February 2020
STAY SATIATED. Aim to include protein, fat, and fiber with every meal. The PFF principle. Protein helps you feel full faster, and stay satiated for longer. Fat works with the hormones of the body telling you when to stop eating, and that your satiety levels have been reached. It also keeps you feeling fuller for longer. Fiber fills you up by taking up space in your tummy, and by slowing the absorption of sugar into the body, promoting steady blood sugar levels. The bottom line is that together these “3 amigos” stave off “the hangries” by giving you steady blood sugar levels, keeping you full longer, and creating balance in the body. This greatly decreases the likelihood of overwhelming cravings derailing wholesome eating and nourishing habits
STAY HYDRATED. Sometimes a sugar craving is the body’s call for hydration. Drink a quenching glass of water, and see how you feel. Add the juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 lime, plus 1/4 tsp of good sea salt or Himalayan salt to the water. Experiment with “ionic trace minerals.” Trace minerals are magic! They are like the “spark plugs” of the body, impacting every enzymatic process, providing good energy, promoting restorative sleep, and nourishing the cells. Ionic trace minerals increase the capacity of the cells to take in the hydrating effects of water. Start slow with mineral drops: 2-3 drops in each glass over the course of the day. Increase slowly to 7 to 10 drops in each glass over the course of the day, to a maximum of 40 drops per day. Please check with your physician first if you have kidney issues. My 2 preferred brands for ionic trace minerals are ConcenTrace and Anderson Sea MD. Consider investing in a good water filtration system, as well. Clearly Filtered and AquaTru are both reputable and excellent choices. Clearly Filtered makes affordable pitchers, if you wish to keep it simple.
EAT NATURALLY SWEET VEGETABLES. Sweet vegetables not only quell a sugar craving, but soothe the internal organs, and energize the mind. Many of the sweet vegetables are root vegetables, which are energetically grounding, a plus when eliminating processed sugars from your life. When cooked, beets, carrots, corn, onions, sweet potatoes, winter squashes, and yams are the sweetest of the sweet vegetables. Roasting them with avocado, coconut, or extra virgin olive oil–plus a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs or spices–makes for a truly delicious dish. Parsnips, rutabagas, and turnips are the more subtly sweet vegetables. Lastly, burdock, daikon, green cabbage, and red radishes don’t taste sweet, but have a similar effect on the body for reducing sweet cravings, and maintaining blood sugar levels.
“EAT GREEN.” Eating lots of leafy greens and other alkalizing foods can go far to keep cravings at bay. Consider adding a cleanly-sourced greens powder into a smoothie or beverage. Vibrant Health’s “Green Vibrance” and “Pure Synergy” from The Synergy Company are two reputable choices. Just go slowly to offset a sudden detox. Over time you can increase either the powders or leafy greens, and watch how magically your cells and body vibrate with vitality!
PRIORITIZE SLEEP, REST, AND RELAXATION. Sleep deprivation increases cortisol, making you feel stressed, and increasing the cravings’ capacities to overwhelm you. When you are exhausted, your body will crave the quickest form of energy available–sugar. Rest and relaxation shift your body’s nervous system into a parasympathetic “rest, digest, restore, and renew” state. You want this. It will reap dividends in all areas of your life.
DISTRACTION IS YOUR FRIEND. Take a walk, call a friend, go to a favorite yoga or exercise class, write a letter, journal, meditate, get out in nature, dance! Often a craving will release its hold after 5-10 minutes, and you will build the confidence that cravings can be managed, and do lose their tenacity. A little distraction goes a long way.
“WIRE IN” YOUR NEW HABITS. Take note of the robust and healthy habits you are creating for yourself. Write them down, and solidify their credence. Celebrate and congratulate yourself for the transformation underway. These positive shifts will become the new fabric of your life, and you will be amazed at how seamlessly you integrate them, leaving cravings in the past.
REMEMBER YOUR “WHY.” Whether it’s losing weight, healing an illness, or creating more energy in your life, keep your “eyes on the prize” for motivation and sustenance. You’ve got this. One day at a time.
As you crowd out unhealthy sugars and foods from your life, and embrace the bounty of delectable, soul-nourishing nutrition, your cravings will slowly, but surely dissipate. Give it time. Be patient. Always remember progress over perfection. And love yourself, exactly as you are, always.
This is a great article! I do some of it now and will pick up the rest. Thank you!