a day.” and also suggests “having at least 15 grams of protein at every mini meal.
- “Strong urges typically happen after periods of limiting yourself.” Allegra Gast, RDN, owner of Aloha Nutrition in Oahu, Hawaii states that “for some people, it’s possible that their body is looking for a nutrient that it’s not getting enough of.”
To read the entire article, find the May 2018 issue of Health Magazine. You can find them online, ask people on social media if they have a copy or check with your local library.
Catherine Bares
Remember: follow me, share me, talk about me (you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and/or YouTube through the links below.)
by 
by 
