We’ve all heard the saying “You are what you eat,” but let’s take that a little deeper: you are what you absorb, what you digest, and what your cells have to work with. If we don’t engage with this awareness, we start slowly walking toward dis-ease—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
This week’s #WiseWomanWednesday isn’t about restriction or shame. It’s about reclaiming power. Because what we consume—food, drink, thoughts, energy—either nourishes us or diminishes us. And when you love yourself, you’re looking to nourish in all ways.
So, let’s talk about the power of conscious consumption. Let’s talk about sugar, habits, and healing our relationship with food from the inside out.
First, Let’s Talk About Sugar
Sugar is seductive. Especially for those of us who reach for chocolate when we’re tired, stressed, or just need a little “something.” Trust me, I get it. Sugar is one of the most addictive substances on the planet—not metaphorically, but literally. Research shows sugar lights up the same reward pathways in the brain as cocaine. COCAINE! And because of that, it’s not just a sweet treat. It’s a biochemical craving loop.
How Sugar Impacts the Body
Let’s break it down. When you consume sugar:
- Your blood sugar spikes, giving you that temporary “high”
- Insulin rushes in to shuttle sugar into your cells
- Then you crash—physically, emotionally, energetically
- Your body stores the excess as fat, especially visceral fat (the dangerous kind around your organs)
Too much sugar over time contributes to:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Weight gain
- Inflammation
- Heart disease
- Brain fog and mood swings
- Increased risk for certain cancers
And here’s the kicker: even if you don’t have “a sweet tooth,” you might still be consuming more sugar than you realize. It hides in fruit juices, “healthy” granola bars, flavored yogurts, condiments, and even savory items like bread and pasta sauce.
And Then There’s Hypertension—The Silent Threat
Let’s have a quick, honest conversation about high blood pressure, because it’s showing up way too often in our community—sometimes even in our 20s and 30s. And here’s the truth: hypertension is heavily influenced by what we eat, drink, and emotionally carry.
Many of us grew up on salty, seasoned-to-the-gods soul food—flavorful, yes, but often loaded with sodium, fried oils, and canned goods full of preservatives. Add in sodas, processed snacks, and fast food meals multiple times a week? That’s a recipe for blood vessels working overtime.
What we eat affects the elasticity of our arteries, the workload on our heart, and how well our kidneys can flush out excess fluid. Too much salt, too little potassium, and not enough hydration can spike blood pressure silently—and stay elevated for years before showing symptoms.
And let’s not forget stress. Emotional pressure, financial worry, unresolved trauma, and even caregiving fatigue (yes Sis) all elevate cortisol and adrenaline. These chronic stress hormones contribute to high blood pressure just as much as diet. It’s all connected.
But here’s the good news: hypertension is highly reversible with lifestyle changes. Even modest shifts—reducing salt, increasing leafy greens, drinking more water, managing emotional stress—can bring blood pressure down naturally.
This is your reminder that health isn’t just about how we look—it’s about how well our body functions under the hood.
And your heart? She deserves to beat strong, slow, and steady.
Beyond the Physical: The Psychological Toll
Emotional eating is real. And it’s more common than people like to admit. When we feel unloved, stressed, lonely, anxious, or even just plain bored, food steps in like a comforting friend. For many of us, sugar is the quickest “hug” we can find. It soothes. It distracts. It gives us a moment of pleasure when everything else feels overwhelming or out of control.
But what happens after that moment fades?
We crash. Energy dips. Mood shifts. And all too often, shame creeps in, whispering that we’ve failed or lost control. It becomes a cycle: discomfort, craving, consumption, crash, regret. Rinse and repeat.
But the truth is—the problem isn’t the craving. It’s what the craving is trying to cover.
Food becomes a stand-in for the emotional nourishment we’re not giving ourselves. And if we’re not paying attention, we’ll keep reaching for something outside of us to fix something that’s happening inside of us.
Ask yourself:
- What am I truly hungry for?
- Do I eat when I’m tired instead of resting?
- Am I using food as a distraction from emotional discomfort or unspoken needs?
These aren’t easy questions. They require honesty, tenderness, and curiosity. But this isn’t about perfection. It’s about awareness. It’s about noticing your patterns—not judging them. Catching yourself before you slide into that slippery slope of unconscious consumption, and asking yourself: Is this what I really need right now?
When we begin to look at food not just as fuel, but as feedback—everything changes.
Because here’s the deeper truth…
What we feed ourselves physically often mirrors how we feed ourselves emotionally and spiritually.
If we constantly deny our emotional needs, silence our desires, suppress our pain, or operate in survival mode, the body starts to carry the weight—literally and energetically.
Which leads us into the next layer of this conversation—the spiritual and metaphysical message of dis-ease. Because our health isn’t just physical, and our cravings aren’t just about willpower. There’s a deeper story being told through the body. And if we’re willing to listen, it can lead us not just to healing—but to wholeness.
The Spiritual and Metaphysical Message of Dis-ease
Your body is more than flesh and blood. It is a sacred temple—the vehicle through which your soul expresses itself in the physical world. When your body is sluggish, inflamed, or weighed down with processed foods and emotional residue, your spirit can’t move freely. You feel off, disconnected, or like you’re carrying something heavy—and you are.
Neglecting your physical well-being isn’t just a health issue. It’s often a spiritual disconnection—a sign that your inner and outer worlds are out of sync.
In metaphysical terms, dis-ease is not random. It is often the physical manifestation of prolonged emotional imbalance, suppressed trauma, or blocked energy. As Louise Hay writes in You Can Heal Your Life, overconsumption of sugar is a symbolic craving for more “sweetness” in life—usually love, comfort, or pleasure we’ve denied ourselves or never truly received.
Our physical symptoms are not just aches, pains, or diagnoses. They’re messages—spiritual red flags waving for our attention.
The body whispers. Then it speaks. Then it screams.
We don’t just wake up one day with diabetes, hypertension, or fatigue. These conditions often build quietly over time, fed by poor habits, emotional neglect, spiritual detachment, and disconnection from our purpose.
Let’s break down some common metaphysical messages behind physical dis-ease:
- Overeating often stems from not feeling emotionally “full.” When love, validation, or peace feel scarce, food becomes a substitute for what we truly crave.
- Chronic fatigue can signal misalignment with purpose. If you’re constantly giving your energy to things that drain rather than nourish you—jobs, relationships, responsibilities—it shows up as soul-level exhaustion.
- Cravings for sweets may point to an imbalanced sacral chakra—your center of creativity, pleasure, and joy. When this energy center is blocked (due to trauma, shame, repression, or lack of emotional intimacy), you may seek sweetness outside yourself to fill the void within.
- Digestive issues often reflect a blocked solar plexus chakra, the seat of personal power and self-worth. When you’re swallowing your voice, minimizing yourself, or holding on to emotionally “indigestible” situations, your gut often reacts with pain, bloating, or imbalance.
- Hypertension, metaphysically, can represent repressed anger, high stress, resistance to change, or the constant pressure to “hold it all together.” It’s the body’s way of saying, “This is too much.” When we ignore our need for rest, softness, and release, the body internalizes that pressure.
None of this is about blame. It’s about awareness. Metaphysics doesn’t say you created your illness with your thoughts—it says that everything is connected, and healing must address the whole you: body, mind, emotions, and spirit.
So instead of asking, “What’s wrong with me?” try asking, “What is my body trying to tell me?”
Maybe it’s time to slow down. To feel what you’ve been avoiding. To let go of control. To nourish yourself differently—not just with food, but with truth, peace, and joy.
Healing isn’t just about diet or exercise. It’s about changing your relationship with your inner world—your energy, your emotions, and the beliefs you’ve been carrying. When you start listening inwardly, the shifts ripple outward.
Everything you consume—food, thoughts, emotions—either raises or lowers your frequency. Choose with intention. Your body remembers everything. But it also responds to love. Give it some.
Shifting Habits With Awareness
So, how do we shift from unconscious habits to conscious nourishment? Let’s start here by talking about changes you can make today—not because you have to, but because your body and spirit deserve to feel better.
1. Cut the Soda and Fruit Juice
These are sugar bombs in disguise. Even the “natural” ones are problematic. Swap them out with water, herbal teas, or your own iced green tea brew like I do. Add lemon, cucumber, or mint for flavor if you need that sparkle.
2. Eliminate High Fructose Corn Syrup
This sneaky sweetener is in everything from crackers to ketchup. It’s more addictive than natural sugar and wreaks havoc on your liver and insulin levels. Read labels. Better yet, eat whole foods as much as possible, limiting processed foods.
3. Ditch Daily Fast Food
Fast food is a convenience trap. But what you gain in time, you lose in vitality. These meals are loaded with inflammatory oils, sugar, and sodium. Opt for simple home cooking—grilled proteins, sautéed veggies, hearty soups.
4. Load Up on Fresh and Frozen Produce
Don’t overthink it—just aim for more color on your plate. Frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh and can be prepped in minutes. Add a side of greens to every meal.
5. Learn Your Daily Calorie Requirement
This isn’t about restriction—it’s about balance. Many women don’t realize they’re either under-eating and spiking cravings, or overeating because they’ve lost their hunger cues. Use a calculator or app to learn what your body needs.
6. Get a Handle on Emotional Eating
Pause before you snack: “Am I physically hungry or emotionally empty?” Create new coping rituals—journaling, walking, deep breathing, dancing, calling a friend. Eating isn’t the only way to feel better.
7. Stop Eating at Least 3 Hours Before Bed
This one habit does wonders. Your digestive system gets a break, your sleep improves, and your body can focus on healing instead of processing.
8. Hydrate Like It’s Your Job
Water is life. One gallon a day may sound like a lot, but with practice, it becomes second nature. Proper hydration improves digestion, clears skin, reduces cravings, and boosts energy.
So here’s where I keep it all the way real—I’m doing a lot right. I practice intermittent fasting, I drink my water, I brew my own iced green tea, I enjoy home cooking, and I don’t eat within three hours of sleep. But sweets? Yeah… they still call my name. Especially chocolate.
And sometimes I answer.
But I’ve learned this: when I stop judging myself and start listening deeper, I get to the root of the craving. Sometimes I need more rest. Sometimes I need emotional release. Sometimes I just want a treat—and that’s okay. But I choose it consciously, not compulsively.
Final Word: Small Shifts, Big Energy
This isn’t about moralizing food. It’s about eating to live, to thrive. You don’t have to give up every indulgence. You just need to become aware of what you’re reaching for—and why.
We’re not here to chase a “perfect” body. We’re here to honor the vessel that carries our purpose, passion, and power.
So, if you’re struggling with what you consume, know that it’s not just a discipline issue. It’s a sacred conversation between your body, your brain, and your soul.
You don’t have to overhaul your entire lifestyle overnight. Start with what resonates. Add one healthy habit a week. Let it compound. Track how your energy changes, how your skin glows, how your spirit speaks more clearly when your body feels loved and nourished.
You are wise. You are worthy. You are whole. And your temple deserves care, not just survival.
Ready to deepen the way you care for your temple? Download my book Rooted in Self-Worth—available now in digital on Etsy. It’s a powerful guide to reclaiming your body, boundaries, and brilliance, from the inside out.
Let me know in the comments—what’s one shift you’re ready to make this week? And if this post resonated, share it with another woman who needs a gentle nudge back to herself.
Let’s start taking better care of ourselves—mind, body, and soul.
#HealthIsWealth
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