If you are experiencing intense food cravings, you are not alone. It is extremely common. When we feel like cravings control us, it can be very stressful, like a constant draining battle. If you read my book The Earth Diet you know that I was addicted to junk foods for 5 years. It was a nightmare, I tried to stop every day but it didn't work.

I dreaded waking up each day because I knew at some point the cravings would hit and that I could not control them.

The Earth Diet gave me access to the health I wanted, free of addiction and finally in control of my cravings.

Here are my top 10 tips for getting control of your cravings. I applied these to my own life, and I recommend them to my clients via Earth Diet Health Coaching:

1. Replace Your Biggest Cravings With Natural Alternatives

What is it that you crave most? For me it was chocolate, I would binge eat on processed chocolate that had refined white GMO sugar, dairy, soy, gluten and preservatives.

I wanted to have chocolate in my life and have it work for me, providing me health benefits but not the toxins.

I replaced processed chocolate with raw chocolate made with real ingredients. I would make my own using recipes in The Earth Diet.
- If you crave cheesecake you could try Cashew cheesecake.
- There are also healthier version recipes for chicken nuggets, and ice cream! It is all about upgrades.
- If you crave chips, go for the organic non-gmo brands.
- If you crave soda go for kombucha.

 2. Get Nutrient Rich Food Every Day

Most of us are nutrient deficient and so we crave quick fix fast foods like sweets and fried foods to quickly satisfy.

You will find that when you completely nourish yourself with nutrient rich foods and drinks every day you will crave less of the 'bad stuff'.

The quickest way to get nutrition to the cells at a very instant level is by having fresh juice every day, smoothies and lemon water are also great options. When we give ourselves a good base nutrition, we relieve a lot of guilt. Often times when we feel guilty we crave more things that make us feel guilty, it’s a vicious cycle. The better you feel, the more you will want to keep that momentum going.

3. Detox Toxins, Worms, Parasites and Candida

Cleanse your system including the cells that 'remember' the cravings. When we do a major detox, we feel so fresh and clean we don't crave foods that will pollute our system.

There are detox guides in the Earth Diet book.
- You could also drink bentonite clay daily to help with absorbing toxins, worms, parasites and candida.
- Sweating in a sauna and doing intense cardio workouts to get your heart beating is also helpful.

4. Eat Superfoods Like Tigernuts

Tigernuts are a vegetable root and naturally very sweet. They also take a while to chew and can help break cravings for candy and sugary things.

- Hemp seeds can help to break cravings to fried foods and fatty foods because they nourish the brain with omegas.

5. Commit To Clean It Up

If you do give in to a craving and have a soda or conventional burger, allow yourself to fully enjoy it. You may as well since you will be having it anyway.

- As you eat it, enjoy and savor each bite, and think "I love myself" the entire time.
-Commit to yourself to have a lemon water, bentonite clay or fresh juice afterwards to assist with the digestion and cleansing it out. Keep the balance.

6. Go Deeper

Instead of replacing the craving with a natural alternative, you could break it all together.

- Go deeper within, learn your trigger points and what causes you to get to the stressful place that causes a craving.
- Text or call a friend, counselor or Health Coach and ask them to guide you through it.
- I recommend hiring an Earth Diet Health Coach if you really want to break through and transform the cravings.

7. Do Mirror Work & Affirmations

Reprogram your body and your mind with affirmations.

- Doing mirror work and self-love work can be extremely helpful in getting rid of self-sabotaging behaviors. I like to use "I love my body" and "I accept myself".

8. Eat What You Are Craving. Just Follow This Rule

You crave things for a reason, and every human body thrives off the variety of things that Earth provides us with naturally; sweets, fats, oils, savory, salty, crunchy, creamy and smooth.

There are healthy ways to fulfill all of these cravings. Don’t resist the craving, allow it to be there, give yourself permission to have cravings. It is ok to have cravings and urges.
- When I crave pasta I go for brown rice pasta, or Pad Thai.
- I also eat cookies, chocolate and cheesecake – all recipes in The Earth Diet book.

9. Take Control NOW. Know This And Repeat It:

Know that YOU CONTROL THE CRAVING, the craving does NOT control you.

Once you know this and take ownership of it, the craving loses its power.
- Use the affirmation "I am in control of the craving, the craving does not control me". Even if you feel like it is strong.
- The more you realize this and think it, the less powerful the craving will become.

10. Get Plenty Of Sleep, Rest And Relaxation

When we are well rested we don’t crave those quick fix sugar solutions.

- Make sure you have a balance of work, rest and play. Overworked people tend to crave quick sweets, fats and oils to keep up with a demanding lifestyle.
- Change your life to ensure you are getting enough sleep and rest. It's very important to have this balance so that you can be healthy in all areas of your life.  
- Often cravings are just compensating for an area of our life where we don't have balance.
- When you are well rested you will notice a significant reduction in your cravings.

For more health and diet tips, see my book, The Earth Diet. You can also listen to and call in to my HayHouseRadio.com show -  The Earth Diet on Wednesdays at 3-4 PM PST.