Milk.  It does a body a good.   Doesn’t it?

For 3 years, I’ve been dairy-free – for the most part.  Sometimes it sneaks its way in unbeknownst to me because as diligent as I am about reading food labels, there are occasions when I miss an ingredient and before I know it, I’m eating it again.

Is my unconscious desire to keep eating dairy driving my blunders?  Maybe.  Our minds can be so incredibly self-sabotaging that in fact, it's highly likely, especially when the belief attached to your behavior is "Eating this will comfort me," or "If I eat this, I'll be safe."  

The main job of your subconscious mind is to preserve your body, or protect you, therefore, any scripts you have that tell you to eat when you're not even hungry, despite your attempts otherwise, will override your own behavior every time and you'll be into old patterned behaviors, which include eating foods you may have given up long ago. 

Until I worked with my own coaches and saw firsthand how my behavior was triggered whenever I tried to make big changes in my life, especially my diet, I was too blind to the fact that I was my own worst enemy. The single most liberating thing I've ever done has been overcoming my own blocks and releasing my dependence on negative thoughts and behaviors that keep me stuck and prevent me from making the changes I want to make for myself. 

When I finally had the realization that I was the problem – not anyone or anything else – I was irked, yet relieved too knowing I had finally figured it out!

Throughout my training as a natural health practitioner, I’ve learned a lot that not only applies to me, but to my clients too.  Working through each body system to correct my own physiological imbalances and reverse conditions that have plagued me for years has been the most fascinating, eye-opening and self-empowering discovery of my life.

In the process though, I inevitably learned about the dangers of consuming a poor quality diet.  And just like anyone else faced with relinquishing a cherished novelty, I kicked and screamed when the subject turned to dairy.

“It’s loaded with calcium!” I whined.  “Even cheese?” I queried.  “A little won’t hurt anyone,” I rationalized.  While there may be truth to that, you have to weigh the pros with the cons.  For some, a little is the same as a lot, while for others, a little is ok.  But seeking alternatives is key in finding satisfaction.  

The truth is, [bctt tweet=”there is more calcium in dark leafy greens than in dairy, and cheese is no exception,”] so if you hold fast to eating dairy, is it for nutritional reasons, or emotional?

I was led to ask the same thing just last week when I almost ordered cheese and sour cream on my naked burrito at Chipotle.  Out of nowhere, the impulse came to me, as if a gremlin stuck in the wee crevices of my mind somehow missed the memo that we’d extricated dairy long ago and decided to pounce while I stood vulnerable hovering over the toppings bar.

I almost gave in, but thankfully, something stopped me.

My mind was flooded with the very reasons why I gave it up to begin with.  Dairy is highly inflammatory for one, plus it creates mucous in the body, makes me break out, and the big one – bloats me and makes me fat.  I'm also not a fan of animal abuse, and make no mistake about it, dairy cows are abused.  Not to mention that consuming dairy in mass quantities only benefits the billion dollar dairy industry, and not me, and the worst part is they know it!

I've found satisfactory alternatives that I can happily say taste good, like Daiya cheese and almond milk, but taste isn't always why I eat. Like any other emotional eater, when triggered badly enough, I'll just eat to eat, mostly because I'm facing a situation I don't know how to deal with otherwise.

A seemingly neverending spiral I continually work on.  

The layers of emotional eating can be incredibly complex, and even with major breakthroughs, there's always more to come, so when embarking on uncovering your own emotional eating patterns, my advice is to fasten your seatbelt because you could be in for a bumpy ride.  

Is it worth it?  Unquestionably.  In my quest to truly restore complete function to my mind and body, I’m willing to do whatever it takes, which includes forgoing toxic substances, as well as toxic emotions, all while remembering that I'm subject to falling of the wagon at any time. I don't consider that failing but instead, human, and just as easily, I can fall back onto it too.

To eat dairy or not can sometimes be a controversial topic I've found, but when it comes to weight loss, there's no question about it. Statistically, and by my own life experience, my body does way better without it, and that includes with my weight.  Yet when my mind demands safety or comfort, dairy has always been a safehaven.  A strong one at that.  

It's creamy good, and therefore comforting, therefore, it only makes sense that constant examination of the vast network of beliefs that drive my emotional eating is the only answer to solving my most severe weight problems, and truly achieving inner harmony. 

Dairy, or no dairy.

PS: I have another free resource for you too!  Just click below to grab a copy of my free video eCourse on how to stop emotional eating!

Angela Minelli is an author, speaker and founder of Angela Minelli International, a heart-based global business serving purpose-driven everyday women and entrepreneurs whose self-image and weight issues are inhibiting their confidence and blocking them from pursuing their life’s passion. 

Angela's joy is in taking a stand for women who are living less than ideal lives, stopped by fear and doubt, which prevents them from stepping into their innate power and delivering their God-given genius to the world. Her coaching programs and products are designed for women with busy lifestyles yet allow for powerful transformation to take place within a small segment of time.  

As a natural health practitioner and digestive health specialist, Angela specializes in helping people overcome weight and energy issues through holistic, non-invasive protocols that address the root cause of their conditions, including adrenal fatigue, candida, thyroid disorders, and more.  

Explore the ideals that are the cornerstone of her work at angelaminelli.com.