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Do you suffer from this late night threat?
4th September 2009
* Do you suffer from this late night threat?
* The snacks that are GOOD to have
* Natural ways to quell cravings for your food and
cigarette vices
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Do you remember that R.Whites advert - the secret
lemonade drinker...?
It showed a man tiptoeing downstairs in his
pyjamas, telling us he's trying to give up his
craving for lemonade, before going to the fridge,
pouring himself a glass, and happily guzzling it
while he danced around the kitchen.
Well I have a confession to make... one that will
come as a huge shock to you....
Do you suffer from this late night threat?
I used to be the same with late night snacks.
Most nights I'd shuffle over to the fridge, open the
door, and be bathed in that ghostly light as I chose
what to eat.
What do you mean you're NOT surprised?
Anyway, it hardly my fault.
You see, around midnight, something happens to
the fridge...
Something evil.
It transforms itself from an innocent and useful tool
into the worst friend you could ever have... one
that whispers to you and persuades you to fill your
body with unnecessary calories.
And even up till a few years ago, I used to obey.
Every night I'd go into the kitchen to make a cup
of tea, then while the kettle was boiling I'd shuffle
over to the fridge in a zombie-like state and open
the door - just to see what was in there.
Of course I KNEW what was in there... lots of
easy snacks I could fix up in a few seconds and eat
while I watched The Sky at Night or some third
rate film. But when I opened the door, I really had
no idea what I was after.
I wasn't hungry. I didn't need anything. But a
midnight snack just felt good.
And boy did I pile on the pounds. Because the
snacks you're drawn to late at night tend to be the
worst kind... cheese, salami, salty crackers, a slice
of leftover dessert...
And of course, good old breakfast cereals made A
LOT of late night guest-appearance. It's only in
recent years that I've broken this habit, and it
wasn't easy.
But snacks aren't only a threat when night falls...
These days, with time being at such a premium and
people rushing around to get everything done,
snacking has become part of people's lives -
especially children's.
And the big companies have been quick to feed
this need.
Lunch packs, Snax, salty fast-fix 'complete
meals'... the supermarket shelves are swarming
with easy solutions to fend off hunger.
And it's causing us problems... because this 'food'
is bad.
For example, Dairylea have just been given a good
telling off by the advertising standards authority
for their Lunchables range.
They're the packs that contain a few tiny crackers,
pale little discs of ham, and some processed
cheese.
Sound delightful, don't they?
Dairylea seem to think so, because they advertise
the Lunchables range as 'packed with good stuff'
But these ready-made snacks (aimed primarily at
children) contain half a young child's daily salt
intake. And none of them are low in saturated fat.
In fact, of the six varieties in the range, two have
HIGH levels of saturated fat.
Where's the 'good stuff' in that that?
And I'm willing to bet that ANY of these ready-
made snack boxes are oozing with just as many
nasties as the Dairylea range.
So, if you're a zombie snacker and the call of the
fridge is too great... |
Sneaky snacks that are good to have
* Make a huge fruit salad, then leave it in the
fridge. Sometimes the appeal of snacking is
simply the fact it's no bother. So make a big
bowl of fresh fruit salad, and stick it in the
fridge - right at the front where you'll see it
immediately. When you come over all zombie-
like and open the door muttering 'Yeeees
master...' just grab the fruit salad and munch
away.
* Nuts - keep bags of unsalted nuts or fruit and
nuts in an easy, visible place in the kitchen.
Again, what could be easier than ripping open a
bag of nuts and pouring the contents down your
throat? I'm a master at it.
* Pumpkin seeds are rich in minerals, essential
fats and protein. Just a handful contains 20% of
your zinc RDA and 50% of your magnesium
RDA. Pumpkin seeds helps fight against
prostate problems, kidney infections, and help
build healthy bones.
* Sunflower seeds - these seeds are packed with
potassium, protein, iron and calcium... which
sounds a lot better than 'good stuff saturated
fats' to me!
So if you're feeling peckish - go for the healthy
option.
But if you're feeling like a treat, go ahead and have
one. But LIMIT it.
However if your guilty cravings aren't for food, but
more along the lines of...
'GIVE ME A CIGARETTE NOW!'
Then here are some tips for quelling those urges.... |
Natural tips for giving up smoking
Gotu Cola has been used as a medicinal herb for
thousands of years in India. It is said to help
control the imbalance in your body's chemical make-up
that occurs when you have an addiction.
Gotu Cola could also dull your sugar cravings, which
go through the roof when you pack up smoking. (By the
way, Gotu Cola does NOT contain caffeine, unlike the
Kola nut, which is an active ingredient in the fizzy
drink.)
Some naturopaths believe that St. John's Wort and the
Chinese herb Scutellaria can lift depression and ease
mood swings.
You can also try take magnesium...
When you absorb nicotine your brain releases a
chemical called dopamine. This is a feel-good
chemical. After a while, you get used to this
pleasurable release, and want more of it. So you have
another cigarette.
But by taking magnesium, you can increase your
natural levels of dopamine, and take the edge of your
cravings.
Another herb to look into is Ashwagandha. This is
considered by many to be one of the most powerful and
useful Ayurvedic remedies.
It's sometimes called 'The Indian Ginseng'. It
improves immunity, and helps your body cope with
chemical stresses - which is exactly what it's going
through when you give up smoking.
I hope this helps with some of your vices. Look, I'm
not one to preach. I'm as guilty as the next person
of feeding my urges.
I'll be back again on Sunday....via the fridge! |
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