Here is some info on the serotonin carb craving connection. I think alot of your recent carb craving is your body attempting to boost serotonin levels which, makes sence really considering the changes taking place with your serotonin reuptake due to tapering off of the
lexapro. Happy reading....Peace...Erin
Low serotonin levels cause intense refined carbohydrate cravings that are very difficult to ignore. In particular, these food cravings trigger impulse eating that is difficult to control with willpower alone.
For a short time after eating high GI refined carbohydrate sweets, you increase serotonin levels, your mood elevates, you feel good and your self-esteem and confidence increases. When your serotonin levels are low and you feel depressed it is very easy to be lured and tempted into chasing this "feel good" mood and your ability to "just say no" gives way to finding excuses to justify giving in to the cravings.
But as time goes on, it takes more and more sugar, or refined carbohydrates to get the same "feel good" result. This is when eating becomes compulsive, always chasing that next high.
That is why eating highly processed, high GI carbohydrates triggers food cravings and food obsessions in the long run. It is much better to eat a constant supply of low GI carbohydrates and protein at each meal and snack in order to keep your serotonin level elevated naturally.
When your serotonin level in the brain is at an ideal level, you feel relaxed and at peace with the world and yourself. When your levels are too low, you are no longer relaxed and have very little willpower to say no to the increased level of high GI refined carbohydrate cravings and impulsive eating patterns.
How Do Lifestyle Choices Affect Serotonin Levels?
There are some factors that affect serotonin levels that we have no control over like hereditary factors and the fact that women have naturally lower levels of serotonin than men (and interestingly, women dieters have problems with lowered serotonin levels, but not men dieters! And of course, more women also have eating disorders than men.)
Low serotonin levels are known to trigger food cravings and obsessive behaviours regarding eating. What a lot of people do not know is that our poor diets and unhealthy eating patterns, especially dieting, plays a critical role in lowering serotonin levels and triggering a vicious cycle of weight gain and yo-yo dieting.
Eating highly processed foods upsets the delicate balance of
insulin and glucagon and over time, insulin resistance will develop. When this happens, high levels of insulin and blood glucose will also interfere with the body's ability to produce serotonin. (Another good reason to eliminate high GI carbohydrates from your diet and eat more low GI carbohydrates.)
The list of things that cause a low serotonin level is rather long including (but not limited to)...
Low blood sugar levels caused by insulin resistance, diabetes and sugar intolerance
High blood sugar and insulin levels
Eating too much high GI carbohydrates
Chronic stress triggering adrenal exhaustion
Alcoholism and drug addiction
Hormone imbalances like Estrogen and
Progesterone
Impaired
Thyroid Function
Impaired Liver Function
Yeast or Candida infections
Leaky gut syndrome and food intolerances
Eating refined carbohydrates
Eating a diet high in trans-fats and junk food causing Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency
Eating large meals
Dieting, eating disorders, restricting calories, skipping meals and going too long without eating.
Inadequate intake of protein and healthy essential fatty acids caused by low fat diets
All these trigger a lowering of our serotonin level, which in turn triggers depression. And of course, the more depressed we feel, the harder it is to stay motivated to eat in a healthy nutritious way. As a matter of fact, more often then not, people will use food as a "comfort" to make them feel better in the hopes of alleviating their depression in some small way. Usually the depression and low serotonin levels will trigger carbohydrate cravings in the hope that eating more carbohydrates will raise the serotonin levels.
Unfortunately, this usually backfires because highly processed carbohydrate junk food will actually depress your serotonin level in the long run.