Thread for those who are trying to eat "better"

[Octopus37]

Following on from yesterdays thread "Do I eat too much", which I posted on, I was unsurprising told that what I eat is crap. Have been feeling pretty crap the last few weeks, not enough energy low libido, sluggish, wound up, down - so have decided to see if changing my eating habits can shift things a bit. I'm not overweigh 5ft5, 8st6lbs, (slightly on the heavy side for me), but would be pleased if I did loose a few pounds, trying not to make weight the focus. Have decided to take a vitamin pill with iron every day, last year had v low ferratin levels so had to take iron tablets for a while. I'm not promising to do well every day and cut out sugar completely as I feel that I would be destined to fail. However, I am going to try to I improve. Today have eaten:
1 pack of Belvita biscuits
1 Actvia extra creamy yoghurt
1 large apple
1 Danone (high protein yoghurt)
3 Oatcakes
Some cashew nuts
I am planning on sweet chilli chicken & rice (ready meal cause of money diet) with some stir fried veg for tea and plan to eat some red grapes afterwards. Also may have some sort of a treat on school run. Also aim is to replace the Belvita biscuits with oatcakes for breakfast and maybe eat them with some cheese. Know I'm not doing perfectly but I am making an effort. Buddies welcome.

Dame sorry to hear things are stressful right now.

Im not sure about the Benecol either. I tried them a few years ago and never liked them so pretty much gave up due to the taste. Was it just Benecol he thought was best or could you try one of the others out there?

I guess in three weeks you can see whether the healthy eating is having an impact.

Dinner tonight for me was poached chicken (in stock and half a lemon) with tomato, garlic and red onion in the pan to make a salsa with brown rice and broccoli. Ive never been keen on brown rice but am persevering.

I did have a couple of biscuits with a cup of tea this afternoon. However, not half a pack!

Hello ican

Just noticed on my pack of sunflower seeds that they help maintain healthy cholesterol. Don't whether this means help lower too?

Just been reading up more on pulses. They contain soluble fibre (which lowers cholesterol)

This was the article if anyone is interested:

www.pulseaus.com.au/pdf/Health%20Benefits%20of%20Pulses.pdf?zoom_highlight=VIRUS+MANAGEMENT+IN+PULSES

Sorry things are stressful Dame, hugs

Thanks octopus, how's things with you, any less stressful?x

Ooo thanks, will read the link. I've got some flax seed too to sprinkle on food.

My Dad its on statins, he's had a terrible time on them, I'm not taking them, I'll continue with the diet.

The French have an average level of 6.1 and use tons of butter etc but have low heart disease. Go figure

Just read on the breakfast thread that steamed kale is good for lowering bad cholesterol.

Done my food order for the next few days - plan for tomorrow is to roast a chicken in the day, meals are my usual eggs for breakfast (unless the tesco delivery is late - we've run out!) although I'm tempted to do runny eggs with asparagus... halloumi/Mediterranean veg/couscous/chicken/apricot salad for my lunch (enough for Tuesday too), and Thai chicken curry (got a fresh pack of mixed veg, lemon grass, coriander etc and some coconut milk) for when the DCs are in bed (we both get home late and the DCs eat at CM on Mondays)

Tuesday is tacos using the chicken and heaps of veg, and Wednesday I'll be getting the DCs to help make fish fingers - really want to get more fish into them! Going to try making polenta chips as well. Only the ready made stuff though as I tried making from scratch before and it was a friggin disaster!

I'm planning to have chicken sandwich on Wednesday as I'm at work and only have about 10-15 mins break. I hardly ever eat sandwiches anymore but I don't think two a week (Wednesdays and alternating Fridays/Saturdays) is too bad really. Naice bread obviously

Mmm, asparagus with runny egg sounds yummy. Would never have thought of that.

Wow Fuzz, super organised! All sounds delicious. Use the chicken carcass for stock for soup too, then you'll really have made the most of it .

Dame , sorry you're stressed (and about your dad). Take the Benecol for 2-3 months, yes there is sweetener/sugar in it, but the drink will hopefully do much more good than harm, it's not as if it's 6 cans of diet coke a day - the dose makes the poison with anything . I'd be amazed if your cholesterol hasn't come down already with the way you are eating, you are doing brilliantly. Keep up the walking but do it for the enjoyment and headspace, not just for exercise sake...reducing stress is probably the best thing you can do for your blood pressure in addition to the way you've changed your diet. The French paradox is fascinating isn't it, it's come up on my course and my tutor's theory is that (despite eating more fat and drinking more alcohol than most western countries), the French always take the time to stop, relax and enjoy their meals properly (slow and mindful) and eat mostly high quality, locally produced and seasonal food. Makes a lot of sense.

Welcome ican

The blood pressure thing is odd,I had a24 hr monitor which kept going wrong and I ended up removing it after 10 hours as it kept cutting my circulation off and I'd literally screech with pain. It was going of 5x an hour and still not getting a reading and hurting like !

I literally seize up when I see a monitor as I had such bad pre eclampsia when I was pregnant I was hospitalised for 5 weeks and ds was born 8 weeks early. BP was fine afterwards though. Home readings are high but not liked in the doctor's. I'm sure it'll come down as I get more active. I'll talk again to the doctor in 3 weeks.

I'm practising deep breathing and relaxation which is amazing and has spurred me on to want to train as a hyono therapist. I have never slept so well in my life since doing the night time visualisation and breathing exercises.

Sorry, bit me me me tonight.

Ratatouille was lovely tonight, but will leave out the aubergine next time. Blerk

Dame, what's the night time visualisation that you do?

While I remember I just wanted to share something that made me

When I was in asda the other day on the way out I saw an advert for a new product... a weetabix drink. I know it's not the worst product out there by a long way (well I assume it's not, didn't read the ingredients!) but it is yet another example of food being messed around with even more and marketed as an essential part of our day.

Also I got a survey via email (am on MN insight panel), it was from tesco, I was very positive mostly as they are pretty good for deliveries etc, but on the bit where they asked "if there was ONE thing we could do to show our dedication to customers, what would it be?" I put "less offers on junk food, more offers on healthy ingredients" - can't really see that happening though!

Right, got to get up now. Got a sore throat, hope it doesn't last as being ill right now would be something of a disaster!

Aubergine is one of those things I really want to like but just don't - I have to disguise it in lots of other stuff like in a tomato sauce for pasta etc. A shame as baby ones are really cute :o

Re the blood pressure - I have very low BP (part of the POTS - I get very dizzy, in fact I sort of collapsed last night when I stood up too fast, first time in months :() and have been told by my consultant I have to increase my salt intake. I was really shocked as I'd always tried hard to reduce it.

So at first I was choosing savoury snacks over sweet, but now I'm eating as little processed food as possible I'm really struggling, apart from eating salted butter instead of unsalted. Any healthy ideas? Bearing in mind I don't want to overload the DCs.

Right I honestly am getting up now

Rummi, it's from a free phone app called Qi Gong. Can't recommend it enough and I love the option to do it without music as the plinky plonky music cheeses me off on these things normally.

Arf@ weetabix drink

I also put more offers on healthy stuff in a survey. Doubt it'll happen!

Fuzz pig there were some interesting ideas on this thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/food_and_recipes/a2009106-Salty-snacks-that-arent-fatty
Maybe will give you some inspiration?
Dame sorry to hear about what's going on with you. I second the genetic link - some people I have k own with high cholesterol have been such slim and healthy eaters. Good luck

Maybe just add a small amount of salt to your food?

For savoury snacks I just came across this on another boardwww.elanaspantry.com/rosemary-crackers/

Thanks for the link xmas :)

Problem is Dame I don't actually like salty food generally if I add salt to sauces etc it tastes yuk to me, as I'm not used to it. On the odd occasion when we use bacon, I rinse it :o We've never added salt to food during cooking as I'd read a long time ago that there's so much salt in everyday stuff like bread that you shouldn't really be adding any extra. I like crisps, but only occasionally now.

Peanut butter would be good too I guess? I do like it with celery and have some without sugar in the cupboard. I've got soy sauce too, must remember to use it!

Does anyone have a good minestrone recipe? I tried making one on Saturday but it was a bit meh.

I don't add salt either,I never have, it tastes vile

Touch of white coat syndrome Dame?

Fuzz I'd go for olives, sardines and miso soup (preferably make it from paste), all high in salt but lots of great health benefits.

I'm joining the aubergines-bluergh bench! I can only cope with them in parmigiana (basically very heavily disguised in copious amounts of cheese and tomato sauce .

Sleep,I actually have it on my notes that I have white coat syndrome I'm less stressed about it today after being very panicky yesterday. I'm going out for a walk in a minute, it's a beautiful day and the sun is shining

Oooo olives, yum !

Miso paste also great as a glaze/marinade for fish btw, esp with honey and mirin...Google for more specific recipes

Morning all - isn't the sunshine glorious!

I am trying very hard to step away from the left over chocolate fingers from DD2's birthday party yesterday!

My tummy is slowly improving Sleep - thanks for asking. Discovered that there's no H Pylori infection causing the gastritis, but now on double dose of omeprezole, plus taking zinc and a probiotic, plus the iron I always take during my period - I am a walking pill box today! Trying very hard to slow down when eating - I just licked the chocolate slowly off a chocolate finger so that counts doesn't it !

Never heard of miso paste, will look that up thanks!

My lunch was AWESOME. Softened courgette, red onion, orange pepper and garlic in a little oil and paprika, added pine nuts, then prepared wholemeal couscous, added the veg plus cucumber, cherry tomatoes, celery, avocado, dried apricot, cooked chicken and grilled halloumi.