You are not alone when it comes to the sugar search to feel better.  But what are you trying to satisfy?  Need energy? Thirsty? Maybe you suffer from a nutrient deficiency — interesting thought, right?

Sometimes you just WANT it.  I use to think that I was made to gobble down raw cookie dough or eat a whole carton of ice cream or the bag of chocolate chips.  Ever feel like that?  You are not alone.

Whenever I felt stressed (I know, an often overused word), I would search the house for SUGAR, but more specifically chocolate.  A few bites later and I was fine.  Strange, but maybe not.  My body was talking to me, but I wasn’t listening.  If you are anything like me, you have lost touch with what your body is telling you.

Guess what?  It doesn’t have to be that way.  You can figure out what your body truly needs or needs to get rid of (like candida or imbalance of the bad guys in your gut).

Today, I am going to look at four possible root causes your body may be using to talk to you — needing energy now, dehydration, nutrient deficiency and low protein intake.

• Energy Quick Fix

Cravings for sugar or refined carbohydrates (think white flour, white rice, white sugar) can happen when your body needs an energy fix. Your body can extract energy from sugar very quickly, and is therefore the “food of choice” when a quick energy is needed.  You know like the afternoon 3PM slump when you grab that chocolate bar or treat from the break room.

To avoid the need for an energy quick fix, eat for sustained energy by balancing your blood sugars from breakfast right through until dinnertime. Eat meals that have a low glycemic load – whole unprocessed foods such as vegetables, animal and whole-grain food sources.  They are high in fibre, which moderates the speed at which the sugar is absorbed by the body. Also, make sure you include a small amount of healthy fat and lean protein to slow down stomach emptying and increase satiety.

fibre + healthy fat + lean protein = satiety & balanced blood sugar

To support your body’s energy production, increase the intake of vitamin-B-rich foods – these foods are vital for your body’s energy production cycle.

Check out this infographic to learn why B vitamins aid your overall body’s performance and reduces stress. ==> Click HERE

Needing help to figure this out?  Contact Brenda by phone or email to arrange your FREE Discovery Chat to discuss how we can work together.

• Dehydration

Dehydration can mimic cravings. As well, dehydration can cause fatigue.  Your body often misinterprets the sensation of thirst as hunger. Next time when you feel your cravings coming on, drink a glass of water, wait 15 minutes, and see if you are still hungry.  I have found this to be true for me.  Water makes up a vast percentage of your overall body composition.

Water helps to flush toxins from your body, keep your blood flowing easily, and nourishes your cells.

Think about it –water is the primary component of all the bodily fluids like blood, lymph, digestive juices, urine, tears and sweat. Water is involved in almost every bodily function: circulation, digestion, absorption, and of course, elimination of wastes. Water carries the electrolytes (mineral salts like calcium, magnesium, and potassium) for nerve communication and other electrical currents in your body.

• Nutrient Deficiency

Cravings can be a sign of nutrient deficiency. Cravings for different flavor or texture can translate to a lack of various nutrients. If you crave sugary food, you may look into deficiencies in chromium, sulphur and the amino acid tryptophan.

Chromium is naturally found in beef, liver, whole wheat, rye, fresh chilies, oysters, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, wheat germ, green bell peppers, eggs, chickens, apples, butter, bananas, and spinach.

Sulphur is readily available in protein foods – meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk and legumes are all good sources. Egg yolks are one of the best sources of sulphur.

Tryptophan is an amino acid readily available in animal foods, eggs, dairy products, and some nuts and seeds, and is particularly rich in turkey meat.

Chromium supplement has been found to help some people suppress their sugar cravings.

Click HERE for an infographic with a few more ideas.

• Low Protein Intake

If you have a relatively low protein diet, tend to crave sugar and fatigue easily, try increasing your protein intake, or experiment with the type of protein in your diet.

Besides meat, fish and milk, you can try nuts and seeds, good quality (preferably organic to reduce toxins stored in the fat) cheese in moderate amount, as well as eggs, yogurt and beans.

For vegetarians, and particularly vegan, pay more attention to food combining to get a complete protein profile from various plant sources.

Personally, I have been using a quick protein smoothie in the afternoon to boost my energy and keep my blood sugars balanced until dinner.

1 cup berries like raspberries + 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk + 1 scoop sprouted pumpkin seed protein powder (could use a whey isolate protein powder or pea protein powder source) –> blend together in blender, add a glass straw and enjoy!

If you found this post interesting, share what interested you most in the comments below.  I would love to hear from you.

Looking for more personal assistance?  Then let’s chat! I have a few open slots each week for free consults.