Tips to deal with craving
Sometimes, cravings are a way our body tells us what we might be missing in terms of nutrients. Sometimes, they occur due to physiological needs or imbalances e.g. gut dysbiosis.
Most of us have cravings, and it's not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, cravings are a way our body tells us what we might be missing in terms of nutrients. Sometimes, they occur due to physiological needs or imbalances e.g. gut dysbiosis.
However, sometimes, cravings result when we need emotional soothing.
How do you tell the difference?
By checking into your body and your feelings. Cravings can sometimes become automatic responses and behaviors, so the first step to identifying root causes is to step back when you get a craving and look at why.
The last few months have thrown us side ways emotionally, to say the least. Many of us are reaching for chocolate, chips and ice cream more. I wish it was broccoli and carrots, but unfortunately, our taste buds are hard wired by evolution to reward our brain with dopamine when we taste fat, sugar and salt. This innate preference increased our chances of survival when food was scarce. However, it no longer serves us now that we, very fortunately, have food abundance in the West.
Here are my 6 actionable tips:
🔥Connecting with your emotions. How many times do we answer the question 'How are you?' with a 'Fine!' without really giving the question much thought. During this very difficult time, it is perhaps easier to suppress those strong emotions - the worry, the anxiety, fear, anger. A lot of people find it easier to suppress than to express them. However, our body keeps a score, and it gets added to an emotional debt. Sometimes we deal with that emotional debt by eating foods to get a dopamine hit, but this is just a Band-Aid to a deeper problem that needs addressing. The best way I've found is to set some time aside each day (even if it's just 5 minutes) to journal and meditate. Identifying your feelings can really be an art now that we've gotten so good at running away from our feelings. So it may not feel natural for you to do this at first, but it can bring you benefits in the long run. Another tip is to make zoom dates or call your friends or family, and making sure you are socially connected with loved ones.
🔥Putting in place better options. Having done the above, you might have a better idea as to what is driving your cravings. And if it is not true hunger, then plan an activity to distract yourself out of that 'zone' and break a habit. Is it that 3 pm lull in your day when you need a break? Instead of walking to the kitchen pantry and grabbing a cookie, take a 10-minute walk outside or talk with a friend instead. Is your late-night anxiety creeping up around 10 pm or so, and the ice cream in the freezer is calling your name? Have some vegan mango ice cream ready to go, or curl up with a good book to distract your mind until it’s time for bed. If you want delicious and satisfying comfort foods that are healthier for you, check out my Comfort Foods e-book.
