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Struggling with Food Cravings? It’s Time to Kick Them to the Curb

Struggling with Food Cravings? It’s Time to Kick Them to the Curb
Whether you’re trying to maintain weight, lose weight, or just establish a healthier diet, we all feel that same dread when food cravings hit. What do you do when those sweet treats or salty snacks call your name? Follow these tips to help kick those cravings to the curb!

Acupuncture + Ear Acupressure

  • Scheduling regular appointments with your acupuncturist for an acupuncture treatment will be further enhanced with ear acupressure. Using ear seeds (small black seeds or metal beads secured to an adhesive lining), you can support your body between treatments. In Chinese medicine, the ear is a microsystem of the entire body with dozens of points that, when stimulated, affect a particular part of the body. For food cravings, your acupuncturist may place ear seeds on the points for appetite/hunger, stomach, and endocrine, among others. Once the seeds are placed, press gently 5 times (holding several seconds each time) when a craving hits.

Herbal Support

  • Gymnema sylvestre is an herb that can be used to interfere with taste sensation, making a once tasty treat seem dull and unappetizing. When using for this purpose, the tincture preparation of this herb is swished around in the mouth for several seconds before swallowing. Always check with your ND or DO regarding gymnema before using it, as it may interfere with iron absorption when used long term and may potentiate the effect of insulin and oral hypoglycemic agents as well.

Refocus

  • Oftentimes when a craving hits we tend to over-focus on it, making the craving intensify. Instead of allowing your brain to do this, shift your focus to something entirely different, such as getting up and going for a walk or run, reading a book, or talking with a friend. Directing your attention away from the craving will help you forget about it entirely.

Find the Trigger

  • Begin to pay attention to when your cravings strike. Perhaps it is more likely to happen when you’re in a certain place, doing a specific activity, or during particularly stressful events. Pin pointing the catalyst will help squash the cravings as you find ways to address the trigger. For instance, if periods of increased stress bring about your cravings, find ways in which to make stress more manageable, such as with meditation or organization/time management techniques.

Sleep + Eat Well

  • When we don’t get enough sleep, the hormones that control hunger may be disrupted, leading to the potential for more cravings for unhealthy foods. Similarly, when our diet is low in protein and/or fiber, we may also experience hunger more often. Focus on getting at least 7 hours of sleep per night and eating a diet high in fruits, veggies, and solid sources of protein and fat, such as nuts, seeds, and wild caught fish- and of course remember to drink your water!

Find Healthier Options

  • No matter your craving, I almost guarantee there’s a healthier way to make it! Finding recipes that replace oil with applesauce, sugar with stevia or honey, or that focus on grain free, no added sugar ingredients are just a Google search away! Find a healthier version of the food you crave most often and get cooking! If you’re away from home or don’t have time to cook or bake, try substituting fresh fruit or dark chocolate for sweet cravings and a handful of salted almonds or kale chips for salty cravings.
Remember, everyone has cravings at one point or another. If you do indulge, don’t beat yourself up- you’re human and need to give yourself a break every once in awhile! When you do give in to your cravings, try eating only half the amount you normally would and  focus on increasing your consumption of nutrient dense foods for the rest of the day. Establishing healthy habits will help make you less likely to indulge as often!

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