Cravings. Pshhh.

We now know all the bad things about sugar (if you haven’t yet read The Sugar Shack, go there first and then come running back here). And we also know about better alternatives to have instead (stevia, honey, maple syrup). But what about the cravings? What do we do when all we can think about is warm, soft cookies, or ice cream with chocolate and caramel, or vanilla cake with extra icing… ahem… sorry… as you can see, it happens to me too. We’ve all been there, and will revisit from time to time. It’s just a matter of knowing how to deal with it and how to be prepared for when those inevitable dirty thoughts come (hey there… I’m talking about junk food…).

First off, let’s talk about why we get cravings. As we saw in The Sugar Shack, we tend to associate sugar with love, nurturing, and nourishment. So, when you first get that craving, ask yourself: what am I truly looking for here? What kind of fulfillment do I need right now? Often the answer will be a chat with a friend, a cuddle on the couch, or even exercise. What kind of person tells me to exercise when all I want is chocolate? I know, I know, it sounds crazy. But, exercise releases endorphins, which are substances in our brain that make us feel good, just like that sugar high, and this effect lasts much longer than that from Sugs (that would be sugar, minus the ar, adding an s). And, it’s good for us! Hello! And, to bring it even further, when we feel good from all that exercise and hard work, we’re less likely to spoil it by consuming large amounts of crappy food.

As for nourishment, well, that vanilla cake just isn’t going to cut it. I know… it’s unfortunate. It’ll make us feel good because we get on that sugar high, but oh baby, does it leave just as fast as it came. And what does it leave in its wake? Another craving! What the heck?! Not a fun house guest.

In order to prevent these in the first place, we need to ensure a balanced blood sugar level. The main reason that those sweet foods lead to more cravings is that they rapidly raise the blood sugar level. And when something goes up that quickly, there’s only one place for it to go: right back down, and fast. And then your body says, ah! Alert, alert! Low blood sugar! Must raise! Now! Hence our desire for oh-so-sweet foods, which will do just that: raise our blood sugar quickly. The bottom line is that a balanced blood sugar level leads to much fewer cravings.

How do we keep it balanced? We must eat protein, fibre, and fats. Also, complex carbs are the appropriate choice over refined carbs. That means giving up the white flour (including bread, pasta, pastries, cakes, cookies…) and white rice, and instead, choosing whole grains including brown rice, spelt, rye, and millet. Great protein choices are free-range meats, coldwater fish (ex: salmon, herring, sardines), eggs, quinoa, legumes (lentils, beans, peas), and nuts and seeds. Fibre is found in fruits and vegetables, legumes, and nuts and seeds. Good fats are found in coldwater fish, nuts and seeds, oils (ex: flax, Udo’s, olive, and coconut), butter, and eggs. See some replicates here? Basically, a healthful way of eating will balance blood sugar and lead to fewer cravings.

After ensuring all of this, those cravings will still come from time to time. Believe me. There are a few supplements one can take to reduce them when they creep up on you, and some of these even help prevent their unwanted arrival. I’ll shout a few of them out here: Martin & Pleasance Craving Control, Natural Factors PGX Daily, and Genuine Health Go 4 Trim. Not necessary, but something to consider if you need something extra.

Now, I don’t want you to take this to mean that you must be perfect All. The. Time. Because let’s face it, No. One. Is. Seriously. But, we do need to learn to have control over our body, rather than the other way around. You have the power to decide what you put into your body… just try to eat healthily most of the time. Trust me, if you exercise control over the cravings, they will eventually subside (for the most part). And when that desire does comes a-knockin’ and you’d rather not give in, you tell him where to go! All the power to you. 🙂