*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

thanks for asking after me.
I had a very hectic and upsetting day.... a lot happening here. How are u doing?

vitamin d is very low for me -  I struggle to remember to do that! I've just added a vitamin c as well. I worry I can't tkae it consistently enough to make a difference, I always forget a day or two here or there. It is something I'm trying, though.

What a beautiful soup and drink u made, did you enjoy them? The soup is great with the lentils for protein. Yum all round. I made a soup today as well, with these really dark mushrooms, they were given to me, I don't know what kind they are but they had such a strong flavour. Someone once told me the darker the mushroom, the more flavour?
I drank my hot chocolate tonight from the little teapot in this tiny tiny ornate glasses. You're right - it is elegant and soothing. I even have my fireplace going....

[Guest_1055]

I am sorry you had a hectic and upsetting day Sleepy, whatever day that was. Can you let it go now?

You do good to eat the mushrooms. I am unsure what the dark ones are as well. There are a lot of varieties. Saw some once that looked white and fluffy. Very unusual. Pretty sure you can buy mushroom type powdered superfoods.

That does sound so soothing sipping on hot chocolate in front of the fireplace. Cozy.

Hey I read you had a painful tooth. Oh boy I can understand that. I just massaged my gums near a tooth with clove oil tonight. I am sorry you are feeling physical pain there. And it does get a bit much. I have learnt so much about teeth and mouths lately. So if you have any questions, please ask me, if you want.

What did you put in your soup beside the mushrooms? I made another pot yesterday. And I am liking them, because there is not much chewing involved. It can get a bit much for my teeth at the moment. Mine has cannelloni beans, organic potato, carrot, onion, green peas, green beans, cauliflower spinach, cumin smoked paprika garlic powder.

So I ate some of that today, plus more grapes

Hope you mouth feels better soon Sleepy.

I talked to a naturopath about vitamin D3. She suggests to her clients to take between 5000iu to 8000iu of it daily for a 3 to 5 months. Then get the level checked again. Then if your body has optimal amount decrease it. So that is what I am doing. You can also take vitamin D3 injections. Not sure if you knew that, just throwing it out there.

Shelley

[Guest_1055]

Ate purple grapes this morning.

For lunch and because I had only a tiny amount of soup, I added some more ingredients to stretch it out about. It tasted delicious. To the above soup the other day that I made, I added:

More water

Split red lentils

Cauliflower

tomato paste

Spinach

More cumin , smoked paprika, and garlic and onion powder. Plus 1/2 of a vegan stock cube. I really did enjoy it. Felt so nourishing.

For dinner, I ate a whole burger. We went on a spontaneous picnic. I use to eat at a restaurant called Grilled quite a lot more before. So this is were we headed to. Anyway I ate... and I forget what it was called. But it was a vegan burger. Very yummy, messy and took me a while to eat. Reason being I needed to break of small sections ( Currently only able to eat on one side of my mouth and chew slow) It had lots of salad in it and a piece of vegan cheese. The pattie was called beyond meat or something. It smelt like beef sausage a bit. It has been a very long time since I have eaten beef. It sort of tasted a bit like I remember beef tasting, even thought it may have been. The person (who is a meat eater) who I was with tasted it and said no its not beef.

[Guest_1643]

hey Shellly

thanks for understanding me re the teeth!

It comes in waves and is always at the worst times... i'm taking painkillers atm. I don't know about clove oil and natural tricks - good one there with that. I've not had this before. I take vitamin d as well, but I've been lax about it lately. It does feel good, doesn't it, once you get on a roll... and are consistent with it...

Admire your knowledge and efforts with natural remedies...You've got a great wisdom there!

I love the grapes that you eat and they are so nourishing. I had a beautiful salad today with pomegranete arils that were lovely. And a grain salad earlier in the day with a chai.

I was making my own for a bit but it doesn't taste as good... I've gone back to getting them in store when I can. It's fun also to try the different ways ppl make it. Even if they use the same blend, no two places taste the same. Sometimes it has a burnt taste to it.

Tbh Shelll I love grapes and love how you eat them, then I buy them and they just sit in the fridge! Don't know why. Do you have foods like that - which when u actually have them, you never eat?

[Guest_1055]

I have never tasted a pomegranate before. But I am thinking it is pink or red. So it probably looked nice on a salad.

Yes I do have foods like that. Some times I will think I will juice some carrots, but never get around to it. Then find out later that they have started to shoot green leaves. Then I have bought ingredients for a recipe, then never use it, then find it later and have forgotten what recipe I bought it for.

It sounds like a bit of an adventure trying out different chai teas at different places.

I do like natural remedies for things. Just something in me I guess. Love researching that kind of stuff.

[Guest_1055]

Ate 2 hot cross buns

Grapes

I made another soup. They just feel so nourishing. This one had:

Onion

Garlic

Carrot

Cauliflower

Spinach

Can of brown lentils

Dried thyme

Onion powder

garlic powder

Cumin

Dried oregano

Stock cube

[ecomama]

Hey Shelll, Sleepy and everyone

I saw you writing about wellness foods and wondered if you've tried sprouting seeds on the counter?

I'm not doing it atm, but when I was home, it was so yummy to do!

For salads my fave - broccoli seed sprouts.
For fruit salads & fresh juices my fave - chia seed sprouts.

Broccoli sprouts just do their thang with a few rinses a day.
Chia seeds look like this gelatinous little bubble cell and give a great texture.

My vegan friends who had "a commune" lol, sprouted all the time, the commune helped with everything (except alone time ofcourse lol).
They said by sprouting it increases the nutritional value up to and over 1000x it's original value as a seed or even as a veg.

I'm a fussy foodie.
I need a gourmet thing or 2 in my salads but dislike creamy dressings and such.

Gourmet tasting things for salads:
~ broccoli sprouts, nutty fresh flavour
~ balsamic onions, make a batch and they last for forever in the fridge
~ roasted pine nuts
~ roasted slivered almonds
~ pickled cucumbers
~ adding cooked vermicelli noodles, yep! Add these to a Mexican salad mix, an Asian dressing YUM!

Gourmet tasting things for soups:
~ sweet potato noodles! 50c per packet, they store so well
~ parsnips
~ roasted pumpkin (I think my roasted pumpkin soup is on the Recipe thread) just pumpkin, some oil and water!
~ roasted tomatoes for soups, esp Minestrone.... see Monk's soups on a Google search for amazing soup ideas with easy ingredients.

Love EM

[Guest_1055]

Gosh you have a lot of ideas there Em. Love them. I have made and eaten chia seed puddings, but never sprouted them. And I have heard about broccoli sprouts being super healthy before. I would absolutely love to have a go at sprouting those. Plus I think you can sprout chickpeas etc to make them more easily digestable.

You post is so inspirational and you do well to eat all those healthy foods.

Do you use organic broccoli seeds? I really do what to have a go at sprouting those, but feel not confident in doing it. I have even looked at this sprouting container a while back.

[Guest_1055]

Surprise... I ate more grapes for breakfast. They are in season now I guess. So I make the most of them while I can.

I finished of the last of the soup I made whatever that day was for lunch

I made a chocolate milkshake with soy milk, 1/3 frozen banana, 1pitted medjool date and vanilla. Then blended until smooth and creamy in the vitamix.

And most of the day, I have been chewing xylitol gum. Have been for a month. Still having issues with my mouth. Seems to soothe it some

[Guest_1055]

Made scrambled tofu with baby spinach, tomatoes and mushrooms. Ate it with some avocado and toast

Made a chocolate milkshake with soy milk, 2 medjool dates, cacao, vanilla and frozen crushed ice. Blended in vitamix until creamy

Are grapes.

Did not eat well last night. I hugely regret it. Ate an Easter egg bunny and some salt and vinegar chips.