How to curb my personal "sweet" tooth? This is getting crazy! I think I have an addiction...

KrazyKrissyy

Good evening (or technically morning), MFP users. Ok, the reason I quoted sweet tooth and said personal is because it's not the standard, common sweet tooth that many people have, or at least people I know. It's actually a chronic craving/preference for salty foods. It feels like an addiction at this point, and it's gotten out of hand now. The good thing is pickles, soy sauce, and many pickled vegetables for example are very low in calories. The bad thing is they are loaded with sodium. But sodium/salt is my "sugar". I've noticed a daily pattern. My sugars are almost always very low while my sodium is skyrocketed. I recently even downed 2 jars of dill pickles in one day! And I put soy sauce in almost everything I eat. I also eat a lot of vegetables, which is good, but many are canned/jarred. And I love hot sauce, too. I even put it in my scrambled eggs. Then I end up with bloat and gain several pounds the next day which takes 3-5 days to go back to normal IF I lower my sodium while drinking a lot of water those days, which sometimes ends up in a sodium binge a week later. This cycle is crazy. It's gotten to the point where last week I had to excuse myself in the middle of class and ran in the closest bathroom on campus to throw up (not purposely). I don't know why these salt cravings are so intense, not to mention my sugar cravings are almost non-existent (for real). Even at parties and special events, I'll pass on the cake, cookies, and ice cream, but I'll eat up almost all the dip, chips, pickles, etc. What's going on? Please help. To give some info about me, I'm female, 5'6 and 131 pounds. I exercise 5-6 days a week (either weight lifting, cardio, or both depending on the day and how I feel). I also attend college so I do a lot of walking and carrying a messenger bag, except on rest days which are weekends.

tmarple93

I wonder if your low on a mineral or vitamin that your body needs. If I were you, I'd make an appointment with a doctor and explain the situation and have my blood checked to see if I was lacking something. Also I've heard being dehydrated makes salt cravings worse. Maybe you could dry drinking extra water in the meantime to see if it helps at all.

KrazyKrissyy

tmarple93 wrote: »

I wonder if your low on a mineral or vitamin that your body needs. If I were you, I'd make an appointment with a doctor and explain the situation and have my blood checked to see if I was lacking something. Also I've heard being dehydrated makes salt cravings worse. Maybe you could dry drinking extra water in the meantime to see if it helps at all.

Thanks, that's a good idea to see the doctor. I just wish I knew the cause, like right away. I'm anxious. I'm not sure if it's dehydration as I've been drinking a gallon of water a day just to counter as much of the bloating as I can. Another thing to add, I was drinking pickle juice as well. Ugh...

Michaelxo444

You might need magnesium if your legit always craving salt

DebSozo

Have the doctor rule out Addison's disease. Nausea is one of the symptoms, so you throwing up could be related, although drinking pickle juice sounds a bit nauseating.

Christine_72

Have you googled this? Obviously take anything it throws up with a pinch of salt.. But the first thing that popped up re salt cravings is adrenal fatigue. I'd go to the doctor and get tests run just to make sure there is nothing more going on.

cityruss

Maybe you just like salty tasting foods.

joans1976

I also crave salt but not in such an extreme way. All my life I have had a salty tooth rather than a sweet tooth. I pasted this link below but please know that I am no expert and this article just came from good ol' "Doctor" Google. I would do what the above poster said about the doctor and getting some levels checked.


http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14666/why-you-crave-salty-snacks-what-you-can-do-about-it.html

kommodevaran

Yeah, maybe you just like salt. Are you eating low carb? Then you need more salt. If you are drinking lots of water, you also need more salt.

Anyway, a checkup at the doctor's office wouldn't hurt.