The 4 T’s of Healthy Cravings
Are you more of a crunchy craver? Do you crave spicy or sweet more often? Or are you like me and crave cold and creamy often, especially in the evening?
A Crunchy craving can be a sign you are feeling overwhelmed and you are in need of electrolytes and NUTRIENTS, especially in the form of a meal with crunchy toasted nuts or toasted coconut.
A Spicy can be a sign that you need a boost to your immune system or some endorphins to give your body a rush. Add a dash of cayenne pepper to your lemon water or use that hot pepper in your drawer in a recipe to give it a kick.
A Sweet can be a sign your nervous system is super tired and you need a bit more sweetness in your life. Add some honey into your tea, grab that favorite bar of dark chocolate and add extra fruit into your smoothie!
A Creamy can be a sign your liver needs to cool off. I don’t know about you, but I am one emotional human being:) I feel heaps of emotions of all shapes and sizes and these can take up my energy. Creamy textures can help your liver cool down and give your nervous system some essential fatty acids. One of my favorites is chia seed pudding with honey and blueberries on top!
When your body gives you these cues how do you respond? Are you annoyed at these cravings and reject them? Or do you begin to go down the rabbit hole with cautious baby steps and discover what you are truly craving.
One of my favorite examples of one of my own was this massive craving I had for Mac-n-Cheese right after I had a big emotional breakthrough. After I had the good cry, drank a bunch of water and tried to talk myself out of this craving because I really wasn’t that hungry, I drove to Whole Foods to get me some. I headed to the hot bar and grabbed a scoop of the gooey Mac n Cheese along with some other great veggies and sat down to eat. And of course I ran into a friend which was also exactly what I needed along with those first couple of bites of the Mac! When we start to embrace these cravings and give them time to UNTANGLE we actually receive everything we truly need.
The 4 T’s of Cravings:
When a BIG craving comes in and you begin to feel a little powerless, do STEP 1 of the 3-Steps first, 5 DEEP breaths and then start turning inward and use these 4 T’s!
1. Temperature: When some of my clients eat too many salads, they burn out and start to not liking their prepared meals. Try to tune in before you pack your lunch or meal plan for the week and observe if your body is craving more hot or cold foods. For myself, I have noticed a bit of a pattern, if I eat too many cooked/hot meals in a day or so, I definitely will want a salad ASAP.
2 Taste: Our taste buds are connected to the organs of our body, and these flavors can support our organ function. For example, bitter helps clear the lungs and kidneys which are major detoxifying organs. Examples of bitter are arugula, dill and kale.
3. Texture: The main textures for food include; crunchy, creamy, umami, dense mushy and airy. Crunchy and airy is a favorite for most people, chips and popcorn. When my clients begin craving this texture often and then choose those foods and don’t feel well, it can be that they need more of the opposite, watery and creamy such as Butternut squash soup. If you don’t know what textures you prefer, write down your 5 favorite meals and see what they may have in common.
4. TRUST! As you explore your own body and begin to discern what your organs are relating to you, observe the self talk! If you are constantly judging or feeling uncertain of your choices, you may be living from your past experiences. You can not mess up trying to learn and love your OWN body!
Check out my Kitchari (mushy with ALL the flavors) in an Instant Pot experiment below on my Facebook page (if you do not have Facebook, head to YouTube here)
Also, we have a LIVE Jump Start beginning next week. All you have to do is sign up and set ONE intention. You will have access to the program and information for the next 6 months so you can apply what works for YOU!
And if you are feeling ANY doubt, eat CAKE & play with puppies on your b-day,
Heather Fleming, C.C.N. and b-day girl!
