Dreaming About Sugar, Salt, Or Carbs? These Essential Oils Can Help Curb Cravings

Regardless of how obviously or subtly your cravings are harassing you, you can bet that hormonal imbalance is fueling them. Chronic levels of stress cause increased cortisol levels in your body, which shut down your digestive system in favor of survival. In this survival state, your body thinks food is scarce, and it will do whatever it takes to keep you alive. This causes the body to store extra fat around your middle and tricks you into overeating because your brain thinks that it might not get another meal. 

Even if you think that you don't eat that much sugar, you can still be addicted to carbs, which the body then converts into—you guessed it!—sugar. If you pass on the chocolate but indulge in pretzels, chips, and bagels, you are still dealing with a sugar issue.

The good news is that essential oils can be the key to banishing those cravings when you use them to support other healthy lifestyle changes and reduce chronic stress and cortisol. My new book, The Essential Oil Hormone Solution, takes you step by step through the process of making lifestyle changes that both lower cortisol—to communicate to your body that it doesn't need to be in survival mode—and help you cut down on sugar and carbs for better health overall.

Be aware that sugar often goes incognito in foods because the food industry knows how to hide it with tricky wording and ingredients. One of the best nutrition skills you can have is knowing what names sugar might be hiding behind and being able to identify them on the spot.

If you've been snacking on grapes or oranges, you may want to make a switch to berries to lower your daily sugar intake. Fruit sugar is better than processed sugar, but when you add in things like that nightly glass-turned-bottle of wine, you realize how much your body relies on the grape sugar.

You may not be aware of how much you are actually eating or when those cravings occur. Tracking your eating habits as well as exercise can help you to balance your body's needs when it comes to fuel and movement. This will also help you to manage stress levels when you decrease the sugar content and get that body moving.

When you have a craving, see what time it is and how you're feeling. It could be that your body is conditioned to crave a sweet pick-me-up as soon as you feel stressed in the afternoon. Watch for these patterns and try to break the habit by opting for a high-protein snack or water, or use essential oils to rid your body of that craving and calm your nerves.

Foods like nuts, seeds, and berries will help your body get used to feeling fuller without the rush of sugar. Veggies are also a great option for snacks as well, especially when paired with protein like hummus. Even cubes of meat or some jerky can help sustain you without spiking your blood sugar.

Often, your body mistakes thirst for hunger, triggering a snack craving. Try drinking your way through first and see if you still need a snack. Begin carrying a water bottle around with you everywhere so that you are consistently keeping your body hydrated. And more importantly, be sure that you aren't drinking your calories. Get rid of the juices, the sugar-loaded coffees, sweet teas, and especially the soda.

It’s important to note that not all essential oils are safe to digest. The FDA has a current list of approved essential oils that are generally recognized as safe. For more details on the essential oils you should and should never ingest, check out this piece.

Here are some of my favorite ways to utilize essential oils to curb cravings and support the body as it gets used to a healthier lifestyle:

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Add essential oils to diffuser with water three times a day.

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Add the essential oils to a 5 mL glass rollerball bottle and fill the rest with a carrier oil of choice. Replace top and cap, and swirl to combine. To use, roll on your pulse points and inhale deeply to curb cravings.

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Even more important than using essential oils is identifying and getting to know your own triggers so that you can use essential oils preventively. Ask yourself: What causes you to crave certain foods in the first place? Is it lack of sleep? Chronic stress? A social gathering of wine drinkers? Your period? Whatever it may be, try to track it down and be proactive with essential oil. And don't forget to fuel your body properly, get it moving, hydrate, and calm those stress levels to keep your hormones happy!