Late night cravings?

[ejr1069]

Lately, I have been snacking in the midle of the night. I wake up and can't seem to get back to sleep unless I eat something. It's not for lack of sufficient calories during the day. I eat plenty. But maybe I am missing certain nutrients? That's my theory anyway. I tend to view cravings as your bodies way ot telling you that you need a certain nutrient that is in whatever food you are craving.

 

My craving lately has been wholewheat bagels or cereal. Does anyone else have these? My rule of thumb is generally to not eat after 8 PM. But for the last 3 nights I have snacked after 11PM.

 

Any ideas as to what could be going on? Shoudl I give in to the craving? How to curb them?

[Marblehead]

I think your theory is probably valid. Our body does mosttimes tell us what we need.

 

I really can't help though. Trial and error is your best bet unless someone sees this and has some good suggestions.

 

Best wishes.

[mYTHmAKER]

Lately, I have been snacking in the midle of the night. I wake up and can't seem to get back to sleep unless I eat something. It's not for lack of sufficient calories during the day. I eat plenty. But maybe I am missing certain nutrients? That's my theory anyway. I tend to view cravings as your bodies way ot telling you that you need a certain nutrient that is in whatever food you are craving.

 

My craving lately has been wholewheat bagels or cereal. Does anyone else have these? My rule of thumb is generally to not eat after 8 PM. But for the last 3 nights I have snacked after 11PM.

 

Any ideas as to what could be going on? Shoudl I give in to the craving? How to curb them?

 

Try eating beans with your dinner

[ejr1069]

Try eating beans with your dinner

 

It's funny that you mention that, because I had that very thought this morning. I plan on fixing either some vegetarian chili or red beans and rice. I was thinking that my body might be craving more b vitamins.

[manitou]

erj - what funny synchronicity that you should start this thread.

 

My husband Joe is going through something extremely similar. He goes to sleep at night, then wakes up around 1 in the morning and has to go get chocolate! Not a little chocolate - about 2 pounds of Hershey's Kisses - and then eats himself to sleep again.

 

This is horrible. He wakes up in the morning and sees all the candy wrappers and he feels HORRIBLE. This is what he is doing to himself, for some reason. He is recreating a level of self-loathing that seems to be an old comfort-zone for him. He hates himself every morning.

 

I've suggested trying to modify the behavior; at this point, for the past 2 nights, he's been able to get up and go to Tim Horton's instead, and drink a cup of decaf and a blueberry muffin. Although last night he said he had to have 2 blueberry muffins. (It's still a heck of a lot better than 2 pounds of chocolate).

 

But we are both recovering alcoholics, sober many years. Addiction is my middle name. I do believe in Joe's case he is actually recreating a type of 'dry drunk', which is not all that unusual for recovering alkies, particularly because alcohol and sugar metabolize similarly. His inner journey has been incredible, and he's been impeccable about doing it from day one, 20 years ago. But apparently he has gotten down to something now - something that doesn't want to reveal itself to him - and it's doing its best to direct his attention elsewhere. Like...on the fact that he's recently gained about 30 pounds from this ridiculous and obsessive behavior.

 

I sure wish you the best of luck sorting this out, erj.....seeing as your obsession is of a healthier variety, maybe the dietary facets are the important thing in your case. If that's the case, maybe kick up your intake of what you're craving during the day rather than at night? If it still happens, despite the voluntary increase in grains, etc, yours might be an internal thing too. Any time we HAVE to act in a way that we don't want, this is definitely something to be addressed. In Joe's case, there's nothing dietary about it at all. It's an inner journey thing, and he's going to have to be the one to find it. I suggested to him that he ask Great Spirit to help him see it; once that's done, then Great Spirit usually brings around the circumstances over and over until we see what it is we're supposed to see, and learn from it.

 

Very best wishes to you,

 

Barbara

Edited May 18, 2011 by manitou

[三江源]

Lately, I have been snacking in the midle of the night. I wake up and can't seem to get back to sleep unless I eat something. It's not for lack of sufficient calories during the day. I eat plenty. But maybe I am missing certain nutrients? That's my theory anyway. I tend to view cravings as your bodies way ot telling you that you need a certain nutrient that is in whatever food you are craving.

 

My craving lately has been wholewheat bagels or cereal. Does anyone else have these? My rule of thumb is generally to not eat after 8 PM. But for the last 3 nights I have snacked after 11PM.

 

Any ideas as to what could be going on? Shoudl I give in to the craving? How to curb them?

 

Doesnt sound as though you are craving nutrition so much as craving carbs. Probably a blood sugar dip. You not getting enough protein and fats before 8pm? Also try not have a high carb dinner if you dont want to need carbs again a few hours later..

[Jetsun]

Maybe you are nurturing yourself, often subconscious anxiety emerges in bed as your defences relax while you go to sleep so getting up to snack is a way of calming yourself.

[manitou]

Maybe you are nurturing yourself, often subconscious anxiety emerges in bed as your defences relax while you go to sleep so getting up to snack is a way of calming yourself.

 

Nice.

[Outis]

You need to get an A1-C test. Seriously. It sounds like textbook undiagnosed diabetes to me.

 

Your husband as well, manitou. Tell him to get an A1-C and ask his doctor about diabetes. Especially since he's a recovering alcoholic... blood sugar is partially regulated by the liver. Which is damaged with alcoholism.

Edited May 18, 2011 by Outis

[Christoph]

You need to get an A1-C test. Seriously. It sounds like textbook undiagnosed diabetes to me.

 

Your husband as well, manitou. Tell him to get an A1-C and ask his doctor about diabetes. Especially since he's a recovering alcoholic... blood sugar is partially regulated by the liver. Which is damaged with alcoholism.

ditch the wheat and eat more fat and protein for breakfast...cereal and bagels are poor food choices

[fizix]

Full moon energy strongest effect.

[Birch]

You need to get an A1-C test. Seriously. It sounds like textbook undiagnosed diabetes to me.

 

Your husband as well, manitou. Tell him to get an A1-C and ask his doctor about diabetes. Especially since he's a recovering alcoholic... blood sugar is partially regulated by the liver. Which is damaged with alcoholism.

 

Yup, my immediate take also.

[DalTheJigsaw123]

ditch the wheat and eat more fat and protein for breakfast...cereal and bagels are poor food choices

 

Would love to hear more about this comment!

So you are suggesting protein diet? As carbs slows one down?

[Christoph]

Would love to hear more about this comment!

So you are suggesting protein diet? As carbs slows one down?

 

Not necessarily even though I've been on a high fat diet(60% calories from fat) for 3 years and my blood work is fine.I've been 100% gluten free for 6 years.

 

My point was that all wheat products are crappy processed food that cause leptin resistance(appetite regulation),gut irritation and insulin dis-regulation.

To a much lesser extent legumes and other grains do the same but the main offender is gluten and high temperature extruded de-natured protein factory processed food-like items(cereal,pasta,crackers,flours,cakes ect)that stuff is crap and along with sugar and vegetable oil(veg oil is NOT FOOD) THE major player in Western degenerative diseases.

Edited May 20, 2011 by Christoph

[mYTHmAKER]

 

Any time we HAVE to act in a way that we don't want, this is definitely something to be addressed. In Joe's case, there's nothing dietary about it at all. It's an inner journey thing, and he's going to have to be the one to find it. I suggested to him that he ask Great Spirit to help him see it; once that's done, then Great Spirit usually brings around the circumstances over and over until we see what it is we're supposed to see, and learn from it.

 

Very best wishes to you,

 

Barbara

 

If one cleans up ones diet - really does it with no results. Then and only then can it be explained away as an inner journey thingy. Otherwise you are only fooling and indulging yourselves.

check out http://www.drfuhrman.com/

I corrected serious hypoglycemia many years ago by changing my diet.

As Tiny Tim used to say "You are what you eat"

[Christoph]

If one cleans up ones diet - really does it with no results. Then and only then can it be explained away as an inner journey thingy. Otherwise you are only fooling and indulging yourselves.

check out http://www.drfuhrman.com/

I corrected serious hypoglycemia many years ago by changing my diet.

As Tiny Tim used to say "You are what you eat"

My breakfast alone would probably kill Fuhrman but I'm a 6'3 native American/Scottish decent and not a former figure skater...different strokes but the main theme is food quality and people are fooling themselves in that regard.If it's processed it will have a net negative effect long term.If it comes in a box with a label it's less than ideal,if it has health claims on the box it's probably even worse.

 

BTW my wife had ulcerative colitis with a diagnosis of likely bowel surgery,that was 3 years ago and she is 100% cured through diet alone(according to Dr's it was just spontaneous remission,sure) as well as my lifelong IBS,sinus infections,allergies,cavities and acne 100% cured through diet(not vegetarian).I've spent about 2,000 hours researching the diet spectrum but I always come back to the work of Weston A Price.

[三江源]

I always come back to the work of Weston A Price.

 

This one!

[Outis]

I find a high fruit mostly-raw-food vegan diet gives me a ton of energy and makes me feel better during the day.

 

Before, I was eating a lot of meat and tended to be sluggish in the afternoon.

 

Occasionally I'll eat a boiled egg, but I'm mostly vegan.

Edited May 24, 2011 by Outis