You know what I’m talking about, right? That “gotta have it and gotta have it now” feeling.

Gotta have…

•  chocolate
• chips
• ice cream
• bread
• and more…

Cravings are very powerful!

You might be familiar with the power of cravings…that feeling of being pulled like a magnet to a specific food.

But there’s another power to cravings, and that is that they’re one of our body’s alarm systems. Think of them as a red light flashing “alert, alert – there’s something going on here!”

A big clue in deciphering a craving, is to pay attention to what – specifically – you are craving.Cravings are a message from our body and our emotions. It’s our job to listen to that message and decipher what our body and soul needs.

Usually cravings fall into 4 categories:

• Salty
• Sweet
• Bready
• Crunchy (sometimes crunchy can go with sweet, salty or bready)

Each of these categories tell us something unique:

• A salty craving may be telling us we’re a bit mineral deficient or dehydrated.
• A sweet craving may be a signal that our blood sugar levels are not stable, or that we need more sweetness in our life!
• Crunchy cravings often come up when we’re angry or annoyed.
• Bready cravings often show up when we’re stressed out and need some soothing.

The three quick fixes below address the underlying message of your craving.

But don’t underestimate the last – “slow” strategy – it’s the most powerful of all.

Quick Fixes:

 

1. HYDRATE

As soon as a craving hits, reach for the water. It’s easy to misinterpret your body’s need for hydration as hunger. Drink two glasses of water and then check in with your craving. It very possible it will have subsided or diminished. This works for all types of cravings.

2. REPLENISH WITH MINERALS

Keep a pack of Instant Miso soup or seaweed in your handbag. Giving yourself a mineral boost can help with both sweet and salty cravings.

3. EAT!

Many cravings come from a crash in blood sugar levels that will make you seek anything that will get your blood sugar levels back up and give you energy. Not skipping meals and having small healthy fat/protein snacks (like a few almonds or walnuts) can keep you from descending into that ravenous pit.

And now that powerful craving cure…

 

4. GIVE YOURSELF WHAT YOU REALLY NEED

As I mentioned above, your cravings are a way that your body communicates. But the message isn’t only about food, it’s also about your emotional needs.

• What do you really need?
• What do you crave in your life?
• What gives you true pleasure?
• What are your desires?

When you can know what you are craving for – on a deeper emotional and soul level, and then give it to yourself – then you’ll truly be full.

Cravings can be a great teacher. I hope you’ll listen to them as the messengers that they are.

Would you like help to unravel your cravings, so that you can truly nourish yourself?

Let’s talk.

I offer a complimentary get-acquainted session so that we can talk about where you are currently in your relationship to food and body and where you’d like to be.

 

Nina Manolson, MA, CHC, certified Health Coach and Psychology of Eating Coach believes that every women deserves to feel good in their own body. She helps women create a healthy and positive relationship with their food and body so they can love their body and life!  She’s the founder of NinaManolson.com and HealthyYummyKids.com.

She helps busy women look and feel their best, and helps them feed their kids well in a world that doesn’t.

She’s the author of “Feed Your Kids Well In A World That Doesn’t: an everyday guide to make healthy food happen in your home and beyond”. She’s also the recipient of the prestigious Health Leadership Award from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

To get your F.R.E.E. Video Series “What to do now, when everything you’ve done hasn’t worked” by mail and receive her healthy recipes and wellness tips click here.