Cravings can feel like itches that must be scratched. A food craving is an intense desire to consume a specific food, and is often stronger than normal hunger. Cravings are natural and real, and at times can be very intense. Untamed food cravings can sabotage the best intentions of any healthy heart diet program. Here are five secrets you can use daily to get better control over your food cravings. They will also help you avoid the five major obstacles that can prevent your escape from the bondage of food cravings, and that put your heart health at risk. Use these secrets to keep your blood sugar levels even throughout the day, boost your self-control, and reduce your food cravings.
Cravings can feel like itches that must be scratched. A food craving is an intense desire to consume a specific food, and is often stronger than normal hunger. Cravings are natural and real, and at times can be very intense. Untamed food cravings can sabotage the best intentions of any healthy heart diet program. Here are five secrets you can use daily to get better control over your food cravings. They will also help you avoid the five major obstacles that can prevent your escape from the bondage of food cravings, and that put your heart health at risk. Use these secrets to keep your blood sugar levels even throughout the day, boost your self-control, and reduce your food cravings.
Keep your blood sugars balanced every day, and avoid levels. Sugars and starches provide glucose, the main energy source for the brain, central nervous system, and red blood cells. This simple secret is so important that it must be repeated.. Low blood sugar is associated with lower overall brain activity. Low brain activity has been shown to increase cravings and other poor decisions. Low blood sugar levels can make you feel hungry, irritable, or anxious which may increase your tendency to make poor eating choices.
Eat a nutritious breakfast every day. The secret is eating a nutrient rich breakfast. Avoid skipping a nutrient-rich breakfast which will help get your blood sugar off to a good start, and can help keep your blood sugars balanced for hours so you don't get hungry before lunchtime. The research also documents that people who maintain weight loss eat a healthy breakfast.
Have smaller meals throughout the day. Sizes matters, and in this case the smaller the better. Avoid big meals that can send your blood sugar soaring only to plunge later on. Eat smaller meals more often to help eliminate the blood sugar rollercoaster ride that can impact your emotions and increase your food cravings.
Stay away from simple sugars and refined carbohydrates, and avoid things like candy, potatoes, white bread, pretzels, sodas, sweetened fruit juices, and alcohol. These cause your blood sugar level to spike and then drop, so you feel great for a short while and then you feel dull and hungry. Have a portion sized complex carbohydrate snack instead; the fiber will give you a feeling of fullness
Finally, the fifth secret is to manage your stress. Learn to avoid chronic stress which has been associated with increased appetite, sugar, and fat cravings. Stress also contributes to low energy, poor concentration, elevated cholesterol levels, heart disease, and a whole host of other related diseases. To decrease your stress induced cravings, get on a daily stress-management program, and consult with your pastor or heart health coach.
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