7 Types of Hunger and How to Resist Them

Do we eat because of stress or just because we feel sad? Sometimes we grab a bite just because we want to reward ourselves or because it’s time to eat. We should thoroughly revise our eating habits and decide what to eat and when according to our true hunger.

1. Hungry eyes

We react to everything we see so a wonderfully decorated meal will always look appealing to us. To satisfy our hunger we can feast our eyes on food before we eat it. If we eat dinner by the TV we can’t truly enjoy the food we eat entirely. This is why it would be beneficial to decorate our plate and dedicate our attention to it while we eat our meal.

2. Hungry nose

What we think about our food is mostly connected to its smell. Our sense of smell is more sensitive than our sense of taste. To satisfy it you can try a smelling exercise – smell your food before you start eating it. This way you can concentrate on enjoying the food you eat and its aroma. Whenever you smell something that you like, like vanilla or cinnamon, focus on the emotions these smells bring out in you.

3.Hungry mouth

How we feel about delicious food is often connected to what country we come from and how our family prepares the food we eat. It includes how salty or sweet we want our food to be and what spices we prefer. What one country considers a delight other countries find unacceptable.

4. Hungry stomach

When you start feeling your stomach cramping it’s a clear indicator that you’re hungry. Still, this doesn’t necessarily mean that your body needs food. It’s more to do with the reflex feeling we have since our body is used to eating at that time. Even though we interpret this symptom as the last stage of starvation it can be a sign of anxiety and irritation.

“There are 7 different types of hunger and after we identify the type of hunger that we’re feeling at the moment we can act accordingly.”

 When you feel your stomach making noises try to determine how hungry you actually are. Start eating only if you really need food.

5. Hungry spirit

Modern times have made us into people who eat out of anxiety. We’re bombarded with different diets and nutritionists’ advices while our inner voice is telling us what to eat or not to eat. When our eating habits conflict with the latest nutritional trends we’re thorn between what we want to eat and what we shouldn’t.
Try to relax and focus on your needs and desires. It will help you interpret the sign your body is sending.

6.Hungry heart

What we eat and when we eat is mostly connected to our emotions. We might crave a certain food just because we used to eat it when we were little or because we know it gives us comfort and satisfaction.

Sometimes we eat to numb our emotional pain and suffering. Try to figure out which emotions you feel before reaching for that bowl of snacks and you might find a better way to deal with them. Call a friend or have a cup of warm tea, it may comfort you.

7. Real hunger

Real hunger is that type of hunger that demands that you replenish the energy you’ve spent through consuming food and nutrients your body needs. When we were little we intuitively knew when we felt really hungry and what we really wanted to eat, but with time we’ve lost that ability. Still, it’s possible to regain that ability we had when we were children.

Credit:naturalandhealthy.org