Craving For Ice And What It Means?

Do you crave ice for no reason, or frequently take ice cubes out of your fridge just to munch on it? Do you get that satisfying feeling while crunching ice? If you do, then you must read this! Some people crave ice, and they satisfy themselves by crunching ice cubes instead of popping a piece of candy into their mouths—even myself. When I was with my friends in a restaurant, I started to munch the ice cubes left on my ice tea glass. I was unaware of what I was doing until one of my friends brought it to my attention and made a joke out of it.

Ice chewing habit is often ignored because we believe that it is not harmful, and there is nothing dangerous about it. But when you realize that it has become an addiction, for example; you begin craving for ice it throughout the day, then it becomes a problem that you should discuss with your doctor. Quite possibly, there is an underlying cause of ice-craving.

What Is Pagophagia?

This compulsive consumption and constant craving for ice are the primary symptoms of pagophagia, according to Healthline. In most cases, pagophagia is often associated with micronutrient deficiencies such as iron or calcium. In one study, researchers found out that most people with pagophagia have Iron Deficiency Anemia. When you have an iron deficiency, you may develop pagophagia. Once this condition is cleared up, the ice craving and chewing will stop. For some unknown reason, this condition causes the person to crunch ice even though ice contains only very few nutrients, and chewing it can cause teeth problems.

What Is Iron Deficiency Anemia?

According to Mayoclinic, Iron deficiency anemia is a condition in which there is a lack of adequate supply of red blood cells to our blood. The red blood cells are the ones that carry oxygen (H) to the body tissues. The red blood cells need sufficient iron to carry oxygen. This is the reason why people with iron deficiency anemia quickly get tired and always experience shortness of breath.

Other Causes Of Pagophagia

A case study that is featured in Medical News Today suggests that aside from micronutrient deficiencies, pagophagia may also be due to eating disorders and other mental health conditions. People with eating disorders chew ice as their way of reducing hunger. This is common for those who are very conscious of their calorie intake. Some people with mental health conditions chew ice for unclear reasons. And some of those who are battling depression chew ice as a way to keep themselves and their mind busy or just purely doing it out of habit.

It is not that bad to crave ice, but think of what it will do to your teeth and how annoying to other people the sound of your ice-crunching.

Conclusion

Ice chewing is not all the time dangerous to our health. But when the urge to chew ice is overwhelming, it becomes an addiction and stopping it is easier said than done. Find the root cause of this problem. If your doctors say that your constant craving for ice is caused by Iron deficiency anemia, here i recommend you slendez meal. A nutritious meal replacement, it provides you with sufficient iron needs to curb certain addictions.