I Crave Cheese – Stop Craving Cheese
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.
