TIDINGS THAT INSPIRE
Are You Really Hungry?
By Jennifer Mwangangi-Ayoti
T
his topic has been the most
interesting in my practice. It’s
even more interesting when we set
health goals based on keeping fit or losing
excess weight, yet we cannot tell when we
are really hungry; we end up consuming
more calories than we need which equals
to weight gain.
A simple guideline that we encourage
people to observe is to eat only when you
are hungry which can be every four to
five hours. Food takes approximately 24-
72 hours to move through your gut. The
exact time depends on what you’ve eaten;
simple carbs (cakes, bread, biscuits) take
the shortest time to digest as they contain
sugar and no fiber, leaving you feeling so
hungry in no time.
Fruits, vegetables that are rich in fiber take
less than a day and they are so good for
your gut. Protein/ fats (e.g. meat) take up
to 2 days to digest as they have complex
molecules that require more time to
break them down. Other factors include
age, gender, metabolism and your health
status.
If you feel hungry in less than 3 hours
after eating a meal, you might not be truly
hungry. Signs of hunger include feeling
weak, irritable and the most obvious one
is when the stomach rumbles or feels
empty. Always remember that true hunger
comes on gradually, not suddenly.
Here are some hunger triggers that are
commonly mistaken for real hunger.
Thirst
Did you know that the part of your brain
that is responsible for interpreting hunger
signal is also responsible for interpreting
thirst signal as well? What does this mean
...? This means that it is very possible to
get mixed signals. Thirst can be mistaken
for hunger. This happens to many of us a
lot of times. Signs that signal dehydration
are: dizziness, headache, dark yellow
If you are bored, read a good book or call your
best friend for a chat, if you are anxious or feeling
low, go for a run; it has been proven that exercise
is the number one unutilized anti-depressant in
the world.
74 MAL22/18 ISSUE
When you drink water
before your meals and
you feel satisfied, then
that proves you were
just thirsty, not hungry.
If your stomach is still
grumbling after taking
the water, then the hun-
ger could be real or you
could be experiencing
emotional hunger.
urine, dry skin, constipation etc.
The easiest and most effective way of
staying hydrated is to drink a glass or
two of water before each meal. I tell my
patients to drink water until their urine
is clear. This simply means, drink water at
regular intervals throughout the day, even
when you think you don’t feel thirsty.
When you drink water before your meals
and you feel satisfied, then that proves
you were just thirsty, not hungry. If your
stomach is still grumbling after taking the
water, then the hunger could be real or you
could be experiencing emotional hunger.