Our bodies are constantly telling us what we need, though sometimes we might have the volume turned down too low for us to hear. You have to try to listen to your body and recognise the signals as this will help you keep yourself working at an optimal level.

There are many ways in which your body lets you know it needs something, such as a grumbling tummy, headaches, fatigue, clouded thinking, shaking or even just a specific food craving, such as green leafy salad, salty things or chocolate.

All of these little signals are often indications that your body is in need of something in particular.

Specific Cravings

This doesn’t include your craving for hot chips or chocolate cake because they are more mental cravings instead of physical cravings.

For example, if you crave oranges or lemons this is often an indication that your body needs a little vitamin C.

Other cravings, such as beans or eggs, could indicate a need for protein and meat. A green leafy veg craving could be a need for iron.

Food cravings are healthy, so try to listen to them and incorporate these foods into your next few meals.

Headache

More than 10 million people in the UK get headaches regularly, making them one of the most common health complaints. But most aren’t serious and are easily treated. The NHS have some great and more detailed headache diagnosis and cure information if you’d like to know more.

There can be many causes of headaches such as stress, allergies, over-consumption of alcohol, or even the beginning of the flu. However, the most common cause of headaches is dehydration.

When you have  a bad headache, try to drink a large glass of water and wait 15 minutes to see if that helps before you take any further action, such as pain relief.

Fatigue

Fatigue can be caused by illness, stress or thyroid problems. However, the most common cause is sleep deprivation or lack of minerals and vitamins. Remember your body needs sleep to regenerate and build new cells (including muscle cells), so make sure you are getting a healthy amount of sleep each night!

The right foods can go a long way toward managing fatigue. If you’re always low on energy, try increasing the amount of iron and magnesium in your diet. These two minerals don’t just help with energy levels – they also help you to maintain healthy blood pressure, keep your blood well oxygenated and ensure your muscles function properly.

Magnesium rich foods including quinoa, nuts and seeds, spinach and cocoa. Iron rich foods include beef, liver, lentils, green leafy veggies, oats and whole grains.

Constipation

This is your body telling you to increase the fibre and water in your diet. Most people don’t get close to the recommended intake of fibre in their daily diet. The type of fibre is also important to prevent constipation and excess wind or bloating. Fibre actually has two varieties – soluble and insoluble.

We need both insoluble (such as apples, avocados and lentils) and soluble fibres (such as beans, legumes and sweet potatoes) to prevent constipation and help decrease cholesterol levels, respectively.

Soluble fibres are more likely to cause wind and bloating. However, gradually building up your intake of both types can prevent this from being problematic. If it does happen, the body gradually adapts and it should settle with time.

Shaking

Slight shaking can be caused by a variety of different things. One common cause for temporary shaking of your hands or body can be exhaustion, stress or hunger. Hypoglycaemia also causes shaking when your blood sugar level drops to a certain level.

This causes a number of symptoms such as dizziness, sweating, shaking and palpitations, which usually go away fifteen minutes after eating carbohydrates or sugar. So if you notice that you do start shaking, consider if lack of sleep or food might be the cause.

Red Flushes On Your Chest

When you are in a stressful situation, adrenaline triggers your body’s circulatory system to work double-time to compensate for the exertion it assumes will be necessary for the dramatic running or confrontation to come. Adrenaline is the primary chemical released during fight or flight, and causes dilation of your blood vessels. Your face has a lot of blood vessels, which causes the red glow. This is the primary reason for the flushing caused by fight or flight. For more information, try reading this article on red flushes and the fight or flight response.

At New You Boot Camp, we try to teach you how to create a healthy lifestyle and keep the balance in your mind and body. Consequently, if you are experiencing any symptoms, boot camp is the best way to get rid of them! We also have plenty of recipes on the website which helps you to normalise your hormone level.