Healthy eating/gardening/anxiety

[rainbowninja]

Is anyone interested in joining a thread about the impact of healthy eating on their mental health?

I've suffered from anxiety for years but it's been a lot worse since I became a mum.

With lockdown in the mix I just feel physically and emotionally depleted.

I've had some tests done and I know that I am low in certain vitamins etc. I've been recommended supplements to take and to 'eat the rainbow' (basically eat shed loads of veg). I want to give it a go for my own sake and my daughter because I know I'm not being the best mum to her. I'm anxious and irritable.

It feels quite overwhelming but I am quite interested in learning about nutrition, I also quite like the idea of having a go at growing some of my own veg as I've been enjoying being outside lately and I know it helps me.

I don't want to do it on my own though so I wondered if there were any other anxious mumsnetters out there that would be interested in learning/growing with me. No pressure to change anything overnight, maybe we could just cheer each other on for drinking an extra glass of water or something?

Hi Rainbow,

Your butternut squash hash and buckwheat waffles sound good. I made courgette fritters yesterday. I like how simple they are to make. It's also something that I could make for work and have cold.

I found the broccoli and cauliflower salad a bit boring. I tried it again with more seasoning and peri peri salt and it was a lot better.

I forgot how time consuming keto is! I'm constantly cooking, preparing healthy pack lunches and looking for new recipes. It's definitely worth it though. Feeling more energetic already.

Hi @Lokikitty, how did you do your broccoli and cauliflower salad? I've had cauliflower rice before and agree it needed quite a bit of seasoning but if you can get that right it can be nice!

We had lemon sole tonight with capers and shallots, I'm getting better with fish but still don't love it.

I met with an old friend from work, it felt a bit strange as I've not worked in a few years but it's nice that we are still in touch.

Hi Rainbow,

That's great that you met up with a friend. Where did you go? It's good to stay in touch. I'm still in touch with someone that I worked with around 10 years ago at my first school. It wasn't a very nice school and we still talk about it when we meet up!

I made the salad by adding olives, cherry tomatoes and cheddar to the cauliflower and broccoli. Then used olive oil, salt, pepper and peri peri salt for flavour.

I made courgette frittatas for my tea, with plenty left over for my lunch tomorrow. I did roast chicken last night. Doing lots of cooking! I also did some baking on Sunday. I made some chocolate dipped shortbread to take to work. I managed to resist them!

Hi @Lokikitty,

My friend came to me, I was a bit embarrassed to ask but she was very understanding. We both went through a stressful time at work a few years ago and we also still talk about it sometimes!

I really like the sound of your broccoli and cauliflower salad. I've been a bit uninspired recently, I need to get back into meal planning.

Hope keto is going well?

I went for a little walk today and went to a shop on the high street for the first time in a little while, it was a good confidence booster. Hope I can keep building on it.

Hi Rainbow,

I'm glad your friend was understanding. It makes a massive difference, doesn't it. I often think that the worst part of mental health is the feeling that nobody understands you.

Keto has been going really well. I've been back on it for 10 days. I'm good at sticking to something once I start it.

I've had a bad evening. Managed to get on Teams for my session in 10 minutes. I was in the lobby waiting to be let in the meeting which I didn't think anything of at first, as I was a few minutes early. An hour later, I was still waiting and ended up having a panic attack.

Luckily for me, my daughter phoned me and talking to her calmed me down. Then I went for a walk and had a bath when I got home. Just feeling flat now.

Hi @Lokikitty,

Just read this or would have replied earlier, so sorry you had such an awful time 😔 how are you doing today? The teams thing has been a nightmare for you, is the person running the course aware? (I'm feeling aggrieved on your behalf!)

Is it your half term next week or the week after? My daughter has a 'break the rules' day tomorrow which she is looking forward to then she's off next week.

We had Hake tonight and I would go so far as to say I enjoyed it so persisting with fish might actually be paying off!

Hi Rainbow,

I'm feeling a bit better today. I got 8 hours of broken sleep, which was much better than the 2 hours that I got Wednesday night. I've asked for the rest of my sessions to be cancelled and I've been put on a waiting list for face to face sessions.

I'm curious to know what 'break the rules ' day is?

I've never had Hake. Glad you're enjoying fish more.

Hi @Lokikitty,

How are you doing? Sounds like a wise plan about the sessions 👍🏻

Break the rules day is a way to raise money for the school! The kids get to pay a pound for each rule they break, they can have juice instead of water, non school uniform and things like that! I think it was fun, now just got to find ways to entertain her through the holidays. We had a playdate today which was nice.

I'm really low on energy at the moment for cooking but did do some healthy baking with my daughter yesterday. We made raspberry muffins with buckwheat flour so gluten free, they were nice! How's keto going?

Hi Rainbow,

I'm doing better. I slept well last night. I didn't wake up in the middle of the night, which is unusual at the moment. I do Zumba on a Monday evening. I think that helped me to relax.

I felt tearful and drained at the weekend, so had a couple of days off from doing keto. Back on track today.

I treated me and my daughter to bowling. We both needed cheering up. We also went out for a meal. How was your weekend?

The raspberry muffins sound good. I made salt and pepper chicken yesterday. Just made myself salmon for tea.

Hi @Lokikitty,

It was a quiet weekend. I can still only really go out for short walks, I know it's an improvement on not being able to go out at all but it still gets me down.

I'm trying to get back on top of my healthy eating, when I can't be bothered to cook I just snack on nuts and sugar free ice lollies. I guess cause I'm not having the bad stuff I feel like it must be ok but I'm really low on energy. I made an effort to have steak and salad tonight and I'm going to make a buckwheat pancake for breakfast tomorrow I think.

Hope you and your daughter enjoyed bowling and that this week is a bit better generally.

Hi Rainbow,

You are doing really well. I know what you mean though, it's easy to feel like you should be doing more.Even though you know that you are doing the best that you can at the moment.

Sorry you're low on energy. Hope this improves soon. I made cauliflower and broccoli bake yesterday and courgette frittatas today. I'm pleased that I'm having a lot more vegetables.

This week has been better. Work has gone smoothly, despite being short staffed. I'm doing Zumba twice a week now, which makes my evenings go a bit faster. I find the evenings drag when there's nothing on tv.

Hi @Lokikitty,

How are you doing? It was my birthday yesterday and so I made myself a gluten free lemon cake using almond flour, it turned out well which was good as I've always loved being able to treat myself to something sweet on my birthday!

Sounds like you are doing well on the veggie front! It really does make a difference to your health getting those veggies in.

I find that in the evenings too sometimes, Zumba sounds fun! It's a good way to exercise and be with other people.

Is it your half term this week? Hope you're finding it ok.

Hi Rainbow,

Happy birthday 🎉🎉. Did you have a good day? You definitely need to treat yourself on your birthday.

It is my half term this week. It's a bit odd because everyone I know was off last week. I've decided to work 4 days, as I can't meet up with anyone. Had an art class today. I made an outfit for world book day. Got something planned for every day, so I should be okay.

Feeling a bit over tired today. There were delays and cancellations with trains, due to bad weather. It took me ages to get home from my art class. Got Zumba in an hour!!

My costume for world book day

Hi @Lokikitty, how's your week going?

Love your world book day costume, must check if my daughters school are doing anything.

I saw a friend earlier who I haven't seen for ages, it was lovely to see her in person.

Healthy eating has been going pretty well this week although I did have a whole bag of dark chocolate almonds earlier 🤣 had sea bass last night which I quite enjoyed and also made gram flours wraps again.

I start training as a health coach next week, I'm looking forward to the course starting.

Hello, can I join too?
I've recently had weeks of anxiety where I just have a sense of impending doom and feel constantly on edge even though nothing is wrong. Then when one little problem I haven't anticipated crops up, it feels like a massive thing when in reality it's an easy fix.

I've had anxiety on and off but never long lasting. The last 2 years have been incredibly stressful for me but I've now sorted my life and have got rid of these stresses. I think I've been on high alert for so long I can't get rid of that feeling even though now I have nothing to worry about.

I'm going to try and get a walk in everyday and just received gardening gear from my partner for my birthday, starting with carrots having never grown anything before.

Hi @applewhitenights, it's lovely to hear from someone new! 😊

I think I know what you mean about being on high alert so long and I think nutrition can really help with getting our bodies to realise that we don't need all these stress hormones!

You've reminded me of the gardening element of this thread as well. Good luck with the carrots!

I've just had a carrot cake 'nakd' bar for my mid morning snack. I also need to get meal planning as it's the cut off for my online shop tonight.

Hi Rainbow

When does your course start? You've done well with the healthy eating. The chocolate almonds sound good. I'm the same once I start eating something, I can't stop!

My week has been really busy. I did another art class yesterday. I practiced painting Sonic and TaiIs which I'm planning to do in my art club.

I worked at a private nursery through my agency for 3 days, which was more draining than a full week in school! I forgot how hard a room full of babies and toddlers are. I had a bad day on Wednesday. I did a 6 hour shift without a break. I found it really hard and felt low by the time I finished work.

I'm hoping to have a quiet weekend, so I'm refreshed when I go back to school on Monday. Have you any plans?

Hi applewhitenights,

How are you doing? It's easy for something to trigger your anxiety, even when you feel like you are doing really well. Well done on making some positive changes.

Good luck with the walking and gardening. I find walking has helped me a lot.

Hi @Lokikitty,

My course starts this week, feels positive 😊

Hope you managed to have a restful weekend after your time at the nursery last week.

I made another cake with my daughter yesterday with almond flour and lemons, it was delicious. I saw the recipe on Instagram from a woman who does healthy versions of cakes you get in Starbucks and other places.

That's brilliant Rainbow.
I felt like I was doing okay yesterday. I went to a cafe near me that does lovely food. I made sure that I had a lie in and only did as much housework as I could manage. I did some housework and washing today. In the afternoon I met up with an old colleague for the dessert, which was nice.

When I got home I crashed. I rested for a few hours hoping that this would help. I have been vomiting a lot this evening. I have thrown up when stressed since I was 18.

The lemon cake sounds lovely. I often joke that when I can no longer cope with working in schools, I will open a cake shop and sell healthier cakes and biscuits.

Hi @Lokikitty,

How are you doing? So sorry you were feeling bad yesterday, that's yet another link between the gut and stress I suppose but how horrible for you.

I had my mum to stay over the weekend and got a bit stressed which always leaves me with butterflies in my tummy but I'm doing ok. I probably had a bit too much sugar over the weekend too even if it was the healthier forms.

We had roast lamb tonight with carrots and parsnips.

Hi Rainbow,

I'm doing a bit better thanks. It turned out to be food poisoning. I'm so used to my problems being stress related that I didn't realise it could be something else. When I was still being sick at 2.00am, I realised I had food poisoning from the place I went to eat.

I get nervous about having my mum round. Even if I'm okay while she's at mine, I realise I'm struggling because it affects my sleep.

Your tea sounds lovely. My daughter has been in charge of meals today. I've had toast and fish fingers 🤣. Mustn't grumble, I'm just glad she was off uni and able to do me food and tea.

Hi @Lokikitty,

Hope you're doing better? What caused the food poisoning? I know what you mean, I assume most things are stress or anxiety related until proven otherwise 🤣

What's your daughter studying at uni?

I made buckwheat pancakes today with my daughter and felt relieved that's one of the few healthy things she will eat! She had it with ice cream and blueberries and maple syrup.

hi, not sure I've posted on the thread yet but was reading early on. I feel like it might help me so I'm rejoining. Hello

Have just read the most recent posts but will catch up more after this.

@applewhitenights I'm trying to walk more again too. I do a reasonable amount but in the winter it's been less, tempting to drive (school run) instead when it's cold or wet. I do feel better for it usually when I've had a walk!

Good to read the snacks and meals you've been eating. I had a cheddar, celery and mayonnaise sandwich today - trying to reproduce one I've bought in the shops before. (Think it was from Waitrose). It was nice. A less healthy but lovely babka at a café earlier - a sort of yeasted bun with chocolate and chopped pistachios!