I am continuing to suspend in-person hypnotherapy sessions with me in my office. However, phone, and Zoom consultations ARE and WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE!
(This blog was originally posted on February 13, 2015)
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When Bill Maher asked when was the last time
your (generic) doctor asked you what you eat on the February 6, 2015 episode of
Real
Time with Bill Maher, I started to wonder the same thing. Depending on what
the blood-test results show, a lecture about the dangers of high cholesterol
and how certain foods affect this level may be forthcoming. They also want to
know if and how much I exercise each week; presumably that is because exercise
is an easily quantifiable and relatively benign question to ask. Ditto for
getting the stats about daily alcohol consumption (basically, none). But I
honestly could not remember any time
a physician or even a nurse (RN or LVN) asked me what I actually eat on a
regular basis versus offering advice about what to avoid eating, altogether.
However, one of
the first things I do ask my
hypnotherapy clients is about their diet. This is true whether the person wants
to increase his or her self-confidence, improve a golf swing or lose weight. I
want to find out what they eat and even when they eat. I want to know these
details because nutrition plays a huge role in how we perceive and respond to
events in our environment.
Hypnosis Motivation Institute founder John Kappas, Ph.D., observed that low
blood-sugar levels can exacerbate or even cause a person’s presenting problem
(behavior or belief). For example, a sudden drop in blood sugar can trigger
physical symptoms such as shaking, light-headedness and feeling tired, or even
psychological symptoms such as depression, paranoia, irritability and memory
problems. Furthermore, Dr. Kappas found an association between a person’s low
blood-sugar levels and fluctuating suggestibility
with the onset of a phobic
response. (This fluctuation in suggestibility literally becomes obvious in our
handwriting: lines of writing literally become “wavy” when the person is hungry
and blood-sugar level is lower).
Not only do I
ask my clients about their food choices and eating patterns, I describe how and
why what they ingest (and imbibe) can affect their behavior. In addition, I
explain how eating nutritious meals that contain protein prevents the sudden
drop in blood-sugar level that can contribute to those physical and
psychological symptoms of anxiety. If and when necessary, I will refer a client
for a further medical and/or psychological evaluation if the individual
describes dysfunctional eating behaviors (e.g., bingeing/purging,
starvation) or beliefs about food or nutrition that are out of scope of my
professional expertise.
Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in
Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation
Institute in 2005. Sara has been voted the Best
Hypnotherapist in Santa Clarita, California, four years in a row (2019-2022).
For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an
appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/
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