Cravings + Coping with Negative Emotions Around the Holidays ❤️💚
First, I want to start out by expressing my sincere gratitude to anyone of you that have been following along on my journey thus far and reading this blog… I started sharing recipes and thoughts on life in this space about 2 years ago and feel so incredibly grateful in how it’s evolved into so much more. If you’re reading this, I just want to tell you that I appreciate you so much, and want to thank you for being here. ❤️
I’m writing this inside of my very cozy Air Bnb in Bend, Oregon. Snow is piling up outside, Michael Buble is playing, and I’m enjoying a very nice cup of hot coffee. Feeling all the winter snugly vibes.
Here’s a photo of my dog, Koa, on our first snowy walk of the season!
Today I’m diving into the topic of cravings and coping with negative emotions around the holidays…
For some of us, I know, the holidays can be really challenging. If you’re without family, you’ve experienced loss or relationship changes, or maybe your family triggers you (I feel we can all admit to this at times), I just want you to know YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
I’m without family this year, which isn’t totally not normal for me. My family doesn’t gather often, but I will say I miss them a lot. So with that, I want to share some of my top tips for coping with depression, loneliness, anxiety, and high stress around the holidays…
Practice self love, compassion, and acceptance. I know this goes easier said than done, but really, keep reminding yourself that where you are is exactly where you need to be. Practice instant forgiveness. No one is perfect, and as much as other people may be portraying outwardly how awesome their holiday is going, we all have our pain points. You are so incredibly loved, you are meant to be here, honor your emotions.
Now is the moment to devote more time cultivating mindfulness and self awareness. It’s easy to feel swept off your feet during the holiday season, but this is the time where it’s extra important to do the things that allow you to tune back into yourself. My favorite ways: yoga, meditation, journaling, getting outside, and talking to someone I can confide in.
Block off time for yourself. If you have a busy schedule come the holidays, plan time for you. Your family and friends will appreciate it, trust me. Also, in moments of overwhelm, take a step away. I myself am a recovering people pleaser, so I know how hard it feels when your thrown into a storm of making sure everyone else is happy. But, remember, your happiness actually matters the most, so give yourself the gift of time.
I hope these tips help you this holiday season… and with that, let’s talk about CRAVINGS.
I love this topic because cravings are actually an amazing signal to recognize some of what’s going on for us physiologically and psychologically.
Physiologically
Cravings can be a really good way to gauge if we are in need of a missing micro or macro nutrient. Often times, we are susceptible to choosing some of the more unhealthy options when these cravings come on. I’m breaking it down for you so you can take the best care of your body with foods that nourish from the inside out…
Chocolate: this is big one, especially for women during our time of the month. I’m all about some dark chocolate in moderation, but often times chocolate cravings can really be signaling a magnesium deficiency. Some foods to incorporate into your diet: raw nuts, like almonds or cashews, hemp seeds, dates, chia seeds, & sea vegetables.
Sugar/ sweets: sometimes sweet cravings can indicate an absence of sufficient carbohydrates. Take note on what you’ve eaten throughout the day and if you’ve been skimping on some healthy forms of carbohydrates (i.e. fruits, veggies, whole grains, etc.). Sweet cravings can also signal certain micro nutrient deficiencies like chromium, phosphorus, sulfur, & tryptophan. Some foods to incorporate: sea vegetables, mushrooms, beets, broccoli, grapes, legumes, whole grains, chia seeds, garlic, onions, kale, cabbage, sweet potato, & spinach.
Bread cravings: could signal nitrogen deficiency. Foods to include: beets, dark leafy greens, nuts, & seeds.
Fatty/ oily snack foods: could signal the need for calcium or healthy fats. Foods to include: dark leafy greens, legumes, sesame seeds/ tahini, chia seeds.
Coffee/ tea: could signal a phosphorus, sulfur, sodium, or iron deficiency. Foods to include: mineral rich greens/ veggies, sea vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, whole grains, red peppers, garlic, onions, & sea salt.
Psychologically
There is a huge connection between emotions and cravings. When you feel a craving come on, take a few breaths to tune in, and question yourself if it’s a physiological craving or if it’s really stemming from an emotion. I would say that more often than not, cravings are emotional. This is where self awareness is absolute.
Sweet cravings = missing joy or needing comfort. Sweet cravings can come on when we’re moving really fast from one thing to the next. Often times we feel overwhelmed, stressed, and depleted. There is a lack of joy or literal sweetness in life. Take this as a cue to bring in more activities that bring you pleasure, like reading a book, going to a movie, or watching the sunset, and see if the craving subsides.
Spicy cravings = seeking intensity/ action. Spicy food cravings can be a signal that we need to shake things up & bring in some excitement. Take a risk and get outside of your comfort zone! Maybe take a trip somewhere new or go dancing. Get spicy! 😜
Salty cravings = need to be more in flow & be with what is. Salty food cravings can signal a need to relax. Try doing something that gives you more ease. Meditate, take a warm bath, or participate in an activity that gets you in the flow (i.e. yoga, dancing, swimming, creating, art, music, walking).
Caffeine = need to feel like we have control and that we are keeping up with everyone else. A lot of times when we are craving caffeine, we actually need the opposite: rest. It’s easy to get swept up in our fast paced society, but often times what we really need is restoration and time to explore what’s really going on inside. I’m guilty of hiding behind a busy schedule… as the busy is a great way to avoid some of the deeper feelings inside. Take this as an opportunity to stop & reflect.