If we examine them closely enough, our food cravings tell us a lot about our current state of health and well-being. In fact, it can be a very powerful and life-changing exercise to purposefully become aware of our cravings, examine them, and get to the root causes of why they abound.
Most of the time cravings have nothing to do with food at all, and exist because of lack in some other area in our lives. For example, when we are unfulfilled in our career powerful cravings for certain types of food have a tendency to pop up. The same can be said when our relationships, workout regimen or sleep patterns are not up to par.
This ideology is based on a concept called primary food that I learned about at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and often holds the key to uncovering effective solutions that can help you discontinue an unhealthy relationship with food.
Imagine discovering the real reasons why you crave sweets at 3pm everyday, or what drives you to gulp down a huge jug of coffee every morning, or why you have an unyielding desire for salty potato chips every night!
Although uncovering the root causes of your cravings is the most effective method for dealing with them (and certainly worthy of a separate article) there are a number of physical activities you can engage to curb cravings when they start calling your name.
Here is an 7-step guide for dealing with them that you can begin implementing today:
1. Use a Food Journal
Becoming aware, and understanding the unique nature of your food cravings, is the first step in determining how they affect your health. A great way to do this is to start using a food journal. For at least two weeks, I recommend keeping physical track of everything you eat including all your thoughts about food. When craving presents itself, simply write about it in the journal. During this time do not put any pressure on yourself to take action. Just make a habit out of becoming aware of when and how the cravings appear.
2. Make a Formal Commitment
Once you’ve learned something about your specific cravings, the next step is to make a firm commitment to 1) get to the root causes of them and 2) satisfy their needs without harming your body. Make this dedication formal and write out specific goals for yourself. Commit that “this time, I really know what I am doing and know I can stop”.
3. Breathe
The key to effectively dealing with cravings happens in the first few moments, and it is crucial to become aware of their existence immediately. When you feel them, simply take a few deep breaths, relax the body, and just sit there. Try looking at yourself from the 10,000 foot level and let the feelings melt away (remember-- that’s all a craving is anyway, a feeling).
4. Drink Water
Almost every food craving can be physically diluted immediately by ingesting water. Cravings are calling for your body to go to some extreme, whether it’s sweet, salty, hot, or cold. Water, being the most balancing substance for the human body, will bring you right back to center.
5. Add More Balancing Foods to Your Diet
On a similar note, you can dramatically reduce your cravings for extreme foods by making a habit to eat more balancing fare as part of your lifestyle. Eating more greens (especially spinach, kale and mustard greens), along with an array of balancing whole grains like quinoa and brown rice can nip your cravings at the source. Sea vegetables (or seaweed which, incidentally, is one of the world’s most nutritious foods and curiously missing from the western menu) is chock-full of minerals that are often the key to curbing cravings.
6. Eat a Healthier Version of What You Crave
When you crave for something, what your body really desires is a sensation like sweet or salty or creamy (or some combination). You can start satisfy the bodily desire by providing the sensation, but in a healthier way. For example, if you crave sweets, try eating more fruit and sweet or root vegetables. If you crave salt, try eating some nuts. Make this way of eating habit forming…
7. Say Affirmations
Affirmations are extremely useful and powerful tools that can help you relinquish food cravings. The key is to create the right language be consistent in using them (meaning every day, for at least 10 minutes). A few good examples might be: “I crave foods that are healthy for my body and mind” or “I have great self control when it comes to my eating habits”. You might want to try even more specific language for greater effect like: “I enjoy eating vegetables and fruits every day” but make sure to keep your affirmations positive, meaning do not repeat “I do not like hot dogs anymore”…all this does is bring “hot dogs” in the awareness of the subconscious mind…and you don’t want that!
SO as you begin to deconstruct your cravings, start with becoming aware of them and making a formal commitment to deal with them. Next, as cravings occur, quell them with your breath, water, balancing foods and effective affirmations.
Keep in mind that modern culture does not help, and you are constantly being marketed foods that are unhealthy and have the propensity to make you feel addicted (foods high in simple and processed carbs, low quality fats, etc…).
But you CAN get past these seemingly overwhelming feelings, and the tools in this article are a great way to begin.