Beating food cravings

It's a phenomenon familiar to people everywhere.
You have a tough day, whether it's at your job, school or with your personal relationships.
You feel frustrated, don't know what to do and are overwhelmed.
Your mind is racing, your stomach is churning and you're gasping for a deep breath.
So you drive home in a rage, flipping off other drivers on the highway, take off your coat, yell at the dog...
...and reach for some Ben & Jerry's. Or chocolate. Or chips, cookies, donuts, whatever you can get your hands on.
Aaahhhhh.
You might feel better for a while, but unfortunately you're noticing that your butt is wider than it used to be and it's getting harder to see your toes...
Welcome to the world of stress eating.
Stress eating takes its toll on your health in many ways, the most obvious being in your girth.
It can also worsen digestive problems like acid reflux, IBS symptoms, gas, bloating and diarrhea.
Stress eaters KNOW that they should stop eating, but that's easier said than done for most. Some may desperately try to resist the beckoning of the refrigerator, pantry or vending machine, but then break down in that moment of weakness and give in.
The good news is you CAN break free of stress eating. But first it's important to understand what's going on when you're shoveling it in under stress.
The hormone connection
Back in our caveman days, when faced with the stress of encountering a saber-toothed tiger or similar danger, your body would gear up to deal with stress by releasing two hormones (adrenaline and cortisol). These hormones would mobilize fat and carbohydrates stored in the body for quick energy for the "fight or flight" reaction.
That's what helped our ancestors fight off the predator or run like he%$.
Once the stress was over, adrenaline would go away, but cortisol hung around for a while to help refuel your body and bring it back to balance.
One of the ways it does this is by giving you a voracious appetite that drives you to replace the carbs and fats you used up in the process of outrunning the tiger.
Now, our current stresses are much different--we're not running from tigers anymore. Our stresses are more emotional or psychological. But your body's reaction to that stress is the SAME.
So Ben & Jerry's, to the rescue.
The price of chronic stress
Under longstanding chronic stress, cortisol levels are raised and remain high. This creates a buildup of abdominal fat (our primitive emergency energy supply).
But the price of this is more that just a spare tire or muffin top.
It also leads to depressed immune function, low thyroid function, problems with controlling blood sugar, impaired memory and concentration, adrenal fatigue ("burnout") and eventually, chronic illness.
With continual stress (and high cortisol levels) you are susceptible to conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, blood clots and colon cancer.
Break the cycle
Clearly, it's essential to break the cycle of stress eating and chronic stress. Your health and quite possibly your life depend on it.
Trust me, it CAN be done.
Instead of immediately caving into your craving, here are 10 strategies for relieving stress and conquering cravings:
1) Wait 10 minutes before giving in to a craving
If you can distract yourself by answering an email, doing a load of laundry, making a phone call, feeding the cat or running an errand, you may forget about your craving.
2) NEVER go hungry or skip meals
Hunger can trigger intense cravings for sugar, so be sure to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. If you are busy and miss a meal, snack on protein foods like leftover chicken or fish or raw (NOT roasted) nuts.
3) Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables
Fresh produce is full of antioxidants and phytochemicals that eliminate the free radicals caused by stress.
4) Drink green tea
Not only is green tea alkaline (which is good for your pH), but it contains the amino acid theamine, which tranquilizes your brain and helps control cortisol levels.
5) Turn off the boob tube
TV exposes you to endless numbers of food commercials that are specifically designed to trigger cravings. And the fast food joints are even staying open later at night so their bottom lines can benefit from your cravings, thank you very much.
6) Sleep more
Fatigue and sleep deprivation lead to carb cravings because carbs are a major source of energy when you feel wiped out. Record Jay Leno or those reruns of Seinfeld and get some decent rest.
7) Get some exercise
Exercise counteracts stress and cravings by releasing endorphins, the hormone that produces good feelings. It's not necessary to join a gym or become Lance Armstrong or Jillian Michaels. Even walking is fine, and nearly everyone can do that.
8) Drink a lot of water
Every system of your body depends on water to remove wastes, bring nutrients and oxygen to the cells, aid in digestion and maintain normal metabolism. In addition, many people mistake thirst for hunger, so what may seem like a craving to you could be your body telling you to drink more water. You should aim to drink at least 8-10 cups of water a day.
9) Eat foods with anti-stress vitamins and minerals
These include foods with vitamins A, B6, C and E as well as potassium, magnesium, calcium and zinc. Here are some good sources of each:
Vitamin A: Carrots, sweet potatoes, greens, bell peppers
Vitamin B6: Bananas, salmon, potatoes, chicken, turkey and spinach
Vitamin C: Strawberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, oranges, cauliflower
Vitamin E: Sunflower seeds, almonds, olives, spinach, blueberries, greens
Potassium: Yams, spinach, avocado, lentils, winter squash, bananas
Magnesium: Black beans, navy beans, salmon, spinach, sesame seeds, halibut
Calcium: Greens, sesame seeds, dairy
Zinc: Lean beef or lamb, turkey, green peas, shrimp, sesame seeds
10) And the ALL IMPORTANT number 10:
**Make sure your digestion is top-notch**
All the healthy food in the world will do you and your stress levels no good if your digestion is incomplete and inefficient.
Poor digestion not only worsens stress-related problems like acid reflux, gas, bloating and constipation, but it also reduces your ability to absorb stress-reducing nutrients from your foods.
So the craving bell will continue to ring for you!