Cravings~
We all get them, but what do you do with them? Do you ‘suffer’ from them? Did you know that our brain and the ‘brain in our gut’ both tell us what we are craving. More often than not, we listen only to the brain we are familiar with, our head brain. Knowing your ‘brain type’ when it comes to food is very important to support your desire to eat the foods you need to achieve and maintain whole body health.
Essentially, there are three types of cravings: Supportive, Dispersive and Associative.
Supportive cravings are those that help our bodies to fill a nutritional need, enhance healing or neutralize an imbalance in our body. Ever wonder why a pregnant woman ‘craves’ pickles? There is a great deal of folic acid in pickles, which is very important for mom and baby. Though we may not always be aware of ‘why’ we are craving something, it is important to begin to discover the difference between ‘desire’ and ‘supportive body wisdom’ so that we can give our bodies what we need to promote optimal health.
A Dispersive Craving is a desire for a food that drains our health and our energy. Many of us long for foods that we know have an adverse reaction or are detrimental to our health when eaten in excess: sugar, alcohol, white flour, dairy, etc. How is it possible to have such strong cravings for something that we know is harmful to us? If the body is so wise, how can it be so wrong?
The answer lies in our longing. Longing for meaning, purpose, love and creating the life of our dreams. Behind each and every human action, no matter how small is a longing for more, more life, more depth of experience, more connectedness. Just like our emotional longings can become distorted, so too, can our physical ones.
The body needs and longs for food, water, touch, sound and sensuality. It wants to feel alive through the taste of sweet, salty or whatever stimulates your senses to a heightened experience. The body yearns for more of itself. And much like psychological longings can become distorted, so can biological ones. It is important to learn how to decipher the difference between a dispersive craving and a supportive one; and how to release it so it no longer exists. This is just one thing I can support you with in my “Cultivated Life’ program.
Associative Cravings are rather a blend of the two above. Often associate cravings are otherwise known as ‘comfort foods‘. Foods that we grew up on or that hold special memories can complicate our ability to determine if it is indeed good for our body ie supportive or perhaps dispersive.
So what is a person to do? There are several things you can do to become more aware of the foods you are eating, the ‘why‘ behind your food choices and how to have a better handle on your health. Here are just a few to get you started:
H.A.L.T. –Ask yourself are you hungry, angry lonely or tired? Often we choose to eat when we are not hungry and simply allowing ourselves to feel and respond to what is really going on will support our true needs.
When hungry, ask your body what it wants. I know, sounds a bit crazy, but as you learn to listen and experiment with listening, you will be amazed at the brilliance of the body, what it will tell you and how it changes your waistline. (Yep you guessed it, that’s part of my new program too!)
Eat with awareness and/or mindfulness. This is one of the best ways to stop overeating. And no, I didn’t say easiest!
Release the meal. This is often the most difficult for many of us who ‘know what to do, but don’t seem able to do it’ when it comes to food or perhaps other areas in our life. Once you have finished your meal, stop thinking about food and let it go. Move on to the ‘next’ thing and love your life. The inability to release food is at the root of many of our most difficult eating habits and is almost always connected to unconscious emotions or simply not allowing our emotions to ‘be’!!
Experiment with discovering the ‘why’ behind your eating. If you remain in a place of “I have tried everything and nothing works’ then you are in for a pleasant surprise. Truly you CAN discover freedom from cravings and/or unhealthy eating habits and there is no time like the present!
If I am talking to You (you know who you are), I encourage you to take part in my ‘Cultivated Life’ program so you can break free from habits that hold you back from experiencing optimal health and emotional freedom!
Isn’t it time?
So, if you are ready to dive in and change your life, this program is for you. As you read above, I still have a few ‘Cultivated Life’ program spaces left, and I’m excited to fill them with awesome women and men ready to transform their life. It’s going to be an epic season!
HAVE QUESTIONS AND WANT TO KNOW IF YOU ARE A FIT? BOOK YOUR ‘CULTIVATED’ LIFE DISCOVERY SESSION HERE!
