Afraid of The Dark?

My daughter and I hovered over the counter in our pajamas concocting the perfect "monster spray". My three year old son looked on in hope and curiosity as we added peppermint essential oils to our magic spray bottle. 

I know he was thinking, are they really going to be able to get rid of the monsters in my room? 

Ever since I can remember he's needed a light on and the door open in order to fall asleep. Lately, he's been adding a fear of monsters to the mix. 

We sprayed his room high and low. Under the crib, in the closet, in the bathroom all while shouting go away monsters!
 
Gone. Done. Goodbye. 

This made me think how I wish there was a magic spray for adults. Let's be real, we could all use some magic spray to get rid of our fears, but chronic dieters need a special elixir. 

Dieters develop a perceived, though it feels very real, threat around food. Maybe you've felt this before. Fearful to eat anything that might make you "fat", bloated or clouded with brain fog. Grains, breads, sugar and dairy likely top the fear list for the vigilant, health conscious consumer. 

The only thing that avoid these foods consumes is our time and our energy. Every time we activate the fear response, our sympathetic nervous system kicks into high gear. Over time, this is exhausting for the body and it builds deep neurological behaviors that are hard to break. 

The best way to bust through these fears and bad habits? 

Feel the fear and eat it anyway. Challenge yourself to eat something that you've put on your forbidden list. Show yourself that you're still alive and feeling fine, maybe even great by giving your body back foods it likely needs and desires. 

Your parasympathetic nervous system needs to start taking over when you sit down for a meal. How do you do this? 

Take a few deep breaths. Let your brain and body know that you're safe and there's no need for alarm bells. I highly recommend practicing yoga so that you can teach your brain how to stay calm when your body is twisted like a pretzel or holding a position that feels really hard. If yoga isn't your thing, try meditating.

Show yourself that you aren't your thoughts and that you can pick and chose which thoughts are worthy of your attention. 

Maybe it's not monsters under your bed, but food can feel as evil as a monster to dieters. Make your own magic spray if that helps, keep showing up to the table and teach your brain that food is medicine, not the enemy monster.