How to Hack Hunger and Cravings Using Science With a Doctor Trained at Harvard, Columbia and Cornell
Episode 77: The Mel Robbins Podcast
with Dr. Amy Shah
Listen to the Mel Robbins Podcast twice per week, every Monday and Thursday, to achieve the life of your dreams.
Why do you always crave dessert after dinner? Or a snack mid-afternoon?
Today we’re digging into the science of cravings:
-Why you have them
-How to tell the difference between a craving and actual hunger
-How to eat your way to better health and a happier life.
Dr. Amy Shah is a double-board certified medical doctor with training from Cornell, Harvard, and Columbia Universities and an expert on intermittent fasting, hormones, and food cravings.
In today’s episode, you will learn:
*when to drink coffee in the morning so you stay energized all day
*how cravings relate to dopamine and how to curb them so they never come back
*why your sugar cravings are so strong and how to stop them
*the truth about probiotics and which ones your body needs right now
*what ghrelin and leptin are and why they are the secrets to a healthy metabolism
*the shocking research that compares antidepressants to food and exercise
*how to stop overeating
Our bodies are complicated, but your health doesn’t have to be. Let Dr. Amy empower you to live a more vibrant, fulfilled, and energized life.
Xo Mel
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- 2:45: So what’s the difference between hunger and cravings?
- 6:00: Many of our poor food choices are not our fault.
- 19:30: So how do we fix our eating habits if we’re not always in control?
- 20:30: Food and exercise are more effective than drugs for anxiety and depression?!
- 23:20: So what are some of the foods that will boost natural hormones?
- 28:30: Drinking enough water during the day makes you eat less.
- 37:30: Here’s what food companies know about dopamine.
- 41:40: Do this when you want to stop overeating.
- 44:45: Why does dopamine work better when you reward yourself at random times?
- 46:30: What are psychobiotics and how do they stop cravings?
- 50:20: Here’s how your gut and your brain talk to each other and what that means.
- 51:30: What exactly is the relationship between food and bacteria?
- 55:15: So where do we start with supplements?
- 57:30: The #1 probiotic that you should be adding to your days.
- 59:30: How the hell do you get rid of your sugar cravings?
- 1:03:30: Do you get enough sleep? Here’s why that matters.
- 1:06:00 Why you should wait 45 minutes before you drink your coffee.
- 1:08:10: This is what Dr. Amy thinks about intermittent fasting and how she does it.
- 1:10:00: Eat a high-dopamine breakfast to start your day on the right track.
Resources and go deeper:
- For Closed Captions: Watch on YouTube and turn on “CC.” For instructions to turn on closed captions, click here.
Dr. Amy Shah:
- Learn more about Dr. Amy on her website.
- Find her on Instagram here.
- Check out her bestselling book here.
- Medical News: Study finds exercise more effective than medication for anxiety.
- Harvard Health: Exercise all-natural treatment for depression.
- U. of Australia researchers calling for exercise to be a mainstay prescription.
- PubMed: Randomized controlled trial of EFT and CBT for food cravings.
- Trends in Neurosciences: The impact of psychobiotics and gut health.
- American Psychological Association: The future of psychobiotics.
- Nature Journal: Psychobiotic interventions for anxiety in children.
- Plos One Journal: Effects of brisk walking on sugar cravings
- Journal of Neurogastroenterology: Probiotic effects on anxiety.
- Scientific American: Is your gut making you depressed or anxious?
- Annals of Gastroenterology: Explaining the gut-brain connection.
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In The Mel Robbins Podcast, Mel takes you behind the scenes in real-time. Every episode is packed with tactical advice, hilarious screwups, compelling conversations, and the tools and inspiration you need to create a better life.
