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During this time of pandemic, strong emotions and the need for security might trigger strong cravings for foods that can sabotage one’s diet or perpetuate an already low mood.
Here are 8 factors that can be related to strong food cravings:
- Pay attention to your current mood state and emotions. Do you feel stressed? Try a soothing activity first instead of eating, like listening to music to calm yourself in the moment.
- Hydrate. Lack of water can send a similar signal that you are hungry. Be sure you are drinking sufficient amount of water but not too much, especially close to bedtime.
- Balance. Are you eating certain ‘types’ of food more often than others? Eating a diet too rich in sugar might cause a craving for meat or eating too many raw foods might cause cravings for extremely cooked foods or vice versa.
- Tame your inner child. We can crave foods from our childhood because they are comforting. For example, if you crave instant noodles, you might consider satisfying that craving with a healthier version (e.g. homemade pancit bihon or canton) and adding some chicken and fresh vegetables to the dish.
- Season’s greetings. The body can sometimes crave foods that balance the elements of the season. For example, during rainy seasons, you may crave hot or heat-producing foods like meat, oil, or fat. In the summer months we might crave fruits or fruit juices. Explore what foods you enjoy eating during the different seasons.
- Body knows best. If your body is lacking in certain nutrients it may produce odd cravings. For example, salt cravings might reflect a mineral level deficit in the body. Listen to your body it might be telling you something.
- Hormones. Women are especially vulnerable to cravings during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause when fluctuating testosterone and estrogen might cause craving.
- Are you eating enough? Low blood sugar might result in mood swings and this can perpetuate less than optimal food choices.
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The life of nearly every citizen in the world has been affected by COVID-19. Yet the long-term consequences of the pandemic will be felt most acutely by women and girls, as women have seen their workload increase both in and out of the home. School closures have left women to take on the role of educators and full-time caregivers, on top of the other roles they occupy.
While restrictions and social distancing guidelines have temporarily put a stop to or delayed some interventions, including weekly iron and folic acid supplementation (WIFAS) distributed through school systems and prenatal activities disrupted, the country is finding new and innovative opportunities to continue delivering quality nutrition and health services as possible to mitigate the impacts of the current health crisis and ensure it doesn’t leave women and girls further behind.
Along with the country’s efforts of ensuring delivery of quality health and nutrition services, it is also important that women and girls be informed of the things that they can do to ensure their own nutritional well-being even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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24 March 2021, Davao City – The BNS Onse officers, together with the NNC XI conducted its first virtual meeting for this year. The meeting aims to update the BNS officers about the current plans, programs, activities, and other relevant developments relative to nutrition program implementation despite the limited physical and face-to-face contacts.
There were several agenda items that were presented and discussed in the meeting. Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Dr. Maria Teresa L. Ungson presented the rundown of the Nutrition plans, programs, and activities for this year in which face to face interactions are still discouraged, therefore activities, even trainings will still be conducted virtually; coordination will continue through phone calls, use of group chats and emails. Aside from this, the goals and objectives of the Nutrition month campaign with the theme: "Malnutrisyon Patuloy na Labanan First 1000 days Tutukan" was also heavily emphasized to the BNS officers to ensure an effective campaign for this year.
Read more: BNS Onse Officers conducts 1st Quarter Virtual Meeting
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25 March 2021, Davao City – The National Nutrition Council XI facilitated the conduct of the D/CNPC Federation Officers and Provincial, City, Municipal and District Nutrition Coordinators of Region XI’s 1st Virtual Meeting. The meeting aims to give updates on the D/CNPCAP XI and discuss nutrition related developments to guide nutrition coordinators with their continuous efforts in implementing the nutrition programs, projects, and activities in their respective areas amidst the COVID 19 pandemic.
Among the matters discussed in the meeting were “2021 Nutrition Month Campaign Strategy with the theme: “Malnutrisyon Patuloy na Labanan, First 1000 Days tutukan”. Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Dr. Maria Teresa L. Ungson discussed the rationale of the theme and highlighted its campaign objectives to: EDUCATE, ENCOURAGE and ENGAGE. She then requested the nutrition coordinators to conduct activities that will increase the understanding of PPAN first 100 days, facilitate collaboration among stakeholders and generate interactions among stakeholders in nutrition. “By working together, we can end all forms of malnutrition. Let us scale-up critical actions in the first 1000 days of life” RNPC Dr. Ungson emphasized the positioning statement of the theme. She assured the group that the NNC XI Secretariat will disseminate all material relative to the 2021 Nutrition Month Campaign via the official webpage and Facebook account.
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23 March 2021, Davao City – The Regional Nutrition Cluster of Davao Region conducted its first virtual meeting for the year. The meeting aims to update the members and sustain the coordination among member agencies, despite restrictions in physical and face to face contacts.
“While we pray that no emergencies or disasters shall arise, we still have to strengthen our connection so that the nutrition sector will be well-prepared for any emergencies or disasters that may occur.” Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Dr. Maria Teresa L. Ungson said during her Welcome Message.
Among the matters discussed in the meeting were the six (6) newly approved Regional Nutrition Committee Resolutions, with emphasis on the two (2) resolutions relevant to Nutrition in Emergencies: 1. RNC Resolution No. 5 s. 2020: “Resolution Adopting the National Policy on Nutrition Management in Emergencies and Disasters”; and 2. RNC Resolution No. 6 s. 2020: “Organizing the Nutrition Clusters at the Regional and Local Levels to Manage Nutrition Interventions during Emergencies and Disasters in Davao Region.” The NNC XI secretariat informed the group that these resolutions are all ready for download from the NNC XI Official webpage and requested for the members to use and disseminate these resolutions to partners as basis for any actions relative to nutrition in emergencies.
Read more: Regional Nutrition Cluster XI Conducts First Virtual Meeting of 2021
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24 March, Intramuros, Manila -- In celebration of the upcoming National Filipino Food Month, the Department of Agriculture (DA), National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement (PCHM) held a virtual press conference at the NCCA Building.
The virtual presser, hosted by Mr. Joey Guilas of PTV4, revealed that this year’s National Filipino Food Month will be celebrated with the theme: “Iba’t Ibang Luto, Pinoy ang Puso (Different Dishes, Pinoy at Heart)”. According to the NCCA, the theme reflects the importance of the culinary arts and tradition in the identity of Filipinos and how it forms and transforms our consciousness.
The month of April has been declared as ‘Filipino Food Month' through Presidential Proclamation 469 issued by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in 2018. The annual celebration aims to boost and promote the Philippines’ culinary traditions and treasures as part of the nation’s rich cultural heritage. It is a month-long event that encourages the public to take part in activities designed to promote, preserve, and ensure the propagation of our culinary traditions and treasures to future generations, and to support the various industries, local farmers and agri-communities across the country.
Read more: Government Holds Virtual Presser for National Filipino Food Month
