Dr. Frank Lipman, The voice of sustainable wellness

WHY DO I FEEL HUNGRY SO OFTEN?
Frank LipmanMarch 29

This is not usually a complaint I hear once people are on the Spent program and start eating the Spent restorative diet….foods close to nature and in sync with their body rhythms and low in sugar etc etc .

But it is a complaint I hear fairly frequently, especially when people are on a detox or a particular diet.

So here are my thoughts/responses/tips

1. Make sure you are actually hungry. Many people misinterpret the feeling of thirst for a sensation of hunger. They are actually dehydrated without knowing it because they don’t drink enough water and because they consume so many caffeinated beverages – sodas, coffee, tea, chocolate, etc. which have a diuretic effect.
2. Look for emotional triggers to eating….many people eat when they are angry or frustrated, need to relieve stress or comfort an emotional wound without even realizing it. Many times when people deal with the reasons they are angry, frustrated or fearful, their hunger resolves.
3. You may not be getting enough good nutrients in your food, even if you are eating a predominantly organic diet. Everyone needs trace nutrients – things like selenium, boron, copper, manganese, cobalt, chromium, germanium, molybdenum, and many others. Although organically grown foods normally test higher in all these nutrients, even organic foods do not always contain all the necessary trace nutrients because the soil they are grown in is often depleted. The body will register a lack of nutrients as hunger no matter how much food is eaten. In other words, you could be “full” but your hunger not satisfied. There are many Experts who feel that this lack of trace nutrients is a major reason for the American overeating and obesity epidemic.
4. Not getting enough good nutrients in your food may also be from a digestive imbalance. The problem of feeling hungry is not always due to inadequate food intake, but poor absorption of nutrients from the digestive system. If you are not getting enough nutrients, your body will still send you messages that say it is still hungry.
5. Rule out parasites. Parasites are an epidemic (in NY anyway) and these parasites can feed off the nutrients that we eat and leave us hungry.
6. Many people are chronically tired and hungry because they have an hormonal imbalance. (This is not something that always shows up on a blood test) For instance, when people have significant drops in their blood sugar, it leaves them feeling ravenously hungry, exhausted and highly anxious.