You are hungry, tired, shaky, or irritated. You need energy now. Your quick fix is a candy bar, a bagel, a soda, or
a glass of wine. Why does this happen to you every day like clockwork?
Believe it or not when your blood sugar is low, you crave food that breaks down into sugar quickly. Next thing you
know you are reaching into your desk, or hunting down the nearest vending machine.
“Clients arrive at our offices discouraged, battling recycled thoughts
about food and their cravings all day long,” according to Darlene Kvist, licensed nutritionist. By the time clients meet with her, they have usually tried six diets, regaining and adding pounds because
of overwhelming cravings for bread, sugar, chocolate, or soda—especially diet soda.
Although people often attribute sugar cravings to stress or weak wills, Darlene explains that cravings have biochemical
origins. Blood sugar imbalances cause powerful cravings. Many people spend their
days on a roller coaster of blood sugar highs and lows, constantly eating to correct the imbalances. The result? A reactive eating pattern.
Breaking
the cycle
Balancing meals and snacks is often the first step in controlling cravings.
Eating
protein, good carbohydrates (vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains), and healthy fats (olive oil, olives, nuts, avocadoes,
and butter) at each meal or snack will balance blood sugar and keep you satisfied until the next meal.
Nutritional Weight
& Wellness recommends eating five or six small meals per day to stabilize blood sugar and optimize energy. Many people struggle with blood sugar because they skip meals, or they eat meals heavy in carbohydrates
and do not include fat because they have bought into the fat-free propaganda. Once
your blood sugar is out of balance, you no longer make good choices and are likely to perpetuate a way of eating that is unhealthy. This simple change to balanced eating will eliminate most of your sugar cravings,
help stabilize your moods, increase your energy, and result in clearer thinking.
