The 6 Human Hungers

When we examine human history from the hunter-gatherer perspective, we are better informed about how to make the right food choices.

Always, the goal is more of the good stuff and less of the harmful stuff.

Many times, we think we are hungry, but the genuine hunger signals have been blurred and damaged by our three-meals-a-day habit and a lot of the wrong foods.

We may attribute bodily sensations to hunger, but as we shall see, that impulse to eat may be something different.

#1 Thirst

In the natural world, much of our water intake comes from the food we consume. Hunters drank from springs and streams, of course, but they weren’t carrying around water bottles in a backpack.

When you feel a bit hungry, you might just be thirsty. Drink some water, and you may be surprised to find that hunger disappears.

#2 Variety

The body cannot rely on any one food as a source of all nutrients.

Thus, we have an innate desire for variety in our diet to help ensure our survival.

These types of cravings help us to include a range of nutrients in the food we eat.

When you think you’re hungry, you might only need something different, so change things up a bit and see what happens.

#3 Low Blood Sugar

Very common in the western world, low blood sugar is induced by the high sugar intake of most people.

Blood sugar spikes up and crashes down quickly, leaving us depleted and beset by carbohydrate cravings.

You can prevent this type of hunger impulse by avoiding low-quality sugars in your diet.

Sugar intake, including fruit and honey, should be infrequent and limited.

#4 Emotional Hunger

This falls into the category of dysfunctional eating that is pervasive and dangerous to our health.

When you eat to recall a memory, either happy or sad, this is emotional eating.

When you eat to block an emotion, such as loneliness or sorrow, this is emotional eating.

When you eat because your emotions are high or low for some reason, same thing.

Our modern world can leave us with emotional emptiness that we try to fill with food. It will never be satisfied by consuming anything.

On top of that, marketing by the food industry targets our emotions to make us eat more of what doesn’t serve us.

The answer is to learn how to fill your emotional cup with different things - pastimes, friendships, and other activities that lift your spirits.

#5 Empty Stomach

When food was scarce and the supply irregular, humans developed a survival tactic to eat whenever the stomach was empty and food was available.

An empty stomach is not hunger though, it is only a sensation.

With a stomach that can stretch to accommodate feast or famine conditions, it was important at a time in human history to eat whenever possible. In our modern world, this is not necessary for most people.

So if your stomach is empty, relax and allow the feeling. You may find that without overeating, your mind will be sharper, your sleep more restful, and your health improved.

#6 Nutritional Hunger

This is the only true, genuine form of hunger.

Your body is asking you to eat because it requires more nutrients.

Here is the time to take careful and conscious control of your desire to eat. Focus on the high nutrition foods that build your body.

The closer you align to your body’s dietary needs, the better your true hunger signals will function.

Trust your body, not intense cravings, appetites, or addictions.

Do you need more help with hunger cravings and your relationship with food? Have you tried all kinds of diets and come to the realization that they will not ever work?

Thousands of people around the world have found food freedom by going through the WILDFIT 90-Day Challenge. To find out more, click here.

Mindvalley also offers the WILDFIT program. To learn more, click here.