Friday, June 20, 2014

Trusting your cravings

We all have cravings. Unfortunately, this is typically how I consume my diet. I am working real hard to change that, as if I cannot decide on what I am craving, I just won't eat. Here are some reasons for some of the most popular cravings.

Salty: This means there is a good chance you are mineral deficient. The typical table salt we eat has been stripped of much of the important minerals found in sea salt, which is the basis for the formation of vitamins, proteins, and enzymes. When using salt, try to stick with sea salt, which can contain over 60 different trace minerals. Before reaching for the potato chips or pretzels, try eating a variety of vegetables, to include green leafy vegetables, which are high in minerals.

Sweet: Unfortunately, our diet can revolve around sweetness, to include the foods we consume for our meals. Take a look at that food label and see how many grams of sugar it has, and I believe you will be quite surprised. Diabetics know full well how much sugar is in most foods, and it is because of our nutritional habits that many people have this condition. My doctor told me yesterday that she diagnosis at least one person per week of her regular patients with diabetes, which is way too many.

Some things that can help with your cravings, as they have helped me, include the following:
-for strong cravings, while trying to lessen the addiction, I would eat a fat-free, less than 100 calorie yogurt. I eventually would not eat the sweet yogurt, and switch to plain greek yogurt and add about a tablespoon of chocolate chips. Fruit, especially mangos and strawberries, also help. There are many vegetables that are fairly sweet when cooked, such as carrots, beets, parsnips, and onions.

If you need to use sweetener, try to stick with the more natural ones. I use agave syrup (which also does well in plain yogurt) and stevia.

Remember, sugar can be addictive. I know this from personal experience. It is one of the reasons I don't drink soda; I will crave it if I drink it, and I can do without it.

This is all for now, more to follow!

Happy healing,
Jenn

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Getting back into the swing of things..

To start this blog after taking a year off will be difficult, and I will have to admit that when this blog first started I was hesitant on want to complete it. As a weekly assignment, it was cumbersome to have to learn how to blog, and trying to do an assignment while taking into consideration maintenance of a decent GPA.

But the more I think about the reason behind it, the more I feel the need to get back into it. With that, it will turn to focus on what I foreseen it originally to be-  healing through what we consume. Happiness from understanding that what we eat can be tasty, healthy, and healing, and not what society has told us it should be- fattening, cheap, chemical-laden, and fast.

If there is something in particular that you would like to know more about, then I want to know more about it. Respond with the question or concern, and I will do my best to find the answer.