"Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul." - Dorothy Day

One of the most common things clients come to me with questions about is cravings.

We all have cravings. It's not about ignoring them or repressing them. It's not about judging them. Like so much in life, it about getting curious and then it's about listening.

There are cravings for sweets, coffee, wine, potato chips, popcorn, chocolate, cookies, donuts, insert your choice here. So, what do you do when those cravings, emotional or otherwise, sneaks up on ya?

When your next craving comes-a-calling, try this:

Stop and become aware that you are craving something, no matter what it is
First ask yourself what you are feeling and experiencing? Is it an emotion? Are you lonely, tired, bored...?
Then ask yourself what is it that you're really wanting? Is it a bath, time alone, sunshine, a good dance party, a nap, a call to your bestie?
Sometimes the craving is the body signaling to you that it's missing a nutrient. The most common cravings we are regularly confronted with:
- Chocolate, you might need some more magnesium. Also chocolate is still allowed, I love Honey Mamas, Raaka, Hu's or Lily's chocolate, all in moderation.
- Other sugary foods you might need some tryptophan (like turkey, chicken, oats, nuts, seeds) or chromium (like broccoli, grapes, chicken).
- Carbs - you might need nitrogen - try nuts, fish, beans, chia.
- Oily or fried foods - you might need some calcium - try more dark leafy greens or quality organic dairy.
- Salty foods, you might need sodium, silicon, or chloride - try cashews, nuts, seeds, fatty fish.

Here's a free Cravings & Urge Tracking Worksheet to download for journaling through some of that cravings or emotional eating/drinking.

What are some of your cravings?

If you want help with them, let me know! There are ways to address it in a healthy way, that's not about suppressing them!