Imagine for a moment that you’re at the mall where the wonderful aroma of cinnamon buns welcomes you. You manage to walk by and do some shopping but can’t escape that delightful smell. It seems to follow wherever you go…it draws you in. You can almost taste the warm, gooey, cinnamon goodness. Before you leave, you buy two; one for now and one for the drive home. That’s a clear example of a psychological craving. Cravings that appeal to the senses know no boundaries and show up in a variety of places; the movie theater, at a carnival and even at home during commercial breaks, while we watch TV.
By contrast, Physiological cravings occur when we wait too long between meals and blood sugar crashes. At that point, the body truly needs fuel and the brain puts out an all points bulletin for carbs. That’s why getting to the “hangry” stage compels us to grab the wrong foods in an effort to feel satisfied and regain focus and clarity. When that happens, willpower hardly stands a chance. Eating a balance of protein, fat and carbs helps to keep blood sugar balanced.
Lack of sleep also causes physiological cravings. I personally noticed that when I’m sleep deprived, I overeat. For the longest time I had no idea why. Then I learned there is actually a scientific explanation. It seems lack of sleep decreases the hormone leptin, which signals a feeling of fullness and increases the hormone ghrelin, which signals hunger. (Who knew?)
Keeping Your Battery Charged
Having regular sleep patterns helps regulate those hormones. The adrenal gland is the body’s battery. If we start the morning with our cell phone at half power, it won’t be able to keep up with our daily demand for phone calls, texts and Zoom meetings. By mid day or sooner, we’ll likely be out of power completely. Much like a cell phone, it’s important to keep the body’s battery charged and start the day in full power mode.
While nutrition is our fuel, sleep is the body’s battery charger. Without a consistent sleep rhythm, it’s much more difficult to properly metabolize food, manage stress and have energy. While there are times when life happens and being sleep deprived is inevitable, having a regular sleep pattern makes it easier to get back on track. Restful sleep can set the tone for a healthier lifestyle so take the time to prepare yourself for pleasant dreams.
1. Unplug from technology for the last hour before bed
2, Figure out how many hours of sleep you need to feel rested and give yourself the gift of those hours on a regular basis
3. Go to bed at the same time each night and wake at the same time each morning. Your body will adapt to the natural rhythm.
You are What you Metabolize
Keeping blood sugar stable throughout the day, allows more control in minimizing cravings and increases feeling good about choices made. Understanding how the body works and treating it accordingly can empower your willpower so to speak. We get the full benefit of the nutrients we consume when the body is metabolizing those foods properly. Regardless of what triggers a craving, take notice of how eating certain foods makes you feel. If it causes a sluggish or bloated feeling, you don’t have to give it up forever (unless you want to). Although it’s wise to listen to the body and limit the frequency, remember- this is a guilt free zone.
But Halloween is Coming!
Halloween can be a great opportunity to put some of this into practice. It’s never too early to teach little ones about choosing wisely while still allowing them to be kids and enjoy kid stuff. (And we’re never too old to start learning.)
While doling out the haul of treats your little ghosts and gremlins bring home, (or when you feel obligated to eat all the leftover candy you bought for the neighborhood so it won’t go to waste), consider this: Eating protein and fat with candy is the solution to preventing unstable blood sugar levels. For example, having a few slices of deli turkey and almonds with your Starbursts or a couple of pieces of string cheese or low fat Greek yogurt with a Kit Kat bar will make a difference. Candy is processed and refined sugar which leads to blood sugar crashes. So, choose your favorite candy, pair it with a healthy protein and fat and enjoy. The trick is to make a couple of minor adjustments that change the way food is metabolized, and still enjoy your favorite treat!
Food for thought: You don’t have to wait until after the holidays to start taking back your health. More on this next time with tips on how to have the healthiest holiday season ever while still enjoying your favorite foods. Until then, please contact me with questions, and/or comments at joann@wellnessfusion.net. This monthly article is here for you-For the Health of it!
