Even as I sit here typing, I am thinking how nice it would be to have a salty snack! One part of me would label that as a craving and go grab something salty to snack on, BUT the other side of me recognizes that I really don’t want to sit and write a blog today so me “craving” a snack might be better labeled as, not to brag or anything, a way too often used avoidance technique that I have most definitely perfected. I mean recognizing our issues is the first step, right? OK back to the point… I have also learned to recognize that when I crave something salty my body is actually in need of hydration. Cravings can come on for many different reasons and in many different forms. Today I wanted to focus on a blog about our physical growth so I will try and keep that in the forefront. Our bodies are amazing super computers. They know exactly what chemical reaction or vitamins we are in need of. When we have a sweet craving, it might be that what we are desiring is a dopamine “hit”. Popping a sweet treat in our mouth sounds way less time consuming and requires much less effort than let’s say going for a walk or finding a warm hug to be embraced in. When we start looking to fill our cravings outside of the kitchen, things become a little more complicated. Each person has to take the time to figure out their habits and ask themselves why they formed the habit and if it’s the healthiest way to handle their cravings. I remember being in high school and every time I had a highly emotional day I fixed it by eating a candy bar. Even now when I have a very emotional day, which thankfully doesn’t happen very often, I find my mind thinking about a candy bar! Now all I can think about is how much I want a candy bar… I digress. Look at me, all “cravings” aside, getting my blog post written! As distracted as my post is today I hope you take away from it that the kitchen, while a great resource, can also be a stumbling block on our journey to health! It’s not just about what we eat but about why we eat it. I look forward to walking beside you as we working through the process of figuring that out.
