After a hard workout or a long day, your brain and body send many kinds of clues to let you know they’re hungry — you might feel weak or your stomach might feel hollow or maybe grumbling and churning. Being thirsty might provide the same kind of reaction. That’s because hunger and thirst signals are controlled in the same part of your brain. The area of the brain that controls hunger, thirst and many other bodily functions and behaviors is called the hypothalamus. Located above the brain stem, the hypothalamus helps your nervous system communicate with your endocrine system, which includes your organs, glands and hormones, as well as regulate bodily functions to maintain a stable internal environment. When your stomach is empty, specific hormones are released to signal hunger. The hypothalamus receives these signals and communicates with the nervous system that it’s time to eat. The Stomach The stomach also sends off its fair share of clues to let you know that it’s hungry. It might grumble, gurgle, growl, twist and turn. It is true that when you hear your stomach make noises like this, it is letting you know that it’s hungry. However, your stomach also makes noises like this while it’s digesting food too. For your stomach to digest, it releases digestive fluids, and your stomach muscles contract, which also makes the same grumbling and growling sounds. If you have ever eaten everything in sight, yet didn’t feel satisfied afterward, you might have experienced receiving mixed brain signals. The hypothalamus controls both hunger and thirst, so it sends the same signal whether you are hungry or thirsty. To understand which signal your brain is sending, you must learn to understand your body better. Pay close attention to the last time you had a meal compared with the last time you had something to drink. It might be that empty feeling in your stomach only needs some water for satiety. Try not to depend on the noises and feelings your stomach always makes. The next time you feel hunger pangs, drink an 8 oz. glass of water. It might take up to 15 minutes for your hypothalamus to send a signal letting your nervous system know that the body was merely thirsty and that the thirst has been satisfied. If after that time, you still feel hungry, then eat. When you try this method every time you think your stomach feels empty, you will be able to better determine the difference between being hungry and being thirsty.From LiveStrong.com:
Overview
The Brain
Hunger and Thirst
How to Know the Difference
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/441564-difference-between-being-hungry-and-thirsty/#ixzz1VDVHcftE
Challenge Accepted!
So I was going for an early morning run this morning when I realized halfway down the road I forgot to put on my pedometer watch. Being lazy yet very anal about my daily step count I decided to install a pedometer app on my phone…
While checking out the app later on, I found this, a list of things not to eat. While some are come sense, the white bread, potatoes, others made me sad I could seriously eat my weight in watermelon and grapes. Next was my realization of how many of these things on the list I ate today along with my realization that I need to be more strict on my diet here. This isn’t a vacation, I live here now…
I can see how the fruit listed would have a ton of sugar but I’d like to challenge this app by restricting these things from my diet and seeing what happens.
I’ve already made myself sick by eating any sugary temptations I might have had laying around and am writing down my list of food alternatives. Wish me luck! I will miss you bananas :(
(Source: illbeskinnierbytomorrow, via the-fitspirational-blonde)
