HU Consulting gets a lot of questions from women on the path to improving their health. IN my clinic, Life Source Acupuncture, I also get a lot of very good questions so I've decided to answer them in my blog so everyone can benefit. As an interviewer, I absolutely love questions and always pay attention to the good ones that come along! So thank you to everyone for asking.
This question about reducing sugar and flour cravings comes from a 48 year- old scorpio woman who takes medication for high blood pressure. Here is my response:
IN Chinese medicine, every organ/meridian is associated with a flavor. The flavor of sweet is the spleen. Our spleen is closely involved with our thinking, our exercise, everything that we eat and the production of blood. One can assume that if your blood pressure is high, chances are your mental energy is also high. In Chinese language, the character for heart and mind are the same: xin. Who is to say exactly which came first? A racing heart or a racing mind but chances are, it was the racing mind. So, in mind, body and energy medicine we have to begin strengthening our spleen, which will reduce our sugar cravings, by taming the mind. The best way to tame your mind is to begin a practice of meditation. Meditation is all about creating the awareness and space to watch your thoughts without really getting involved with them.
Secondly, what you eat will have a direct impact on your spleen. For a quick antedote to sugar cravings, try sour. Instead of eating a cookie, try squeezing lemon into water and watch your cravings for sugar dissolve. And let's remember, not all sugars are created equal. There is a huge difference between eating a naturally sweetened raw cacao (chocolate) bar and a hershey's kiss. The main difference being that it is very difficult to eat 5 raw chocolate bars in a row and very easy to eat any 5 hershey's bars in a row. When you eat processed sugar, it amps up your spleen and sets you up for the craving of more!
Thirdly, let yourself indulge in the good sweets and carbs instead of taking the complete deprivation approach! Living a deprived life will only set you up for failure. The world of raw desserts is endless and completely fulfilling.
Lastly, if you think you may be craving sweets and flour due to a systemic fungal or yeast infection, then your cravings are based on feeding the yeast. It is imperative to treat yourself for this and the best way that I know is the Body Ecology Diet. When you are on this diet, your cravings will naturally subside and your energy will return so quickly you will be amazed. www.bodyecologydiet.com
