Overcoming the cravings that we get when we give up certain foods and substances is one of the hardest things to do. Whether you are giving something up for religious or health reasons, a few days into the process and terrible cravings, moodiness, headaches, stomach aches, and other symptoms might cause you to want to go back to the thing you gave up. It sure helps us relate to what drug addicts, alcoholics and smokers go through when they are trying to kick their habits. You'd think that giving up refined sugar and carbs would be so much easier than drugs - but it is not!
It is often not a question of willpower, rather of giving the body what it is screaming for. If your body is used to the substances that you are trying to eliminate, it will demand more of the same. And those demands become increasingly strident. However,if you stick to whatever you are doing to detox and avoiding giving in to the cravings, you will feel so much better once it is complete! Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. So what can you do to help overcome the cravings that you are experiencing while cleansing your system?
Here are a few suggestion:
1. Avoid places that have the things you crave.
2. Avoid TV shows and magazines that show the foods you are craving.
3. Drink a lot of water and fruit juice (if your detox program allows the juice) -
this will give you a full feeling and keep you hydrated (both of which help keep
the cravings from happening in the first place).
4. Call a friend when you are struggling - it keeps your mouth busy and gives you the
emotional support you need.
5. Do something to keep busy - read, go for a walk, garden - anything that will keep
you busy and will get you away from what you are craving.
6. Remind yourself of everything you have already accomplished and that your body is
well on its way to being cleaner, fitter and healthier. You don't want to
sabotage what you have already achieved.
While these strategies are not foolproof, you may find that one or two work for you. Remember that even though you are struggling now, once you body adjusts to it, it will be much healthier than it was before.
Happy Detox!
Welcome to Healthy Living!
Most of us want to live a healthier life, but it is sometimes a daunting task trying to sift through the often-conflicting information we are given, in an effort to find what will work for us. We have all heard the ongoing debate about whether low-carb diets are healthy or bad for us and the varied opinions about which carbs we should be eating. There is the accepted opinion that coffee/caffeine has a harmful effect on your life and then the newer opinion that it is actually beneficial. The same is true for alcohol - red wine to be specific - does it kill brain cells or does is that negated due to the positive, healthy effects it seems to have on the heart? These debates are only the tip of the iceberg . . .
While the previous issues address what we should and shouldn't be eating, there is also the question of what to do if we have developed some ill effects (not feeling well, no energy, weight gain, disease) and want to reverse them. There are so many possible solutions. Do we fast - and if so what kind of fast (juice, water, fruit)? Do we need to detox? If so - how? Herbal cleanses, colonics, saunas, body wraps, sea water baths, Epsom salt baths? What herbs will help heal our bodies and in what quantities? And what about the alternative therapies: massage, Reiki, bio-feedback, hypnotherapy, meditation, light therapy, aromatherapy (to name only a few!)? Which of these would help us in our particular situation?
How to make sense of all this information? We would like to have this site be a place to discuss which things have worked for us (or haven't) and hopefully by sharing our experiences we will be able to help each other wade through all the possibilities and find our own paths to a Healthy Life!
While the previous issues address what we should and shouldn't be eating, there is also the question of what to do if we have developed some ill effects (not feeling well, no energy, weight gain, disease) and want to reverse them. There are so many possible solutions. Do we fast - and if so what kind of fast (juice, water, fruit)? Do we need to detox? If so - how? Herbal cleanses, colonics, saunas, body wraps, sea water baths, Epsom salt baths? What herbs will help heal our bodies and in what quantities? And what about the alternative therapies: massage, Reiki, bio-feedback, hypnotherapy, meditation, light therapy, aromatherapy (to name only a few!)? Which of these would help us in our particular situation?
How to make sense of all this information? We would like to have this site be a place to discuss which things have worked for us (or haven't) and hopefully by sharing our experiences we will be able to help each other wade through all the possibilities and find our own paths to a Healthy Life!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Cravings Making You Crazy?
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