Craving Sweet? Craving Salt? Craving Both?

Whenever your body is craving something, pause for a moment and think to yourself, "Why am I craving this?"  Do you notice a pattern?  Take a moment to slow down, breathe and truly ask yourself if this is what your body wants or needs.

SWEET
Maybe you are craving something sweet like chocolate, cookies, donuts, fruit or fruit juice.  Try to satisfy your desire with something milder and something that does not contain refined white sugar.

Certain vegetables have a sweet flavor.  Eating a lot of sweet vegetables will satisfy your cravings over time.  This will also help reduce your cravings for sugary, processed foods that contain little to no nutritional value.

You may also try natural sweeteners like green stevia extract or agave nectar.  You may find these items at Whole Foods or a natural health food store.  You can also order online.

Seek out berries - strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are some of my favorites.

Quantity vs. Quality?  Go for quality every time.  You may find that you are satisfied with much less.  Enjoy your food with every bite.  Chew your food slowly for better absorption and digestion.

SALTY
Cravings for salty foods often indicate mineral deficiency.  Salt originates in the sea, and natural sea salt contains 60 different trace minerals.  Our bodies require these minerals to form vitamins, enzymes and proteins.  Most Americans eat a processed diet and use white table salt which has been stripped of these valuable minerals.  You can balance your salt cravings by eating a wide variety of vegetables, especially leafy greens.  Cravings for salt is a sure sign that your body desires more nutrients.  You may want to purchase a high quality sea salt as well.

Seek out a new leafy green and a new sea salt and have fun with it.  Try a new recipe using these ingredients.