*Trigger warning* Eating for Health and Wellness

[Guest_1055]

I have been struggling eating and eating healthy foods over the last couple of weeks. I really do not want to go back further to how I use to eat, that is eating junk food, takeaways, copious amounts of chocolate, processed junk and comfort eating.

Finding it challenging to stay motivated to actually prepare what I know helps me feel better mentally, emotionally and physically. Plus I have been feeling overwhelmed with other stuff happening in my life, which somehow makes it more challenging. The old unhealthy comfort eating thing is coming back. And I think I am getting concerned and scared about that. I so much do not want to go back to how I use to be. I was so sick. Plus I now have some physical things not right in my body , so I need to be more careful and mindful of what I eat. ( Pre cancer cells , high blood pressure )

I was eating really well since Febuary of this year, it’s just the last couple of weeks I haven’t.

So I would like to use this thread to help me be accountable to Beyond Blue people. So like a diary where I can post and report what I eat. And also any healthy eating tips, motivating strategies to help eat better or anything related to healthy eating for our bodies including our mental health.

[Guest_1643]

HI shelll

loving all your food choices - the spinach toasated wrap sounds amazing

The cashew cheese sounds beautiful

I love those teevee snacks as well - my friend gave me some biscuits and i keep snacking on them but i don't even love them. They are quite bland and average and fake-tasting. I've been enjoying good batches of hot chocolate - healthy kind as a very soothing drink.

I've also been whipping up bircher muesli a day in advance - yoghurt, oats, coconut, sweetened with apple juice... sit overnight and have a breakfast to go. Sometimes I get fancy and grate apples into it or add berries (one day i even stewed rhubarb) - but today i just had it plain as I really didn't have energy. I do'nt enjoy cooking so much.. i do it in spurts but other times it's just the basics that i have energy for. I tell myself "that's okay just for today" and eat whatever i can whip up on the day.

[Guest_1055]

Hi ya Sleepy,

Bircher museli.. you preparing it ahead of time is a good idea. I have made some similar but it was a while ago. Think I put in chia seeds as well as the oats.

And you do sound kinda tired behind your words. Wish I could help you somehow.

[Guest_1643]

thank you shelll

i do feel tired and frazzled. it is hard sometimes to keep up with all the housework when i live alone. Every so often i enjoy cooking a big batch of something but often it jsut feels impossible. I like to stock up on fruits and veg to snack on or even cut into a fruit salad - always tastes great and don't have to think too much about what to cook.
Most nights I make soups.... I truly enjoy that. Whatever veg I have goes in and it's nice when it all works well. I love drinking healthy hot cocoa as well. I serve it in a beautiful tea pot to keep it warm and get a few cups from it 🙂 that's my go-to these days

[Guest_1055]

Hi Sleepy, it's good to make a pot of soup I think. Especially if its homemade. Lots of good nutrients in those.

And you sound like me, with a beautiful teapot and all.

Lately I have been eating a large sweet potato. They are so easy to roast. Just wash, and place in an oven until they are soft.

[Guest_1055]

The last few weeks I have not had much of an appetite at all. Just don't feel like eating. At times I have forced myself to eat. This is very different to what I am used to.

Some days I have just eaten grapes. Some days a roast sweet potato, maybe a plum. A veggie pattie on one day.

I often feel full quite quick like too.

I took some antibiotics for my mouth a month ago or so. I am not used to taking those. I wonder if that altered things. I know it can damage the good bacteria etc.

Think I will copy Sleepy and just make some soups. A large pot full that will last a few days or more.

[Guest_1055]

Still not feeling like eating much at all..

I did make a pot of soup yesterday. Of which I ate some from a soup mug. I have enough of it for today.

Ingredients :

Onion, garlic, carrot, fresh green beans, tin of diced tomatoes, tin of washed and drained black beans. Cumin, smoked paprika, vegan " chicken" stock cube and water.

I also ate more grapes and a small banana.

Today its just on 10:30am. I have not eaten or drunk anything at all.

Feeling very emotionally flat.

[Guest_1643]

hi shelll i love the cosy feeling of soup from a mug

or a hot chocolate in a cute or delicate little teacup

it helped me a lot to feel better truly

sweet potatoes are magical, one of my favourites too. lots of good vitamins and minerals

the soup sounds yum

i've yet to add onnion to my soups - do u do anything to them before adding them?

i love using brocolli and mushrooms in soup as well. do u ever use those? the cumin also sounds... mmmm.......good on you for enjoying that delicious food. sounds like ur getting tonnes of good nutrients. not being hungry is a funny thing sometimes and confusing - but you sound like ur doing well having small amounts!

i treated myself to a raw desert the other day - a lemon cheesecake with a cashew nut base. I loved it! I guess they use a lot of coconut oil probably and sweeteners.... it tasted very wholesome though. I don't like desserts excessively sweet so it hit the right notes for me with the lemon!

[Guest_1055]

Glad you replied Sleepy.

I can imagine the raw cheesecake. And I think you may be right about the coconut oil, pretty sure they use it to sort of make it set. I have made one with cashews before, but a long time ago. I do remember it being creamy.

If you like the lemon flavour there is a coconut icecream out, that is called boysenberry lemon cheese cake. It is sweetened with coconut sugar. Think the brand is "nano"

And yes I dice the onion, add first to the pot. Then brown it using only small amounts of water to stop it sticking. Some might use oil or butter. But water works just fine for me. Doing it first and browning the onion gives the soup more of a deep flavour I think.

I do use broccoli as well. I have made a creamy mushroom soup before. I don't think it worked out to well. Mushrooms are super healthy aren't they.

About being hungry... I don't know

And I totally agree about serving foods and drinks in nice things like teacups etc. It makes me feel more elegant.

[Guest_1643]

Hi Shelll, how are you?
How was that hunger today? And the flat feeling you mentioned?

i'll check out that icecream! sounds awesome!!!

i like desserts that aren't all sugar and have some fruit or nut ingredients as well.. I bought these frozen yoghurt bars and they are a bit much for me... it's probably like 3 percent fruit.... but was just giving them a try.

hope ur feeling a bit better Shelll. Sending a hug

[Guest_1055]

Hi Sleepy, how are you going today?.

Me.. I do feel flat. And still have no appetite. Though I did eat salt and vinegar chips today. But not because I was hungry. Feel regretful about that.

I made another soup with split red lentils, cauliflower, onion, sweet potato, spinach, green beans, cumin, papikra, stock cube and black pepper. So ate a bowl of that for lunch.

I also had grapes. And a green powdered drink ( barley grass, spirulina wheat grass, moringa) I added vitamin d3 to that along with 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed.

Do you know your vitamin D level Sleepy?

Sometimes I wonder if most people with mental health issues may be low in it.

Enjoy your hot chocolate using your teapot if you decide to have one tonight