The seven causes of cravings, part 1 – low minerals

Cravings can be a sign that your body is out of balance.  So if you struggle with sugar, carb, salty & crunchy food cravings you may want to think about low minerals.

Low minerals

The most popular minerals that influence cravings are low iron and sodium.  Let’s dig into the symptoms and causes.

Low Iron

Typically, someone with a low iron will experience cravings for ice, corn starch, dirt, baby powder, crunchy snacks like pretzels and chips.

However, you will likely also experience additional symptoms such as:

• hair loss
• bruising
• fatigue
• dizziness
• lightheadedness
• brittle nails

This is something your bariatric team can manage by checking a few labs:

• serum iron or complete iron panel
• ferritin
• hemoglobin & hematocrit on a complete blood count(CBC)

Low Sodium

A study in 2011 in the Journal of Neuroscience found that increased sodium levels actually blunt the stress response.  The rats that received sodium chloride secreted fewer stress hormones.

If you’re struggling with cravings…

Are you struggling with cravings?  I would consider working with a functional nutrition professional to get to the root cause and leave no stone unturned.

I’d love to work with you too!  Check out my packages and schedule a time for a Free chat.

Your future health awaits