It is natural to feel hungry every few hours, but being hungry almost directly after a meal – that’s a sign of trouble.
Always hungry? This is often a sign of an underlying health condition.
But what could the reason for this hunger be?
We often refer to this constant hunger as “cravings”.
Here are 9 common health issues that cause these constant cravings…
Diabetes
Since your body turns sugar in the food you eat into energy, when diabetes prevents this sugar to reach your cells, this sugar goes to waste instead of being used as energy. When this sugar goes to waste your body feels that you need to eat more food in order to get more energy.
This is especially noticeable in people with type-1 diabetes, where they can eat a lot of food and still lose weight. Other symptoms of diabetes may include:
- Constant, extreme thirst
- Problems with eyesight and blurry vision
- Cuts or bruises that seem to take forever to heal
- Tingling, pain, or numbness in your hands or feet
- Extreme Fatigue
Low Blood Sugar
When the sugar levels in the body drop very low, it can lead to various other issues too. Low blood sugar is often due to another underlying health disorder like diabetes, hepatitis, kidney disease, problems with the adrenal glands, and issues with the pituitary glands.
Low blood sugar can reach a point where you start to slur your words and may affect your balance. It may also bring about symptoms like:
- Anxiety
- Abnormal heartbeat
- Loss of colour in the skin
- Shaking and trembling
- Profuse sweating
- Tingling around the mouth
Lack of Sleep
Not getting enough rest can severely affect the hormones in your body, including those that control hunger. When you are sleep-deprived you usually have a bigger appetite, and this usually brings along cravings for sugar or high-calorie foods, as your body needs more energy to function.
Other symptoms of a lack of sleep are:
- Mood Swings
- Clumsiness
- Not being as alert as you should
- Struggling to stay awake during the day
- Unexplained weight gain
Stress
Stress causes the body to release a hormone called cortisol, which can make you feel hungrier than you actually are. You usually also crave high sugar and high fat foods as your body wants some “comfort food” to shy away from the stress.
Other symptoms of stress may include:
- Sudden angry outbursts
- Fatigue
- Regular headaches
- Trouble sleeping
- An upset stomach
Your Diet
Not all foods are equally filling, and the key to staying fuller for longer is eating foods which are high in protein and in fiber. Lean meat, fish, dairy products, fruits, veggies, and whole grains are foods that should be in your diet.
Stay away from pastries, white bread, and fast foods as these do not have very good filling abilities, and are also very high in calories.
Other signs of poor diet choices are:
- Constipation
- Small, hard stools
- Stomach pain
Your Medication
Certain medication can make you eat more, these medications may include: Antihistamines, SSRIs (anti-depressants), steroids, some diabetes medicines, and antipsychotic medication.
Pregnancy
Most women who are expecting will notice a sudden increase in their appetite. This is how the body makes sure that the baby is getting enough nutrients and does not go hungry. This is why so many women like to say “I am eating for two”.
Other signs that you might be pregnant are:
- Missing your period
- A frequent urge to use the loo
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sore breasts or breasts that get bigger
Thyroid Problems
The thyroid gland, situated in your neck, produces hormones that control the rate at which each organ in the body functions. Sometimes it works too quickly, and this results in a disorder known as hyperthyroidism. Signs of hyperthyroidism are:
- Fast, racing pulse
- Feeling nervous for no reason
- Perfuse sweating
- Muscle weakness
- Constantly being thirsty
Diet soft drinks
Many people think that diet drinks will help their weight loss efforts, but often it has the opposite effect. Although the sweeteners in the drinks may not contain sugar, it makes the brain think that it is getting sugar to use as energy, but when this does not happen, the body wants more food or sugar to use for energy. This can leave you hungry and craving sugary food.
Drinking diet drinks may also cause:
- Headaches
- Sugar cravings
- Weight gain
What can I do to stop these constant cravings?
By following a low GI diet you can start to curb cravings. Try the Manna Diet, which can help to eliminate sugar and refined carbohydrates.
You can use a natural supplement like the Manna Blood Sugar Support to help control blood sugar levels and by doing so, help to suppress appetite and curb food cravings without any side effect.
What is Manna Blood Sugar Support?
The Manna Blood Sugar Support is an all-natural health supplement made from the pods of the Prosopis (Mesquite) tree, and it does not have any negative side effects like many chemical alternatives have.
How does the Manna Blood Sugar Support work?
Manna Blood Sugar Support gels with the food we eat and then slow-releases the sugar from this food into the bloodstream. What this means is that the blood sugar levels in the body do not get a sudden spike, and there is no need for the pancreas to release a bunch of insulin.