4 Proven Remedies to Reduce Alcohol Cravings
Some tips that helped me
For everyone who is TRYING to stop drinking alcohol, occasionally there will arise the temptation to indulge even when a part of you sincerely WANTS to avoid drinking. Before you pick up that glass or bottle, try one of these 4 proven remedies that may very well eliminate your desire to drink, or at least reduce it to a more manageable level:
1. Sweeten Up: What you THINK is a temptation to drink alcohol may just be your body craving sugar.
If you tend to eat a few sweets during the course of the day, you are likely addicted to sugar, and your body is getting it from a variety of sources, including alcohol. Even if you only have a donut for breakfast, or a couple of sodas throughout the day - and avoid sweets at night - don't forget that your body also converts the carbohydrates in alcohol to sugar. This is why after one or two drinks you actually feel more energetic: you're in the midst of a sugar rush.
Of course, the healthiest approach is to completely eliminate sweets AND alcohol from your diet, but in the meantime IF you do presently drink too much alcohol AND you also consume sugar-laden products, try eating a sugary snack and notice if it reduces your desire for alcohol. If it does, start cutting back drastically on your intake of sweets, and you just may find that your desire for alcohol decreases just as rapidly. If you feel tempted to drink alcohol RIGHT NOW try eating something sweet as this may reduce or eliminate the immediate desire altogether.
2. Eat Food: Silence that craving for alcohol by filling your stomach with a good, solid meal.
Nearly all alcoholics, and many of those who may be considered problem drinkers, tend to "drink" at least one of their meals a day. That is, instead of eating a nutritious, filling lunch or dinner, they will have several (or many) alcoholic drinks as their "meal." You must never, ever skip a meal - especially if alcohol is causing problems in your life.
Your "secret weapon" to resist drinking alcohol is to get into the habit of eating at least 3 square meals a day. And when you make 100% certain that you enjoy a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner, you'll be amazed at how low - or nonexistent - the urge is to drink alcohol becomes. If you feel tempted to drink alcohol RIGHT NOW try eating a full meal first, as this may reduce or eliminate the immediate desire.
3. Drink Water: What you THINK is a temptation to drink alcohol may just be your body craving water.
Very few of us truly drink enough water, which is generally considered to be 6 to 8 glasses a day. This does NOT count coffee, tea, soda, fruit juice, beer, wine or any other beverage as "water". Only WATER is water. Other beverages have ingredients such as caffeine, artificial colors and flavors, and other chemicals that actually cause your body to WORK to filter out the bad stuff so it can get the good stuff that's left over (i.e. water).
Water is the single most important nutrient for your body (other than air), and is widely known to have a multitude of health benefits. We can live over 3 weeks without food, but we will die in as little as 2 days without water. Get in the habit of drinking lots of water throughout your day, and you just might find that your desire for alcohol has greatly diminished. If you feel tempted to drink alcohol RIGHT NOW try drinking a couple glasses of water and you may find that your thirst wasn't alcohol-related after all.
4. Exercise: Change the way you feel by giving your body and mind a burst of oxygen.
We all know how important exercise is, and how just a few minutes a day can quickly and dramatically change how we look and feel. Sometimes you may feel a desire to drink alcohol because you're bored, or you think you need something to help you feel better (it's the sugar rush from alcohol - see #1 above). If you're able to muster enough energy to take a 15 minute walk, or longer, you may very well discover that your desire to drink alcohol has disappeared.
The oxygen that will flow into your mind and body WILL change the way you feel in just a few minutes, and when you are done you'll likely want a glass of water to quench your thirst - and not alcohol. If you feel tempted to drink alcohol RIGHT NOW try taking a short walk, and you will discover that the oxygen dramatically changes the way you feel.
In summary, if and when you feel tempted to drink alcohol - either right now, or in the future - try this:
* Eat something sweet
* Eat a complete meal
* Drink a couple glasses of water
* Exercise for 15 minutes
Finally, if you feel the temptation to drink so overwhelming that you're not sure if you can try ANY of these remedies because you don't have the strength, then just POSTPONE your drinking for one hour. In other words, promise yourself to TRY one of these remedies FIRST, and then see IF you still want to drink in one hour.
You may very well discover that the temptation to drink has been reduced to such a low level that you'd rather avoid drinking completely. You may discover that getting a good nights sleep and awakening tomorrow feeling refreshed and happy about your life is MORE important than alcohol. And you know what? It is!
Some tips that helped me
For everyone who is TRYING to stop drinking alcohol, occasionally there will arise the temptation to indulge even when a part of you sincerely WANTS to avoid drinking. Before you pick up that glass or bottle, try one of these 4 proven remedies that may very well eliminate your desire to drink, or at least reduce it to a more manageable level:
1. Sweeten Up: What you THINK is a temptation to drink alcohol may just be your body craving sugar.
If you tend to eat a few sweets during the course of the day, you are likely addicted to sugar, and your body is getting it from a variety of sources, including alcohol. Even if you only have a donut for breakfast, or a couple of sodas throughout the day - and avoid sweets at night - don't forget that your body also converts the carbohydrates in alcohol to sugar. This is why after one or two drinks you actually feel more energetic: you're in the midst of a sugar rush.
Of course, the healthiest approach is to completely eliminate sweets AND alcohol from your diet, but in the meantime IF you do presently drink too much alcohol AND you also consume sugar-laden products, try eating a sugary snack and notice if it reduces your desire for alcohol. If it does, start cutting back drastically on your intake of sweets, and you just may find that your desire for alcohol decreases just as rapidly. If you feel tempted to drink alcohol RIGHT NOW try eating something sweet as this may reduce or eliminate the immediate desire altogether.
2. Eat Food: Silence that craving for alcohol by filling your stomach with a good, solid meal.
Nearly all alcoholics, and many of those who may be considered problem drinkers, tend to "drink" at least one of their meals a day. That is, instead of eating a nutritious, filling lunch or dinner, they will have several (or many) alcoholic drinks as their "meal." You must never, ever skip a meal - especially if alcohol is causing problems in your life.
Your "secret weapon" to resist drinking alcohol is to get into the habit of eating at least 3 square meals a day. And when you make 100% certain that you enjoy a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner, you'll be amazed at how low - or nonexistent - the urge is to drink alcohol becomes. If you feel tempted to drink alcohol RIGHT NOW try eating a full meal first, as this may reduce or eliminate the immediate desire.
3. Drink Water: What you THINK is a temptation to drink alcohol may just be your body craving water.
Very few of us truly drink enough water, which is generally considered to be 6 to 8 glasses a day. This does NOT count coffee, tea, soda, fruit juice, beer, wine or any other beverage as "water". Only WATER is water. Other beverages have ingredients such as caffeine, artificial colors and flavors, and other chemicals that actually cause your body to WORK to filter out the bad stuff so it can get the good stuff that's left over (i.e. water).
Water is the single most important nutrient for your body (other than air), and is widely known to have a multitude of health benefits. We can live over 3 weeks without food, but we will die in as little as 2 days without water. Get in the habit of drinking lots of water throughout your day, and you just might find that your desire for alcohol has greatly diminished. If you feel tempted to drink alcohol RIGHT NOW try drinking a couple glasses of water and you may find that your thirst wasn't alcohol-related after all.
4. Exercise: Change the way you feel by giving your body and mind a burst of oxygen.
We all know how important exercise is, and how just a few minutes a day can quickly and dramatically change how we look and feel. Sometimes you may feel a desire to drink alcohol because you're bored, or you think you need something to help you feel better (it's the sugar rush from alcohol - see #1 above). If you're able to muster enough energy to take a 15 minute walk, or longer, you may very well discover that your desire to drink alcohol has disappeared.
The oxygen that will flow into your mind and body WILL change the way you feel in just a few minutes, and when you are done you'll likely want a glass of water to quench your thirst - and not alcohol. If you feel tempted to drink alcohol RIGHT NOW try taking a short walk, and you will discover that the oxygen dramatically changes the way you feel.
In summary, if and when you feel tempted to drink alcohol - either right now, or in the future - try this:
* Eat something sweet
* Eat a complete meal
* Drink a couple glasses of water
* Exercise for 15 minutes
Finally, if you feel the temptation to drink so overwhelming that you're not sure if you can try ANY of these remedies because you don't have the strength, then just POSTPONE your drinking for one hour. In other words, promise yourself to TRY one of these remedies FIRST, and then see IF you still want to drink in one hour.
You may very well discover that the temptation to drink has been reduced to such a low level that you'd rather avoid drinking completely. You may discover that getting a good nights sleep and awakening tomorrow feeling refreshed and happy about your life is MORE important than alcohol. And you know what? It is!
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