If you’ve ever found yourself standing in the kitchen with a bag of chocolate, telling yourself you’ll “start fresh on Monday,” this episode is for you. Sugar cravings aren’t about having no will power, they’re powerful signals from your body about hormones, blood sugar, and even mineral balance.

In this episode I’m sharing:

• Why the blood sugar roller coaster (spike → crash → crave) keeps you stuck in a cycle you can’t willpower your way out of
• Sneaky foods that spike blood sugar (yes, even smoothies, juices, and fruit on their own) and how to pair them for optimal blood sugar balance
• How progesterone shifts your insulin sensitivity and ramps up cravings before your period
• Why stress and high cortisol levels make your cravings worse, and what your CGM would show during a tough meeting
• The mineral deficiencies (especially magnesium, sodium, and potassium) that make cravings worse and how to spot if that chocolate obsession is really your body asking for minerals
• Why parasites (yep, gross but true) and dopamine-seeking behaviors can fuel nighttime cravings
• My “Craving Reset” approach to stabilize blood sugar, support progesterone, replenish minerals, and calm the nervous system naturally

Remember: cravings aren’t a weakness. They’re a message. This episode will help you decode what your body is asking for and give you practical tools to break free from the constant cycle of sugar highs and crashes.

Chapters:
00:00 Understanding Stress and Cravings
02:29 The Blood Sugar Roller Coaster
08:20 The Role of Hormones in Cravings
13:43 Mineral Deficiencies and Cravings
16:26 The Impact of Parasites on Cravings
19:19 Practical Steps to Manage Cravings
24:45 Supporting Hormonal Balance

Leah’s Favorite Things: https://www.leahbrueggemann.com/favorites

🙏 Thank you to Paleovalley for sponsoring this episode!

👉 Go to https://paleovalley.com/promos/balancing-hormones-naturally-multi-product-page and enter code LEAH at checkout for 15% off.

🙏Thank you to Eversio Wellness for sponsoring this episode!

👉 Go to https://www.eversiowellness.com/discount/LEAH or enter code LEAH at checkout for 15% off.

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I’m Leah Brueggemann, a Functional Diagnostic Nutritional® Practitioner and Hormone Health Coach, helping you balance your hormones in effective and realistic ways so you can live a healthier, happier life.

Through the Balance Hormones Naturally podcast, you’ll discover why your cycle is so important to your everyday health and how you can use nutrition to help support the rise and fall of your hormones and finally feel truly amazing. We dig deep to understand and heal the root causes of your symptoms so you can achieve lasting results through manageable and realistic lifestyle changes, allowing you to live a healthy and balanced life without a life-long pharmaceutical prescription.

Let’s connect:

📷 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/balancinghormonesnaturally/

🙋🏻‍♀️ Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leah_brueg/

🌐 Website: https://www.leahbrueggemann.com/

📧 Email: [email protected]

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The recommendations presented in this podcast are not a substitute for medical advice from a qualified doctor. Before making any changes to your diet and lifestyle, please consult with your healthcare provider.