I can eat a lot though it doesn't show that much. I can also drink a lot. I love eating and drinking yet often have to say no to many of my favorite things.
When asked by a friend what triggers my anxiety, I knew the answer. What mostly triggers my anxiety (aside from negaTrons around me) are certain food and beverages and/or lack of it.
As alcoholic drinks suppresses the suppressant, as my late husband used to say, controlling one's emotions, or shall we say, libido, while drinking is possible, especially if you aren't interested. Downing too much results in a hangover the next day. Drinking too often does bring up the tolerance level. Yet, in my personal opinion, drinking does not cause my anxiety, it is other triggers that bring it on.
Water is vital for health. Other beverages like juice, especially the non-sugary kind, does help. Then we have our other favorite beverages like coffee and tea with the guidelines of limiting the intake of coffee to 3 cups a day, and for tea, I don't know and maybe drinking endless cups of Japanese green tea is good for the health but of course, all things should be taken in moderation. Milk is another thing to drink and it's not just for babies. Most of us know how much water we should drink in a day and a while back, I had advised a friend to drink at least 8 glass of water a day and it was surprising how it became a positive thing as he did not only take it upon himself to do so but encouraged others to do so also. I don't really like saying things and giving out advice as we all know that we should drink water, choose healthy juices, regulate our caffeine intake, lessen or completely eliminate drinking soda, have a calcium intake, and though I have a high intake of water as I nearly always have a glass of ice water on hand, and admittedly, take a sugar-free energy drink that I so totally love because of the 1,000 mg of taurine that it contains, making me feel that my brain is "limitless" like the movie, lately I have been careful to giving out advise as hey, people should already know what they are doing wrong and since I am not that perfect (ehem) I hesitate, though I do know that coffee does give me anxiety, especially if the cup is not a good brew and ultra strong.
With the coming back home of one of my daughters, Maxi, who is into healthy food and with my youngest child, Almond, being that way too, the food that is being cooked and served at home is leveling up in inventiveness. I made lemon pepper chicken with instant noodles and green beans, Maxi made tofu spaghetti with carrots and green beans, and Almond made marsala chicken with vegetables. Today, I made boiled ground beef with cabbage, simmered with onion leeks and peppercorns.
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| Spaghetti with tofu and veggies |
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| Mushroom moringa milky pasta |
My main problem is that I only eat when I am hungry, though I try to change that by making sure I eat at a certain time, and today, I did indulge in junk food which is a filler and the munching makes me feel better, as it is what my Dad used to call, "nervous eating" when he would eat nuts and his other favorite snacks.
Having stepped out often since April, again, I noted that healthy food and beverage choices are not easy to make with the number of restaurants, especially fast food places, that serve such good (and mostly fried) food. I haven't cooked fried chicken that often since Dad passed away, as I hardly stock up on oil, so when out, the allure of those fast food places is strong. And, having this thing that my kids call my "potato fix", I do have to eat French fries, mashed potatoes, and the occasional hash brown. To find good vegetable dishes while eating out isn't that easy, though the small stalls have these, the options are to eat Chinese, Korean, and Filipino food, and opting to have a salad or a rich tomato soup in other places. Comparing iced teas, some are too sweet, while others are just right, and though there are natural juices, the sweeteners should be considered.
Then the sweet stuff that most of us crave for. That sugar high doesn't last that long and it does trigger my anxiety, making me crash after, and that was when I just had to drink Coke with every meal. I was able to get rid of drinking Coke and no longer buy it for the house unless there is a special occasion. Ice cream is one of my favorite things and during this year's summer, I had ice cream nearly every day.
Going on a diet is an every day decision and it's not easy. For me, it is a combination of drinking a lot of ice water, limiting sweets and not buying these, choosing the fruit option, eating vegetables as often as possible, taking small and frequent meals, not buying junk food regularly, limiting my coffee intake to a cup a few times a week, detoxing regularly, walking, standing after eating and choosing to stand instead of sit, and other things done for a healthier lifestyle. I try not to preach though as I do have my failings and it is my personal decision to avoid food and beverages that bring about my anxiety attacks, and though I am sometimes weak and give into those delectable temptations, it becomes an indulgence instead of a constant thing.
As I was planning what to cook for dinner today, my thoughts drifted and I ended up making a questionnaire:
How often have you said you will diet?
How many glasses of water do you drink?
How many servings of fruits and vegetable do you have in a week?
How many fried dishes and sweet treats do you have weekly?
What are your beverages of choice?
Do you eat a lot of junk food?
This list of questions can go on and on, and I may provide advice but then, as most people know what is right and what is wrong when it comes to food intake, then no matter what I say, it is a personal decision to make the changes and it is a good idea to start making the changes, today.
