The Truth Behind Your Cravings

Hope: [00:00:00] Do you want to wake up feeling like you are stepping into who you are meant to be? Into the best possible version of you? What if I told you that the key to your best life, health, and happiness are all around you? You just have to find what works for you. I’m Hope Pedraza, and I believe that there isn’t just one way to live a healthy and meaningful life.

And that all you need is a little inspiration to make changes that last from the inside out. Each week, I’ll be sharing tangible tips and inspirational interviews to help you on your journey. These are the steps to take to improve your life and live with purpose. This is Hopeful and Wholesome. 

Hey y’all, thanks for listening today. Today I am talking about the truth behind your cravings. What you’re craving, why you’re craving it. It’s time to get down to the bottom of this. So look. There are a lot of things going around, and I’m sure you’ve read in multiple places, that when you’re craving something, it just means that your body’s deficient in something.

Now, I’m not denying that. There are many times [00:01:00] where this is true, but a lot of times, it’s not what you think. There are a lot of studies that have shown that cravings are a mix of social, cultural, and psychological factors, and also heavily relies on environmental cues. There are also other studies that show that what you crave to eat or what you’re eating is more emotional than anything else.

So consistent cravings typically represent some sort of imbalance in emotions, sometimes an event or a feeling. So you can always kind of track your craving triggers by keeping a journal. So when you’re craving something, you write it down and you can kind of trace it back to, okay, why was that craving this?

What was that feeling? What was going on that day? What had happened the day before? And you can kind of trace it back to that and kind of get to the bottom of your cravings. But I want to talk about some of the foods that are most craved and then how you can kind of overcome those cravings, things you can do.

To kind of get to the other side, [00:02:00] rather than hit the rock bottom and then eat, um, an outrageous amount of the food that you’re eating and then feel really bad about yourself. So we all know that when we kind of give into our cravings too much, there’s this little sense of regret. So to avoid that rock bottom pit for you, let’s talk about the foods that are craved and how you can overcome some of these cravings.

So first, let’s look at sweets. Now, a lot of us have a sweet tooth, and maybe you sometimes have a sweet tooth, you have it every now and then. Many of us have come to view sweets as a reward, right? Just the very anticipation of a reward triggers dopamine in our brains, and this makes us crave things. So, we’re anticipating what’s going to happen, this reward that we’re getting, and it makes us want something.

And dopamine has been linked to food addictions. So that part of your brain that makes you crave things, it is a trigger. So, when we’re triggered by sweets, or that’s one of the things that we crave, here’s a few things you can do to kind of overcome these. [00:03:00] First, try rewarding yourself with something else.

Maybe try rewarding yourself with a scent instead of a taste. Scents have been proven to shift our mood and emotions. So things like essential oils, aromatherapy candles, soaps, those can actually kind of switch off that trigger that’s going on in your head that says, you know, you need the chocolate cake and like the whole chocolate cake.

And it can kind of change your mindset. So scents actually do have a powerful effect on your brain, on your mood, and your emotions. Another thing you can do, if it’s really something like, Okay, I really need to eat something. Try a piece of fruit instead. Fruit is, is nature’s candy, right? It’s nature’s sweet.

And I know a lot of times people hear this and they’re like, Okay, yeah, that’s really not gonna help my sweet craving. But if you give yourself a chance, give it a chance and give yourself a chance to try it. And the more you do it, it really does work. So the less you eat sweets, the less you want sweets.

So we kind of have to get off that, that constant [00:04:00] feel, that constant need for sweets. We’re gonna crave sweetss less, and then when we do crave it, we can eat something a little bit healthier. So maybe it’s a piece of fruit, or if it is something sweet you need, maybe pick a piece of dark chocolate, like actual real dark chocolate, not like a Hershey’s chocolate bar, or some like piece of chocolate that’s mixed with a whole bunch of other stuff and high fructose corn syrup, but eating like an actual piece of chocolate can help it.

Now, another thing you can do, If you are craving sweets, like on a regular basis, is take a probiotic. Now, I know it sounds silly, and this isn’t like, Oh, take your probiotic every time you have a sweet craving, but when you are taking a probiotic on a regular basis, it can help balance the yeast that feeds off sugar, and it can balance out your system.

So when we kind of get this yeast overgrowth in our system, the yeast wants more and more sugar. So it sends signals to your body that, Give me some more sugar. So when you take a probiotic, it can balance out that and kind of help balance things out and it could [00:05:00] potentially get rid of those sweet cravings.

Another thing that people crave often is dairy. Now, whatever your stance is on dairy, whether you’re for it or against it, whether you’re indifferent and you could care less, the fact is that dairy has been shown in multiple studies in multiple countries to increase inflammation, increase the incidence of allergies and congestion because it produces more mucus.

And it’s one of the most mucus forming foods there is. I know that’s not a word you like to hear, or really not a word I like to say, but it is true. That’s what happens. It is linked to increased skin issues, like acne and breakouts, and it can cause a ton of digestive issues and constipation. So, again, I’m not going to get on my soapbox here and talk about how you shouldn’t be eating dairy, but just know that those are the facts.

This is not an opinion. These are facts based on studies that have been done. Prominent studies have been made, and these are not like hippy dippy groups. These are like actual institutes of health and medicine that have done [00:06:00] actual scientific studies that show that the protein in milk is linked to cancer growth.

Now, this isn’t like, oh, I have some milk every now and then, or I have some cheese, but this is. You know, the consistent intake of milk and of milk protein is linked to cancer growth. Cheese contains enzymes and stimulants that produce serotonin, which makes you feel good. It’s like the feel good hormone, right?

So when you’re eating cheese, you’re taking in these enzymes, it’s producing serotonin, and it’s making you want more. Now, it also contains tryptophan, which is amino acid, an essential amino acid that produces serotonin. So, it’s like that, you know, when you get in that food coma after you’ve eaten that huge Thanksgiving meal with a lot of turkey.

Yeah, turkey is super high in tryptophan and so that makes you feel calm and relaxed and it makes you want, yeah, so that’s what happens. Cheese has the same thing, the same enzymes, right? So there is an addictive quality to cheese. I know it sounds crazy, but it really is. So there is a [00:07:00] reason why your body wants more.

When you eat cheese, you want more. Now, I’m not saying cheese isn’t delicious, but this is definitely not something you should be eating all the time. Now, let’s talk about how to overcome this. So, first of all, if you’re wanting that feeling, right, I’m looking for that feeling that you get when you eat cheese.

If you’re looking for, for feel good foods, so these are foods that have that, those same enzymes that increase serotonin, you can eat other things besides cheese. That’s not the only food that has that in there. So we’re looking for foods like bananas, avocados, salmon, nuts, spinach, all of these, and then are high in those same amino acids.

It increases serotonin in your brain and not to mention, it’s got a ton of other vitamins and minerals that you aren’t going to find in cheese and in dairy. And it’s going to give you that same feel good thing. So you’re getting, you know, those, Amino acids so you’re not craving them coming from dairy.

That’s the point. So it’s not like oh when you’re craving cheese [00:08:00] Go grab a banana. I don’t really think it’s gonna work that way But when you’re eating foods that are high and those essential amino acids tryptophan, it’s gonna make this serotonin Your body’s not gonna crave it right now another thing you can do if you’re really like eating dairy Then transition to some alternatives, right?

So let’s find some other things that don’t have Animal protein or that cow protein in it, right? So things like coconut or almond milk if you like yogurt Maybe find it coconut or almond yogurt Look at some plant based cheeses that you can buy at your local grocery store or maybe make your own There’s a lot of really good recipes out there where you can make your own plant based cheeses.

You get the same, you know, kind of taste and flavor, but without all that gunk that’s just gonna clog you up and cause a bunch of other issues. So, I know this is gonna be a question, again, probably a topic for another day, so I’ll save this for another lesson, but a lot of people right now in their heads are like, well, if I don’t [00:09:00] If I don’t eat dairy and I don’t drink milk or I don’t eat my yogurt, then where am I going to get my calcium?

No, you don’t have to get calcium from dairy. There are plenty of other ways to get calcium. And these are things like dark leafy greens, almonds, seeds, like sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, figs and dates, oranges. Sea vegetables like different seaweeds so you can get your calcium in plenty of other places where you don’t have to drink milk You don’t have to eat cheese or yogurt or anything else.

That is dairy based, right? Alright, so that’s all my talk on dairy for today. I’ll talk more about it. Maybe in another episode So, okay, let’s look at keep going here a couple other kind of categories of foods where you can have cravings Now, maybe you are a salty, crunchy person. So maybe, rather than sweets, you crave more salty and crunchy foods.

I would say I probably fall into this category more often than not. Things like, you know, chips and crackers and things that are salty and crunchy. I’m more of a salty person. [00:10:00] Stress is what can lead to salty cravings. So, if you find yourself craving a lot of salty things, more than likely you can trace it back to something stressful that’s going on in your life.

Let’s look at other things you can do, other things you can eat, to kind of bypass this. So, now, there are times when, yes, maybe you need to grab, you know, you a handful of chips or crackers, whatever. But, if it’s happening all the time, probably not the best for your health. So, there are some other things you can do.

So, try munching on other crunchy things, like crunchy vegetables, or fruits, things that are crunchy, so you still get that chomp that you’re looking for, but it just has, you know, more vitamins and minerals, less processed stuff, less salt. Or try making your own, making your own homemade vegetable chips, right?

Use the air, your air fryer, your dehydrator, or your oven. You can do all those things in your oven. Just cook it at a super low temperature, slice some vegetables up super thin, you know, sprinkle some olive oil and salt on them, [00:11:00] cook them and make your own chips. So you’re getting something more, something healthier than what you’re going to buy in a bag.

Now another thing you can do to kind of easy is because I remember I did say stress is what leads to salty cravings. is exercise. So, dealing with your stress is going to be a huge way to bypass these cravings. Exercise is really going to help with that. So, a lot of times when you’re craving these foods, if we could just get out, go for a walk, get in a workout, your cravings kind of disappear.

So, managing your stress is going to help with those cravings. Now, another category of food that can be a craving for some people is carbs. Just all the carbs, any carbs, whatever carbs, it doesn’t matter. Carbs, similar to the cheese that I was talking about, it can kind of have this mood altering property, right?

It can help you feel good when you’re down, you’re not feeling good about yourself, or what’s going on in your life, especially refined carbs. Now, when we’re [00:12:00] eating refined carbs, these are things that are not, you know, in their natural form, They do turn into sugar, and it gives you that high, that sugary high, that sugary foods do.

So it makes you feel, in the moment, you’re feeling like, oh, I feel good, and then you get the crash. Now, a lot of times here, these carb cravings are associated with a certain emotion, like they remind you of something, your childhood, or a happy memory, or something, and so that, that’s kind of what your trigger is, is it reminds you of something that’s happened in the past.

Now, there are ways you can overcome this. So similar to that salty crunchy thing I mentioned before, a lot of times carb cravings are associated with stress. So you want to manage your stress as much as possible. Stress can lead to carb cravings, so why not manage the stress And not try to like battle have that mental battle going on in your head of should I eat the bread?

Should I not eat the bread just manage the stress doing things like exercising going for a walk doing a meditation Things that are going to calm your mind calm your body kind of [00:13:00] help get rid Of the root cause of the problem, right which is stress And then if you do need to give in, quote, I’m using air quotes here, give in to your cravings here for carbs, choose healthier carbs, right?

So choose things that are gonna give you more than just that sugary high that you’re gonna get from the refined stuff. So try things like starchy vegetables. Cook you some sweet potatoes. Get you a butternut squash. So you’re still getting Super comforting carbohydrates, but you’re getting a lot of other better stuff too, right?

Try other, other healthier carbs like quinoa or buckwheat, sprouted grain bread. So kind of find a workaround, right? Some healthier things that you can eat in, to replace those refined things that you really want, alright? So now, all of that being said, I do have one kind of caveat that I want to say here before I wrap things up.

I am not a proponent in any way, shape, or form of restricted diets and of depriving yourself. So, when you have a [00:14:00] craving, a lot of times depriving yourself of this just leads to binging. And then totally, completely blowing it, and like I mentioned when I first started talking, it just ends up with this feeling of regret, right?

So instead, find a way that you can weave these things that you are craving, where just a little bit of something is going to give you the satisfaction that you need, right? So, if I’m craving the cheese, or I’m craving the salty food, just giving myself a little bit of it, is going to help me with that craving.

So I’m not going to sit there and eat the whole, you know, 24 ounce bag of chips. So you want to be able to get to the place, find a way, where you can weave that into what you’re eating and it’s still going to give you that same satisfaction that, okay, I took care of my craving and it’s gone. My recommendations to my nutrition clients is always to go through these steps that I’ve mentioned about.

So all of these, you know, I’m going to track my cravings so I can kind of see what triggers me kind of thing. Try all the tricks here where I try all these things to overcome it. So I try the healthier [00:15:00] options. I, I try to, you know, put a scent in my house to make me not crave the sweets. And then, if there’s still something that’s plaguing you, your craving is like, it just has this hold on you, then allow your chance to indulge, but not binge.

So I’m gonna, I’m gonna take this craving, I’m gonna indulge in it, but I’m not gonna binge. And I don’t wanna use the word give in, because that has a bad connotation, and then it kinda makes us feel bad about ourselves, like, you know, that we were weak, or we gave in to a moment of weakness. But give your chance to self to indulge, and not binge.

And then move on. And this is how we build healthy relationships with food, right? So feeling this kind of nagging thing in your head that you have to restrict yourself, you have to deprive yourself, or like I said, you have this feeling where I just gave in and now I’m a failure and you feel bad. This is where unhealthy relationships with food start.

This is where it comes from. So, when we have this mindset that I’ve just talked about, where you’ve tried all the things, right? You’ve tried all the tricks, you’ve tried [00:16:00] all the strategies, and it’s still not working, you still have that craving. Indulge. Don’t binge and then move on. This is how we build healthy relationships with food.

This is how we move past our cravings, right? So we’re not living in this constant state of craving something and it has a hold on your mind, right? We want to build healthy relationships with food So I hope all of this ring true for some of you that you can try some of these tricks And then maybe, maybe you’re listening to this because maybe you need to build a healthier relationship with food.

And this kind of gives you a way to do that. So, I hope this resonated with you, and I hope I gave you some pieces of info to take with you. And I will see y’all on the next one. Bye guys Thanks for listening to hopeful and wholesome y’all If you found value in this week’s episode Please subscribe on itunes wherever you get your podcast and leave a review to let me know what you thought I love to know what you find useful in these episodes So I know how I can provide the most value I can to my listeners And if you have topics that you want to know more about i’d love [00:17:00] to hear those as well So shoot me a message on instagram facebook or linkedin.

It’s at the hope pedraza or visit my website hopeful and wholesome. com Thanks y’all.