Craving for junk food and fast food are a common problem in the Western world. Not only are there advertisements everywhere and popular chain stores around every corner, junk food meals target our very instinctual, primal diet – our sweet and meat tooths, making it that much harder to resist.

Giving up junk foods can be tough and to stop craving them can be tougher but it is possible. To stop eating junk foods you need to know firstly what to put into your body to nourish it enough not to crave these empty calories and to satisfy these cravings for sweet or junky foods. You then need to address your craving triggers and learn to avoid or to use something else instead of food as the solution.

Now, I am not saying that you need to diet. In fact you probably tried that and that just made you crave junk foods even more. Diets simply don’t work because even the word diet implies restriction. This can send one into a panic, and then into a junk food binge. I know I have been there. The best approach is to introduce good nutrient rich foods at the beginning of meals and at the beginning of your day. The beginning of the day is the easiest time in terms of cravings. Cravings usually appear as the day goes on. If you introduce nutrient rich foods at the beginning of meals you will find cravings diminish also. Instead of completely changing your diet, making a small change like this is something one is able to stick to because you know you will be getting your usual food afterwards.

Once you have successfully added in good foods to your diet, you should find you cravings diminish dramatically if not altogether. If they disappear and you are able to continue life without any problems that is great. Of course though for many physical cravings is only half the battle and they must deal with emotional or phantom hunger.

Emotional hunger is when one experiences a sudden urge to eat as though they are hungry, after emotions. For example some people find that spending the evening in front of the TV bores them. This feeling of boredom triggers them to want to eat – and eat they do! Others find that stress at work can trigger a sudden urge.

The best way to find out your triggers is to observe yourself throughout a day. When you know your triggers you will be better able to overcome them. Instead of eating, write a list of things you can do instead and carry it with you. Sometimes simply allowing yourself to feel the feeling is enough to get over the phantom hunger. If it isn’t eat some fruit (4-5 pieces).

Most people experience both physical cravings and emotional cravings so it is worth taking the time to work out your triggers. In a society where food is used to celebrate, to mourn and to enjoy ourselves, it is no wonder that most people eat due to emotions – so make sure you spend just as much time on this aspect of your eating as the physical cravings.

Stop Junk Food Cravings

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Cheese addiction is fairly common in the Western world but most people don’t realize they are addicted to it. It seems crazy but a lot of the foods we eat have physically addictive properties and keep us hooked and coming back for more time and time again. Not only do we have to battle with the physical addiction of these foods but also the emotional addiction. We are a society of comfort eaters.

So what makes cheese addictive?

In 1981 Eli Hazum and colleagues (referenced in Breaking The Food Seduction) discovered traces of a chemical in cow milk’s that was similar to morphine. They put it through several tests only to conclude that in fact it WAS morphine. Morphine is a highly addictive opiate, but what is it doing in cow’s milk?

Well cow’s produce morphine in their bodies. This is most likely to cause a calming effect on their young to make sure they continue to feed to get the nutrients they need but also to make sure they bond with their mother.

On top of milk containing morphine, it also contains casein which when broken down during digestion frees a whole host of opiates. Casein is in a much higher concentration than in just milk too. So as you can see cheese is highly addictive.

So how do you overcome your cravings for cheese?

First of all you need to nourish your body properly. Feed your body healthy foods and the right foods so you no longer feel the physical craving for cheese. A tip to get you started is to eat as much fruit as you desire before each meal. This will satisfy you enough for you not to crave anything after your meals.

Cut dairy out completely or reduce it dramatically. Don’t eat cheese, not even a little as it is much harder to avoid the first bite then the second.

Lastly make sure you are not craving cheese for emotional reasons. Observe yourself throughout a day and see if emotions/stress trigger you to crave cheese. If so you can then begin to address the emotions you are feeling and stop using food to suppress them. If need be get support from others so you can turn to them when you are feeling stressed as opposed to cheese.

You can overcome cheese addiction, you just need to become aware of your triggers and nourish your body with the right foods to stop physical cravings arising.

Overcome Cheese Addiction

When one merely tastes sugar impulses are sent through our nerves lading to the bas of our brain. Along the way our pleasure center is activated causing a release of natural opiates. This is all quite natural. Mother’s milk is naturally sweet to comfort and soothe a baby.

However the refined sugars that are common in the Western world are not natural and are messing with your natural sweet tooth. We all have this sweet tooth for our need for mother’s milk but also our need for fruits as we grow. Fruit is one of the most important foods for our diet. It has nearly all the nutrients our body needs, is easy to digest and gives the body exactly what it needs – simple carbohydrates.

However refined sugars are being eaten instead. These are eaten purely for the pleasure and not for any nutritional need because refined sugar is nutritionally deficient. It is an empty calorie. Not only does this refined sugar trigger the release of opiates in the brain giving us pleasure, our appetite is also triggered, hence why you can never just have one bite of sugary goodness.

We can overcome this addiction to sugar and curb those cravings. We just need to eat more naturally sweet foods like fruit (which will help eliminate any physical craving the foods we have) and also to overcome any emotional issues we have surrounding these sugary foods. Once we achieve these two goals refined sugars will no longer be a problem.

Here are a few steps to get you started:

1. Eat a nutritious breakfast. I always start my day with fruit – 4 or 5 pieces or more. Fruit is nutritious and will satisfy your nutritional needs. Getting a good breakfast in will help prevent and curb sugar cravings later in the day.

2. Don’t give in to temptation even a little. Many people advise to treat yourself once in a while to a sugary snack but I would advise against this. The reason for this is that sugar activates the release of opiates in the brain that not only makes you feel good but also increase your appetite. So one little taste of sugar will increase your appetite making it very difficult to say no to second or third bite of your junk food snack. Before you know it you will be bingeing!

3. Keep a journal and note down the triggers to your cravings for sugar. Observe yourself throughout the day and see what triggers you to crave sugar. Note down whether it is because you have went too long before meals, or whether your meals were not satisfying enough. Also note down whether sugar cravings were triggered by emotion. If you do find that you comfort eat and use food to emotional numb then this is something that needs careful attention. Emotional eating can make or break you.

4. Don’t beat yourself if you give in and practise being present. Take each day as it comes. If you end up caving to sugary treats don’t feel guilty about it. Just try to learn from it. Note how you felt before, during and after and make a plan of action to overcome and tackle any future incidence. The incident may simply have occurred because you were not aware of the trigger. It takes time to be “present” in life when we are rushing around all the time in another world. Sometimes we are so caught up we don’t realize what we are doing until it is too late. Just practise being in the present moment and the more you do, the more often you will be able to catch your triggers for sugar and overcome them.

For some people curbing sugar cravings is as simple as eradicating the physical craving for them. Others have complex emotional ties with food that need to be addressed and this can take time and patience. We must learn to appreciate the process and not feel guilty with slow progression or setbacks. Learn to love and cherish yourself and you can overcome anything.

Kelly Aziz is an expert in the field of nutrition and addiction psychology. She is the author of the acclaimed “Free to Eat” Combat Your Cravings Ebook that helps you eat well and combat cravings for good. For more information please visit: http://www.CombatYourCravings.com

Curb Sugar Cravings

We all have a sweet tooth. It is natural. A baby’s taste buds are set for the slight sweetness of mother’s milk – it soothes and comforts. When one merely tastes sugar s impulses are sent through our nerves leading to the base of the brain and along the way the pleasure center is activated causing the release of natural opiates. It is all quite natural to have a sweet tooth and to feel pleasure from it.

However this natural sweet tooth is meant for fruits and mother’s milk not refined or processed sugars. Unfortunately though in the Western world we are surrounded by junk sugary foods that give us no nutrition but just empty calories to pile on the weight. You don’t have to be a slave to sugar though; you can overcome your sugar cravings you just need to follow a few key points to get there.

1. Don’t even allow yourself a treat of processed sugar. Sugar causes the release of opiates in the brain that not only make you feel good but also cause your appetite to he activated. So if you want to overcome sugar cravings, then you must choose not to even have a small bit of your favorite sugary junk foods, as this will more than likely lead to bingeing. It will be extremely hard to resist not eating more.

2. Eat plenty of fruit before meals. Fruit is a natural sugar that will give you the nutrition you need and also satisfy your sweet fruit. Eat as much as you desire before each meal. Try to stick to one fruit at a time, as this is best for digestion.

3. Eat a nutritious breakfast. Breakfast is a crucial part of your eating plan. I always find that if I don’t have a good breakfast to sustain me then I will have very intense cravings in the afternoon. If I have a good breakfast I can usually combat them completely.

4. Deal with any emotional issues surrounding your foods. Sometimes our cravings for sugary foods can be triggered by emotions – whether this is stress, boredom or depression. Observe your eating pattern throughout the day and see whether any emotions trigger you to crave sugar.  If you do have any emotional issues you then can begin to address them.

These four tips are great starting points for overcoming any sugar addiction.

Kelly Aziz is an expert in the field of nutrition and addiction psychology. She is the author of the acclaimed “Free to Eat” Combat Your Cravings Ebook that helps you eat well and combat cravings for good. For more information please visit: www.CombatYourCravings.com

Craving Sugary Foods

Chocolate craving is a common occurrence among women. It can consume us especially when our period is about due. Most women simply give in to their craving and don’t think that it is that big a deal, but for others the cravings are so intense that it becomes almost life consuming. If you are turning your house upside down to find chocolate or going out late to specifically get chocolate you are not alone! 90% of women experience chocolate cravings but often it is not taken seriously enough.