How To Decode Your Cravings
Symptoms are often cast in a negative light - they’re distracting, bothersome and slow us down. While this is true, they also serve a very important purpose as symptoms are messages that your body sends to alert you of imbalance and inspire action (to restore and reestablish “homeostasis”).
An everyday symptom that many of us encounter is food cravings, aka an intense desire (that hits hard and fast) for (oftentimes less healthy) food items such as pizza, bread, chips and candy.
When a craving arises, we have options. We can either: 1.) act fast and satisfy it (by eating the exact thing we are jonesing for) 2.) avoid it (which never really works longterm) OR 3.) take a pause to explore what that craving could be telling us (so we can address the ROOT CAUSE and have a real shot at eliminating it, for good!). My approach, if you haven’t already guessed, is the latter.
Here are basic meanings of some of the top food cravings:
Carbs - whether it’s bread, pasta or french fries, carb cravings are often driven by not getting enough protein in the diet. They’re also associated with a desire for comfort and soothing.
Sugar - this is an all-too-common food craving driven by many factors, including gut dysbiosis, Candida overgrowth, poor quality sleep (thus low energy) and blood sugar imbalance. Side Note: alcohol is sugar too…
Chocolate - the decadent, creamy, melty and sweet nature of chocolate hits on a lot of different levels; however, magnesium deficiency is often the root cause of this craving.
Cheese - interestingly enough, the craving for cheese and other dairy products can be driven by loneliness and a lack of connection (think back to being a baby and the breastfeeding connection with mom…). Milk and cheese cravings may also point to an essential fatty acid deficiency.
Chips - packed with crunch and salt, chip cravings can indicate high stress levels (thus a desire to work through tension via the jaw muscle), mineral deficiency and Adrenal Fatigue.
Spicy foods - if you’re constantly seeking the spiciest thing on the menu, what you’re really seeking is adventure, thrill and to feel alive (simulated by the rush of blood, metabolic boost and adrenaline surge).
If you want to dive deeper and learn simple, practical ways to satisfy these cravings in a healthier way, book a free Discovery Call with me.