Try as we might to keep on track with our healthy eating habits, every now and then we get a craving that we just can’t ignore. Maybe it’s chocolate, pizza or a giant plate of General Tso’s that you head straight for when you’ve had a stressful day at work, a nasty bout of PMS, or an unforgiving late night. We all have our favorite, irresistible, comfort foods that seem to make all of our woes melt away.
What if there was a better way to give into our emotional cravings? What if you could crush your cravings in a healthy way that wouldn’t wreak havoc on your body in the long run? NYC based nutritionist, Dana James has the solution to eating your feelings the right way! Read on to discover how!
When You Have PMS
What You’re Craving: When we’re nearing our menstrual cycles, our levels of progesterone are increased, levels of serotonin drop and cortisol levels are constantly fluctuating. This increases our desire for sweets.
Eat This Instead! Load up on starchy veggies to curb your sugary cravings. James recommends, “For dinner have a frittata with potatos and a green salad loaded with pumpkin seeds and avocado” or “Try a roasted root vegetable salad with rotisserie chicken, or wok-tossed vegetables with organic chicken and brown rice.”
Photo Courtesy of TheKitchn.com
When You’re Hungover
What You’re Craving: You’re dehydrated, running on little sleep, your blood sugar levels are erratic and you can barely stand up long enough to make a decent meal. When we’re hungover the hormones in our body lead us straight to carbs like pancakes and waffles.
Eat This Instead! Cucumber juice is an excellent way to get your hormones back in balance while rehydrating your body and replenishing your potassium levels.
Photo Courtesy of Healthy Blender Recipes
When You’re Sad
What You’re Craving: Whether you’re going through a tough time at work, dealing with a family crisis or feeling burnt out and overwhelmed, James explains that hardships lead to the desire to binge. It’s not uncommon to use food to self-medicate and numb our emotions due to lack of serotonins. One of the quickest (and unhealthiest) ways to increase levels of serotonins is to eat sugary foods.
Eat This Instead!: James recommends munching on cacao maca truffles with cacao, almonds, dates and hemp seeds. You’ll get protein and healthy fats from the almonds and the hemp seeds will provide you with potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc!
Photo Courtesy of FoodCoachNYC
