Right in the middle of the time when we are busy with our jobs, kids, and families, and with the current additional economic stress, come the barrage of holiday parties where we have to look great and be at our best. At the most stressful time of year you will be constantly tested, by the extra cookies and goodies that miraculously appear at the office to the never-ending holiday parties chocked full of every sinful food imaginable. Is it humanly possible to resist?
Combating cravings involves a two pronged approach: short-term fixes to help you get through right now and long-term fixes where you correct the underlying imbalance.
Many of the measures that would curb cravings are not always easy or even possible to follow. For example, getting adequate rest alone will cut out a great deal of overeating scenarios. When we are overworked or over tired our bodies naturally gravitate towards quick fuel sources like ice cream and potato chips. Another commonly quoted tip is to never allow yourself to get really hungry. This is another time when we make poor food choices. Before you go to a party or family get together make sure you are not famished.
So you know all of that, but what do you do if you have young kids and/or a demanding job, or what if you’d love to take the time to get balanced and eat right but you need something that will work for tomorrow night? Thankfully there are a few things you can do.
Make an appointment to see a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist for ear acupressure. Ear acupressure works in a similar way to reflexology in that the ears are a microcosm of the body. Stimulating various tiny points on the ears will affect changes in different parts of the body. Ear acupressure has been studied in depth by Western scientists who have even devised a specific protocol called the NADA protocol used in the treatment of addiction, by both detoxifying the body and inhibiting cravings.
Ear acupressure doesn’t hurt and doesn’t pierce the skin. Tiny seeds or magnets are placed on specific points with clear tape. They will stay there for 3-4 days. Simply massage your ear throughout the day as you remember. The whole appointment takes 10-15 min. and you are on your way. This simple treatment is amazingly powerful and you will find that rather than fighting yourself out of a Christmas cookie you will simply not be interested.
Before you leave you will also want to pick up a bottle of Chinese herbal pills that you acupuncturist will pick out specifically for you. These herbs will start addressing the cause of why you get into trouble. Are you low on energy? Or stressed out? Is your absorption poor? The proper herbs will help resolve this, and being in pill form they are easy to take. A popular formula given at this time of year, for example, is Jia Wei Xiao Yao San. This formula addresses stress, inflammation, digestive weakness, and slight anemia, all common causes of gnawing cravings.
Now these are short-term fixes and will not be enough long-term. Long-term change requires an understanding of why your body is craving certain foods. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, cravings arise from an internal imbalance in the body. Cravings can be divided into 2 categories: cravings for sweets or for salty foods.
Cravings for sweets relates to a weakness in digestion and blood deficiency. An effective acupressure point is St 36. This point strengthens digestion, absorption, and builds the blood. Locate the point just below the knee, just lateral to the shin bone.
Cravings for salty foods indicates Kidney deficiency. A powerful point to strengthen the kidneys is KD 6. This point helps to increase stamina, aids in restful sleep, and smoothes urination. Locate it by feeling just under the medial ankle bone. Feel for a tint hollow that is tender to the touch.
To truly correct this problem you will need to consult a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist who will perform regular acupuncture, suggest the proper herbs, and give a dietary guideline to follow. At first, natural medicine will seem demanding, requiring lifestyle changes and tuning into your own body, with positive results coming more gradually than when taking medication, but you will find that you also will experience no side effects and that changes will be permanent because you took the trouble to fix the problem.
