Sorry for the dramatic subject but I wanted to share this.

Like everyone else, I'm having a hard time lately with stress. Between full-time grad studies, a clinical internship (I'm studying to be a therapist), and extra reading because I'm trying to get into a PhD program, plus other stuff, I'm starting to react bodily to it (I'm having rashes and headaches but this is typical of me when I am stressed). A few weeks ago I had an unpleasant incident (don't want to go into detail but it was traumatic for me) on top of everything else and I'm suffering some of the reprecusions now (for those who know a little about psychology, it's a form of PTSD).

Anyway, my point in this - my getting back to low carb coincided with a few days after this incident. And I truely believe that if I hadn't started LCing again, I would have been a real basket case. I'm one of those who believes that the body and mind are connected and that food has a lot to do with how you feel physically and emotionally. I'm a binge eater so it would have been very easy for me to cave in under all the stress and eat without limits on sugar and carbs and it would have made it that much more devistating. But staying with LCing I think is one of the big things that is keeping me balanced right now (the other is creative writing )

I know many people have posted how LCing has saved their lives physically in relation to the many health conditions that LCing helps. But I just wanted to say that I believe LCing is now saving my sanity!

Tam

This is a great point Tammay. LCing does have some very important benefits psychologically as well as physiologically. Just the fact that I have achieved such significant success after so many years of struggling has helped me maintain a higher level of confidence which has been reflected in other areas of my life. It doesn't end there. More stable blood sugar and insulin levels also effect my mental attitude and how I deal with stress and challenges. As I always say "The better things get, the better they get".

Have to agree with all you have both said. Stable blood sugar levels help so much. I find I can manage things so much better now.

Tammay: sorry you are having such a stressful time in so many areas. Hope the control that LC gives will continue to help.

I'm glad it's helped you.

It's hard for me to prove it to myself as my life is pretty low stress right now. But nothing has gotten me overexcited in the last 3 months. Well no one's tried to kill me or anything, so there was no reason to pump adrenalin.

Fat loss is just one of the benefits of LC. LC seems also to cure or minimize many degenerative diseases.

It helps to be reminded of these other benefits in weeks of little or no weight loss.

I definitely agree with this. I have a very very stressful job and I cope so much better since I have been eating low carb. The blood sugar roller coaster definitely does not help when you are also on emotional rollercoasters.

I agree with the mental benefits. I've always been an "up" sort of person, thank goodness, but my mood has gotten even better lowcarbing. Those inexlicable "down times" have virtually disappeared.
I think a lot of us got into emotional eating as a way of manipulating our serotonin levels with carbs. But like all drugs, it only works short term.
School is tough, tammay. I finished a degree and the last semester I worked full time while going to school full time. I still can believe I made it. I hope there are people in your life you can rely on.