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Snack Attack Sabotage

 

You have a hormone imbalance (you suspect it’s adrenal fatigue) and lately your eating habits have been horrible due to a lack of energy and your busy lifestyle.

 

The one thing you fall for time and time again is unhealthy snacks. Cravings for sweet or salty and crunchy hit you and can’t concentrate on the task at hand unless you do something about it. Sometimes you ruin your appetite and snack right through dinner because you went for the treats as soon as you got home from work.

 

Unfortunately, if you don’t get a handle on your cravings you sabotage more than just your appetite and weight loss efforts. Impulsive snacking is disruptive to your hormones, and will keep you from healing your adrenal fatigue and feeling like yourself again.

 

It’s Only Natural

 

I want you to realize that it’s not your fault if you sabotage your efforts to lose weight and get your energy up by indulging your cravings for sweets or chips.

 

Why? In essence, cravings are the body’s way of letting you know it’s unbalanced. And when you’re burnt out, your cravings are an indicator of your stage of adrenal fatigue.

 

So here’s a breakdown of what your cravings say about your stage of adrenal fatigue and what you can snack on instead to satisfy and heal yourself at the same time.

cravings

Sweet Treats

 

When your body is low energy it craves instant forms of energy so it can meet the demands you set for it.  Instant energy comes from simple carbohydrates, like fruit, sweet treats and lattes. Craving sweets is likely a sign that you are in the ‘stressed’ stage of adrenal fatigue.

 

Swap simple sweets for an option that combines sweet with protein, fat and fibre. Try 2 tablespoons of sugar-free nut butter with 4 celery sticks.

 

Deliciously Salty

 

Do you crave salty snacks like chips, pretzels, roasted & salted nuts or popcorn with a salty flavoring? It could be a sign you are in the ‘crashed’ stage. Your adrenals need minerals to rebuild themselves, and your body knows it can get that from good quality salt.

 

Give your body what it needs and put a salty spin on the hormone balancing trio of protein, fat and fibre. Make some canapes with 8 olives and 2 slices of prosciutto on top of fresh cucumber slices.

cravings

The Crunch Factor

 

Cravings for crunchy foods is a sign that the body is really feeling the stress. For example, studies have found that chewing on gum does help to reduce anxiety and cortisol levels in stressful situations. However, chewing away your stress doesn’t get to the root of the problem.

 

It’s important to satisfy the crunch factor and stabilize blood sugar to reduce stress from the inside out. Combine something that’s naturally crunchy with some protein, fat and fibre and you’ll prevent yourself from eating more than your fair share of crunchy snacks! A quarter cup of hummus with a handful of your favorite crunchy veggies could be the answer. Try fermented veggies for an extra flavor boost!

 

Balance Blood Sugar

 

No matter what stage of adrenal fatigue you’re in, you need to work to balance your blood sugar. An imbalance in blood sugar creates an imbalance of the hormone insulin, which affects your body’s ability to prioritize other hormone production. The end result is internal stress affecting the body.

 

To heal adrenal fatigue, it’s important to reduce all types of stress you have control over. Stress caused by your nutrition is one of those areas under your control!

 

So I’ve come up with a ‘craving buster’ drink that works to balance your blood sugar using apple cider vinegar (ACV). Because of the acetic acid, ACV has been shown to balance blood sugar. In addition, many people attest to the power ACV has to minimize sugar cravings, since this type of craving is linked to a blood sugar imbalance.

 

You can drink this in the morning or evening to guard against cravings, or during the day when you have a snack attack. Regardless if you have this mixture on hand or not, your first line of defense should be hydration (pure water or herbal tea) when you’re craving!

 

Essential Ingredients

 

Here’s the backstory on why I chose to include these select ingredients in my craving buster drink:

 

True Cinnamon Powder- unlike it’s look-alike ‘cassia’, true cinnamon has blood sugar balancing properties plus a natural sweetness.

 

Lemon Juice- your adrenal glands require Vitamin C to function properly, and lemon juice is a good source.

 

Ginger Root- is naturally anti-inflammatory, which will help bring down any bloating. It also has a fresh, spicy flavor.

 

Sea Salt- provides essential minerals for the adrenal glands.

 

Now you know how much of an impact unhealthy snacks have on your adrenal healing plan. As you can see, cravings are a symptom of adrenal fatigue and you need a plan to address them when they arise.

 

You can integrate the trio of protein, fat and fibre when you prepare healthy snack options for yourself, or try the Cider Vinegar Craving Buster to easily and quickly balance your blood sugar.

 

If you’re looking for more ways to improve your nutrition to heal your adrenal fatigue, check out our other blogs:

 

A Day In The Life: Essential Adrenal Healing Routines

 

The Ultimate Adrenal Fatigue Weight Loss Guide

 

7 Unexpected Types Of Stress That Keep You Fatigued