You don’t have to be a drinker to get alcohol cravings, but it doesn’t hurt. It doesn’t help either. Because when a drinker gets alcohol cravings it’s generally due to more than mere stress or depression. It’s also due to need. Physical need. And those kinds of cravings are hardest of all to get rid of.
But not impossible. In fact, a few listens of Dr. Eric Berg’s keen, quiet advice will leave you feeling as if kicking alcohol cravings was a cinch. It isn’t of course. And the good doctor’s clip is not a substitute for good old-fashioned in-person doctoring. However it will bring you up to speed. And ready to pull into recovery’s fast lane.
Ready?
Alcohol Cravings
To be fair, Dr. Berg is as intent on curbing alcohol cravings as he is on curbing cravings for sugar itself. Then again, he’s primarily a diet guy. Besides, alcohol primarily consists of sugar. And both can wreak equal havoc on the body.
Both sugar and alcohol can also provide a sense of relief to some people; providing fuel to the brain and reducing stress, anxiety, and pressure. But the body already does that naturally. How? By creating glutamine. That’s how. Glutamine is not only the most abundant amino acid in the body, but it turns into glutamate, which is the most abundant neurotransmitter in the brain. Glutamine also increases gluconeogenesis, which is the production of new sugar.
Drinking however stops all that natural goodness, right in its tracks. Why? Because ingesting alcohol reduces the body’s creation of natural sugars.
In other words: Alcohol consumption can block glutamine and all of the beneficial effects that come with it.
It really is as simple as that.
Alcohol isn’t the only thing that can create a glutamine deficiency. Heck there’s also chronic stress, over-training, trauma and chronic infection. There’s also a lack of glutamine in the diet.
Foods That Curb Alcohol Cravings
As you might suspect foods rich in glutamine will help reduce alcohol cravings. They may even help get you fit.
Those foods include:
• Beef
• Chicken
• Fish
• Eggs
• Dairy
• Cabbage
• Dark leafy green vegetables
L-glutamine is also available as a supplement, but there’s really no equal to the real thing.
Other ways to curb alcohol cravings include:.
• Regular exercise without overtraining
• Getting enough sleep
• Reducing stress
Dr. Berg also mentions consuming less alcohol, as well as getting on the keto diet and practicing intermittent fasting. Drinking less is a no-brainer, obviously. That keto stuff thuogh is between you and Dr. Berg.
Healing Properties
Healing Properties applauds Dr. Berg’s attempt to help folks reduce alcohol cravings. Why he’s got it all wound up in this keto diet plan seems a bit unnecessary, but hey, help is help. Besides, the doc does seem to be invested in folks going keto.
That shouldn’t mitigate his advice though. In fact, he provides science-backed links to studies of both glutamine and alcoholism which fully support his advice. Still, nobody should consider a video clip to serve as actual medical consultation.
In fact, Dr. Berg concurs. To wit:
This video is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Berg and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
On the other hand, if you or a loved one are seeking to get sober, then by all means give us a ring. Healing Properties has need helping men get sober since 2002; we’d be honored to help you too.