Mental Health

The Science Behind Food Cravings

Swathy · September 14, 2023 · Leave a Comment

Originally published in April 2018.

food cravings, why do cravings happen, reasons for cravings, why do we get food cravings

This entire journey of finding out what exactly are food cravings and why do we have them is a result of my own cravings which I have been having since a few months. I have been wanting to eat sweets all the time. I either craved for ice creams at the middle of the night or the cakes and sweetmeats during the day or after every meal.

“If cravings were an indicator of nutritional deficiency, we’d all crave fruits and vegetables,” says Karen Ansel, MS, RD, CDN. “The fact that we all want high carb, high fat comfort foods, along with the research, is a pretty good indicator that cravings aren’t related to deficiencies. (Source)”

And, curiously, I do not have a sweet tooth. I, in fact, mix my sweets with snacks so as to balance out my palate. And, that made me concerned if I was getting diabetes or suffering from pre-diabetes.

I confirmed the same with my doctor since I am getting treated for my acute folic acid deficiency. He completely denied the assertion that cravings have anything to do with diabetes or pre-diabetes for that matter.

Anyways, getting back to the topic, turns out that it is quite normal to crave any food which stabilizes you emotionally. Hunger and emotions play a huge role in onset of cravings but there is a lot more involved in it. So, let us see why do cravings happen?

Table of Contents

Are you pregnant?

If yes, it is quite prevalent that pregnant women have the craziest food cravings ever! So, moving on.

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How to Manage Mental Health and Stress?

S&S Partners · August 21, 2018 · 2 Comments

apollo, scleroderma, mental health, stress — Image Courtesy via pexels.com

Mental Health is one of the most understated issues of the day. We rush to the doctors on the first physical symptom of illness but continuous stress and struggle with life does not impress us enough to take our mental health seriously. It is quite important for people to realize healthy brain is essential for a healthy life. And, our lifestyle and relationships have a particular affect on how healthy our brain is.

Our body can undergo biological and chemical changes due to our mental health and in turn it can affect our heart condition. So, it is imperative that we learn to manage both our mental and physical health for overall well-being. So, let us see how we can manage the enormous amount of stress prevailing in our lives.

How to manage Mental Health and Stress?

Create a Healthy Work-Life Balance

Excessive working hours and stressing out too much about career is detrimental to our health. This is especially true for women and if you are a working mother, stress and hectic work life can take a real toll. Depending on how demanding your role is, the amount of decisions which rest with you and security of the job are all factors which lead to stress.

Financial Planning

How to Take Care of Your Health Post 30?

S&S Partners · February 28, 2018 · 3 Comments

Turning 30 is a milestone. You are almost half-way through your life and possibly settled with a decent and stable job, already own a home and have a family. All the rush and indecisiveness of the 20s are way behind you and it is time to face the adult life. The first thing to take stock of is your body. Your body is changing and slowing down. Time to listen to it and respect it. So, here are a few tips to make your life and health post 30 easy.

How to take care of Health post 30?

Keep an eye on your Bone Health and Muscle Mass

Though it is projected for women more, the bone density of men also suffers once they hit 30. So, man or woman, it is time to increase your calcium intake and exposure to sunlight. Keep an eye on those vitamin D levels to keep stress and fatigue away, and to ensure proper absorption of calcium.

Just like your bones get old and frail, so do your muscles lose their mass by almost 5% every decade. Health post 30 is not exactly a cake walk so make sure to would include physical activities and variance in your workout routine every 4-6 weeks, so that your muscles do not get used to the same movements and go through a little variation now and then.