TMHS 721: 5 Ways To Stop Cravings For Unhealthy Foods
Sep 13, 2023
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Learn about the causes of cravings, the evolution of cravings throughout history, and the link between stress and food cravings. Discover practical strategies to stop unhealthy food cravings, such as regulating blood sugar and implementing stress relief practices. Explore the connection between vitamin C and sweet cravings, as well as the impact of blood sugar levels on cravings for unhealthy foods. Understand the various triggers for cravings, including nutrient deficiencies, social dynamics, and pregnancy. Lastly, explore the importance of protein and macronutrients for satiety and reducing cravings for processed foods.
Cravings are triggered by physical, mental, and social/environmental factors.
Managing cravings requires stress relief practices, prioritizing sleep, and focusing on nutrient-dense whole foods.
Tracking blood sugar levels and addressing nutrient deficiencies can help reduce cravings and promote overall health.
Deep dives
Understanding Cravings and their Causes
Cravings are a strong desire or longing for something, and in the context of food, they refer to an intense urge for specific foods. Cravings are normal and natural, but consistent cravings for harmful foods can be dangerous. Chemical reactions in the body trigger cravings, which can be influenced by physical, mental, and social factors. Our thoughts and perception of the world around us can alter the chemistry in our bodies, leading to certain behaviors and increased cravings. The three major sources of cravings are physical, mental, and social/environmental triggers.
The Biology Behind Cravings
Cravings are managed by the appetite regulating network in the brain, which consists of distinct circuitry in the hypothalamus. This network relays desire to eat and appetite drive to relevant cells in the body. Cravings are a call to reach homeostasis and bring balance to the brain and body. Factors like excess stress exposure, blood sugar spikes and crashes, restrictive dieting, vanishing caloric density, and manipulation of the bliss point can tip us out of homeostasis and trigger cravings.
Managing Cravings for a Healthier Lifestyle
To manage cravings and regain control of our biology, stress relief is essential. Having regular stress relief practices, including prioritizing sleep, can help reduce stress and cravings. The quality of the foods we eat also matters, as ultra-processed foods can contribute to abnormal cravings. Increasing the nutrient value of our diet by focusing on real whole foods is key. Additionally, understanding the science behind cravings and making conscious choices can help us satisfy our cravings in a healthier way.
Tracking Blood Sugar for Personalized Health
Being able to track our blood sugar in real time is valuable for understanding how different foods and lifestyle factors affect us individually. Through continuous glucose monitors and the Levels app, we can gather personalized data on how specific foods, stress, and sleep quality impact our blood sugar levels and cravings. This empowers us to make informed choices about our diet and lifestyle based on our unique physiological responses.
Nutrient Deficiencies and Cravings
Chronic nutrient deficiencies can lead to chronic overeating. Our biology drives us to eat in search of the essential nutrients we lack. When our body craves certain foods, we may end up consuming processed snacks even after eating a meal. Ensuring proper nutrient intake, especially protein, can help reduce cravings and promote satiety. Studies suggest that protein-dense foods have the most satiety-inducing factors and can help regulate blood sugar and appetite. Taking proactive steps to address nutrient deficiencies can support overall health and curb unhealthy food cravings.
What drives us to have cravings toward certain foods? And what can we learn from our cravings? On this episode of The Model Health Show, you’re going to learn about what cravings actually are, what causes them, and five specific strategies to stop craving unhealthy foods.
You’re going to learn the evolution of cravings throughout human history, how environmental inputs like stress and sleep can affect your desire for certain foods, and which hormones help regulate your food intake. We’ll dive into the body’s constant search for homeostasis and how cravings factor into that equation.
And once you have a strong foundation of how cravings occur, we’re going to discuss five ways to stop cravings for healthy food. These strategies include regulating your blood sugar, implementing stress relief practices, and a whole lot more. This episode is full of practical tips you can use to reduce cravings – so click play, listen in, and enjoy the show!
In this episode you’ll discover:
What cravings are, and what causes them.
Three major sources of cravings.
What post-ingestive feedback is.
How human cravings have evolved over time.
The connection between stress levels and cravings.
Why neuroassociations with certain people or places can cause distinct cravings.
A distinction between cravings and appetite.
What the appetite regulating network is, and how it works.
How leptin resistance occurs.
The link between stress, vitamin C, and cravings for ultra-processed foods.
How dysregulated blood sugar can cause cravings.
An interesting link between nutrient deficiencies and overeating.
What vanishing caloric density is.
The important role sleep plays in regulating food cravings.
What the #1 blood sugar regulator is, and its function in diminishing cravings.
The link between cravings and culture.
How limiting ultra-processed foods can help reduce cravings.