Scarcity, be it toilet paper or hand soap, has a powerful impact on our brains and subsequent actions

You've likely noticed the empty shelves and long lines at your local stores. The fear of not having enough is a powerful one. It's something many people experience with food restriction and/or food insecurity too. .

That candy bar or bag of chips or pizza that is "off limits," not available or deemed "bad" to eat? That's the type of physical or mental restriction that leads most people to eventually over do it on that food. The diet mentality creates a scarcity mentality that leads to binging for many. .

So when faced with a pandemic and uncertainty about whether we will have enough hand soap or toilet paper, it's no surprise that the instinct is to overdo it by purchasing excess. .

I'm sending everyone a virtual hug in this time of uncertainty. If you need support with your eating or self-care during this time, please reach out for support. A virtual nutrition counseling session is just a click away: socalnw.com/schedule.