Intense cravings for sweets, cigarettes, alcohol, or anything else are a sign that your brain has been hijacked! Cravings occur when the pleasure and motivation brain chemical dopamine pushes on an area in the brain called the nucleus accumbens, which drives you to reach for the chocolate cake, cigarette, or apple martini. In a healthy brain, the prefrontal cortex, which acts as the brain’s brake, fights back and keeps you from giving in to your urges. When the prefrontal cortex isn’t as strong as it should be, you can’t say “no.”
I know. I used to be a slave to my cravings for sweets, but thanks to my neuroscience background, I learned to strengthen my prefrontal cortex so that I can control them. For example, I recently went to a Los Angeles Lakers basketball game with my brother, who bought a huge caramel apple with peanuts. All of a sudden, I had total focus — not on the game, but on the sticky, gooey, sweet caramel apple.
Sweets have always been an emotional food for me. Our grandfather was a candy maker, and some of my best childhood memories are of standing on a stool at the stove with him making and then, of course, eating candy. The memories of that sweet taste were trying to hijack my brain, all these years later.
Dopamine pushed on my nucleus accumbens, driving me to ask for a piece, or heck, just get up and buy one of my own. But my prefrontal cortex, strengthened by brain healthy habits, fought back. “I’ll be back,” I told my brother, and I took a brief walk to reset my brain, let him finish the apple, and got my mind back on the game. Getting control over my cravings took time. Here are five of the brain healthy craving control secrets I follow and you can use, too.
Keep Blood Sugar Balanced.
Low blood sugar levels are associated with lower overall brain activity, including an area of the brain called the prefrontal cortex. Reduced activity here leads to more cravings and less self-control. Here are some ways I keep my blood sugar levels balanced.
• Don’t skip breakfast. A nutrient-rich breakfast helps get my blood sugar get off to a good start and reduces self-control problems later in the day.
• Stay away from simple sugars and refined carbohydrates. High-sugar, high-fat foods work on the addiction centers of the brain, so once you start eating, you can’t stop. In fact, a 2007 study involving rats found that sugar is actually more addictive than cocaine. That’s why the concept of “everything in moderation” doesn’t work when it comes to sugar. When I finally got this idea through my own thick skull, it made a huge difference for me in conquering my cravings.
• Chromium picolinate and alpha-lipoic acid both have very good scientific evidence that they help balance blood sugar levels and can help with cravings. The typical recommended adult dosage for chromium is 200 to 600 micrograms a day, and the dosage for alpha-lipoic acid is 100 mg twice a day.
Decrease Use of Artificial Sweeteners.
I used to live on diet sodas. We think of these sweeteners as “free” because they have no calories, but they are up to 600 times sweeter than sugar. Because of this, they may activate the appetite centers of the brain to increase cravings for more food and more sugar.
Outsmart Craving Triggers.
Know the people, places, and things that fuel cravings and plan ahead for vulnerable times. One of my triggers is going over to my mom’s house. She makes the most amazing pizzas. I could easily devour eight slices and end up feeling stuffed and stupid. Now I eat a little something before going over to my mom’s house so my brain can choose to eat only one or two slices of pizza.
Get Adequate Sleep.
I used to think I was special because I could get by on four to five hours of shut-eye. Then I learned that lack of sleep increases food cravings. People who skimp on sleep eat an average of 221 more calories per day and tend to eat more sugary treats. Now I make sleep a priority.
Control Cravings with Natural Supplements.
N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), DL-phenylalanine, and l-glutamine — in addition to alpha-lipoic acid and chromium — are natural supplements that can help take the edge off cravings. A growing body of research has found that the amino acid NAC can reduce cravings for cocaine, heroin, and cigarettes, and it may be helpful in reducing food cravings. The typical adult dose is 600 to 1,200 mg twice a day to curb cravings.
There is evidence that the essential amino acid DL-phenylalanine can release hormones affecting appetite and reduce drug and alcohol cravings. It is typically recommended for adults to start with 500 mg a day and slowly work up to 1,500 mg a day. L-glutamine is another amino acid that has been shown to decrease carbohydrate cravings. The typical adult dose is 500 mg three to four times a day.
Daniel G. Amen, M.D. , is a psychiatrist, brain imaging specialist, and the CEO and medical director of Amen Clinics Inc. (ACI) in Newport Beach and Fairfield, Calif.; Tacoma, Wash.; and Reston, Va. ACI has the world’s largest database of functional brain scans related to psychiatric medicine, now totaling more than 50,000 scans. The clinics have seen patients from 75 countries. Dr. Amen is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry and human behavior at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. He is the author of 22 books, including two New York Times best sellers, Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, and Magnificent Mind at Any Age. He also recently wrote and produced two highly successful specials for public television.
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