A recent survey by the U.S.D.A. found that more than 70 percent of men and over 80 percent of women between the ages of 25 and 50 failed to get even 2/3 of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for one or more vitamins and minerals. To solve your cravings, get curious. What is your body trying to tell you?
Carbohydrate Craving: Possibly a sign of low serotonin, low estrogen levels, and/or insulin resistance. Low serotonin is found in depression.
As I discussed in my book, Healing Depression: A Holistic Guide (New York: Marlowe and Co., 1999), deficiencies of very basic nutrients like Vitamin C, B complex, calcium and magnesium, and essential fatty acids, as well as electrolyte imbalances from inadequate minerals are some of the most common causes of depression.
Many women crave carbs right before their period, when estrogen levels are at their lowest.
Hormonal imbalances are one of the top reasons why many people are unable to lose weight.
Whatever the cause, eat low on the glycemic index, tailor your carb intake to your activity level, consume adequate protein, zinc, and plenty of good essential fatty acids – especially EPA, GLA and Lecithin. Fifty percent of women and 39 percent of men don’t get enough zinc.
If any of this sounds familiar to you, call for a nutrition assessment, 404-350-8581.
Chocolate Cravings: You may need calcium and magnesium. According to the U.S.D.A., 49 percent of women and 32 percent of men don’t get enough calcium, and 49 percent of women and men don’t get enough magnesium.
Cravings for Sweets: Possibly a sign of candida overgrowth from overuse of antibiotics. Build up your digestive system with Shaklee’s Optiflora, the only acidophilus product guaranteed live to your intestines, and talk to me about detoxification.
Cravings for Salty Foods: Can be a symptom of high blood pressure, diabetes, or a sign of adrenal stress. Up your intake of Vitamin C, and make sure you’re getting plenty of magnesium, zinc and B Complex. Thirty percent of women and 19 percent of men lack the R.D.A. for C.
Cravings for Ice: May be a sign of anemia. Low-fat, low-protein diets can cause anemia. The U.S.D.A. says 56 percent of women and 5 percent of men are deficient in iron. Anemia can also result if you’re not getting enough B-12 or folic acid. Low iron impairs your ability to do aerobic exercise and may affect your thyroid function, thereby lowering your metabolism.
Cravings for Peanut Butter: Are you getting enough healthy fats in your diet? Individual requirements for fat may range between 15 and 30 percent of total calories. Ask me to help you figure out which of the 25 body types applies to you – some may not be able to lose weight unless they get enough healthy fat. About 41 percent of women and 34 percent of men don’t get enough Vitamin E.
Top Mistakes of Women Exercisers
Recently, a new client came to me with a dim view of exercise. “Why should I exercise to lose weight,” she asked, “when I see all my friend who are exercising 10 hours a week and not losing weight?”
Based on what I see in my practice, many overzealous women who are exercising make these common mistakes:
Not using a heart rate monitor for aerobic exercise. Working out at too high of an intensity more than two days a week may lead to overproduction of the stress hormone cortisol, which leads to imbalanced hormones and may even lower the metabolism of women with thyroid disorders. If you would like to order an Acumen heart rate monitor, which has a slimmer strap perfect for women, call me at 404-350-8581.
Not eating frequently enough to maintain stable blood sugar, or not eating enough protein. Ask me how to plan your nutrition for your active lifestyle.
Failing to lift weights. Aerobic exercise alone while dieting may break down your muscle tissue, thereby lowering your metabolism.
Medical Researchers Prove Exercise Lowers Your Health Risks
Sometimes, we just need the left-brain facts to motivate ourselves to get off our duffs. Here’s what the latest medical journals have to offer:
Sleep. A 16-week exercise program (30 to 40 minutes of brisk walking or low-impact aerobics four times a week) improved the quality, duration and ease of falling asleep in healthy older adults, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association, 1997.
Gallstones. Active women are 30 percent less likely to have gallstone surgery than sedentary women, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, 1999.
Colon Cancer. The most active people have half the risk of colon cancer of inactive people, according to two journals—the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 1997, and the Annals of Internal Medicine, 1995.
Arthritis. Regular moderate exercise, including aerobic exercise and strength training, can reduce joint swelling and pain in people with arthritis, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association, 1997.
Blood Pressure. According to the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 1992, if you already have high blood pressure, you can lower it by exercising aerobically just three days a week.
Diabetes. Women who walk at least three hours a week have a 40 percent lower risk of diabetes than sedentary women, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association, 1999.
Enlarged Prostate. Men who walked two or three hours a week had a 25 percent lower risk of enlarged prostate than inactive men, according to the Archives of Internal Medicine, 1998.
Osteoporosis. Postmenopausal women who take estrogen gain more bone density if they exercise, according to the Journal of Bone Mineral Research, 1996.