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From
ChangeOneDiet.com
Some people have a strong urge to eat -- and
often overeat -- pasta and bread as well as sweets such as cookies and
chocolate. Don't blame yourself for lack of willpower, though: There may in fact
be a physical reason you crave starches. They raise blood levels of the amino
acid tryptophan, which increases production of the feel-good hormone serotonin.
Some experts contend that people who crave carbs actually have a faulty
serotonin feedback mechanism. Whether it's true or not, you're not a slave to
brain chemistry. Here are some ways to calm your cravings, according to the
experts at
ChangeOneDiet.com.
1. Fix the mood, not the food. Going
outside for some fresh air, visiting a friend, holding a baby, playing with a
pet, exercising, or enjoying a hobby can all distract you, lift your mood, keep
you out of the kitchen, and possibly chase cravings away.
2. Control the damage. If chocolate is
your weakness, keep it in the freezer: It's tougher to wolf down when it's
frozen solid. Better yet, don't keep it in the house.
3. Fight food with food. When you're
driven to eat salty carbs, try getting more calcium from dairy foods or other
sources. Studies have found that people with low intakes of this mineral are
more prone to salt cravings.
4. Give yourself a "fix" of your trigger
food every day. If you deny yourself altogether, you may just end up wanting
the food more. Eating a moderate amount daily should stave off cravings, claims
ChangeOneDiet.com.
5. Take a two-week hiatus. For some
people, when they cut out sugary foods such as chocolate and cookies altogether
for two weeks, the cravings for those foods virtually disappear. Try it!
6. Drink water. Food cravings sometimes
indicate a need for fluids. Drink a large glass of water, then wait 10 minutes
or so and see if the craving passes.
For more diabetes tips and mouth-watering
recipes and meals, visit
ChangeOneDiet.com
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