Any advice on how to beat the PMS cravings???

[spatts]

I wish I had a dollar for every time I've asked that question in here.

Maybe it's something as simple as the taste receptors on our tongues being more sensitive or plentiful in the "salt" area:

...hehehe, you know what they say about those girls with the big salt receptors.


BTW, have you heard about the latest craze in "magic pills" that shuts off the sweet receptors for a period of time, so if you eat sweets, they don't taste like anything and you get over it? Interesting...

 

[Night Fly]

@ Spatts.

 

[spatts]

Ladies, I have found the cure to your chocolate cravings.

Miss Meringue Triple Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies.

They are SOOOOOOO choclately rich that I could barely stomach eating two of them.

4 Cookies (good luck if you can eat that many):

90 Calories

20g Carbs

1g Protein

1.5g Total fat (.5 sat fat)

I found them at Target by the Pepridge Farm Cookies (you know, Sausalitos, Nantuckets, all your friends ).

 

[Puddles]

Grrrrrr...chocolate makes me break out, even chocolate protein shakes. I can't win! I think Satan invented chocolate just to torture women.

 

[MS]

"Maybe it's something as simple as the taste receptors on our tongues being more
sensitive or plentiful in the "salt" area:".................high brain levels of a hormone called vasopressin dramatically increase salt cravings at the same time it reduces sweet cravings. Vasopressin levels are elevated in the brain during the late luteal phase (ie prementrually). Another class of brain hormones (called tachykinins) can actually cause your taste response to salt and alcohol to diminish so that you no longer crave these. However having excess levels of these hormones may lead to depression and anxiety.... Additionally, there is some evidence that relative deficiency of serotonin or excess of dopamine can cause increase cravings (for salt AND sweet with serotonin, and salt for dopamine). There is also a genetic difference in one of the sweet taste bud receptors (ocurrs in ~30% of humans) that makes them like sweet stuff a LOT more than people with 'normal' sweet taste receptors. Relative estrogen deficiency (for instance in the premenstrual phase or when coming off of estrogenic OCs) also causes an increase in sweet AND fat cravings (and alcohol)

A very complicated topic for sure, but basically anything that can keep your estrogen or serotonin from plummeting will prolly help. This includes SSRIs, tryptophan or 5HTP, continuous OC use, reduction of caffeine, blah blah blah. Or maybe it is easiest to just allow yourself SOME extra sweets, but try to limit them (since carbs are an excellent way to increase serotonin). As the saying goes, a little of what you fancy is good for you.

 

[spatts]

So you're saying I'm a dope?


Is this why I'm always happy?

Good post, MS. Thanks.

 

[Caesarosa]

Sweet potato or yam - nuke it for 5-10 min.
Cut in half long ways and scoop out the inside.
Put in bowl, add 1-2 TBSP of fresh maple syrup and whip till smooth.

Eat hot or let it cool in the fridge and it becomes like a thick sweet pudding.




I dunno works for me.

What is your diet like the rest of the week though?