Carbohydrate cravings when changing diet - What to do?

Gilgamesh

Hey everyone, hope you're all healthy and well today.

My wife and I have invested a lot of time and energy recently into physical health and wellness (healthier/raw food, fresh spring water, exercise, etc.) and we've both had dietary issues in different ways for some time. Her major goal is to lose weight (any general tips on this are welcome as well), so she's been working out with me and eating mostly smoothies (fortified with chaga and raw honey, among other things), eggs, chicken/steak, stews, and vegetables. She's aware of the primal diet but isn't really "there" yet with raw meat. Background aside, she's been really struggling with intense carbohydrate (bread, cereal, potato, etc.) and chocolate cravings recently and I thought you all might have some insight into what this means in terms of what she might be lacking in terms of nutrients. It would be great to know what she could eat to satisfy these cravings without interfering with her weight loss.

It might be worth mentioning that she's had some hormonal issues and this means that she also doesn't menstruate. We've tried natural anti-androgens in the form of spearmint tea, and it helps a bit, but not enough. Natural methods of lowering her T levels and raising progesterone/etc. are also appreciated; I know testosterone is stored in fat, so weight loss is part of that, but I'm always looking for more good to do. I think the chocolate craving may be partly hormonal, but I'm not sure.

Thanks and have a great day! God bless :-)

singe

Hello friend, according to Aajonus Vonderplanitz most people need some form of cooked starch for a while as they transition into a healthier diet. He recommends some french toast with plenty of raw fat (like avocado or raw butter), or his 'Nut Formula' (recipe in page 194 of his book 'We Want to Live'). Personally I've only tried the former, usually once a day, with positive results. Remember that no one diet is universal, and your wife might need more carbs than you do. I'm not familiar with the hormonal issues, but I hope someone else might be able to help you there. God bless.

Somma

Raw cacao for chocolate cravings, sourdough rye (sprouted) for bread cravings, sweet potato for potato cravings

rabbitfoot

Aside from your body being 'used to' or addicted to sugar and carbs, an overgrowth of Candida (more common in women) can make cravings extreme. Caprylic Acid can be helpful for this. It's naturally found in coconut oil. And, the supplement form is affordable. And, I second what singe has said about plenty of raw fat. Like - eating straight spoonfuls of coconut oil before meals has helped me. Every body is unique- so, encourage her to keep a detailed journal of what she eats and how she feels. It's a lot of work but, can tell her more than anybody else can.