Boo! Is Candy Scary To You?
It’s that time of year again-the official start of the “candy holidays,” kicked off by Halloween. It can be sheer torture, facing the overwhelming displays of treats now. This is especially the case for those of us struggling with food, weight, and body image issues and disorders.
Indeed, for a lot of us out there, it can trigger disordered eating patterns.
So, what do we do? We can’t stop Halloween- and all “candy holidays” from coming. No, it’s not an easy situation. But we can look for perspective and help, even considering the temptations and issues we face, dealing with candy and “trigger” situations.
“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”
1 Corinthians 10:23
Candy, by itself, is neither evil, nor good. It’s inanimate. It has no nutritional value; and yes, it’s loaded with sugar, other preservatives and colors. The “moderation” issue, therefore, comes into play. You and I will probably not die or have the worst case scenario, (whatever we define that to be for our lives, such as the notoriously dreaded “getting fat” fear) if we eat some candy, from time to time, in our lives.
(And I say that as a current survivor of both eating disorders and Breast cancer).
We would probably benefit from looking at eating candy as a choice; candy has no nutritional value. So, according to 1 Corinthians, it is “lawful,” but does it “edify?”
The constant staples in our lives need to be healthy choices: healthy food, balanced exercise, sleep, quality relationships, nurturing support and numerous daily spiritual, emotional, and physiological choices. That applies to each of us; we don’t require a cancer or eating disorder diagnosis to make that point relevant. It is about an overall healthy lifestyle, not if we ate some candy corn today.
Yes, it’s challenging, facing the overwhelming flavors, colors, choices- and emotional ties that Halloween candy can represent to us. But remember, there is credence to a life that includes enjoyment.
Are you and I taking time to enjoy our lives? For some of us out there, that may mean eating some candy today; for others, it may mean choosing another option.
Regardless of what you choose today, “to candy or not to candy,” it would probably do us some good to look at candy with newer eyes today.
It’s not your best friend or your worst enemy. It’s candy.
And you and I are so much more valuable than its existence.
Copyright © 2023 by Sheryle Cruse