Food Cravings – Mind Matter or Health Issue?

Almost all of us have our own food cravings but according to studies, women tend to crave more than men. This is because women’s food cravings have something to do with their hormones. There are some factors we need to understand why we crave for high-sugar and fatty foods. These things are important to know and figure out because if you crave for foods that are high in fats and sugar, you may have some complications regarding your health. Eating a lot of high sugar foods can cause diabetes and can be an issue if you are having weight problems. So eating the right food and eating in moderation is the way to living a healthy life.

What causes food cravings?

Most doctors and dietitians agreed that food cravings stem from a complex combination of emotional, hormonal and biochemical factors. One of the greatest factors for cravings is blood sugar imbalance. Emotional and hormonal imbalance also contributes to food cravings.

Blood Sugar Imbalance

A major trigger for food cravings is low blood sugar. This is typically caused by lack of food as a result of going too long between meals/snacks, or following very low calorie diets.

According to some studies, people with cravings often have an underlying blood sugar imbalance in which their blood sugar levels are altered because they eat too much of the wrong type of carbohydrates. These fluctuations in sugar level can cause cravings, water retention, mood swings and excessive thirst.

Hormonal Imbalance

An enormous percentage of women crave sugar, carbohydrates, or alcohol. In most cases, these food cravings are not true eating disorders, but instead are signs of hormonal imbalance caused by a lack of healthy nutrition.

The fact that the strongest food cravings occur in the week prior to menstruation, or during pregnancy, suggests that hormonal swings have an influence on this type of urge to eat. Also, it's interesting that men - who typically are less affected by hormone imbalance than women - tend to develop fewer cravings.

Emotional Imbalance

Stress, depression, and boredom are the most common triggers for food cravings. In severe cases, cravings can lead to binge eating, an eating disorder which consists of episodes on uncontrollable overeating and can be followed by compensatory behavior in which the person purge what he/she ate.

If your emotional issues remain unaddressed, your food craving will remain constant. If your emotional issues change, so will your food cravings. The only parallel between both the constant and the changing food cravings is this: There is some underlying emotional issue crying out for your attention.

“The bottom line is this: As unpleasant as it is to face a negative emotion, the alternative is even more unpleasant. Everyone gets angry, upset, or jealous at some time — there's no question about it. Sometimes life circumstances or our personal choices make it tough to stay centered in peace of mind. In fact, the only question about these emotions is whether we choose to deal with them now or later.” - Doreen Virtue, Ph.D.

Food cravings mean that the body has its signals mixed up. When we are exhausted or blue, we have low blood sugar and/or low serotonin, and the body signals the brain that it needs a pick-me-up. This signal causes a sugar craving or carbohydrate craving.

How to suppress food cravings?

1. Don’t skip meals. If you skip meals your blood sugar level will fall too low, which causes food cravings and binge eating.

2. Too much sugar and too much salt can make the cravings worse.

3. Reduce the intake of drinks that acts as stimulants like coffee, tea, and caffeinated soft drinks. These drinks can cause fluctuations in blood sugar. Drinking a lot of water can help.

4. Avoid artificial sweeteners.

5. Reduce your intake of processed foods that are high in additives.

6. Exercise can help to curb your food cravings. Due to the influence of mood on our eating habits, especially cravings, it is vital to take regular physical exercise on most days. Exercise significantly improves mood by releasing chemicals into the bloodstream, and will definitely help you to control your urge to eat.

Beauty Agent Cucumber

I love cucumbers. Don’t you think it’s quite a salad’s sumptuous ingredient! The taste maybe bland yet there is something in it that you feel like grabbing a slice and munch on it,--- the same thing how every woman would always want these pieces in their eyes. Oh yes speaking of, cucumber is known among others as a natural beauty agent. Cliché or what, it is a fact.

Artworks like wall paintings mostly use cucumbers as subjects. And these creations are marketed to spas and some beauty salons. This is how renowned cucumbers are to the health and beauty industry. In fact, in all beauty creams and lotions and even in soaps, toners, and astringents, cucumber is well represented .Some may fit well in the budget while the rest are just impractical to afford. If this is the case, then your nearby public market is the best beauty shop for you. All you need to make your skin radiates in beauty is all there. Remember our grade school go, glow, and grow? Then better count cucumber as your glow food filled with ascorbic and caffeic acids which are known to prevent water retention. So, for swollen skin especially the baggy skin underneath the eyes that make the eyes look puffy, cucumber is your best remedy. Why spend too much on eye creams to reduce swelling when a common vegetable can easily resolve the issue, anyway! More than what it is known for as an eyebag remover, it is also best recommended to treat dermatitis and sunburns.

Cucumber is 90 per cent water which makes this food diuretic. When taken internally, it is a good agent too for detoxification. It fights uric acid, as well, which makes arthritis patients loyal to cucumber even more. And because it is cool water, its juice when applied to skin directly gives a rejuvenating effect. So how about your favourite facial wash tried and tested to open the pores to easily remove deep seated dirt and afterwards a cool treat of sliced cucumber massaged directly on to face follows? Don’t you think it is more than a nice treat for the day!



Source:

Jocelyn Aps is the Business Development Manager at Artyii, Asia's leading community for emerging paint artists. Launched in November 2010, Artyii offers a powerful global platform to discover emerging Asian art. Over 500 artists from Singapore, Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia have trusted Artyii, thus far. Membership is by-invite only. Apart from sharing art, artists can communicate with gallery owners.

Health Benefits of Pineapple

I’ve been craving for pineapple and it made me write this article. Obviously, there are lots of pineapple benefits. Aside from the fact that this fruit has lots of fibers and vitamins, there are other health benefits that you might not know.

Pineapple contains proteolytic enzyme bromelain which helps in the digestion of protein. Pineapple can also help in preventing blood clot formation because of its bromelain content. Bromelain has been found to be a useful anti-inflammatory which is effective in supporting in the treatment of conditions like acute sinusitis, sore throat, gout and arthritis.

Anti-oxidant properties of pineapple

Pineapple is also known to be abundant in anti-oxidants. As we know, a buildup of free radicals can lead to diabetic heart disease and atherosclerosis; an increase in asthma attacks and increase the risk of developing certain cancers like colon cancer. So you better take some pineapple if you want to prevent having those diseases.

Pineapple against cancer

Australian research found that there are some beneficial molecules hidden in the stems of pineapples. These molecules have been found to have some defense mechanism against certain types of cancers like ovarian cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer and skin cancer.

Here are some other health benefits of pineapple:

1. It is regulates the gland and found to be helpful in cases of goiter(enlargement of the thyroid gland).

2. Helps in treating dyspepsia (chronic digestive disturbance).

3. Helps in treating bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchial tubes.)

4. Lowers blood pressure

5. Helps in treating arthritis (diseases of the joints)

6. Fresh pineapple juice is also used in removing intestinal worms.

7. Prevents constipation

Banaba Tea Leaf for Weight Loss

I bought banaba tea leaf today and will try it myself. I read from a health blog that banaba tea leaf can help in reducing weight, help in treating urinary tract infection, and lower blood sugar.

I once had undergone shockwave lithotripsy because I had kidney stones. Right now I'm always having UTI so I hope this can also help me with it.

I was diagnosed with polycystic ovaries and one of the causes of PCOS is insulin resistance. As much as possible I want to restrict on my sugar intake, so I hope this banaba tea leaf can really help me.

I will update this blog if the banaba tea leaf is really effected.