Crappy Cravings

The body is an amazing source of intelligence. It is always there for you, pumping blood, never skipping a heartbeat, digesting whatever food you put in it and maintaining homeostasis. So why is my reliable, intelligent bio-computer craving a tub of Justin’s Chocolate Almond Butter, or juicy burger and fries? Am I too weak? Don’t have discipline? Being too restrictive?

I’d like to suggest that cravings are not a problem. They are critical pieces of information that tell you what your body needs (it’s detective time).

The important thing is to understand why you crave what you crave. Perhaps your diet is too restrictive or devoid of essential nutrients. Perhaps you are living a lifestyle that is too boring or stressful (Did you just tell yourself you deserve that snickers because you had a hard day at work?). Your body tries to correct the imbalance by sending you a message: a craving. A craving for something sweet could mean you need more protein, more exercise, more water or more love in your life. The key to stopping the sugar craving is to understand and deliver what your body really needs.

Of all the relationships in our lives, the one with our body is the most essential. It takes communication, love and time to cultivate a relationship with your body.

The next time you have a craving, treat it as a loving message from your body instead of a weakness. Try these tips to respond to your body:

• Have a glass of water and wait 10 minutes.
• Eat a healthier version of what you crave. For example, if you crave sweets, try eating more fruit and sweet or root vegetables.
• What is out of balance in your life? Is there something you need to express, or is something being repressed? What happened in your life just before you had this craving?
• When you eat the food you are craving, enjoy it, taste it, savor it; notice its effect. Then you will become more aware and free to decide if you really want it next time.

A Recipe for your Sweet Cravings- 

Maple Fruit Compote with Honey-Ginger Toasted Nuts

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2-3 apples
• 2-3 peaches or pears
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 cup raisins
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup walnuts or nuts of your choice
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
• 2 tablespoons honey

How To:

1. Wash, core and chop fruit into slices or chunks.
2. Place in a large saucepan with 1/3 cup of water. Add the maple syrup and raisins.
3. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
4. Add lemon juice and cinnamon. Cook for another 10 minutes, until soft.
5. While fruit is cooking, place chopped nuts in a skillet over medium heat and toast, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
6. Drizzle honey over the nuts and add ginger, but keep stirring since the honey can easily burn.
7. Top warm fruit with toasted nuts and enjoy!