Food Cravings and What Thy Really Mean

Ever wonder why you crave certain foods? On Monday, you scream for ice-cream. By Wednesday, you need a chip fix. What does it all mean? Well food cravings often provide a mirror to your emotional life. They tell us how we feel and what we need to satisfy a deep inner need.

Since we are not always intune with our feelings, our body will help us deal with an emotion by craving a certain food. It's our body's way of keeping us satisfied and going in a hectic world. However, its also a reason why so many of us are over weight and unable to get it our eating habits under control.

In order to get a better handle on our diets, it's important to understand why we want that piece of cake so bad. Once we understand the meaning behind our cravings, we'll have better success in beating the battle of the bulge. We can focus on other alternatives to satisfying our cravings that will help fulfill our emotional needs outside of a fatty food.

Below are some common food cravings and the solutions to squelching them:

You dream of ice-cream. You're really craving less stress. The cool smooth texture of ice-cream triggers the release of galanin. Galanin is a neuropeptide that relaxes you immediately. In addition, the act of eating ice-cream brings you back to your childhood in which most of us were care free and less stressed.

Solution. Do some type of activity that brings the inner child out of you. Play a board game. Jump rope. Think back to how you felt as a child and you'll soon see your stress levels drop.

You go crazy for cookies. You're really craving a quick energy boost. If you always go for the cookies in the vending machine at work, you're compensating for a lack of energy. You're feeling sluggish and your body's counting on the sugar and carbs in the cookies to give you a quick energy jolt.

Solution. Take a time-out. Instead of going for the cookies, close your eyes instead and meditate for a few minutes. It'll help you feel refreshed and energized afterwards.

You want a chip fix.You're really craving a thirst-quenching drink. Surprisingly, when our body is dehydrated, it desires salt. Why? Salt holds water.