We were stuck to each other. She was the size of my forearm. All she did was sleep or drink milk in her very first weeks of existence, or make little bubbles from her tiny lips, which I keep as treasured memories within my entire nervous system. I drank coconut water, and frankly, the first several days after the birth it was the only thing I had any appetite for.
Cravings. We might run away from them as if they were scary stalkers. But in fact, they are messages of information; besides symptoms, it’s the other language our body uses to communicate with us. When we are craving something, we are craving much more than the substance itself. We may in fact be craving the feeling of a memory associated with the craved food, the sensation produced by consuming it, or the nutrients in the food. It is said that food is fuel, or that food is energy. Both are true. There are times when the body requires fuel to continue going, which is why it requires energetic foods to operate vibrantly and stay lively. However, food also serves our organs and all of our bodily systems as information, information that is decoded by our second brain – our stomach – primarily by our digestive system. When we crave food due to a nutritional deficiency, the body is telling us what system is in need of nourishment. I was craving coconut water due to the energy and vitality I expended during the birth. I was out of electrolytes and I needed to replenish my energies. Coconut water is Nature’s best source of electrolytes. You may have heard of this, since coconut water is advertised with sports drinks.
Coconut Water replenishes the electrolytes and nutrients we sweat out during demanding exercise or movement, just as sports drinks do; however, the main difference between them is that one of them was fabricated by Mother Nature while the other is an attempt to mimic Her perfection. It’s no coincidence that coconut water grows in the tropics and the hottest climates of our planet. Nature in her wisdom provides the residents of tropical climates an ambrosial beverage to help them survive depletion of minerals through sweat and heat. Just as every flower is conceived by a butterfly’s proboscis, the food provided by Nature is designed to aid a specific cell or organ in our bodies.
After coconut water I wanted to eat chocolate, beans, and kale. Chocolate provides magnesium, which is an electrolyte as well. Magnesium helps to provide energy, calms the nervous system, regulates our sleep cycles, helps with digestion and constipation, and relaxes muscles*. Emotionally speaking, chocolate contains dopamine, which is a signal to our cells of calm, serenity, and relaxation. When stressed we often reach for comfort foods like pizza, bread, or pasta. This is due to the endorphins released when we eat these foods; in other words the body is craving relaxation and is asking us to slow down, sleep, and take your mind off whichever anxiety-producing situation you are stuck on. My reason for craving beans and kale was associated with iron and magnesium as well as other essential micronutrients.
What are you craving? Sometimes it can be as simple as wanting to remember someone. If you close your eyes and you think of eating your favorite dish as a kid, I bet you can still smell and taste it, and it takes you right back to the moment you enjoyed that dish, back to the music or the silence, the ambiance or the moonlight, those present and your feeling of satiation, love, and contentment. Sometimes, that’s exactly what we are craving…