Curb the Carb Cravings
February 2, 2020
Sugar and carbs have a way of taking you off course of your best intentions. Get to the root cause of these cravings and finally say goodbye to cravings for good.
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Transcript:
TERESA: Welcome to Dishing Up Nutrition brought to you by Nutritional Weight and Wellness. This morning our discussion is all about cravings and how you can control these cravings, especially carb cravings. We thank you for listening to Dishing Up Nutrition today and we're eager to share some ways that you can curb your carb cravings. But first I have a couple of questions for you. Did you get through this past month, the month of January, without falling off your healthy eating plan? I don't know if you made any New Year's resolutions surrounding the new year; but did you get through it? Did you make it through? Or did those carb cravings sidetrack you? Did you find yourself hunting down those leftover Christmas cookies that you hid maybe in the back of the freezer so you'd think you'd forget about them? Or maybe out in the garage perhaps? After working with many clients over the years, I'm quite certain you said, “I'm only going to eat one cookie.” However, before you even knew what was happening, that one cookie led to two then maybe three until the entire box or container of cookies was all gone.
Sugar and carbs have a way of taking you off course of your best intentions. It's almost as though you have fell head first into that box of cookies or perhaps it felt like the cookies were controlling you rather than you controlling the amount that you were going to eat. If you crave carbs, today's show will be perfect for you because we want to share our carb craving solutions with you. I'm Teresa Wagner and even as a Registered Dietitian, I have to admit that when I'm not careful I have carb cravings. And if I'm really not careful, they can get out of control. But I'm happy to say that because I learned some simple techniques to keep those cravings under control, it doesn't happen that often anymore. Joining us this morning as our co-host is Joann Ridout, who is a Registered Dietitian with 30 years of experience helping people conquer their cravings and feel better through eating real food. Now I feel like this is kind of a silly question, Joann, but have you ever experienced carb cravings?
JOANN: Of course. Of course I have. Good morning. Yes, I struggled with carb cravings for years and years, and and like you said earlier, Teresa, if you're not in control, there are times where stress gets in the way or just life can get in the way and they can kind of creep back in.
TERESA: Yeah, they sneak in.
JOANN: So it really is kind of a struggling, ongoing struggle to make sure that you kind of keep them at bay. I can totally relate to my clients who are battling with cravings. And when I started working at Nutritional Weight and Wellness, I learned the root cause of my cravings. That helped so much. Blood sugar is at the root of it as well as intestinal health. And we'll go into that more. But I remember eating low-fat foods and never feeling satisfied. I wasn't, I was kind of hungry all the time, but it wasn't really hungry all the time. It was more just cravings all the time.
TERESA: Yeah. Do you feel like sometimes, sometimes I describe it as brain hunger? It's not physical hunger; it's more like the desire to eat. I want to eat.
JOANN: Exactly. Yeah. So sometimes my husband would bring home some fat-free pretzels or something like that and once you grab one of those, they're, they're kind of addicting and they're salty, and then all of a sudden you're having way more than you planned. And I always thought following a low-fat diet was best for my health, of course. So I went for the low-fat or no fat processed carbs; so things like fat-free cookies.
TERESA: Snackwells?
JOANN: Yeah, I remember those. I just said, “Oh, these really don't taste very good.”
TERESA: But for some reason you could eat so many of them. At least that was my experience like “This doesn’t taste that good, but I'll eat them all.”
JOANN: Exactly. And the fat-free pretzels that I mentioned, fat-free crackers or fat-free yogurt, all those, you know, we know are flavored with high fructose corn syrup. But because eating these did not satisfy my find my hunger because they were so low in fat sometimes I would eat, you know, even a half a box of cookies or crackers and then look at that box and go, “Whoa, what in the world is going on here?” But I would still kind of have that brain hunger that you just talked about. So it felt like I was in a constant battle with myself gaining weight, my back and knees were hurting, and being bloated a lot. So eating low-fat was the message I was taught in college. I believe that was true. But eventually I came to realize that a low-fat diet does lead to those carb cravings. The more processed carbs I ate, the worse I felt.
TERESA: Yeah. And I can totally relate with that because it's like when you're having those lower fat foods or low fat foods, you have a little bit of this and then you want a little bit of that and then a little bit of this, and I think the idea behind that low-fat eating is that you want to save calories, right? We're not going to eat very many calories. And what ends up happening is that you eat double, maybe triple the amount that you would've eaten had you just had something with some fat in it; something a little bit more balance.
JOANN: Exactly.
TERESA: Well, if your holiday eating set you in motion to crave carbs, we want to give you some realistic ways to conquer your cravings and get you back on track. Most of you may know, especially our longtime listeners, that when you eat real food with limited or no processed carbs, you feel better. Your belly isn't bloated, your pants fit better, you sleep better, your memory is better and your joints don't hurt. Joann and I are going to share several highly effective solutions that have helped hundreds of our clients get back on track and avoid those processed food speed bumps. And that's kind of like what they're like, right? You go, you eat them and you kind of get jerked into or out of place.
By now, I'm sure you realize that eating processed carbs can lead to weight gain as well as mental and physical fatigue. What I find so interesting is that more often than not, my clients will tell me that high sugar processed carbs are the foods that they want to eat even though they experience adverse side effects after eating them. Some clients tell me that they actually grieve the loss of high sugar processed foods and it's very emotional to give up those sugary treats. And it is emotional legitimately, but we should maybe kind of examine that just a little bit.
Why am I emotional about the idea of giving up bread or diet soda or pastries or cookies or whatever that processed food is for you? Because if somebody said to me, “Teresa, you need to stop eating broccoli for the rest of your life. You cannot have broccoli ever again.” I would be kind of bummed about that because I like broccoli and I eat it on kind of a regular basis, but I'm not emotional about that situation. So what is it about those foods? Because I see like tears, you know, I'm sure you've seen it too. And when we talk about things that maybe we should think about giving up, and even the thought of giving it up brings that high emotion. So what is it about that food that causes such a deep attachment?
JOANN: That's right. It looks like, well not quite. One more thing: It is very clear that processed carbs and sugar are very addicting; as Teresa was talking about, very emotional. So processed carbs and sugar stimulate the pleasure center of the brain. So temporarily we feel elated. But as many of you know, it is short-lived. We crash and burn when our blood sugar drops so low. We might feel fatigued, have trouble concentrating, and oftentimes we might feel sad or irritable when that happens. So the more sugar and processed foods we eat, the more we want. And to be quite frank, the more money the food companies make. So there is a lot of profit made from the sale of breakfast cereal, but not so much from that head of broccoli. When we go to the other end of the food spectrum, we eat a piece of salmon with some asparagus and a sweet potato. We are naturally satisfied. Doesn't that sound good? And don't feel the need to eat more and more. So we've been discussing processed carbs and sugar stimulating the pleasure center of the brain. So if we eat a cookie or a blueberry muffin full of processed carbs and sugar, we're going to go looking for more and more foods that contain those processed carbs. Very few people can actually stop after eating two or three chips, but people generally feel satisfied when they eat just a cup or two of vegetables.
TERESA: Yeah, I find that…
JOANN: It makes a big difference.
TERESA: It does make a big difference and I think we've both experienced that where you know, what's the line? “You can't eat just one.” And it's so true. You can’t.
JOANN: It is.
TERESA: The food companies have scientists there that design the food in order for that to be the case.
JOANN: Right.
TERESA: We don't have that in nature. There's no one designing it to be addicting.
JOANN: Exactly. So many clients have trouble in the evening and I think Teresa and I have some good suggestions for later, but right now we need to go to break.
TERESA: You are listening to Dishing Up Nutrition. And we are discussing how you can curb your cravings. Out of control cravings are so much more than just a lack of willpower. Cravings indicate a biochemical imbalance. It could be as simple as having low blood sugar because you forgot to eat lunch. Stay tuned for some proven solutions for your cravings.
BREAK
JOANN: Welcome back to Dishing Up Nutrition. Experiencing low blood sugar is one of the reasons for carb cravings. Poor intestinal health is another reason, so a history of poor nutrition is another reason. In order to understand and control your cravings, it's important to determine for you what is causing your cravings. It could be as simple as a lack of sleep. Research has clearly demonstrated that we need at least seven and a half to eight hours of sleep. And Teresa, we both know a lot of people aren't getting that.
TERESA: Oh, that's for sure.
JOANN: Yeah. And lack of sleep increases your cravings for sugar and processed carbs. So come into Nutritional Weight and Wellness and let one of our dietitians or nutritionists help you find the solution for your cravings. Call (651) 699-3438 to set you up with an appointment or if you prefer, you can make your appointment online at weightandwellness.com.
How Sleep Affects Your Need For Sugary Or Salty Foods
TERESA: Yeah, and another reason, I mean we were talking about cravings, sleep is so important for it that seven and a half to nine hours.
JOANN: Yes.
TERESA: And oftentimes people give themselves the sleep opportunity, you know, they want, they're going to get in bed and have the opportunity to sleep that eight hours, but just can't do it. And it can be so difficult. And that's another reason why people come to see us for help with sleep.
JOANN: Definitely.
TERESA: And for cravings, how they're connected is really the reason… one of the reasons. There's so many reasons for sleep, but one of the reasons for sleep is energy so that we wake up energized the next day so we can go about and do the, you know, the tasks of the day. Well, when we're not getting the energy we need from sleep and rest, we look for it in other places. And one of those places is food because food is energy and the food that gives you energy, that quick energy, are those high sugar foods and it just starts that sugar craving cycle.
JOANN: Yeah.
TERESA: So, so getting sleep is super important.
JOANN: Definitely.
TERESA: And I know we were talking before we went to break that we were talking about a lot of times our clients have a lot of really strong cravings in the evenings, right? That's what you were talking about Joann?
JOANN: Yes. Yep. So I've worked with a client or actually many clients recently with craving things. Especially after Christmas, people come in to try to get restarted. And I encouraged one client recently to just say, make sure, cause I was pretty aware; I had worked with her for awhile. I was pretty aware of her, her eating pattern and I know she was grabbing something like an apple in the afternoon or a handful of nuts or an apple and peanut butter, you know, some of those kinds of things for a quick snack. But she was not ever getting that protein in in the afternoon. And we talk about that a lot in our Weight and Wellness and our Nutrition for Weight Loss classes, how important that protein is every three hours to really help balance your food intake and control those cravings. So I said, “What about a New Year's resolution to get protein in every afternoon?” She said, “That's a really good idea.”
TERESA: Yeah.
JOANN: I know that helps me a lot when I do make sure that happens throughout the day.
TERESA: Yeah. And I think that having a New Year's resolution like that, having some protein at a snack is a very manageable New Year's resolution, and one that is easy to be successful at. It takes a little bit of planning and prep but I think because you're giving something rather than taking something away, which is really nice.
JOANN: Exactly.
TERESA: I have clients who still really struggle with cravings at the same time, maybe not quite as late but after work. Right? So they come home from work, it's time to relax a little bit or it's the craziness of going on to the next part of the day.
JOANN: Right.
TERESA: And oftentimes what happens is that you're just so frenzied and so like ready to like get dinner together and stop the, stop the work craziness is that it feels so good to just have snacks at that time because it legitimately releases endorphins and neurotransmitters that make you feel good. So what I have them do is either have a snack before they leave work on their commute home. Or when they get home, have a little bit of a snack, have a drink of water and just take a couple of moments just to do either deep breathing or relaxing of some kind; not a lot of time cause I know a lot of my clients don't have a lot of time, but there's always a, there's always a minute for just take a deep breath.
JOANN: Right.
TERESA: Re-center yourself; get the control.
JOANN: Right.
TERESA: Yeah.
JOANN: And that's also a really good practice. If somebody kind of has been in the habit of wine at that time of day; sometimes people say that's when they grab a glass of wine because they're just trying to relax. But what you said, you know, having a healthy snack and then you know, a glass of water and just some deep breathing. That would be a quick way to kind of get back on track and get over that. That'd be good. All right, so one more thing before we go on. I, one thing I do is… for myself sometimes it is… one thing I tell clients first of all is don't stay up so late. But sometimes another thing is that I grab a cup of herbal tea and put some either cream or coconut milk in that and just that healthy fat in there helps to curb that craving too. So that's another trick I use.
TERESA: Yeah, that's a great late night as you're watching TV or relaxing.
JOANN: Right.
TERESA: The first step to control carb cravings is to simply eliminate the processed carbs. So we give you some tips that you can do when you're having a craving. But really if we want to do this long term, the first step is to eliminate those processed foods and start eating real quality meats, real vegetables, and real natural fats. It's pretty simple to say, right?
JOANN: It is.
TERESA: It’s a little bit harder to do, but that's, that's the basics.
JOANN: It is.
TERESA: You have to get back to the basics.
JOANN: It's the key to kind of making that change. And I remember when I started eating that way, what a turnaround. It really did help turn off those cravings.
TERESA: And it happens relatively quickly.
JOANN: It does; within a few weeks. We always hear that from clients in class too. So it's very clear that those processed carbs are addicting. And I'm sure many of you are thinking, “Why are processed carbs so addictive? Why do we crave something so bad for us?” Those carb cravings are usually the result of a complex biochemical response. It's not just a lack of willpower. We've been told that in the past. So many people still really lack the understanding about how food impacts their biochemistry and their cravings. And actually some research was conducted during World War II that found when young healthy men followed a low-calorie diet for several weeks, they started experiencing more cravings for foods loaded with sugar. And I think part of this study also found that kind of, you know, lead to prediabetes and even some weight gain.
TERESA: Wow; that said, if you followed a low-calorie, low-fat diet, it might've set you up for cravings, especially for high sugar processed foods. Even the research has told us that a low-fat, low-calorie diet can often lead to cravings. Many people still believe that a low-calorie diet will help them lose weight. So they get on that roller coaster of dieting, losing weight, then regaining the weight, and many times gaining even more weight than they had lost. After several decades, low-calorie diets are still all the rage. And I don't know Joann, did you see this? But The Biggest Loser is coming back this year.
JOANN: I saw that.
TERESA: Yeah.
JOANN: I was like, “Oh bummer.”
TERESA: That is really what we're talking about here.
JOANN: Yeah.
TERESA: Very low-calorie
JOANN: Yeah.
TERESA: Very low calorie. I think there was somebody who was saying it was less than a thousand calories that they were eating a day and then eight hours of exercise or something.
JOANN: Yes, and we know that doesn't stick.
TERESA: No. And sadly people are always looking for that sort of quick fix because of course, I mean that's what we all want. We’re all, you know, we're all a toddler in some ways. We just want what we want. We want it right now. But you know, and, and these quick fixes may work for a short time, but in a year or so, most people regain that weight that they lost and perhaps even a little more.
JOANN: How devastating.
TERESA: Yes, and you know, all that work, all that, yes. And so all of us at Nutritional Weight and Wellness agree with the research which states that, “Eating real food in balance will result in weight loss, fewer cravings, more energy, less pain and inflammation. Low-calorie diets often lead to low energy, low moods, and foggy thinking. Fast weight loss will many times lead to wrinkles and saggy skin, while losing weight at a slow, even pace promotes radiant wrinkle-free skin and good muscle mass. With a low-calorie plan, you’re always hungry and always looking for something that is typically a sugary retreat.”
JOANN: So it is time for our next break.
TERESA: Yes, you are listening to Dishing Up Nutrition brought to you by Nutritional Weight and Wellness. One out of four women will experience heart disease in their lifetime. Heart disease is a leading cause of death for women even before cancer. Next week, join Melanie and Shelby as they discuss the topic: Women and Heart Disease. They will completely dispel the myth that saturated fat causes heart disease.
BREAK
JOANN: Welcome back to Dishing Up Nutrition. I want to tell you about our Hamburger Soup recipe, which is one of my favorites. This recipe makes a very large batch. You can freeze that, have it for a quick lunch or dinner. I like it in the winter time because it's hearty and it warms you up, and especially on a cold winter day or night. And I always use grass-fed ground beef and bone broth that I make from scratch. And of course you can certainly use the regular store-bought bone broth. Our Hamburger Soup recipe and many other great recipes, not just this one, are found on our website weightandwellness.com. So if you'd like to us to email or mail you the recipe, just call (651) 699-3438 and we'd be happy to do so.
TERESA: You know, there's a, there's a few new recipes on the website and I tried, there's a Pot Pie Soup recipe that I tried, I don't know, a week or two ago that I really like.
JOANN: That sounds good.
TERESA: It reminded me so much of the inside of those pot pies that, you know, like maybe I made as a kid, right? Or my mom made as a kid. There's no crust, of course. It's just the inside. But it was so good. It was so simple to make and you can even simplify it further than what the recipe calls because you can grab some precooked rotisserie chicken. You can also use turkey if you wanted. But I used precooked rotisserie chicken and instead of having various vegetables that that it called for, I just threw in two bags of like the small bags, 10 ounce bags, of frozen mixed vegetables that has the green beans, the carrots, the peas; and then I added some fresh broccoli to it and it was super simple to throw together. It was really yummy. Like you said, on a winter day, it's so nice to have soup. You can freeze it and have it for, you know, future lunches if you don't want to have a big batch or eat it every day. But it's a really great recipe. So if you are looking for some new recipes, our website has a whole bunch.
JOANN: Yeah, they're great. So I also want to remind you that Saturday, February 15th, Dar, Diane and I will be offering the Menopause Survival Seminar at our Maple Grove location. So during this time of perimenopause and menopause, many women experience many uncomfortable symptoms and have so many questions. So come spend the day with us. You'll have a wonderful time. People have so many questions. They get their questions answered. It's always great to sign up with a friend if you'd like, but even if not, you know, if there's a great group of people that share common symptoms and would love to have you join us. You can sign up alone or with a friend at weightandwellness.com or give us a call at (651) 699-3438.
TERESA: That class is so much fun too.
JOANN: It is.
TERESA: And I feel like sometimes there's this idea that you have to be a certain age to go to the class.
JOANN: Yeah.
TERESA: You really don't. It is a multigenerational class. It is. There's a lot of good information. I would say that people really of all ages can learn some things.
JOANN: Definitely. I encourage so many people to go and they always say, “Well I'm, I'm way past that.”
TERESA: Right; or not there yet. “I'm not there yet.”
JOANN: Exactly. But you know, we talk about bone health. We talk about sleep. We talk about so many issues just for good life.
TERESA: Right. And I think that for the people that say “I'm not there yet,” there's a lot of really good information so that when you do get there, it's a little smoother sailing.
JOANN: Yeah, it is. That's good. Yeah, so now we're getting back to talking about cravings again. So for many people, cravings and lack of control are due in part to the unhealthy condition of their intestinal tract.
TERESA: That might be an interesting thought for some people; a new thought.
JOANN: It is. Yeah. And I actually, that was a big part of my cravings and I never knew that for years. My intestinal tract was not very healthy when I first started working here. Perhaps over the holiday season or maybe even in the few months prior to holidays, you took a round or two of antibiotics. I used to take antibiotics every year in the fall for sinus infections, but I haven't had those for many years now. Many new clients have told me they've been experiencing recurring bladder infections and may have been off and on antibiotics several times a year. And now they have intense sugar cravings they never had before. So those antibiotics destroy the bad bacteria in your intestinal tract.
But unfortunately they also destroy the good bacteria. The most prominent good bacteria in the small intestinal tract is bifidobacteria, which we originally receive from breast milk after we're born, and then when were breastfed. We often see children who are experiencing a large number of sugar cravings. In fact, they only want to eat high sugar foods. They may not eat bacon and eggs, but they will eat one or two large bowls of cereal, which are equivalent to two to four regular servings of cereal loaded with sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and also likely some toxic food dyes. Also, plain yogurt just won't do because they want the yogurt sweetened with the high fructose corn syrup, and these children usually have had several rounds of antibiotics for strep or some other infection. Then these uncontrollable sugar cravings set in.
Supplements That Can Help With Cravings
TERESA: The next essential step we often take to help clients control their cravings is to recommend supplementing with bifidobacteria. We usually suggest adding two to three Bifido Balance capsules before each meal or supplementing with one half to one teaspoon of Bifido Powder before each meal. We need bifidobacteria in our intestinal tract to produce our brain chemicals. Many of my clients find it fascinating when they learn that we make our neurotransmitters in our gut or actually our small intestine, but we make those neurotransmitters when we have bifidobacteria and we eat protein. Remember many cravings and lack of control are due in part to the unhealthy condition of the intestinal track. That statement is so important that I think it bears repeating. Many cravings and a lack of control are due in part to the unhealthy condition of the intestinal tract. So often people do not connect that they can actually curb their carb cravings just by healing their intestinal tract.
JOANN: That's right, and not only does bifidobacteria reduce cravings for sugar and processed carbs, it has also been shown to help prevent colon cancer. A study from the National Institute of Health or NIH in 2008 found that “Bifidobacteria longum resulted in the suppression of colon tumor incidents, so fewer tumors and tumor volume, so smaller tumors.” Isn't it amazing that probiotic, bifidobacteria originally found in breast milk can also curb cravings and can also suppress colon cancer?
TERESA: Yeah, that's super interesting.
JOANN: Yeah.
TERESA: You know, as long as we're on this subject of intestinal health, I think we should discuss the amino acid L-glutamine. This amino acid supports intestinal health by working to protect the mucous membrane or the lining of the intestines.
JOANN: And another great benefit of L-glutamine: I'm sure you've heard of leaky gut.
TERESA: It’s kind of a buzzword now, isn’t it? Leaky gut.
JOANN: It is. A lot of people hear about that now. But how many of you actually know what leaky gut is? Leaky gut is when undigested food, bacteria and toxins get through your gut barrier or your intestinal wall and into your bloodstream. It sounds pretty awful, doesn't it? That's because it is. But the good news is L-glutamine helps to heal the gut barrier, which we call the intestinal lining or intestinal barrier. And by healing the intestinal lining, the undigested food or bacteria and toxins are no longer able to get through the intestinal lining and into the bloodstream. L-glutamine also helps to keep those inflammatory proteins such as gluten from entering the bloodstream. We recommend that anyone who has a gluten sensitivity take two to three L-Glutamine capsules before each meal to help protect themselves in case they're inadvertently exposed to gluten.
TERESA: That’s a good idea.
JOANN: Yeah.
TERESA: There are so many people that are gluten sensitive that could be helpful for. You know, L-glutamine is really great at cellular repair in the intestines. It's also great at repairing cells in other areas of the body. Because I workout at least, you know, three to four times a week I take L-glutamine to help repair any damage to my muscles. Anyone who works out and experiences feeling sore, achy or stiff, would also benefit from taking L-glutamine on a regular basis.
JOANN: That's right. It's also just helpful in general for wound healing. I worked with someone recently who had a wound that was very difficult to heal and they had to keep going back and more antibiotics that were destroying his gut. And it was really a vicious cycle going on. And L-glutamine was one of the things I recommended along with some other supplements in order to help heal that wound; very beneficial for wound healing.
TERESA: Yeah, I think L-glutamine is one of those hidden gems that we know about.
TERESA: It really is. And it's a very common amino acid and helps to improve mental energy and also stabilize your blood sugar, support your memory and reduce addiction. In fact, it's used in some chemical treatment centers to ease the craving for alcohol.
As the focus of our discussion today is about curbing carb cravings, L-glutamine is very helpful in reducing sugar and carb cravings, so taking two to three capsules before each meal will help you get back on track. And it's time for break.
TERESA: You are listening to Dishing Up Nutrition. In just 10 days, one of our best and my personal favorite nutrition education series starts the week of February 10th. Maybe this is the first time your schedule allows you to take this life changing series. When we come back from break, Joann will describe some of the key components of this series.
BREAK
JOANN: Welcome back to Dishing Up Nutrition. I want to give you some of the highlights of the Weight and Wellness series we have coming up. This series is six different two-hour sessions. And if you're having digestive issues, we explain the causes and the solutions to you. So you get all the science and the research behind everything and then you can make those necessary changes. If you're having heart problems, we teach you how to eat to support your heart and blood vessels. If you're feeling down, fatigued and can't wait for spring, we can teach you how to eat for energy, good moods, and your wellbeing. This is such a good class. To sign up for this impactful Weight and Wellness series, go to our website, weightandwellness.com or call us at (651) 699-3438 and we will gladly do that for you. So the good news is we have a couple of classes starting soon; one in Eden Prairie and another one in North Oaks. So if you enroll by February 3rd you will receive $50 off. Also, if you're a nurse or a social worker, this class does qualify for continuing education credits. So to sign up, call (651) 699-3438 or go online to weightandwellness.com.
TERESA: Okay, so before break we were talking about glutamine and how it can be helpful for cellular repair and healing the intestinal tract. Another tip that we use with L-glutamine as far as cravings is concerned that's a little bit more in the moment; if you are having a strong craving for carbs, just taking one of your L-glutamine capsules, popping that capsule open and putting some of that powder just right under your tongue can really help with cravings. Or if you have a little, if you have the glutamine powder, just taking maybe an eighth of a teaspoon or something and sticking that right under your tongue. And really just give it a minute. It usually works pretty quickly to get rid of those cravings.
JOANN: That's right. That works really well.
TERESA: Now for many people getting off processed carbs and sugars can be very challenging because sugar and processed carbs are everywhere. It's almost like they are calling your name saying, “Pick me up. Eat me!” At Nutritional Weight and Wellness we believe cravings are typically the result of a complex biochemical response; not a lack of willpower.
JOANN: That’s right.
TERESA: It's not a personal defect of yours. To control cravings is necessary to put into practice eating real food in balance at least three to four times a day to maintain stable blood sugar. Eating real food several times a day is a habit that must be developed and it is much easier to achieve and maintain with a support system in place. At first, many of our clients have the habit of skipping breakfast, working through lunch and then eating like a bear when they get home from work. Your blood sugar is low from not eating enough and it's a biochemical response to grab those processed carbs or something that you can get that sugar fix from. You are actually fixing your blood sugar and actually you're doing too good of a job of it usually.
JOANN: Way too good.
TERESA: It's too high. Unfortunately that sugar fix: it will not sustain you if you do not eat real food at some point. Like I was talking about earlier, you have a little bit of this and then a little bit of that and then a little bit of this and it just keeps adding up and adding up and adding up; and you're never feeling satisfied.
JOANN: Right.
TERESA: So we want to eat real food. And that way your blood sugar doesn't crash because when it does crash, it starts that vicious cycle of up and down and up and down. And when your blood sugar crashes, what do you want to eat?
JOANN: Sugar.
TERESA: Sugar; processed carbs. This is why it's so critical to eat several times a day to be free of those cravings.
JOANN: That's right. And the biochemical reason that most often causes us to have cravings is that poor intestinal health. So in order to heal our intestines, we recommend supplementing with Bifido Balance and L-Glutamine. It not only helps to heal the cravings, but also helps to heal the intestines. And we mentioned this next reason for having carb cravings earlier in the show. Those processed carbs stimulate the pleasure center of the brain. So the carbs temporarily make us feel better. They make us almost feel euphoric. However, in a very short time we crash or our blood sugar crashes. Then we feel fatigued and sometimes even down in the dumps. So to help support your brain chemistry so you can practice eating real protein, real vegetables, and real fat we developed a supplement called Crave Control Plus. The nutrients in Crave Control Plus support your natural brain chemistry. So that helps you to avoid constantly craving those processed carbs and sugar. Lots of clients find that helpful.
TERESA: Yes.
JOANN: Very helpful.
TERESA: Yes. And if you are a person who is ready to kick those processed carbs to the curb so that you can get back on track with your health and wellness journey and feel really good again, we have worked out a solution for you. First, we need to eat three to six meals per day, including healthy meats, vegetables, and a good fat. Secondly, supplement with two to three Bifido Balance capsules before breakfast, before lunch and dinner. Thirdly supplement with two to three L-Glutamine capsules before each meal. And lastly, supplement with two to three Crave Control Plus before breakfast, lunch and dinner. You know what's really nice about this? It really helps you reach your daily water goal too.
JOANN: That's true.
TERESA: And we know that water is so important in order to keep our cravings under control too because dehydration is a cause of cravings. When you are giving recommendations to clients for water amounts, what do you suggest for that, Joann?
JOANN: Yeah, we generally suggest half your body weight in ounces. So if for example, if you weighed one 50, it would be about 75 ounces; nine and a half cups. Or if you weighed 200 it would be about 12 cups of water each day. That's a lot. Most times when I say that amount of water to people, they're just like, “Whoa!”
TERESA: Deer in headlights.
JOANN: Yeah. But I would say, you know, you got to start early in the morning with that water.
TERESA: Yes.
JOANN: Not just coffee till noon and then switch out. Because then you're already way behind your goal. And coffee is dehydrating. So that makes you require a little more water even.
TERESA: Yeah, and it wets your whistle so then you don't feel like you're thirsty, and so then you're just drinking coffee all morning and then you miss the opportunity to have that water to get to that water goal.
JOANN: Right; and I personally was struggling to get my, all of my water in about a year ago. I actually started drinking a couple of extra cups to offset my coffee. That made a huge difference. I ended up losing four pounds in about 10 days just by upping my water more than I thought I needed. And it helped a lot.
TERESA: Yeah, it sounds like it.
JOANN: So many of our clients find they're able to get back on track and stay on track when they attend our weekly Nutrition for Weight Loss classes or meeting with a dietitian or nutritionist weekly or every other week, depending on your level of cravings and what works best. Each and every one of you has a unique biochemistry. Therefore, each and every one of us needs our unique individual plan. Some people need less protein. Some people need more; some people need extra fat. Some people need three Bifido Balance and some people need nine. But we work with you to create a specialized plan for you that is as unique as you are.
TERESA: Our goal at Nutritional Weight and Wellness is to help each and every person experience better health through eating real food. It's a simple yet powerful message. Eating real food is life changing. Thank you for listening and have a wonderful day.
