I recently received an e-mail forward from a friend that included a few tips on how to handle the grind of daily stress. The above title was one of the pearls of wisdom that just seemed to stick with me and really made my mouth open and shut in amazement.

Now, I’m probably the only person in the world that has never noted the earth-shattering significance of the phenomenon, but how astounding is this? I mean, come on, ‘stressed’ spelled backwards is ‘desserts’!

Every cheesecake that I have consumed in times of extreme crisis now makes perfect sense to me.

For all those moments that I have beaten myself up over the intake of sugary delicacies to find out that it was preordained puts it all into perspective for me. That’s why when your car won’t start, you’re running late, your jeans won’t zip anymore (ok, maybe that’s a bad example), your dog chewed your cell phone or some uninvited eight-legged creature decided the dark confines of your tennis shoe would make a fantastic new home, the only thing that will make those situations bearable is something decadently sweet and rich! Uh-huh, I get itnow. Sugar is the ultimate comfort food.

Unfortunately for me, I have had to forego the wonders of the sugary world for a new plane of existence: the dreaded stratus-sphere of the artificial sweetener. But, I must say it hasn’t been too bad. I can still have my calamity-calming slice of pecan pie, as long as it has that little seven letter word stamped on the top: Splenda.

So if you’re like me trying to live the sugar-free life, or you’re lapping the luxury of thick, gooey, wonderfully sweet chocolate in times of dire straits, just know that with every bite you take, your conscience can remain clear and your integrity intact.

There’s a reason that sensation of bliss happens when it’s melting sublimely on your tongue: phenyl ethylamine, the same chemical that is released in your brain when you fall in love. Also, researchers have proven that endorphins are released in your body while eating chocolate. Hence the feelings of supreme pleasure that course through your whole being while you indulge in a Hershey bar.

So, it’s no wonder stressed spelled backwards is desserts. With things beyond our control going on here like endorphins and chemicals.I can’t pronounce or spell without Google, what choice do we have but to stuff our faces with lasciviously luscious lemon icebox pie and Linzer cookies? (Always my personal favorite.)

After all, it’s not our fault that words in the English language hold the fate of our emotions in their mysterious spellings.