It's time to fight that little devil with healthier methods of self-soothing.

You know how it is.  The sun has set and our minds start to direct us to the cupboard for "just a little something sweet."  It is a nutritional saboteur for most of us.  What do we really want?  We are looking for endorphins that can ease physical pain and decrease the physiological effects of stress. Eating nurtures our bodies.  If we put out more than we receive we can feel depleted.  In Ayurveda, they call this Vata Imbalance.  

Vata Imbalance can show itself with poor impulse control.  We can fall into an addiction cycle of feeding cravings through sweets, wine, cigarettes, whatever vice you choose. We can fight this tendency by nurturing ourselves in other ways to create balance.

Craving sweets is usually the first sign of imbalance.  Feeling depleted by overwork or overwhelm, or having a scattered mind, can make us seek calmness and nurturing in cookies, couches, television, social media, etc. 

Your body is telling you it's time to reevaluate.  You may need to stop overcommitting and do less.  How can you regenerate more?

First, try to get on a schedule.  Our bodies do well on them.  Try to sleep and wake at the same time every day. You can see my post on how to get more restful sleep here for additional suggestions.  https://jamiegallo.com/blog/f/the-importance-of-sleep-dd73c36a36be?blogcategory=All

If you are able to get a massage, have a healthy meal made with love, or chat with a dear friend, it can  be very grounding and restorative.  Meditation works for many. I've been enjoying a simple, slow, and short, restorative yoga session as my hips are super tight. ( I plan on putting a short and simple restorative yoga session on my Youtube channel JamieGTV this month.)  Find what works for you. You can also soothe yourself with a warm bath, herbal tea with honey, or a steam bath if that is available to you.

I do not believe in denial and follow the 80/20 or 90/10 rule.  What does that mean, you ask?  Well, most of the time I eat clean, and a bit of the time I have that bagel with cream cheese, or maybe a Chinese chicken salad with the dressing and wontons. (Can you seriously call it an Asian salad without them? ) 

Having healthy sweets made with dates or figs is another way to satisfy those cravings. I used to make a healthy sweet potato pie.  (Got to pull that recipe out again now that I think about it).  The goal is to not eat store-bought junk which is full of chemicals and artificial ingredients. 

Sometimes just escaping technology is enough to reduce stimulation which will improve impulse control. Technology trains our nervous system to expect instant gratification, though that is the world we live in.  Taking tech-free breaks periodically and getting into nature, reading, or just relaxing family time may be just what the doctor ordered.