Hi all,

Has anyone experienced carbohydrate craving along with jet lag?

I recently flew back from Vancouver Island to Saudi Arabia. There is an eleven hour time difference. I am at day 14 of jetlag and thankfully, more or less over it. The older I get, the longer it takes. This time, I fell into a carbohydrate eating focus and it has been hard to shake. All I wanted to eat was pasta, crouton-like bread chips, tomato soup and the like. Needless to say, I don't even want to get on the scale at the moment.

While watching Oprah the other day, Dr. Oz mentioned that the brain needs serotonin, the feel good hormone, and when we eat carbs, it causes insulin to be produced (more of it) which then links to the serotonin levels of the brain. It is like the effect of anti-depressant medications with the action of serotonin uptake. This is what I THINK he said.

In any case, I realize that I have to be more vigilent when I am physically vulnerable.

I think any form of tiredness can bring on carb cravings. I know I have to eat really carefully to fuel the exercise I do since a really intense circuit workout tends to make me crave chips and biscuits all the rest of the day. I'm not normally of the protein cures everything persuasion but I need a good post workout protein/carb meal to stop that craving occurring.

Being tired and having a long trip is stressful on the body and mind. Carbs are a comfort food and most people reach for them when they are stressed, the reason is the seratonin mentioned in your post. Once you start eating them your insulin spikes and dips and your brain says eat more carbs. To lessen its effects, eat the carbs with a lean protein...protein does not affect your blood sugar and having both at the same time lessens the spikes and dips.

Edited January 23, 200917 yr by Jodi_620