Food Cravings Can Drive You Crazy and Aren't Healthy

Cravings are real.

So first of all, don’t feel guilty or embarrassed. They come from somewhere inside you, so before you act on your cravings, stop and evaluate them. They originate as an expression of your emotional or physical needs.

Some cravings indicate that you need a certain food and should eat it. Other cravings indicate a form of hunger that cannot be satisfied by eating.

Here’s the difference: If you crave wholesome natural foods, such as fruit, vegetables, or meat, and your stomach hunger is at 0, then eat the food. This is a normal and natural craving. If you crave starchy, caffeinated, sweet, or salty foods, you should pause and beware.

Bad Stress Can Lead to Unhealthy Eating

Imagine you’ve just had a nasty disappointment or too much stress today. If you're like most of us, you don't suddenly have an urge to take a cooked salmon fillet or bag of carrots with you to bed to soothe your worries as you watch TV. (We may love to "veg out" but we seldom want to do it eating celery!)

Instead, you want a pizza or chocolate cookies. But when you crave foods that are – white and fluffy starches, such as breads, cakes, cookies, crackers, chips, bagels, pizza; stimulants, such as chocolate, diet sodas, caffeinated beverages; sugary foods such as candy or even alcoholic beverages; or food that's crunchy, salty, creamy, or having a soothing texture – then you’re experiencing false hunger, but real cravings.

Solve the Underlying Problems

Your cravings arise from bad habits, unresolved emotions, fatigue, stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, lack of exercise, and more. The best solution is to correct the situation. Get enough sleep, resolve the emotions, rest, use stress soothers, and revise your habits.

But there’s another more tricky reason for some cravings. They can be the result of chronic health conditions, such as systemic candida, parasites, autoimmune disorders, and chronic pain. If you suspect that these are causing your cravings, set an appointment with your health practitioner to correct the situation.