Are You Constantly Craving Carbs or Tired? Solutions to Balancing Your Blood Sugar Levels

Aug 08, 2015 : Nutrition & Health : cravings, health, nutrition, pregnancy health

Cravings come in all shapes, sizes and areas within our lives. While cravings can be prevalent in expectant moms, they are not just reserved during pregnancy; rather anyone can have food cravings. They are typical when we are nutritionally and/or emotionally out of balance.

When it comes to food cravings, it can be a result of many things such as:

• Chronic Stress – when we are stressed and/or pulled in many directions, we are not in the present moment and can often feel out of control. Food is one of the things that we feel that we have control over.
• Lack of Protein and/or Healthy Fats – when we do not consume enough healthy proteins or healthy fats, our blood sugar can go on a roller coaster ride and cause us to crave carbs and sugar in effort for some quick energy.
• Nutritional Deficiencies – when we do not consume a wide variety of foods to include healthy proteins, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, and water our body will become deficient and out of balance.  As a result, our body will try to compensate and give us “cravings” for certain foods.Ideas to Balance Your Blood Sugar:
• I have personally experienced each of the scenarios. When I have been chronically stressed or did not start my day with a protein packed breakfast, I would typically reach for sugar and carbs mid-morning and then experience a midafternoon slump.

1. Start your day off with a breakfast full of healthy proteins and healthy fats. Some breakfast ideas include: whole food smoothie (ensure it includes protein such as a nut butter, plant based protein powder, hemp seeds, etc along with fats such as chia seeds, avocado, etc), organic eggs, banana/almond butter rollup, etc.
2. Include protein and/or healthy fats at every meal and snack. Protein and fats will help you feel full and satisfied and maintain more balanced blood sugar levels.
3. Focus on consuming primarily whole foods vs. processed foods. Processed foods tend to include extra sugar, salt and artificial colors/sweeteners/etc that can trigger blood sugar imbalances along with food cravings.

When you find yourself craving a certain food or feeling really tired, take a minute to step back and increase your awareness on the reason why.  Are feeling “out of control” and/or stressed, if so, I recommend doing some deep breathing, meditation and positive affirmations to support your emotions and body.  Also, check in with what you have recently consumed, was it a lot of carbs or sugar with little to no healthy fats or protein? If so, your body may just be “asking” for some more energy and nutrients to attain balance and become more sustainable…since it remembers that sugar gave you that “quick fix” earlier, it will most likely give you a signal to want more sugar and carbs.

Melanie is the Wellness Coordinator for Willowsong Midwifery Care, a Certified Health Coach (through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and AADP), and more importantly a mom of 3 small children. She is very passionate about empowering moms and children in attaining overall health and wellness and loves supporting Willowsong Families with health classes, free initial prenatal consults, information via blogging and much more! Melanie approaches health from a holistic perspective, meaning that she believes each component of our lives creates our overall health and wellness. You are welcome to connect with Melanie anytime via email (Melanie@Food4Thoughtdm.com).

Please don’t just take Melanie’s experience…as always consult with your medical professional and your own self understanding when making health decision; Melanie is not a medical professional, a nutritionist or dietician. She does not hold a degree in medicine, dietetics, or nutrition. Melanie makes no claim to any specialized medical training, nor does she dispense medical advice or prescriptions. This content is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, preconception or pregnancy health. It is intended to be provided for informational, educational, and self-empowerment purposes ONLY. Please consult with your doctor or wellness team if you have questions and then make your own well-informed decisions based upon what is best for your unique genetics, culture, conditions, and stage of life.