The body is an amazing source of intelligence. It is always there for you, pumping blood, never skipping a heartbeat, digesting whatever food you put in it, and maintaining homeostasis. Is this reliable, intelligent bio-computer making a mistake by craving ice cream or a hamburger or chocolate? Are cravings due to lack of willpower or discipline? I’d like to suggest that cravings are not a problem. They are critical pieces of information that tell you what your body needs.

The important thing is to understand why you crave what you crave. Perhaps your diet is too strict, devoid of essential nutrients. Perhaps you are living a lifestyle that is too boring or stressful. Your body tries to correct the imbalance by sending you a message: a craving. A craving for something sweet could mean you need more protein, more exercise, more water, or more love in your life. The key to stopping the sugar craving is to understand what your body really needs.

Your body knows best and is always trying to create balance. However, products like refined foods, sugar, caffeine, alcohol and drugs, which have little or no nutritional value, are confusing to the body. They throw it off balance and can create serious cravings, as your body tries to get what it needs to restore internal harmony. The more your food is whole and healthy, the easier it is for your body to stay in balance, giving you a happier, healthier life.

No book or theory can tell you what to eat, only awareness of your body and its needs. Of all the relationships in our life, the one with our body is most essential, and it takes communication, love, and time to cultivate. As you learn to decipher and respond to your body’s cravings, you will create a deep lasting level of health and balance.

The next time you have a craving, treat it as a loving message from your body instead of as a weakness. Try these steps to respond to your body:

• First have a glass of water and wait ten minutes.
• Eat a healthier version of what you crave. For example, if you crave sweets, try eating more fruit and sweet or root vegetables.
• What is out of balance in you life? Is there something you need to express, something being repressed? What happened in your life just before you had this craving?
• When you eat the food you are craving, eat the best quality version of it. Eat it consciously...enjoy it, taste it, savor it; notice its affects. Then you can be more aware and free to decide if you really want it next time.

Who among us doesn’t love sweets? The sweet flavor releases serotonin in our brains, the chemical responsible for our sense of well-being and contentment. But when it comes to sweeteners, not all are created equal. There are side effects and health risks from refined sweeteners like white table sugar and high fructose corn syrup, and from artificial sweeteners like NutraSweet, saccharin and Splenda. Because they have been stripped of vitamins, minerals and fiber, refined sweeteners can spike our blood sugar, which can lead to cravings and mood and energy fluctuations. Using natural, minimally processed sweeteners instead can reduce cravings for sugary things, even out blood sugar ups and downs, stabilize our moods and have a dramatically positive effect on our long-term health.

Here are few natural sweeteners to substitute in drinks, on food and in baking. Since they are all approximately 1.5 times sweeter than refined sugar, you can use less. You can find them in most supermarkets or natural food stores. When replacing sugar with liquid sweeteners in a recipe, reduce the amounts of other liquids. There are others, too, which I'm happy to discuss with you as well.

Raw Honey Everyone seems to love honey, one of the oldest natural sweeteners available. Honey will have a different flavor depending on the plant source, some very dark and intensely flavored. Wherever possible, choose raw honey, as it is unrefined and contains small amounts of enzymes, minerals, and vitamins.

Agave Nectar My favorite sweet discovery! Agave is made through the extraction and purification of the juice of the agave cactus. It does not stimulate insulin secretion as other sugars do, so it does not create a "sugar rush." It has a delightfully light and mild flavor -- a little goes a long way.

Maple Syrup Maple syrup is the concentrated extract of the sap of maple trees. It adds a rich, deep flavor to foods and drinks, Make sure to look for 100% pure maple syrup, not maple-flavored corn syrup. As with all sweeteners, organic varieties are best. Grade "B" maple syrup has a more intense flavor and is great for baking.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2-3 apples
• 2-3 peaches or pears
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 cup raisins
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup walnuts, or nuts of your choice
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
• 2 tablespoons honey

Directions:

1. Wash, core and chop fruit into slices or chunks.
2. Place in a large saucepan with 1/3 cup water. Add the maple syrup and raisins.
3. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
4. Add lemon juice and cinnamon. Cook for another 10 minutes, until soft.
5. While fruit is cooking, place chopped nuts in a skillet over medium heat and toast, stirring often for 5 minutes.
6. Drizzle honey over the nuts and add ginger, but keep stirring since the honey can easily burn.
7. Top warm fruit with toasted nuts and enjoy!

OCTOBER 23-NOVEMBER 13 -- 4-WEEK NUTRITION SERIES AT THE ADULT SCHOOL OF MONTCLAIR Registration is now open for this fun, informative and interactive discussion and demonstration series. Whether you take one class or all four, you'll learn to understand your peskiest food cravings, find out how to truly nourish yourself, and prepare tasty, easy and healthful meals. Classes meet on 4 consecutive Mondays at 7.30 PM -- register for one or all.

October 23: Beat The Sugar Blues If you can’t imagine life without dessert, come to this class! Sugar is a major addiction. Discover ways to overcome cravings that do not involve will power. Learn how to incorporate healthy, nourishing sweetness into your diet and your life.
October 30: Kick The Caffeine Habit Are you one of those people who can’t get going in the morning without that cup of coffee? Caffeine is a drug, and coffee is an efficient drug delivery system. Learn to cut back on your habit without discomfort, and find alternative ways to achieve the energy and pleasure that comes from the coffee experience.
November 6: Grains For Great Meals Too busy to spend long hours in the kitchen cooking up delicious, healthy meals? This cooking demonstration will help you see that with a little advance planning, and an understanding of how to use whole grains as the basis of your meals, you can create many delicious food options from one main dish.
November 13: Glorious Greens Green vegetables are the foods most missing in modern diets. Cooking greens correctly is essential for optimum health. In this cooking demonstration and tasting, re-discover the wide world of dark green leafy vegetables, how to shop for them, and how to prepare them.

STARTING IN OCTOBER -- 6-MONTH HOLISTIC NUTRITION GROUP
Would you like to learn how to tune into your body's unique nutritional needs, understand the connection between food and mood, achieve lasting improvements in your energy and vitality, and experience fabulous new foods and ways of eating...all while enjoying the supportive company of like-minded individuals? Find out about my group program, with all the benefits of individual health counseling in an affordable, small group format.

Contact me for more information, location details, and to reserve your place.
shininglifenutrition@gmail.com/973.736.0980

Have you been wanting to improve your eating habits, feel confident in choosing and preparing better food for your self and your family, find balance in all areas of your life, and experience a lasting increase in your energy? Not sure where to begin – or how to stay on course? As a Holistic Health Counselor, I am committed to being your guide and advocate on the path toward health and vitality. I can help you clear away the clutter of old food and lifestyle habits so that your best self can shine out to the world. Working together, you’ll learn to tune into your body’s innate wisdom, find clarity about what really nourishes you, and move closer to the balance that’s essential for accomplishing all that you came here to do. Please contact me for a complimentary one-hour consultation.

email: shininglifenutrition@gmail.com

phone: 973-736-0980

web: http://www.shininglifenutrition.com