What your food cravings are trying to tell you

What your food cravings are trying to tell you…

Our bodies are innately intelligent.  When we are healthy, we don’t have to remember to breathe, or tell our organs to work, or to adjust our body temperature.  We heal when we cut ourselves, sleep to renew and restore our energy, and make internal adjustments constantly to keep ourselves in balance.  

However, we tend to beat ourselves up when we experience food cravings, especially for things that aren’t healthy.  What if we instead examined our cravings and asked ourselves “What is my body trying to tell me?” 

Our cravings are signals that we might need to restore balance in our lives. Let’s examine some common sources of cravings:

1. Dissatisfaction with other aspects of our lives

Are you dissatisfied with a relationship or your job?  Are you bored and in need of new hobbies or activities that inspire you?  Many of us eat emotionally to compensate for imbalances in other areas of our lives. Food may be our drug that temporarily fills a void and distracts us in the moment from things that are more difficult to examine. 

2. Water intake

Sometimes when we think we are hungry, we’re actually dehydrated.  Drinking at least half of our body weight in water is a great way to reduce cravings, regulate our portions, flush out our systems, and to make healthier choices throughout the day. 

3. Craving food from your childhood 

When we are stressed and seeking comfort, we can crave foods that we ate during our childhood that made us happy and filled an emotional need.  I know for me eating my mom’s crepes takes me back to childhood breakfasts when I didn’t have a care in the world.  You may also crave foods that you recently ate that are associated with a happy memory.  When you crave these foods, examine if you are craving the food itself or the comfort and memory that the food represents. 

4. Seasonal foods

Our bodies tend to crave foods that are in season at the moment.  Right now, you may be cravings ice cream and barbecue.  However, summertime is a great time to take advantage of the fresh produce at farmer’s markets and swap out fresh fruit instead of ice cream and salad instead of heavier side dishes.  

5. Lack of nutrients

Our bodies crave balance and sometimes our cravings may indicate a lack of certain nutrients.  Do you crave salty snacks after you work out?  Perhaps your electrolytes are depleted.  Did you know that your chocolate craving may be tied to a magnesium deficiency, and red meat cravings may be tied to iron deficiency.  Examine recurring cravings and talk to your medical provider or health coach about any concerns.

6. Stress and hormonal changes

Stressful times, especially like those during the past few months, can lead us to emotionally eat.  Be kind to yourself, examine your cravings and see if they are telling you something.  

I have 4 free health coaching consultations left this month.  Book your free call with me today!