Salads are considered very healthy. They are very versatile and usually contain a mixture of different ingredients; lettuce, vegetables, pastas, rice, nuts, meats, eggs and fruit are just a few of the more common combinations. You can incorporate just about anything in a salad. They are tasty and satisfying. You can even add dressing to blend all of the ingredients together. People who eat salads enjoy them and subconsciously feel a little virtuous. They believe that they are doing something good for themselves and for their health and longevity.
It might surprise you to hear that there are some salads that can actually be unhealthy for you. Psychological, emotional salads are not good for you at all. An emotional or psychological salad contains all of the things that are wrong in your life; your fears, doubts, discontents, disappointments and your physical ailments, all mixed together. You can literally pile your plate high with anxiety producing thoughts.
These fears and anxieties, when combined, will give you emotional and psychological indigestion and heartburn. You cannot assimilate multiple concerns all at once. You risk feeling overwhelmed, sad and depressed.
There are certain times that you should definitely avoid salads. Piling all kinds of negative thoughts and fears on your plate at night or during the wee hours is actually bad for you. Curtail and contain your negative thoughts and emotions. Work on eliminating them altogether from your diet. Treat them as if you are allergic to them. In reality, you are.
The best psychological salads are full of positive thoughts and affirmations. Add all of your strengths and positive attributes. Don’t forget to add your accomplishments and your good fortune. You can also add a dash of desire and dreams. Top off your salad with faith and trust to bind it together. Faith and trust in a Higher Power and in yourself puts things in perspective and makes everything better. The right kind of salad will nourish your body and your spirit.
Patricia Frank is a Licensed Psychotherapist. She can be reached at 305-788-4864
