Describing a food craving

• An imbalance or changes in hormones
• Emotional issues (eating for comfort)
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Dehydration 

• Lower stress levels: stress promotes cravings for comfort foods.
• Drink plenty of water: Dehydration manifests itself as hunger, so when you get a craving, drink water.
• Get enough sleep: not getting enough sleep alters the hormonal balance.
• Eat enough protein.
• Avoid hunger: under-eating can make food cravings worse.

• Your body is depleted of sodium when we sweat, which then makes us need to consume more;
• You're dehydrated; 
• You’re stressed;
• You’re not getting enough sleep; 
• Salt lights up the pleasure center in your brain and releases a hormone called dopamine, which makes you feel happy;
• Humans have an innate drive to seek salt because it is necessary for survival and historically a rare mineral to find;
• You may have an underlying health issue.

Excessive salt consumption has been linked to diabetes, kidney disorders, high blood pressure and heart disease, so you want to be mindful of how much you are eating. If you feel like you may be consuming too much salt, you may want to attempt to reduce how much sodium you ingest.

Sugar is as addictive as nicotine, cocaine, and morphine. Sugar leads to a rush similar to injecting heroin. It leads to a vicious cycle of cravings for more sugar to feel good.  

Stopping your sugar intake could result in withdrawal symptoms - at least at first.

A sugar detox can cause unpleasant physical and mental symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms can last up to two weeks. Sugar cravings can be worse in between meals or when you feel stressed. 

Physical withdrawal symptoms include light-headedness, nausea, tingling and fatigue.

We associate comfort food with positive memories.

Think about all the happy and comforting memories you have involving food. Maybe your family used to celebrate occasions with a trip to the ice cream shop, or maybe your mom or dad used to soften the blow of a bad day with macaroni and cheese. When you’re feeling rejected or anxious today, eating one of those foods is an instant connection to that soothing time.

Eating can be an emotional activity, with deep connections on how our brains and bodies work. Emotional overeaters are:

• Having a feeling of resentment after neglecting one's own needs to appease others.
• Feeling undeserving of their success, with a fear of being shamed.
• Being a perfectionist and being constantly anxious about the possible mistakes.
• Suppressing of all negative emotions.

Overeaters tend to have an 'all-or-nothing' approach oscillating between an all-good diet or an outright unhealthy one, depending on the particular underlying emotion.

To be in control does not mean restraining. A person who is in control should have the capacity and freedom to self-govern.

Rather than fighting with your body, provide it with an autonomous control by allowing all kinds of foods back in your life, yet eating consciously, paying attention to your meals, savoring them fully. Being mindful can maximize your pleasure and minimize your eating.

• GIP and GLP-1 are responsible for stimulating the production of insulin to regulate the metabolism of carbohydrates.
• Other hormones are involved in slowing down the movement of food through the stomach.
• CKK and PYY are vital in reducing the feeling of hunger. (Increased PYY causes a loss of appetite and is particularly high in patients who have a gastric band fitted to reduce the size of the stomach.)

Even though your stomach has a hormonal system for telling your brain it is empty, it can also raise your hunger levels at specific times by learned associations, even if you had a large meal.

If you repeatedly eat chocolate after dinner when you sit on the couch, your body can start to associate sitting on the couch with eating, and you'll experience a craving.

It doesn’t mean giving in to every craving; it means getting rid of the idea of “giving in” to “bad foods” altogether. Eat that Oreo when you want it, without any negative emotion attached, and you won’t feel like you need to eat the whole bag.

Listen for the body signals that tell you that you are no longer hungry. Intuitive eating is about understanding what foods your body feels best eating, and how to make your own food choices based on your own hunger and fullness

When you’re under stress, your body is likely producing higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that tends to make people crave sweet and salty food—the stuff that’s generally not good for us. 

Create a simple stress management plan, or find stress relievers that fit with your specific situation.

Many people use food to deal with uncomfortable emotions like anger, frustration, and fear. There are healthier ways to cope with emotions:

Physical hunger

• It develops slowly over time.
• You desire a variety of food groups.
• You feel the sensation of fullness and take it as a cue to stop eating.
• You have no negative feelings about eating.

Emotional hunger

• It comes about suddenly or abruptly.
• You crave only certain foods.
• You may binge on food and not feel a sensation of fullness.
• You feel guilt or shame about eating.

While filling up could work in the moment, eating because of negative emotions often leaves people feeling more upset than before.

This cycle typically doesn’t end until a person addresses emotional needs head-on.

Chronic hunger generally indicates that your diet is imbalanced or inadequate, which can cause your body to conserve energy and resist weight loss.

Include healthy foods that boost satiety and keep you fuller longer, namely those high in lean protein (organic eggs, poultry, fish, beans and lentils), fiber (fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, lentils), and good fat (avocado, nuts, seeds, and extra virgin olive and coconut oils). 

Trying to be "perfect" week after week typically leads to feelings of deprivation, resentment, even anger or depression, and culminates in either binge eating, or diet abandonment.

Ditch the "all or nothing" mentality. In that mindset, one small diet deviation triggers thoughts like, "Well, I blew it, I might as well go all out!" which keeps you stuck. Allow yourself small splurges in ways that reduce the chance of overeating.