Goal 1: To improve my resistance to stress
Time frame to achieve: 3 to 6 months
Healthy diet
1. Tea/Coffee ReductionConfession time: Hi, I'm Tash and I am a 'bordom' tea/coffee drinker. I have at least 6-8 cups (well mugs actually) of tea/coffee per day. My first and last cup of tea are made with lite milk and each have a heaped teaspoon of raw sugar, In the others the sugar is reduced to 1/2 a teaspoon. My coffees, of which is usually only ever two per day, are both made with lite milk, and a heaped teaspoon of raw sugar. My morning coffee acts more like a very effective laxative, and the second is to give me a little more 'ooph', or because I'm sick of tea LOL. I will say, that even though I have 6-8 cups, I tend not to drink them all; I get side tracked and forget its there, and then it goes cold ewww! What I have noticed with my cuppas is that sometimes the 'milk' feels 'thick' in my mouth. This I think is my bodies way of saying it doesn't want the milk. So, based on lets go with 8 cups per day, that means whilst I may not be eating much, I am having at around 6, lets say 8 teaspoons of raw sugar per day, which equals 128 'wasted' calories, but thats not my focus right now. Oh, I also have a hot chocolate just before bed.
Did you know that on average?
- A cup of coffee contains 60-200mg caffeine.
- A cup of black tea contains 40-80mg caffeine.
- A cup of cocoa contains 5-40mg of caffeine.
So whats that, 400mg - 920mg of caffine per day.
With the recommended daily intake being 400mg/d, its all starting to make sense. Especially considering that caffine can:
- Increase cholesterol
- Increase risk of peptic ulcers by 72%
- Increase urinary excretion of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium
- Reduce
iron absorption by up to 39%
- Increase anxiety/insomnia at higher doses
- Impair glucose tolerance when consumed on an empty stomach
Natuopathic Plan:
- Swap two cups of caffinated tea for herbal tea e.g., cinnamon, chamomile, ginger, lemon balm.
- Swap late night cup of tea for sleepy herbal tea blend.
- Aim to drink last coffee of the day before midday.
- Swap one caffinated coffee for a decafe option e.g., 'Before you Speak Adrenal'.
My additions:
- Swap back to almond milk
- Reduce and then eliminate sugar in my teas, or try to embrace stevia
- Swap every second cup of tea for a herbal tea
2. Try not to skip meals
A healthy diet can support immune function and repair the damage to cells by overproduction of hormones; adrenaline which suppresses the appetite, and cortisol responsible for the cravings. This makes so much sense considering (1) I regularly skip meals eating only at dinner (family time), and/or once I am in bed and relaxed (which means going to sleep on a full tummy), and/or (2) I comfort eat; which admittedly is no way near the extreme it once was (aka I am no longer bulimic).
Naturopathic Plan:
- Choose foods for the mood
- Eat the rainbow
- Add a morning protein smoothie
Something that in the past helped me to reset and start feeling good was having my morning 'green' smoothies, so I am quite excited about restarting those again. I think my kids will be too actually, even Ace who is quite fussy when it comes to foods.
The naturopathic suggestion was to add some ground flaxseed, banana, leafy greens, berries, peanut/any nut butter with the Wellness road brand hemp or pea protein from Coles which is around $10. I love the fact that it is easily obtainable and affordable.
In all honesty, anything extra I can add to my diet during the day will be beneficial. Especially high nutrient dense foods (including omega 3's, protein, fibre, and good fats) as not only will it provide fuel for my body and therefore help with my low energy levels, it will also help to regulate my both my mood and blood sugar levels.
Top Ten Foods For your Mood.
- Spinach: Anxiety-relieving and mood-boosting. Source of magnesium (aids calmness) and folate (helps body to produce mood regulators; serotonin
and dopamine).
- Pumpkin Seeds: Source of zinc (lowers anxiety levels), and essential amino acid tryptophan (converted by the body to serotonin).
- Berries: Source of antioxidants (protect body against stress) and vitamin C (anxiety-relieving).
- Avocados: Mood booster due to tryptophan,
folate, omega-3 fatty acids and B
vitamins (stress reducers).
- Tumeric: Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anxiety-relieving.
- Chia & Hemp Seeds: Source of Omega-3s fatty acids (healthy fats that are anxiety-relieving).
- Brazil Nuts:
Source of selenium (mood regulator, anti-inflammatory, and anxiety-relieving).
- Dark Chocolate: Anxiety-relieving, Anti-depressent due to phenylalamine (mood regulator).
- Chickpeas:
Source of tryptophan, folate and magnesium (stress relievers) and low glycemic carbohydrates (<55).
Eat the Rainbow
Eating two or more, half cup serves of brightly coloured fruits and vegetables per day increases our antioxidant intake, which helps to protect the body against stress and supports immunity and healing by reducing inflammation and cell damage.
- Fruit: blueberries, cherries and other dark berries, apples, pears, dark
stone fruit, red and black grapes, figs, papaya, kiwi fruit and pineapple.
- Vegetables: tomatoes, capsicum, beetroot, carrots, pumpkin, sweet
potato, radish, artichoke, avocado, broccoli,
kale, spinach, cabbage, red
and black legumes, onions. - Herbs and spices: garlic, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, fennel seeds,
mustard seeds, chili, rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley, coriander,
oregano, peppermint.
- Sources of omega 3:
small oily fish (sardines, mackerel, anchovies,
herrings), walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds.
My additions:
- The items crossed out are things I dont eat because they are gross!
3. Increase Hydration.
Okay, I need to make another confession. I do not drink anywhere near enough water on a regular basis! Water is essential to life! 50-80% of our bodies are made up of water, so we NEED it for all our chemical processes; digestion, nutrient absorption, movement, excretion, and temperature regulation.
Naturopathic Plan:
- Increase water intake to 750ml per day before next appointment (12/10/23).
- The aim is to get daily water intake to 2 litres.
My additions:
- I have been adding some flavourings into my water to make it a little more enjoyable e.g., lemon slices, diet cordial, and herbal infusion tea.
- I also take my prescribed supplement N-Acetyl-Cysteine (to support liver, blood sugar regulation and addiction) in a glass full of water every morning.
- In swapping out some of cuppa teas for herbal teas, this will also boost my water intake.
- I also add 7 drops of Australian Bush Flower Essence 'Confid' to my water when I go to uni, to help me with my confidence in social situations throughout the day. With each sip I repeat the following affirmation.
I am confident in myself and my abilities, and am making positive changes in my life.
Lifestyle
1. Incorporate some daily self love practices
Naturopathic Plan:
- Journal for 10 minutes each day writing down the following points: Today I am proud of myself because? Today I felt good when? Today I am grateful for? I love 'blah blah' about myself.
I'll be honest, I'm resistant to this one, so I've decided to adapt it a bit until I am ready.
My additions:
- I will post my daily gratitude on social media.
- I will be proud of my accomplishments, and not solely focus on the points lost.
- I will graciously accept compliments by simply saying "Thank you".
- I will include a daily affirmation with my morning and night flower essence.
I meet and accept myself where I am and I choose to love myself today.
I meet and accept myself where I am and I am proud of all I achieved today.
2. Increase Movement
Naturopathic Plan:
This will help to support healthy weight management, insulin resistance and natural endorphin production.
My additions:
- Instead of doing yoga daily, I will commit to 2 days per week.
- I will do my Lymphodema/Physiotherapy exercises 2 day per week.
- I will go for a walk, do a dance video, or do something else to move 2 days per week.
- I will have 1 day of rest where anything goes e.g., nothing or something.
I am a little annoyed I waited until the good weather to get back into my walks because., a) theres the sun which I love more when I'm in the shade; b) Its magpie swooping season and the little buggers scare me; and c) my lymphodema is worse for heat, so I yet again self-sabbotaged.
However, I plan to combat this by doing my Lymphodema/Physiotherapy exercises on the days in between so that way it assists me to remain consistent.
I love dancing; the movement, the freedom, the way it makes me feel. Sometimes I just dance to whatever of the kids music is playing, or I do a dance workout video. I especially enjoy the
Fitness Marshall, and I do this other
Walk Dance one.
I am looking forward to trying '
Boogie Bounce' with Sarah, although after watching the video I wondering if I'll be able to keep up, and are a little iffy on how the bouncing will go with my back. On the other hand, I have read that boucing is ultra beneficial for lymphodema. I am also ultra excited that the warmer weather is here which means swimming again, which also helps the lymphodema, and my mental health as I love the water. Oooh just thought of going to the beach made me feel good.
Photo by Natasha Hurst
My ultimate goal is to get back to the training I was doing pre-surgery e.g., (crossfit, HITT/Tabata, boxing, running). Whilst I may not have always enjoyed doing it, I loved the endorphins it produced and the way I felt for it. Plus I looked bloody good!
Ooh, I just remembered that I need to buy myself a wirefree sports bra. I am still wearing the surgical bras I brought three years ago, and lets face it, they are doing nothing for me. I've put it off for so long because the surgical process isn't finished, but I can't put it off any longer.
3. Vagal nerve stimulation.
Naturopathic Plan:
The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body. It is the major
component of the parasympethetic nervous system or
"rest and digest'. It is responsible for digestion, immune
response, heart rate and controlling mood. Strengthening the Vagus Nerve can be achieved by the exercises below which help you switch from "flight or flight"
to "rest and digest".
- Deep breathing (make sure your stomach expands
outwards with each breath).
- Singing humming and chanting.
- Cold exposure (cold burst last 30 seconds of shower).
- Exercise - walking or yoga is beneficial for brain and
mental health.
My additions:
- Lymphodema exercises
- Playing guitar and singing
- Shower daily
- Exercise was spoken about above
Deep breathing is also a part of my Lymphodema exercises which is a bonus.
The vagus nerve is connected to your vocal chords at the back of your throat, which explains why when I'm feeling a bit low, I always gravitate to playng my guitar and singing power ballads. I received the most wonderful comment from Sorgi Stories the other day, and part of what was written said "...Maybe it's in one thing you do for someone. Like when your hands can do it, giving your gift of music to someone who needs it, ...the kind of gift that opens the human heart to itself and heals.That's love.There is a power in the recognition of loving yourself, in loving someone else, that fuels your spirit & soul through challenge...". So, I've decided that on the days I do play and sing, or even just do karaoke in my carport haha, I will record it and share here, in the hopes that I make a difference in your (you reading this) life, as well as mine.
In a household of six, it is not uncommon for the hot water to run out on me so I've pretty much already got the cold exposure covered hahaha. I will however, be mindful to which to cold just before jumping out on the days I do get some hot water.
Health Appointments
- Exercise physiologist
- General Practitioner (Appointment 4/10/23)
- Gynacology (Appointment 17/10/23)
- Naturopath (Appointment 12/10/23)
- Optometry
- Osteopath
- Chiropractic
- Podiatry
- Lapband
- Counselling (Appointment 25/10/23)
- Dental (Appointments 31/10/23 & 1/11/23)
- Lymphodema Clinic (Booked but forgotten when)
- Breast surgeon
- Lymphatic drainage massage
- Womans health clinic (Waiting on appointment)
- Diabetic Nurse
I look at this list and think 'Holy heck, it's alot'. But, I am so proud of myself for being proactive in my health journey. I am worthy of the time to attend these sessions, of ensuring that I am doing all that I can to achieve the best possible health outcomes for myself.
I've got a referral to the exercise physiologist so I will give them a call and make the appointment. Actually, I am in two minds about this one. Maybe for now it would be more beneficial to use it for the osteopath instead until I am ready to increase my activity? Or maybe going will help to blend my Lymphodema/Physio and general exercise better? I'll think on it a little more.
Before my next Naturopathic consult I need to get my GP to order a blood panel to check my B12, HBA1C, thyroid, and iron. I'm pretty sure it's been 3 months since my last lot of bloods and Diabetic review so I was due to get them done . I also have to head back for another hoohar burn too.
Since I'm talking about making appointments, I also need to call and book appointments for my eyes, feet, back, and lapband, and ofcourse juggle the time to fit them in.
I am a huge advocate for seeing a trained professional in the field of mental health. Not only does it allow you to express your thoughts and feelings in a nonjudgmental space, but they can also provide beneficial strategies to help reduce stress. That reminds me, I will check with my GP when my mental health plan needs renewing.
I really dislike going to the dentist, but it is so important, especially considering that after years of vomitting, along with the reflux, I have worn the enamel off my teeth. Since the back to back ops in 2020 I have had so much trouble with my teeth. One of my major embarrassments is the gap in my smile due to needing to have a tooth removed during covid as I couldn't afford a root canal. Sadly, I was booked for a root canal for the tooth on the opposite side but now they are saying it can't be saved and they want to remove it. I am personally not will for that to happen just yet. I will definiely be asking for a partial dentures or something like that. They refused the falseys as the rest of my teeth are okay, which on one hand is a bonus, but on the other not so much.
And..., I just realised that I did not add my next lymphodema appointment into our Family Wall App, so I need to call and find out when that is as I dont want to miss it as theres over a six month wait each time.
I also need to make an appointment to see my breast surgeon, but as much as I want the operation to happen, I don't think I'm ready for another one just yet. Feb/March next year would work, or even July because that's mid-semested break. If I could find out in time to know whether to enrol in online/blended subjects that would be handy.
Ooh I also need to find somewhere locally that does lymphatic drainage massage.
I am also waiting on an appointment with a womans health clinic to look at the menopause stuff. I am hoping that by the time it finally gets booked, I will be managing it alot better with the changes I am implementing.
As usual this post became ultra epic. If you have made it through reading all this, you are AWESOME and I am so APPRECIATIVE!
Until next time,
LLP xo Tash
