I recently went to see the musical Mary Poppins, and I was merrily singing along to the song "a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine goes down". But then I couldn’t help thinking about the sort of message that this song sends out.
Now, I'm not trying to be the fun police, but this song highlights a big issue in health and weight control – that is, using treats to help cope with hardship. There are many different treats, or forms of “sugar”, to help us cope, like chocolate, ice cream, pastries and cakes. Some people might also lean on alcohol or salty snacks like potato crisps as their treats.
These foods are desirable to eat, but just how much and how often you eat them will have a big impact on your body shape. In my opinion, it’s important to address why you eat these foods.
When you eat sweet treats as a type of medicine to help deal with stress or hardship, you probably won’t put much thought into your health at the time. That’s why I think it’s vital that you consciously find your own set of non-food related strategies to cope with life’s stresses and hardships. This might include having a massage, calling a friend, watching a comedy DVD or doing some yoga. You could even do as Mary Poppins did and go fly a kite!
And still on Mary - if you just can’t resist the urge to treat, listen to her advice when it comes to indulging - just have a spoonful. If you feel the need to indulge, keep your portion sizes small. You can satisfy your cravings and minimise the impact on your waistline.
Do you use food to help deal with life’s stressors? Do you have any non-food related strategies to help you cope with hardship?
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