An ER nurse with a high-stress job asked for help when she found she had a tendency at work to eat a lot of junk food. At home, by contrast, she followed a healthy diet and a workout regimen. Why the divide?

Her issue was not difficult. Within a few weeks she had eliminated internal stress and no longer was consuming junk food.

When confronting stress, our bodies produce adrenaline that breaks down to Cortisol and then to sugar. It is important to understand all food we put in our bodies breaks down to sugar. Our brains need sugar to function. If the brain is not getting sufficient sugar, it will create a feeling of f.e.a.r. (False Experience Appearing Real) or anxiety.

This is the brain’s attempt to get the sugar it needs because it feels the anxiety and creates the adrenaline that breaks down to sugar almost instantly. Once it has the sugar it needs, it calms for 30 minutes before starting up again if you have not eaten. It is equally important to know what kinds of foods to eat.

My nurse client would eat healthy, protein-based foods at home. The tempting junk food at work caused wildly fluctuating blood sugar levels. Rapid heartbeat, sweating, irritability, anger.

She was in a high/low blood sugar spiral. She had attached anxiety to a feeling that she had when her blood sugar level was low.

Low blood sugar creates a panicked feeling. The mistake is to attach something to it. If you are driving onto a freeway and you feel an anxiety attack, you may associate getting on the freeway with anxiety. One had nothing to do with the other. Just an unfamiliar feeling.

This was happening with the nurse. When there was an emergency, she responded in her usual controlled way. Feeling shaky after the emergency, she would consume carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates rapidly break down to sugar. She replaced the sugar she had lost during the high stress emergency whereas had she been eating protein., which breaks down more slowly, she would not have suffered anxiety.

Once she became aware of this, she started a diet I gave her, protein every two hours. Not large amounts, consistent small portions.

Within 72 hours her anxiety vanished, her focus was sharper, she felt better.

Now she takes a brown bag full of the positive foods that she needs to keep her anxiety at bay.

Simple fix. Diet plus hypnotic intervention to help a nursing professional become her better self.

Do not hesitate to contact me by telephone, 310.204.3321, or by email at nickpollak@hypnotherapy4you.net. See my website at www.hypnotherapy4you.net