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How to Curb Cravings Naturally & Make Better Food Choices
Let’s talk about that one thing we all love to do, that isn’t always good for us: eating. We know what we’re supposed to do, eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. So, why are these rules so hard to follow when we often feel strong cravings for more unhealthy foods? A lot of the time cravings strikeout of boredom or adrenal imbalances that are caused by stress and anxiety, leading to emotional eating and weight gain. When we are (literally) feeding into this, it can throw off blood sugar, mood, and you can kiss any sort of craving control goodbye. 4 Ways to Curb Cravings Naturally 1. Outsmart Your Triggers Are you stressed? Lonely? Bored? It's important to be able to acknowledge what emotions are driving you to make bad food choices. Sometimes it's not even an emotional trigger, but a sight or smell that makes you crave certain foods, take the movie theaters for example... many people can't resist the buttery popcorn. A good strategy is to be prepared with a healthy alternative before you encounter a triggering event. Healthier swaps of your favorite foods is a great way to outsmart your triggers. 2. Get Rid Of Artificial Sweeteners Did you know that many artificial sweeteners are actually up to 600 times sweeter than real sugar? Artificial sweeteners are not a healthy alternative since they overstimulate your tastebuds and brain to think that you want and need more sweetness. These artificial sweeteners actually activate your hunger centers in your brain to make you want to keep eating and usually reach for the unhealthy food options. 3. Don't Skip Breakfast We've all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and while it is important to refuel our bodies after sleep, it's more important to eat the right foods to start our day. Instead of reaching for your sugary cereal and milk, try a breakfast full of protein and essential fatty acids like eggs and avocado for example. When you start your day by eating whole and nutrient-dense foods then you will feel fuller longer and have fewer cravings for sugar or simple carbohydrates. 4. Get Help with Natural Supplements If you are trying to regain control of your waistline and overcome your unhealthy habits, try BrainMD’s Craving Control. Formulated and developed by Daniel Amen, MD, and Parris Kidd, Ph.D. to deliver the right nutrients to your hunger centers in your brain and help you to curb cravings in a natural way. Reducing Cravings Starts in Your Brain Craving Control works by helping to balance your brain chemistry. For example, when you have a stressful day it causes your cortisol levels sky-rocket, and you’ll be tempted to eat comfort food, but what if you didn’t have to worry about reaching for that guilty pleasure? We might be able to help. That is because Craving Control contains six active ingredients that work synergistically to help calm the craving centers in the brain, support healthy blood sugar and insulin levels and promote a positive mood with clinically studied, all-natural ingredients. When taken as directed, with a healthy diet, and proper behavioral strategies, it can help you re-focus on what is important when it comes to your diet, promoting a positive mood and healthy emotional balance. Here is why customer Lura, loves taking her Craving Control: “So great to have the support with the CRAVINGS, not the appetite. Also, it helps me with other impulsive-type cravings as well. I love the fact that I don't *feel* like I have taken something. No nausea or restlessness. It's one of those things that you forget you have taken, and then at the end of the day realize how much of a difference it actually made.” If you ever struggle with hard-to-control cravings that take over your willpower and ruin your health goals, you know that when you’re being overcome by temptation and stress, you just wish you could find something to help. It may sound too good to be true, a supplement that helps you resist cravings, but it might be worth trying if it means you find the help you need! It’s worked for others, why not for you?
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6 Ways to Outsmart Your Cravings
Do you struggle with a lack of willpower and self-discipline? If you see a tray of warm, fragrant brownies or a deliciously cheesy pizza, is there just no stopping you? For many of us, cravings can be the culprit that derails our good intentions to stick with a brain-healthy program. However, you can make simple changes to your daily habits in order to get better control of your cravings. Here Are 6 Secrets For Conquering Your Cravings 1. Keep Your Blood Sugar Balanced What we and other researchers have found is that when your blood sugar drops, the blood flow to your brain decreases. This means you are more prone to making bad decisions because you do not have full access to your brain function. So how do you keep your blood sugar balanced? Eat frequent small meals throughout the day Make sure to start your day with breakfast – skipping it only makes you more likely to make poor choices later on Stay away from simple sugars and refined, processed foods because they cause your blood sugar to spike and drop erratically as well as work on the pleasure centers of the brain leading to addiction 2. Get Rid Of Artificial Sweeteners These substances are up to 600 times sweeter than sugar which leads to your taste buds and brain expecting sweeter and sweeter foods which can stimulate cravings. Additionally, artificial sweeteners activate the appetite centers of the brain making you crave even more food and more sugar. 3. Stress Management Program Anything stressful can trigger certain hormones that activate your cravings, making you believe that you NEED the mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, or ice cream. Chronic stress has been implicated in obesity, as well as addictions, anxiety and depressive disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and a host of immune disorders, including cancer. Utilize techniques like: Deep breathing Hypnosis Neurofeedback Meditation Learning to control your automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) 4. Outsmart The Food Triggers Are you triggered at the movie theater to want to eat popcorn? Does going to your mother’s house always make you want to eat her homemade pie? Know the people, places, and things that fuel your cravings and plan ahead for your vulnerable times. Eat a light protein-rich snack before going to your mother’s house or bring your own brain-healthy snack to the movies. 5. Deal With Hidden Food Allergies Hidden food allergies and food sensitivities can trigger cravings. For example, did you know that if have wheat gluten or milk allergies and you eat wheat or dairy products, it can reduce blood flow to the brain and decrease your judgment? That makes you more likely to give in to your cravings. In addition, many of the symptoms associated with food allergies, such as headaches, sleep problems, lack of concentration, and anxiety, can increase stress and cravings. If you suspect food allergies or sensitivities, ask your doctor to test you for it or try an elimination diet. 6. Use Supplements To Deal With Cravings Research has found that increasing omega-3 intake can actually decrease cravings for things like nicotine, alcohol, and sugar. Additionally, BrainMD’s Craving Control contains six active ingredients that work synergistically to help calm the craving centers in the brain, balance blood sugar and insulin levels, and promote a positive mood with clinically studied, all-natural ingredients. In addition, it can diminish the frequency and intensity of your cravings, helping you to more effectively achieve better control over your behavior. It Worked For Them: “If I catch myself getting a craving, I go take the Craving Control supplement and within ten minutes, the craving is totally gone!” -Trish “Thanks to Craving Control, I finally have a choice and power over my food, rather than my food having power over me.” -Kris “I have to admit that I was skeptical BUT this really works. Helps me get through the long afternoon when I would typically grab an unhealthy snack. No more!” -Doug
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5 Ways to Overcome Impulses
Ask anyone what they crave, and almost everyone will be able to, without hesitation, name off at least a couple of things. For example, some research studies indicate that almost 100% of young women and nearly 70% of young men reported experiencing specific food cravings within the past year. Everywhere you go someone is trying to shove bad food down your throat that will kill you early; news corporations repeatedly pour fear and disaster images into your brain to boost their ratings; and tech companies create addictive gadgets that hook your attention and distract you from your loved ones. Unfortunately, many of our daily habits actually make cravings more intense and frequent, making healthy decisions harder. But that doesn't mean you can't do something about it. Read on and learn 5 simple, but effective, ways to deal with your cravings. Start a Cravings Journal If you have a real problem with food cravings, keep a cravings journal for a month. If you don't understand why, you can't do anything about it. List the times of day you have cravings, the emotions you're feeling at the time, and the things you crave. When you look back through your journal, ask yourself if there are any patterns, such as certain times of day when you tend to experience cravings. Are there certain emotions or situations that tend to bring them on? Learn from your mistakes; they are your best teachers, especially if you are curious, rather than just harshly judging yourself. Know your triggers for both good decisions and poor decisions. Be aware of the landmines in your life. Create a Pattern Interrupt A “pattern interrupt” is a strategy that disrupts your focus from whatever triggered your craving. Make a list of simple things that that can be quickly executed when a craving strikes. Some our favorite options include: Going for a walk, drinking a tall glass of water or a cup of green tea, eating a plate of veggies, calling a friend, taking a shower, listening to brain healthy music, going for a drive, or if you’re home, simply getting out of the house (and away from your temptation) usually does the trick. Be a Good Parent to Yourself: Firm and Kind We see people allowing their spoiled, bratty inner child get away with what they’d never allow from their children. So many people stay stuck, singing the same old refrain, “I want what I want when I want it. I don’t want to be deprived.” They want a magic pill instead of a logical solution. You need to start being a better parent to yourself. When you give in to your own tantrums you are creating your own internal behavior disorder, which is ruining your health and killing you early. When you experience a craving, be a loving, effective parent to yourself. Handle Your Stress When you're under stress, your body releases the hormone cortisol, which signals your brain to seek out rewards. For many of us, our cravings are triggered by unpleasant emotions, including stress and anxiety, as well as being sleep deprived due to stress. Making sure to get enough sleep can actually reduce cravings and help you feel level-headed enough to deal with the cravings. And rather than give in to your cravings, utilize stress management techniques -- take a vigorous walk, meditate, do yoga, or relax in a hot bath. Seek Supplemental Support Multiple research studies have found that increasing omega-3 intake can actually decrease cravings for things like nicotine, alcohol, and sugar. Additionally, BrainMD Health’s Craving Control contains six active ingredients that work synergistically to help calm the craving centers in the brain, balance blood sugar and insulin levels and promote a positive mood with clinically studied, all-natural ingredients. In addition, it can diminish the frequency and intensity of your cravings, helping you to more effectively achieve better control over your behavior.
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