Sweet Cravings – how to reduce them

Do you ever get sweet cravings, even though you have just eaten? Ever wondered what to do about them?

Here’s 3 simple things that can help.

1. UNDERSTAND CRAVINGS ARE NATURAL, BUT REDUCE STRESS

Don’t be hard on yourself or feel you a are ‘weak’ to give in to cravings. Your body is ‘infinitely intelligent’ and cravings are just its way of telling you what you need. The problem is when we are stressed, because then we ‘choose’ non-healthy ways to satisfy the craving. So the No.1 Step is always to reduce stress, get plenty of rest and follow a good daily routine.

2. TRY ‘GYMNEMA’

Gymnema (sylvestre) is a herb that binds the sugar receptors in your taste buds – so you don’t taste the sweetness. Even better, the active part of it – gymnemic acid – also binds the receptors in the intestines. Thus when sugar comes along the receptors sites are full and the sugar carries on out of the body. Great for controlling blood sugars.

* Don’t take gymnema by itself (herbs should rarely be taken in isolation). If you want to try it, look for it in a blended tea – small doses best, as is symptomatic not a treatment.

3. IF ALL ELSE FAILS – INCREASE THE ‘SWEETNESS’ IN YOUR LIFE GENERALLY.

The biggest cause of constant sweet cravings actually has little to do with food at all – it’s emotional. Everyone can picture the person who’s just had a relationship break-up stuffing down a whole block of chocolate. It’s often the lack of enough internal ‘sweetness’ that leads to us craving it from ‘outside’. This is actually healthy in moderation (sweet foods are good for the emotions), just too much of the ‘junky’ sweets is the problem. To ensure your ‘sweet’ intake is healthy & balanced do more of the following in your day to day activities;

– Eat more ‘sweet juicy’ fruits
– Don’t be scared to have a little sugar (raw is best) in teas etc
– Increase healthy foods with the sweet taste – rice, pasta, carrots, corn etc
* For those who have a partner or know someone with ’emotional’ sweet cravings (women tend to eat more emotionally than men): To help them;

– speak more ‘sweetly’ to them / nourish them emotionally
– touch them more – hugs are ‘instant medicine’, massages good
– offer to make them cups of tea etc – just the thought gives ‘sweetness’
– and if they say yes, sneak some extra ‘raw’ sugar in without them knowing!