Part 1

Tell me what you crave and I’ll tell you what you need!

Are you living a stressful situation? Does that food you crave to bring back memories of your childhood? Did you drink enough water today? Have you had enough sleep last night? Are you craving a hot dish because it’s cold outside or are you craving a beer because the summer is finally back? Are you pregnant or is your period about to come? If all of the answers from above are aNO, then your body is telling you that you are in need of aspecific nutrients; either your body is chronically low of the compound or you are in need of them at that precise moment.

Let’s explain more in detail what all those questions above actually mean.

We will need more than one article to explain all of them deeply, but let’s begin with the one we think is of extreme importance to identify. As you have read, there are many different reasons why we have cravings. When you find out the source of that desire, it becomes easier to make the right decision not to give in to temptation. 

Let’s Begin!

Are you feeling stressed or emotionally unstable?

When we are living any kind of a stressful situation; whether you had a fight with your partner, your kids are driving you crazy, you have uncertainty in you work life, etc., our brain sends the need for certain kind of “ comfort food”. These types of cravings tend to be high in sugar, fat, and/or salt. Unfortunately, all 3 of these nasty cravings can hit you at the same time, but this depends on the level of your stressed situation. When we eat these kinds of foods, they release endorphins in our brain which give us a pleasant sensation and ease any kind of uncomfortable feeling. We are now living in a period where it’s quite easy to fall into these kinds of cravings. Due to the worldwide home lockdown and the unknown outcome of this pandemic, we tend to eat more of the things that give us certain kinds of satisfaction. For example, this temporary solution is usually found in foods like hamburgers, pizza, donuts, chocolate, and alcohol.

A recent study in Europe has shown that we have switched from buying crazy amounts of toilette paper rolls in the supermarket, (which still makes no sense) to now, buying large amounts of chocolate and beer. The sales on these kinds of items have increased enormously since we have been confined to our homes. We feel afraid, stressed, worried, and bored; which triggers the need for fat and unhealthy foods. These kinds of cravings can be dangerous and it’s very important to identify them because they can lead to a food addiction, which leads to obesity; one of the biggest problems our society has nowadays aside from COVID-19.

How to cease these kinds of cravings without food?

If you find yourselves in any kind of stressed situation and suddenly have a craving, then it’s suggested to look for other ways to release your endorphins; which can be talking to a friend, watching a funny movie, getting a massage, etc. Anything that brings you joy on a personal level and has nothing to do with food or alcohol, will release the same endorphins than consuming food. For example, in my personal case, it’s hugging and kissing my son. It can be very easy for our brains to confuse the need for affection and love with the need for food. Be aware of this reality the next time you badly desire that ice cream after a fight with your boyfriend. Instead, go and get a hug from a very close friend; your body will thank you for it later. We will talk about the other types of cravings in the coming articles...for now, All you need is love!