Why I Read Gum Labels Like a Warning Sign

I catch myself in the grocery aisle, flipping over a pack of gum like it’s a secret code. Xylitol, maltitol, sorbitol—my brain catalogues each one, running through what I’ve read about enamel and bacteria, as if the right answer could make me feel safe. It’s not really about gum. It’s about the need to control something, anything, when my body feels like a puzzle I can’t solve. I tell myself it’s just about tooth health, but I know it’s also about the guilt that creeps in after every choice, the fear that even small things add up. Some days, I wish I could just chew and forget. But I keep reading, keep checking, hoping I’ll finally feel like I’m doing it right. #FoodGuilt #ControlIsExhausting #NotJustAboutTheScale #Health #Diet