Coping With Cravings

Moderation is key to satisfying your sweet tooth or salt craving.

Have you ever felt you absolutely must have a piece of chocolate, a potato chip (oh, let's get real -- an entire bag of potato chips), or a box of Krispy Kremes?

Those food cravings are not a sign of weakness on your part. If you crave certain foods like cereals, grains, and sugar, you may actually be addicted to them, says James Braly, MD, medical director of York Nutritional Laboratories and author of Food Allergy Relief.

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People with a food addiction may have symptoms like headaches, insomnia, irritability, mood changes, and depression, Braly says. They can relieve these symptoms -- but only temporarily -- by eating the foods they crave.

Most often, the foods we crave are processed carbohydrates. These change the brain's chemistry, increasing the level of serotonin, our feel-good neurochemical.

Boost Serotonin Right

"People with food cravings may actually have neurochemical and hormonal imbalances that trigger these cravings," Braly says.

If you think you may be serotonin-deficient and want to increase your serotonin levels without resorting to a pint of mint chocolate chip, Braly suggests trying these alternatives:

• Identify and eliminate suspected food allergens -- paying special attention to gluten (wheat, rye, oats, etc.) and milk products.
• Avoid alcohol.
• Avoid stimulants like caffeinated drinks, cigarettes, and amphetamines.
• Increase your exposure to bright light or sunlight to 1-2 hours a day.
• Get 60 minutes of moderate or moderately intense exercise every day.
• Make sure you get enough deep, restful sleep every night.

• 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)
• Ginkgo biloba
• Acetyl-L carnitine
• St. John's wort
• Vitamin B-6
• NADH (vitamin B-3 derivative)
• SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine)

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