5 Ways to be Anxious, Part 2: Eat Lots of Carbs

SO SWEET!

I went into the holiday season with great intentions not to consume too many butter-saturated, sugar-injected and flavor-intensified cookies, cinnamon rolls and cakes. Fail. I had every intention not to eat that after 8:00 p.m. bowl of cereal. Fail. I intended not to take a few pieces of those delectably wrapped pieces of candy out of the kids' candy jars. Fail. If you didn't already know, now you know my utter weakness for sweets.

IT'S A NEW DAY

One of my former cheery-eyed foster children used to ask me, after a day of mishaps, missteps and misbehaving, "Tomorrow's a new day?" With hopefulness I replied, "Tomorrow is definitely a new day sweetheart!" And boy, am I glad that, like a freshly wiped dry-erase board that is sparkling white, today is a new day. As great as those bad carbs taste the lethargy and unsettling feeling of self-frustration often begin to outweigh the momentary benefits of zinging taste buds. More, the anxiety that refined sugar causes, and too many carbs in general, isn't worth the wear-and-tear on our bodies, souls and minds. Drs. Glen Zielinski Kyle Kamran Jahangiri  write,

"It’s amazing how many chronic health issues stem from a blood sugar imbalance caused by eating a high-carbohydrate diet. Every time you eat too many carbs in the way of breads, pasta, rice, potatoes, desserts, pastries, soda or sweet coffee drinks you send blood sugar and insulin surging and crashing. When this happens daily it can create a multitude of neurological symptoms, including anxiety, depression, mood swings, irritability, and fatigue. Skipping meals and drinking too much coffee also feeds this cycle. A lower-carb, whole foods diet with enough healthy proteins and fats can keep energy on an even keel and tame anxiety."

GETTING STARTED

I could spend a book, many fine authors have, trying to convince you and me that we need to eat a balanced meal (along with exercising and sleeping well). I don't think you need convincing. It's not a matter of knowledge; it's a matter of application, or better, action. Taking the next step. You may ask "Where do I start?" Glad you asked. 

# 1: Rethinking What's Spiritual

I don't think on obsession with anything, besides Christ, is healthy. I do think, though, that intimacy with Christ involves every part of our lives; that there is not a separation between physical and "spiritual," between secular and "religious." God is involved in everything and he cares about restoring everything. Essentially, all of who we are, physical, emotional, social, psychological, is spiritual. The writer of Romans 8:22-23 penned, 

"We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies."

The physical part of life, such as our bodies and nature itself, has continuously experienced the detrimental effects of humanity choosing to leave God. Slash and burn, pollution, garbage dumps, toxic spills, and all the other results of humanity's brokenness will one day be fully redeemed. This is true of our bodies too. That's why our bodies are "spiritual," not something we just carry around and something to throw off when we finally get to heaven. Realizing that eating healthy and for the right reasons actually increases our intimacy with God and draws us nearer to who we are really meant to be can be the impetus, the motivation, to take care of ourselves physically. That's a great thing!

# 2: Dealing With the Real Issues 

Eating, in its best and worst sense, is emotional, spiritual and relational. One of the primary reasons we jump to bad foods, like any addiction, is because we often feel lonely, hopeless, disconnected, dry, or overwhelmed. Too many carbs can become our drug of choice, our way of escaping reality. If this is the case, begin the conversation with God and trusted others about what the first step is in resolving the real problem. Set-up a regular time to meet with a friend over coffee, block out time to scrapbook or finish that woodworking project, make a date night with your kids or your spouse, set-up a counseling appointment. Reconnect with God. Renew your relationship with others. Refresh your body, mind and soul in solitude. 

# 3: Taking One Step in the Right Direction 
Start with one thing. Stick with that one thing for some weeks and then add on something else. Taking care of ourselves, like everything else in life, is a continual process. Embrace the journey. Enjoy God, others and yourself along the way. 

Your Carb-Loving Friend,

Josh