Are You Dealing with Memory Driven Food Cravings or Habits?

A lot of the patients I work with have cravings that are so strong, and persistent that they've lost hope that things will ever change for them. These folks are often dealing with a memory driven craving. 

These types of cravings often won't respond to psychotherapy, behavior modification, nutritional intervention or education, hormone balancing, etc. How do I know this?  The patients that come to me have often done all of these or some combination without a desired result. They may figure out why they're craving, know what to do about it, but they still crave. Or, they do fine with a change in food habits until a stressful event occurs.

So, here's a short list of questions to ask yourself that may save you some your time, energy and resources, let alone frustration. It may be helpful to know that your cravings or unwanted food habits aren't a sign of a character flaw, endocrine imbalance or whatever, and you don't have to 'fix' them in the way you might think.

Questions to Ask Yourself

1. Does anyone in your family share the same food habit pattern?
    
2. Have you tried many things to try to change this habit without long term success?
    
3. Does this habit intensify with stress?
    
4. Do you have pleasant childhood memories of eating similar foods?
    
5. Does it feel like the habit is in charge and your willpower is simply not enough?

If you answered Yes, to any of these, it could mean that your cravings or food habits are memory driven. These typed of cravings or behaviors are difficult to change unless the source of the issue is addressed.

Using Acupressure is a great way to address and satisfy these cravings and change these habits. It's truly the only thing that's worked for me and it's worked for a lot of my patients. If you know of a better way, please comment and let me know, I'm all ears.

Yours in Health,

Kara

Kara Sorensen, MS, LAc
The Food Craving Solution
15066 Los Gatos-Almaden Rd
Suite 200
Los Gatos, CA
e: kara(at)karasorensen.com
p: 408.805.5272 (KARA)
p: 800.514.1406

Changing Food Habits...Why is it SO Hard?

Some food habits are really hard to break. We know better, we try to change them, but we still falter. It happens to the best of us, and it has nothing to do with willpower, character or intelligence. Rather, it's usually about food memory, and that's why it's been so hard to change.

When I'm working with patients around changing their unwanted food habits or behaviors, I often find myself saying

'You can't fight brain chemistry, brain chemistry always wins.'

That's because our brain or nervous system remembers and repeats behavior that has worked in the past, and it's based on emotional memory.

When we have a habit, it's serving a purpose. It may not be the outcome we want, but it's what our brain knows as the best way to meet our current moment needs. It's really in the moment, not based on consequences. The more outmoded the behavior is, the more distress it brings us.

For example, if we're having a low moment and we've had good success with elevating our mood with simple carbohydrates, for example a cookie, that is often what we'll want. There may be a better way to raise our mood, but if there's one thing we know, it's that certain cookie will do it, so why look any further. That's our brain talking, and it's likely a cookie like one we had as a child.

But, what if you know you don't really want to eat that cookie in your present day life. You're not really hungry and you know that while the cookie tastes and feels good initially, it will send you for a drop in blood sugar and mood later on. You've done this before; it doesn't feel good, yet the habit pattern is so hard to break. There's a reason it's a hard habit to break, but there is a solution.

The Key to Changing Habits

The key to changing these habits is to find a better way to meet the needs of your brain chemistry. When I work with patients, and they contemplate their habits or cravings while holding their own Acupressure points, they can see this pattern and how it plays out. They can see how this need has been met with the cookie; it makes perfect sense. A side effect of this process, is a fading of guilt and shame, as it makes sense why we've been doing what we;ve been doing.

The great part is that we also see other ways this need can be met, and these ways usually don't involve food. They're usually some inner feeling that was previously unavailable without the cookie that becomes more available with or without the cookie. Sometimes it's an activity that will feel better, like taking time for oneself, getting more exercise or discontinuing something that isn't working in their lives. Whatever it is, it's totally unique to that person, because our habits are truly unique to each of us, even if we crave the same food.

Where Do These Habits Come From?

These habits most often come from our childhood. Someone we loved gave us a treat, it felt good and we had a nice boost in happy brain chemicals. Emotional memories are made when we feel strong emotion and it's inprinted in our nervous system. That food (the cookie) then gets attached to that yummy feeling and when we crave that feeling, that food (the cookie) is the first thing our brain wants.

We may be totally unaware of this or completely aware of it, and it happens in a split second. When we look at these habits with Acupressure, the memory gets updated. We can still remember that feeling, but we don't need to have that particular food in order to experience it. There's a little more breathing room available. We're then free to make choices; we're not driven by our habits any longer. We may even want that cookie, but we'll be more aware and know that it's a choice. If we see that cookie, we may remember that we like it, but we're not driven to eat it, we have a calmer and more peaceful feeling. And best of all, we have choice.

If you're having a hard time breaking a food habit, it may be related to an old memory driving your craving. It's not your fault, it's not about weakness, lack of willpower or anything else. Just know that if this is the case, I can help you, contact me; I'm here to help.

Yours in Health,

Kara

Kara Sorensen, MS, LAc
The Food Craving Solution
15066 Los Gatos-Almaden Rd
Suite 200
Los Gatos, CA
e: kara(at)karasorensen.com
p: 408.805.5272 (KARA)
p: 800.514.1406

I Crave Creamy Foods

Not all cravings are related to hormones or nutritional issues. Oftentimes, they're related to food memories. I've written about this before, but I'll say it again as I'm just not seeing anyone else out there addressing these types of cravings, and they're very very common.

These cravings can be for something creamy, sweet and cold like ice cream, creamy sweet and warm like tea with milk and honey or creamy, salty and warm like macaroni and cheese, etc. You get the picture, yes?

These cravings come about, often when we're feeling the need for some comfort or pleasure in our lives. It can be a momentary thing or it can be an ongoing craving. These cravings will likely come back unless we find out what's underneath the craving; what's driving our behavior. That's where Acupressure comes in as it's SO good at helping you find out what's underneath your food cravings or food habits, so they can change. So, I can share a little bit with you, just so you get an idea of these types of cravings and how they drive your behavior. Let's do this in the form of anonymous case studies.

The Acupuncturist That Craved Warm Tea

This very intelligent woman craved tea and was drinking several cups throughout day, and felt jittery. She obviously knew a lot about health, and knew this wasn't a good habit for her, but she couldn't change the habit. We did an Acupressure session and she remembered how her busy Mom would give her tea when she wasn't feeling well. Her Mom brought her the tea, she sipped it and it was a little bit of heaven for her. She could remember the warm, sweet creaminess, the love and how good it made her feel. It was a food memory based on her mother.

So, in her present day adult life, that memory was driving her desire and need for tea, though she'd long since forgotten it. After her session, and the memory was reintegrated, she was able to go days without tea, but could also enjoy tea. She was no longer felt driven to drink it, but also felt no loss for not drinking it. That's Peace with Food in my book.

The Psychotherapist That Craved Pasta

This was another very intelligent woman and she had a 'thing' about pasta. She came from an Italian family and having warm, creamy pasta was a heavenly treat for her. She felt like she was craving it more than she'd like, going back for seconds when she prepared it for her family. Once again, this food behavior was all linked back to her family of origin. They ate pasta, and the warm creaminess had a strong hold on her, due to the memories of home.

As an adult, using the Acupressure points, she could still remember the feeling around her dinner table and how good that warm creamy pasta tasted and felt. After her session, she was able to easily stop eating pasta after meals, and felt like she could take it or leave it. Once again, that's Peace with Food.

Help for Food Cravings Driven by Food Memories

So, if you have similar cravings or food habits, and you've been unable to change your habits, dig a little more and maybe you'll find that your cravings and food habits are driven by memory. How you'll change that, I'm not sure, as I just know that Acupressure does it so well. When I find another way, I'll certainly let you know.

I can tell you that your cravings and food habits are not driven by lack of willpower, weakness or some other character flaw. This I know, and if we work together, you'll know this too.

If your looking for solutions for food cravings and other habits with food, I can help you make peace with food, contact me; I'm here to help.

Yours in Health,

Kara

Kara Sorensen, MS, LAc
The Food Craving Solution
15066 Los Gatos-Almaden Rd
Suite 200
Los Gatos, CA
e: kara(at)karasorensen.com
p: 408.805.5272 (KARA)
p: 800.514.1406