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You’ve heard the old adage that hunger is the best spice, right? It makes everything taste better. So wouldn’t it follow that a prepper who wants to be able to go without food for long periods of time should do their best to minimize the effects of hunger?
In a previous post, I wrote about the top foods to stop hunger cravings. Today we will also have a look at the top things that suppress hunger that are not food. Following these techniques will guarantee that you will stay satiated and mentally sharp for longer periods of time.
What is appetite suppression?
Appetite suppression is the reduction in the amount of food that you are naturally inclined to eat. This can be caused by a number of different factors, including environmental factors as well as psychological factors.
Environmental factors can include such things as food availability, weather, humidity, or the water supply. Psychological factors can include stress, boredom, and even the frequency with which you eat.
Why Is Suppressing Your Appetite Important?
If you are trying to increase your lifespan during a survival situation by having the right health supplies, or through the foods you eat and don’t eat then the best way to do that is to control your calorie intake.
Controlling your calorie intake means eating less food, or eating just as much food but making it last longer. So one of the best ways to make sure that you are able to last longer without food is to suppress your appetite by eating less food more often until your body gets used to that food intake. Your body will adapt and use the stored energy instead of relying on the immediate food calorie intake.
Don’t Eat The Same Thing Over And Over
This might seem like a no-brainer, but one of the things that suppress hunger and cravings is to not eat the same thing over and over again. In a survival situation, you might not have a big variety of foods but you should know that if you eat the same thing over and over, you are likely going to make your appetite suppression process less effective.
When you eat the same thing every day, you get bored with it and your body will ask for something else as a consequence, you will need more food than if you add variety to your daily food intake.
Eating slowly and mindfully
Not a common one, but there are studies showing when you eat quickly and without paying attention to what you’re doing, you are far more likely to overeat. When you eat slowly and mindfully, you are also going to be able to enjoy your food more.
This is a good habit that suppresses hunger which you can do in everyday life and not wait for an emergency situation to learn to do it. I know mindful is not necessarily a good word to use in a life-threatening situation but you can start today and create a habit of eating more consciously. You will notice the positive effects right away!
Taking supplements and vitamins
This one is a bit of a controversial one, but there are some studies that suggest that taking certain supplements and vitamins before a disaster strikes can help to reduce the amount of time that you have to go without eating and can also help ease the discomforts of hunger.
There are a few supplements that are suggested for this purpose, including vitamins B-6, B-12, and folic acid. Vitamin B-6 is especially helpful for this purpose because it has been shown to not only help you to last longer without food but also to make the hunger pains that you experience while fasting easier to deal with. Not my favorite among the things that suppress hunger but I thought it’s worth mentioning about it.
If you look for more than just vitamins check out my post titled 13 Emergency Supplies for Every Prepper’s First Aid Kit where many other things are included with vitamins.
Snacking On High-Fibre Foods
Although snacking still refers to food I think it is worth writing this in this article about things that suppress hunger. Snacking on high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is a research-proven method to curb hunger and cravings. Not just the fiber but also the vitamins and minerals contained in high-fiber foods also help to suppress your appetite.
When you are snacking on foods rich in fiber between regular meals, you are going to be able to feel full for longer. You should be careful not to overdo this strategy, though, as you can easily go overboard on fiber intake and end up creating other problems such as quicker dehydration or even irritating your GI tract and decreasing your nutrient intake in the body.
Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated is maybe the best way to press hunger and help control your appetite. When you are dehydrated, you are naturally going to be hungrier than normal. When you are thirsty, your body knows that food is a good supply of water and therefore makes you feel thirsty and hungry as well. To help with your water supply you can learn now how to provide water forever for yourself and your family – The Water Freedom System That Will Completely Change Our World.
Use smelling techniques to suppress hunger
Maybe the least common of things that suppress hunger, this is a rather new trend. This peculiar technique for suppressing hunger can be used to your advantage, especially in a survival situation when you don’t have very many options for food.
Smelling is a powerful sense, and we naturally associate smells with different feelings and memories. In this particular case whenever we smell something we usually smell it before we eat it.
Therefore the reasoning behind this is that by scenting your food, you can trick yourself into thinking that you are eating something delicious, even though you are actually just smelling it. This is a great way to help you naturally eat less food and stay fuller for longer.
Other things suppress hunger
- Eat smaller portions more often – If you want to eat less food, then the most obvious thing that you can do is to eat smaller portions more often. This is a great way to control how much you eat without having to feel like you are missing out on anything.
- Get plenty of sleep – Getting sleep is one of the best ways to reduce your stress levels and increase your overall happiness. When you are under stress or unhappy, you are naturally going to have a higher level of hunger than when you are feeling relaxed and happy. So getting plenty of sleep not only helps you to last longer without food, but it also helps you to stay healthier in general.
- Stay active – It might be counterintuitive but one of the best things that suppress hunger while you are in a survival situation is to do light exercises like stretching and yoga. This will help you to stay healthy, and it will also keep your appetite levels down.
Conclusion
When it comes to things that suppress hunger the best way to do this is to not eat the same thing over and over again and to eat smaller portions more often. Make sure that you are drinking plenty of water, eating plenty of fiber, and getting enough sleep, and you will be able to better control your appetite and last longer without food when you are in a survival situation.
Following these quick tips is a good starting point to suppress your appetite and help you go longer without needing food. But there are other less common things that will help you suppress hunger without eating anything in particular.
Do you agree with this list of top things that suppress hunger?
For more information on prepper foods check out this post where I talk about the top 10 high-calorie foods that preppers should have in their survival pantry.
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