 Comfort without using food
I had a real awakening recently.
I was at a local lab waiting to have blood drawn when a very young girl (about 2 or 3) walked out accompanied by her mother. She had bandages on the backs of both hands and was understandably crying quite a bit. As my heart began melting, her mother was trying to calm her and told her that they would be going to McDonalds.
The awakening part of this for me was that initially, this comment sounded like an extremely good plan. I had a similar experience when I was about seven. The two things I remember most about that day were the pain of the needles and where my mother took me right afterward to eat - the lunch counter at JJ Newberry’s. It was a real treat for me.
At that point I started thinking about all of this. Why is this type of thing the first inclination we have to comfort our children? I know most of us do it. My mother did it with me and I did it with my daughter.
Food is so basic to our survival; I suppose the part of us it touches is so deep that it affords quick comfort when we need it.
But it’s such a destructive cycle. We learn, just as the little girl did, to turn to food for comfort and we pass that tendency on to our children, just as her mother was doing. I don’t think it takes much of a stretch to see how this habit has contributed to our current obesity epidemic.
But how do we stop the cycle? Well, like any other destructive behavior, one needs to make a conscious decision to make changes – and stick to them. As adults, we need to stop the pattern for ourselves and eventually we will stop passing it on to our children. We must learn to use food for its intended purpose, nutrition for our bodies, and stop abusing it for inappropriate needs. We need to learn to use other means to comfort ourselves.
Perhaps our little friend’s mother might have suggested a trip to the park, or some time playing her daughter’s favorite game when they got home. One-on-one play time with parents is always a delightful treat for young children. For adults, take a brisk walk to relieve anger or anxiety – and burn a few calories while you’re at it. If you need some instant gratification, try asking a family member for a hug.
All habits are hard to break and the habit of using food for comfort is certainly no exception. If we make a conscious effort to break it now, and pass that on to our children, we can begin a chain that will ensure much healthier and happier future generations.
Until next time, stay healthy and be happy. |
