A lot of people have cravings, and they give in to them, without even paying heed to what they mean. Do you crave for chocolate? Do you munch on ice the first chance you get? Are you craving for some salty potato chips in the middle of the night? Well, all of them mean something.
Most of these cravings are unhealthy, so what you need to do is to find a healthier alternative. What you do need to keep in mind though is that cravings are a sign of a nutritional deficiency, and you need to get that fix, so that your unhealthy cravings can stay at bay. Below are a few cravings and what they mean.
Ice Cubes
If you always want your drinks served with ice, and you cannot help yourself to a few cubes every now and then, it means that you may have a case of iron deficiency or anemia.
To get your fix of iron, you should include the following in your diet: red meat, dark green leafy vegetables, tofu, lentils, seeds, quinoa and tofu. Vegetarians need to compliment this intake with Vitamin C to increase the content of iron in the body.
Vegetarians need to ensure they are having plenty of vitamin C which increase iron in the body when consumed from vegetarian sources.
Chocolate
If you are craving chocolate constantly it means that you have a deficiency of magnesium in your body and you need to up these levels immediately. Your body may also be low on antioxidants.
Magnesium is known in nutritional circles as the great ‘calmer’ as it helps boost the immune system, helps regulate blood sugar levels, and also helps boost serotonin levels.
If you are indeed craving chocolate, choose to opt for dark chocolate instead. Include nuts, seeds, leafy green vegetables, an pulses in your diet for the magnesium that your body needs. If its antioxidants that your body needs, spruce your diet up with dark and rich coloured vegetables like blueberries, raspberries and beetroot.
Salty Chips
If you crave salted chips or vegetables that are overly salted, it means that your body is really stressed. When your adrenal glands get overtaxed and the cortisol is running high, the body requires sodium to keep the adrenalin going.
To get your body out of these cravings, your body needs to indulge in stress busting activities like yoga, meditation and exercise to combat and reduce the overload of cortisol.
Coffee
If you find the need to caffeine it up more than the average joe, your body is telling you that is low on iron.
Speak with a registered Holistic Nutritionist or speak with a Homeopath if you wish to learn what your cravings may mean and how you can work towards getting rid of them with healthier food choices.
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