Value Your Health
I’ll admit I’m no Dr. Phil, but if you have always struggled with your weight,
I’m willing to bet you medicate with food most of the time. Why? It’s simple.
Food can act as a quick stress reliever. It can easily provide comfort and
consolation when you are worried, annoyed, lonely, bored, or depressed.
So let me ask you this: How do you feel about yourself? Do you value your
appearance? Do you have low self-esteem? Do you want to live a long and
healthy life and be around for your children, grandchildren, and other loved
ones? Remember, good nutrition goes hand in hand with good health.
Are You an Emotional Eater?
• Do you like to snack all the time?
• Do you feel that eating makes you less angry?
• Do you feel guilty after most meals?
• Do you have low self-esteem?
• Do you procrastinate when it comes to your health and tell yourself you’ll
start dieting next week, or next month?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be an emotional eater.
Unfortunately, many people do get high on food all day long. For breakfast,
they’ll have a doughnut, muffin, or a roll with jelly with a large cup of coffee
with sugar. Then, they’ll have a burger, French fries, and soda for lunch—more
bad carbohydrates from white bread and starches, as well as caffeine flooding to
their bloodstream to create more insulin. Next, a venti fatfree latte to chase away
the afternoon blues. Finally, they’ll finish it off with a big pasta meal or white
rice for dinner, followed by a pint of ice cream while watching TV. For many,
that’s not the end of it. Some of us even add alcohol, nicotine, or both.
People who tend to eat like that and don’t think about their health are using
food to control their insulin level. They eat sugar to get a quick fix for their
fluctuating levels. They also eat sugar to feel happy, since sugar also raises
serotonin levels in the brain. This neurotransmitter increases when you ingest
sugar, so you feel better. But then serotonin comes crashing down along with
your falling insulin, and you have to fix this declining level. Didn’t I tell you
sugar is like crack?
So let me ask you another question: What is this sugar and food addiction
doing to your body and overall health? Do you love yourself? Do you want to be