Why is it that when we know our limit on something and if we go beyond that, we’ll feel like “junk”?  For example, I experience many food sensitivities – gluten, diary (whey/casein), caffeine, sugar, nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potato), soy, and corn. Here’s the situation: because my body prefers that I do not eat the aforementioned items I can indulge in a TINY bit of dark chocolate.  Key word: TINY (two 1″ X 1″ squares).  Any more than that it is the OPPOSITE of anxiety therapy! It is an anxiety cause.

However, I know when I should stop.  Then, I go back for a few pieces more. “Just a few more tiny squares, I’ll be fine.”  Those few pieces take me from feeling grounded to jittery, racy, and anxious.  My good friend Cynthia always knows when I’ve overdone the chocolate because I get on the phone with her I won’t take a breath as I ramble at lightening speed for 45 minutes!  She’ll say, “Have you been eating chocolate?”.  I ask if it’s that obvious and she always gives me the honest, “Yes!”.   For me, over doing it on the chocolate is equivalent to taking a handful of speed.

Yum!

Thank goodness for natural remedies that calm me down in a jiffy or I wouldn’t sleep for days.

I guess almost all of us do it. If you don’t, please do tell your secrets to self control!  Chocolate is my weakness, I confess.  At least now – after re-building the strength of my body – small amounts of caffeine don’t send me into full blown panic attacks.  Two years ago, different story. My body was so out of balance that anything stimulating (even cayenne!) would throw me into the crazy zone.  I am so sensitive to the sugar and caffeine, why do I over do it?!?  Personal boundaries? Childhood trauma?  Lack of self love? Or, something more complicated – I just love CHOCOLATE!