Food and fear - How the food you eat can make you less fearful

Image by Joshua Earle - Unsplash

Despite all of the evidence that is clearly telling us the dangers of sugar, it is still widely neglected in the realm of changing mindsets, reducing fear and the development of character.

Your central nervous system which includes the brain and spinal cord, is master controller of all cells, tissues and organs in your body.

Nutrition plays a vital role in the health of your nervous system and sugar is one of the biggest aspects that can have a detrimental impact on your entire system.

It is widely accepted and well documented now, that too much sugar can create fatigue, irritation and can have negative consequences on your brain as well your body.

Depression and anxiety are heightened or lessened through what you consume. Our often, heavy grain based diet of excessive wheat and similar carbohydrates sources, can leave us struggling to focus, feeling confused and decrease emotional resilience.

This process creates and expands fear.

You can attend as many personal development courses or therapy sessions as you like but if food isn’t covered as a main priority, progress will be limited, as will your personal capabilities. Fear will likely prevail.

Joe Rogan's Carnivore Experience 

Internationally renowned podcaster Joe Rogan spoke of his experience on the carnivore diet, which he stuck to for a month and has been going back to regularly ever since.

He explained how he lost 18lbs in weight and even cured an auto immune disease he’d had throughout his life. Most insightful though was when he explained how he’d never felt such peace and calm on an eating plan.

Jordan Peterson, the well known controversial Canadian psychologist and Author of 12 steps for life, has also spoken of how the carnivore diet alleviated his depression.

The carnivore diet utilises fat as energy instead of sugar, which is the body’s preferred energy source. This balances mood and can often restore poor physical and mental health caused through long periods of consuming foods that aggravate the gut.

Whilst I do not believe we have to put ourselves into a particular camp of eating methodology such as vegan, vegetarian, carnivore etc, I do recognise and have personally felt, how beneficial it is to cycle periods of eating in certain ways to achieve the greatest benefit to health and performance.

For instance, when I contracted the COVID virus early last year and it attacked my lungs, creating breathing difficulties, it was this high fat, high protein diet that really helped combat and overcome the virus. The lungs are protected by saturated fat.

Most people now recognise that excess sugar is bad for them even if they can’t explain why. However, we also consider all plant foods fine to consume in any daily quantity we like. Yet these foods can irritate the gut and our immune system on a level that can cause serious harm to health.

Chemicals in plants and grains such as cxalates, lectins (of which gluten is a form of), goitrogens, phytic acid, saponins, flavonoids, cyanogenic glycosides and many more chemicals like these can be beneficial in small amounts but can cause a whole range of health issues through excess.

How Tony Robbins Vegan Eating Plan Led To Coronary Artery Disease. 

One of the most powerful lessons I’ve read regarding how a prolonged way of eating can cause terrible harm was by Dr. Steven Gundry, who prescribes lectin free or reduced lectin diets.

He describes how Tony Robbins, the renowned personal development coach and dedicated long term vegan, contacted him after having received a terrible health diagnosis.

Tony was faced with an urgent five vessel coronary artery bypass grafting, for severe coronary artery disease. He was also terribly diabetic.

Thankfully, Steven changed Tony’s eating habits and eliminated the buildup up of toxic chemicals and the surgery was never needed.

Food can increase fear by agitating and dulling the mind and body. Not many of us look at the food we are eating as a way to create more focus, peace and clarity, yet it really can.

In my coaching experience, many people are following well accepted healthy eating plans that are not working for them, yet they persist because they feel it must be right and their own beliefs mustn’t be wrong.

The well known entrepreneur, social media expert and author Gary Vaynerchuk has been very vocal about how changing what he consumes and how he exercises, has been a game changer to his well-being and business. Yet not enough people with big ambitions and dreams are taking nutrition seriously.

Having been around and coached high level athletes for so long, it is obvious these men and women have to take nutrition very seriously. It’s not just the difference between winning and losing but not creating fear, anxiety, confusion and irrational moods from the foods they eat.

These athletes have all of their habits aimed towards mastery of their craft. At this level, if something isn’t working, it’s ditched very quickly.

How the Conversation is Changing

It’s amazing how much more creative and resilient authors, artists and business owners are once they master their palate. They tap into a power source they didn’t realise existed.

This is why the conversation is changing from eating for energy, weight control and a vague notion of health, to one of embracing an entire mindset of emotional resilience, fearlessness and calm under pressure.

I find this a far more exciting, rewarding and motivational reason to eat well than anything else.

The development of character, as well as dreams and desires, will be left crushed and broken by those that ignore their nutritional requirements. At some point, it becomes inescapable.

Although I will elaborate more on this in the near future, I hope this little insight gives you food for thought on how what you eat is a most powerful way you can serve yourself, not only in pursuing your dreams but the mindset that steers you there.

What you consume today will create your mindset for tomorrow.