Cravings – why we get them and how to curb them.

Cravings. They come in all shapes and sizes. Whether it’s for something sweet or salty, a meal that is heavy or light. We crave comfort food, but we can also crave healthy food. It doesn’t even stop with food. We crave intimacy, adventure, alone time, and more. So why do we get these intense desires?

The simplest answer is that we are suffering from an imbalance someplace in our life.  Whether it be in our diet or elsewhere.

For the purpose of this blog post, we will be discussing how to address food cravings, but many of these techniques can be applied to cravings that go beyond the plate.

A Dietary Approach to Cravings:

As I mentioned earlier, cravings are often an indication of an imbalance occurring somewhere in the body. The theory of Macrobiotics believes that you strive for balance through yin and yang. When you apply this to your plate, you are trying to balance flavors, such as sweet and pungent (yang) with sour, bitter, and salty (yin). This can also be applied to temperature, balancing hot foods (yang) with an equal amount of cold foods (yin). If you find yourself craving sweets, it may be because you have an excessive amount of yin in your diet and you need to find a balance. Maybe this is taking out some salt (decreasing yin), or maybe you need to add in some sweet (increasing yang). It’s important that increasing sweet can be as simple as adding in a little sweet potato to a meal, it doesn’t necessarily mean adding in a ton of sugar.

Ayurveda has a very similar approach to cravings. Ayurveda recognizes six flavors: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. If you are familiar with Ayurveda you will know that it is all about striving for balance between your own unique constitutions. We won’t get too deep into that today but instead will focus on the basics of balancing the flavors to decrease cravings. I love the ayurvedic idea of attempting to have each flavor present in a meal. Sahara Rose has an ayurvedic cookbook where she demonstrates this with six-taste bowls. For example, if you are making a salad, you may add arugula for bitter, strawberries for sweet, radishes for pungent, a little sauerkraut for sour, potatoes for astringent, and top with some sea salt for salty. The idea is that you will have satisfied all six tastes in one meal, thus lowering the chance of craving one of the tastes later in the day.

How to Identify and Navigate Cravings:

1. Acknowledge the Craving

Have you ever tried to ignore a craving or try to satisfy it with something else and the craving just continues to get stronger and stronger. I definitely have, and it is not a pleasant feeling. When you acknowledge the craving, you take away its power. This does not mean that you have to give into it, but you recognize it for what it is, which allows you to proceed to the next step.

Currently, I am craving chocolate chip cookies so let’s use this as an example. For step one, I simply acknowledge what exactly I am craving. Instead of trying to fulfill this craving with foods I deem “healthier”.

2. Explore the Origin of the Craving without Judgement

This is where you dive into the “why” ‘of the craving. Some questions you can ask yourself to help you with this process are:

• Is this craving occurring alongside a particular emotion or physical feeling?
• Is this craving for a highly palatable food?
• Is this craving tied to a habit?
• Is this craving guiding me toward a food that would support my health or well-being?

For me with the chocolate chip cookies, I often crave sugar and carbs when I am feeling overwhelmed. Stress, fatigue, boredom, and loneliness are emotions that can often lead to cravings. Identifying what you are feeling at a time of a craving is a great way to take away its power.

Chocolate chip cookies are highly palatable foods, they are full of sugar and carbs, and can offer a sense of comfort. While highly palatable foods are okay to be enjoyed on occasion, eating them excessively can lead to more and more cravings for them.

This particular craving is not tied to a habit, but I do often crave sweets after dinner, which would be a habit of having dessert at that time. Identifying if you are used to having the desired food or drink at a particular place, event, or time of day is another way to feel more empowered around your cravings.

For me, sugar usually gives me a migraine, so having the cookie will most likely not support my health or well-being. However, there are times when I know that just a bite of something will satisfy my craving without harming my health, which is another important piece of information to be able to recognize yourself to feel more empowered.

3. Proceed from a place of Empowerment

Now that you have acknowledged the craving, and identified its origin, and hopefully also recognized if there were any places in your diet where you may be experiencing an imbalance you can proceed from a place of empowerment. Instead of feeling like you are being controlled by your cravings, with your new knowledge, you can decide if it is best to satisfy the actual craving, or maybe it is better if you find balance in another area of your life to create satisfaction that may be more permanent than turning to food.

In my case with the chocolate chip cookie, simply identifying that the craving was coming from a place of overwhelm made me realize that taking some time to do some deep breathing and a five-minute meditation was enough to get the craving under control. My head felt clearer and I no longer needed sugar to soothe my body.

I hope this information helps you navigate your next craving. Remember, cravings are apart of life and is a way for your body to send a signal that something is out of balance. Next time you have a craving the most important thing is to approach it from a place of non-judgment and curiosity. Look at it as information that can lead you to a more empowered and wholesome life.

What foods do you crave the most? Are you more likely to crave sweet or savory? Tell me in the comments below along what tips you found most helpful from this post?

The Buzz on Bee Pollen

Did you know that bee pollen is one of nature’s most complete superfoods?

Bee pollen in the super food of the future. It is a combination of pollen, nectar, honey, wax, enzymes, and bee secretions. Basically, it’s what bee’s feast on, so it is high in nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fats, and it is even a complete protein. Research is also finding that is has anti-inflammatory properties, can decrease allergies, may help fight cancer, boosts energy and metabolism, is anti-bacterial, may increase fertility, and clears up the skin.

Bee pollen is just one of the things that makes these little treats so nutritious. Collagen is great for muscle and joint support. Pepitas are high in zinc to give a little boost to the immune system. Dates not only help these little balls of heaven hold their shape, but they also have a low glycemic index, adding sweetness without the blood sugar spike. Sunflower seeds are high in vitamin E contributing to healthy glowing skin. Plus, using sunflower butter makes these nut-allergy friendly. Raw honey is full of antioxidants, protecting us from free radicals. Some people also believe that it can help us to develop resistance to seasonal allergies. The real kicker here is turmeric. Usually totted for being an anti-inflammatory, it difficult for the body to absorb without the addition of black pepper. However, no black pepper is used in this recipe. That’s because using pure, fresh turmeric helps strengthen the gut lining and aids in the repair of leaky gut. If you are still searching for that anti-inflammatory effect though, never fear, bee pollen brings that to the table as well.

These bee pollen protein bites taste delicious and can be made in a cinch. The health benefits you’ll get when you eat them are just a bonus.

It is high in protein (in fact, it is a complete protein), anti-inflammatory, can decrease allergies, may help fight cancer, boosts energy and metabolism, is anti-bacterial, may increase fertility, and clears up the skin.

Here is an easy bee pollen recipe for glowing skin and a boost in energy.

Note: please do not consume bee pollen if you are allergic to bees or honey.

#savethebees

Raman, R. (2018, August 13). Top 11 health benefits of bee pollen. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/bee-pollen

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is essential for gut health, a strong immune system, balanced hormones, and more.  But, did you know that most foods don’t actually contain vitamin A? Fruits and vegetables actually contain beta-carotene that is then converted into vitamin A in the body.

 

Why do we need Vitamin A?

Vitamin A is essential for cell differentiation, cellular growth, hair and nail health, immunity, healthy vision, reproductive health, and gut healing. It has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer and fight inflammation. A deficiency in vitamin A may result in night blindness, increased risk of infection, and premature aging.

 

How do we get Vitamin A in our diet?

Vitamin A can be found in animal products such as beef liver, cod liver oil, egg yolks, and butter. When looking for plant-based sources of vitamin A, aka beta-carotene, think the color orange! Carrots, sweet potato, sweet red and orange peppers, cantaloupe, mango, papaya, apricots, winter squash, and pumpkins are all high in beta-carotene. Other sources of beta-carotene are leafy greens such as kale, romaine lettuce, spinach, and collard greens. Oh, and don’t forget broccoli; it’s another great source of this vitamin!

 

Important Note:

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning that it is not eliminated through urination, which can lead to Vitamin A toxicity. If you are concerned about your vitamin A levels, please consult a professional. I always recommend eating a well-balanced diet of whole foods to keep your vitamin levels in check.

 

I was a Vegan for One Week…here’s what happened.

A couple of weeks ago, I was preparing a blog post on my “diet”. Basically, it was about what kinds of food I eat and why. The premise of the post was that I was pretty proud of that fact that I don’t typically follow any particular diet, but am more of an intuitive eater. However, partway through writing, I realized that I was about to preach a lifestyle choice that in reality was not doing me any good. I was still in pain every day, not sleeping well, had no energy, etc.

I had the epiphany…I would not encourage someone else to continue eating this way, so why was I.

I’ve read books and done research on all kinds of dietary theories, and continue to learn more every day, but I had never strictly implemented any of them because, from a dietary perspective, I thought I was fairly healthy. But, I decided to nix all preconceived notions that how I was eating was good, and completely revamped my diet.

For one week this carnivore became a vegan.

The Plan:

For the first three days, I went completely raw. Only eating raw fruits and veggies. No nuts, seeds, etc. Only raw fruits and veggies were allowed. This was based on the Medical Mediums 28 day cleanse protocol.

During those three days, my energy slowly began to increase and my headaches became less frequent.

I originally had planned on staying on track with the Medical Medium healing plan for a bit longer, but by day four the weather was getting colder and my body was screaming at me for something cooked. So while I was still only eating fruits and veggies, some of those veggies were sauteéd on days four and five.

After day five I added in some nuts and seeds. Chia and Hemp seeds are both high in protein and healthy fats. My body seemed to be needing these around by day six, since around day five I was feeling like I had less energy again. Simply by adding in vegan proteins and a little extra fat (besides the avocado I was eating every day), my energy once again returned.

On day seven I was able to go on a hike. Something I have not had the energy to do for three years!

After day seven, I added in fish and started to reduce my fruit intake to limit the sugar. I tried to limit my animal protein to dinner time and continued with no eggs, dairy, gluten, grains, soy, beans, or sugar (not even “all-natural” sugars like honey and maple syrup were allowed). For days eight through fourteen, I continued on this pescatarian diet.

What Happened:

In the first seven days of being vegan, I was able to wean myself off of my anxiety meds. And during the full fourteen days, I was able to wean myself off of one of my major pain medications.

On day fifteen, I had gluten-free waffles dairy-free waffles (that did contain eggs), and bacon. For the following two days, I felt awful. I could not get off the couch, I was sleeping terribly, and I had no energy to make my own meals, as I had for the past two weeks.

Since then (it has now been almost a month since I set off on this endeavor), I have been determined to stay on track with the pescatarian diet I was following in week two.

I even went out to dinner twice and was able to make healthy enough choices (fish with a side of veggies), that despite probably not being cooked in the oils I usually use (avocado, sesame), I did not have the same negative side effects that I did when I ate the waffles.

The key was also getting right back on track the next day, and not feeling guilty for going off the plan. Guilt can cause a worse reaction than an actual food intolerance. Enjoying life is just as important as eating healthy. You need to find a balance in all areas of your life in order to feel your best.

I don’t plan on eating this strictly forever. As I continue to heal I hope to add in some grass-fed beef, eggs, quinoa, and beans. My idea is that these would be on occasion. And if I ever feel like I am going completely backward on my healing journey, I can always revert back to raw fruits and veggies for a couple days to get my body back on track.

I am still getting some headaches, and some days I lack in energy, but I feel better than I have in a long time.

This week I started school at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. I can’t wait to use this opportunity to learn more about how to change my life to become a happier healthier me, and I hope to use my knowledge so that I can guide all of you in doing to same.

Happy Healing.

A Healthier Way to Hydrate

With everyone packing around water bottles and constantly guzzling water, you would think that hydration and electrolytes imbalance would be the least of our worries. However, did you know that our water is becoming so filtered that it is actually being depleted of essential minerals? That’s why when brands such as Smartwater and Fiji advertise themselves as “remineralized”, they are not doing this just to jack up the price tag or appear fancy but adding magnesium and potassium and other electrolytes is essential so that their water actually hydrates you.

Going beyond mineralized water, companies are using this hydration “trend” to capitalize off of the electrolyte empire Gatorade started in the sixties. But replenishing your electrolytes is more than just some fad with tasty beverages. Electrolyte imbalances can cause severe consequences to your health if not taken seriously. Luckily, they can easily be identified, just by noticing simple symptoms of dehydration, brain fog, and muscle weakness, or through routine blood tests. (Holland, 2018)

I am especially prone to electrolyte imbalance because of my diabetes insipidus, a condition where the pituitary gland does not secrete an adequate amount of ADH (antidiuretic hormone), causing excessive thirst and urination. Basically, it means that I am constantly drinking, and peeing, and my kidneys are working in overdrive.

For years I have tried to find products to satisfy my thirst. Most of the time I feel like I cannot get enough water, and just drink and drink and drink.

Then, I was diagnosed with a severe electrolyte imbalance. My potassium levels were very low, meaning I was hypokalemic. I was having such severe muscle pain in my legs that one day I could hardly get out of bed. Walking was becoming an arduous task.

 

I was not about to start on any of the “ades” as I call them. You know…Gatorade, Powerade, etc. Those things are full of sugar and artificial dyes and who knows what else. I try to avoid these things as much as possible. Sugar is terrible for inflammation, tumor growth, and much more, so the idea of drinking a sugar-filled beverage every day, maybe multiple times a day, while appealing to my taste buds, was not appealing to my pain levels.

Thus, began my journey to finding a low-sugar alternative that was both effective and tasty to bring my electrolytes into balance and leave me feeling hydrated all day!

 

Here are my TOP THREE FAVORITE PRODUCTS for balancing my electrolytes.

 

1. LAIRD SUPERFOOD HYDRATE

Okay, this entire post could be about Laird Superfood Hydrate because I honestly think it is the best thing since sliced bread. I love that it has only two ingredients: Freeze dried coconut water and Aquamin, which is “a mineral rich, calcified sea alga”. There are no added sugars. I can drink this any time of day without having to worry about it keeping me up at night like an energy drink might. It also has greatly helped my diabetes insipidus, and I feel hydrated for longer, and I don’t crave sugar or more water immediately after drinking it, like some of the sugarier electrolyte beverages caused. I enjoy the taste, it is quite mild and tastes very similar to coconut water, which I find refreshing. I have even added it to half water half coconut water, which adds a bit more flavor and sweetness. However, if you do not like coconut water, you may not enjoy the flavor of this. Finally, I appreciate that it is a mix, so it does not come in a prepackaged plastic bottle, which makes it more environmentally friendly.

Overall, Laird Superfood Hydrate is by far my favorite of the three products.

2. NUTRIBIOTIC ELECTRO-C POWDER

While not quite as long lasting in its hydration as Laird Superfood Hydrate, Nutribiotic Electro-C still leaves me feeling replenished. I especially enjoy the high content of vitamin C that it contains. It also has more flavor than the other two products. I got the lemon flavor, which is subtle, but refreshing. My favorite time to take this is in the morning mixed with part water and part coconut water. Like Laird Superfood Hydrate, I like that you mix it on your own.

3. CELL FOOD ESSENTIAL SILICA FORMULA

While I did not find this as long lasting or satisfying in hydration as the other two, I love Cell Food because it can be added to anything with essentially no flavor. In plain water, it tastes a bit like adding lemon, but when added to tea, either hot or iced, I did not taste it at all. It also is easy to take on the go. You can throw it in your bag and then when needed, add some drops to whatever you are drinking, whether it be your water bottle while on a hike, your iced tea at a restaurant, etc.

 

BONUS: NUUN HYDRATION

Although these little gems did not make my top three, I think they are a very viable option for someone looking to replace sports drinks to replenish their electrolytes.

Things I like is that they come in a wide assortment of flavors. There are also ones that contain caffeine so if you are looking for something to give you energy, then these would be for you. I like that they are easy to travel with as they are little effervescent tablets that come in a tube, so you don’t have to worry about powder or liquid exploding everywhere on your travels.

Personally, I am not a big fan of anything effervescent so that is one reason that these are a turn off for me. The second is that they do not seem to satisfy my thirst as much as my top three products listed.

Other than that, they are delicious and there are so many to choose from that you’re bound to find at least one flavor that you enjoy!

 

Sources:

Holland, K. (2018). Electrolyte Disorders: Types, Symptoms, and Causes. [online]

Healthline. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/electrolyte-disorders#treatment [Accessed 12 Aug. 2018].

 

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