Craving Something? Here's Why!
Do you ever find yourself standing in the sweet and salty section of the grocery store when all you came for were your weekly essentials? Our mouths are home to over 10,000 tastebuds and cravings are a tongues best friend. As much as we'd like to believe self control is enough to resist these temptations, we could find ourselves battling them more often than not. There are many reasons why cravings happen and, for some, it's not always easy to read between the lines. Our cells are pretty amazing at working together to relay messages from the body to the brain. This can go as far as understanding sight, sound, taste, touch and smell, to reading powerful cues our bodies send us when we're craving something in particular. Some underlining issues could suggest nutritional imbalances and deficiencies to dehydration, exhaustion, emotional issues and hormonal fluctuations. Nutritional Deficiencies Our bodies use a variety of micro and macro- nutrients to function at an optimal rate. If we fail to absorb our food properly, our bodies could respond with unusual cravings. For instance, a high demand for sodium could indicate inadequate mineral levels, while urges for sweets could imply low blood sugar. In order to boost your bodies ability to absorb nutrients you may want to try these 4 simple solutions: 1. Leave a 15-20 min window between eating and drinking at each sitting: - Drinking liquid with our meals dilutes stomach acid and naturally occurring digestive enzymes found in our saliva. This contributes to the improper breakdown of food, thus increasing your chances of heart burn, indigestion, bloating, as well as irritability, lethargy, and insatiable cravings. 2. Chew your food as much as possible: - Digestion begins in the mouth when natural enzymes, found in saliva, breakdown food which is later used to nourish our bodies. Aim to chew most soft food 5-10 times before swallowing and tough food up to 30. This gives you're mouth plenty of time to begin the pre-digesting phase. 3. Pair a healthy fat with your veggies: - While it's still wise to avoid dousing our veggies in creamy salad dressings, a little fat (I.e. Olive oil) could go a long way. Not only does it help break down carotenoids, or that which gives plants their colouring, but it also assists in phytochemical breakdown as well. This includes the absorption of important antioxidants needed to remove damaging agents from our organs, while fighting foreign disease. 4. Use a probiotic: - Finally, supplementing with a probiotic that has, close to or more than, 10 different strains helps these little guys flourish, while ensuring the proper break down of nutrients in the gut. Dehydration and Exhaustion One of the most common mixed messages our bodies send our brains, is the signal to eat when we are thirsty. In fact, the signal used to translate the message of hunger to the brain is the same signal used for thirst. You see, the human body is made up of 70% water, and it's easy to lose a large quantity of this through diuretic foods or excessive sweating throughout the day. That's why it is so important we remember to drink a glass of water before heading to the fridge. If we do so, we can begin to properly address our body's true needs, and therefore avoid sudden or impulsive indulging. Cravings can also be triggered by exhaustion. Food is our bodies use for fuel so when we reach a state of lethargy, we naturally turn to food to keep us awake. This is when most sugar and coffee cravings kick in as these sources tend to keep our car in drive. Making sure you get 8-10 hrs of sleep each night could be an ideal solution for controlling these unusual eating cycles. 4. Facing you Emotions Bored? stressed? feeling lonely, sad or disappointed? These crazy emotions often cause us to try and distract ourselves or fill an empty void using food. Before stuffing your face with twinkles hidden on the top shelf of your kitchen cubby, you may want to ask yourself why you're having these cravings and if it comes from a place of true hunger or not. Hormonal Cycles As most woman fluctuate through stages of high estrogen and testosterone during menopause, pregnancy, or monthly menstruation, they tend to experience abnormal cravings. Although our hormones are beyond our control, we always have the choice to opt for a healthier solution to these unruly temptations. The next time you find your nose leading you down the wrong isle at the grocery store try to remain mindful and address why your experiencing these sudden urges. Could you be tired? dehydrated? emotional? or hormonal? If none of these ring true, you may want to ask your family doctor for some blood work to see if everything's in check. Although there are many reasons why we crave the things we do, we can use these variables as helpful guidelines before succumbing to temptation. Trainer Games Health and Wellness Journalist, Sarah Rea