Honoring Your Mental Hunger in a Healthy Way

Most people have experienced those sudden food-related mental distractions. Suddenly, questions will pop up like, “When did I last eat?” “What did I last eat?” “Am I hungry?” “Why am I so hungry?” “Do I have something to satiate my hunger right now?” These are some of the universal questions that fall under the category of “mental hunger.” Some people demonize mental hunger as some type of weakness. This is simply not the case. Actually, this is a damaging stigma. Mental hunger is universal and natural. The key is to honor this mental hunger healthily and satisfyingly.

Understanding Mental Hunger

At its core, mental hunger is pretty straightforward. Mental hunger is the process of thinking about food (and/or the act of eating) in between “meals.” However, the dynamics of mental hunger are a bit more complex.

When mental hunger becomes overwhelming and repetitive, it can become an overarching distraction that can disrupt one’s day-to-day life. This is wholly unhealthy, yet people often ignore repetitive mental hunger as something that just has to be lived with or as something that is a source of shame.

This last aspect of shame is very important to note because it can lead to eating disorders and/or disordered eating. Yes, mental hunger can start small and then spiral out of control. This is why honoring mental hunger with healthy choices and positive reinforcement is critical. Also, this is why eliminating stigma related to mental hunger, “cravings,” and food preferences is vital.

Eliminating Stigma Related to Cravings and Food Preferences

Food and eating stigma does a lot of damage. Yes, it is important for people to get the proper hydration and nutrition that they need, but one’s food choices should never be judged. Yet, the way people eat is often judged.

This judgment is not without its harm. It can even lead to eating disorders, which are more prevalent than many people think. According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), “9% of the US population, or 28.8 million Americans, will have an eating disorder in their lifetime. The overall lifetime prevalence of eating disorders is estimated to be 8.60% among females and 4.07% among males,” and every “52 minutes 1 person dies as a direct consequence of an eating disorder.” These statistics are emblematic of why getting past eating and food stigmas in society is crucial. It is also why teaching people to honor their mental hunger in a healthy way is so important.

Honoring Mental Hunger in a Healthy Way

One way to honor mental hunger in a healthy way is to not ignore it. The number one reason that food comes to mind is that someone is hungry. The second most likely reason is that someone is not satisfied with the food that they recently ate or the food that they have on hand.

Honoring these two types of mental hunger can be accomplished by having healthy and satisfying foods on hand. When this happens, someone can honor their mental hunger as soon as it pops up because they will have healthy and satisfying foods on hand that can quiet that hunger rather than bring about a sense of guilt regarding what was just eaten. Also, the satisfying aspect will ensure that mental hunger does not pop right back up.

Balancing Emotional and Physical Satiety

There is no doubt that eating and emotions have a symbiotic relationship. One feels better when they eat something that satisfies them. On the other side, people can feel negative about themselves when the food that satisfies them is unhealthy. Because of these divergent feelings, it is important for individuals to find a balance between emotions and what they eat.

One of the ways to find this balance is to establish a meal plan that covers all of the bases. These bases include meals that fulfill all the nutritional needs while also checking the “satisfaction box.” When this happens, the mental hunger factor can go down exponentially. Why? Because the mind, body, and soul are fulfilled. This removes the distraction of mental hunger and lets people go about their day-to-day lives in a more focused and engaged way.

Healing at the Cellular Level With LifeSpring Home Nutrition

Here at LifeSpring Home Nutrition, we understand the importance of balancing emotional and physical satiety. We also understand the importance of honoring our client’s nutritional wants and needs in a safe, smart, and satisfying way.

It has been said that “a hungry person is not a free person.” Our goal at LifeSpring Home Nutrition is to change that paradigm and do our part to stamp out that hunger, and we do so one healthy, happy, and hopeful meal at a time.

While cravings and food preferences have often been villainized by society, here at LifeSpring Home Nutrition, we understand the importance of balancing emotional and physical satiety. No one has the right to tell others what they should or should not eat. We also understand the importance of honoring your nutritional wants and needs in a safe and smart way. If you feel like you or someone you love can benefit from healthy, Medically Tailored Meals (MTM) with convenient home delivery at affordable prices, we can help. For more information about honoring your mental hunger healthily, balancing both emotional and physical aspects of eating, and the abundance of healthy options provided by LifeSpring Home Nutrition, please call today at (800) 798-5767.