I think you can all agree with me that with the world ending, getting out to find good quality food is a battle in its own. After realizing I had food problems all over again and starting to track what I have been eating to see my patterns, being creative and finding my new food options has been causing anxiety for me.
After two weeks of recording what I have been eating and how I have felt after each food the largest thing that I have noticed was that simply observing has improved my symptoms. By being conscious of what I have been eating has meant that I have been making different choices. Grains themselves, all of them, and many starches and fruits were causing noticeable fatigue for me the first week but now I am not noticing the same problems and fruits, at least, are becoming possible for me again.
The largest change that I have made over the last two weeks was increasing my grocery shopping. With focusing more on eating simply vegetables and meats with fruit every so often I have needed to explore more of the grocery stores in my area with greater frequency. While there are many stores in my area, they do not always have many things so visiting them more often and buying what I can when I see it has been key. I have noticed that I have way more produce hanging out in my apartment again so with it being fall, I am taking the time to focus on preserving things as I can. Buying twice as much as I will use and freezing half of it. Soon my freezer will be packed but then I will have emergency produce for the winter.
A simple example: I have been wanting broccoli for weeks but it has not been in stores or on my online grocery store. I was able to come across broccoli at one store that sells local produce and I picked up enough to eat and freeze some for later. The next day I came across broccoli at the organic store that I go to. It was $5 a head and they were small. While I prefer to buy organic, the locally grown broccoli was more desirable for me simply because of the cost. Continuing to look for food and freezing what I can is important to make sure that the variety of food that I would like to have in my diet is available for me. I plan to go get more broccoli to save in the next day or two.
I have also been eating significantly more meat. I am not a big meat eater and especially around my menses I try to avoid red meats because they noticeably increase my inflammation. It is surprisingly easier for me to find higher quality meat online for delivery than it is vegetables so this has been easier and accepting that I need to eat more meat, simply for the calories, has been harder than finding the meat. Meat has greatly increased my variety of meal options which was what was originally making me anxious about having to make these food changes again.
So what has my meal strategy been once I’ve found food? Simply put, make the same foods I already was and just not eat them with rice or on bread. Just take out the carbs. Wrap it in lettuce or eat it alone. Come back next time to see one of the recipes I have been making consistently.
Jillian Carnrick, founder and manager of The Dancing Herbalist, has a Masters of Science Degree in Herbal Medicine, practices as a nutritionist, and is a Certified Personal Trainer and Exercise Is Medicine Professional through the American College of Sports Medicine. For more learning opportunities or to speak one-on-one with Jillian visit The Dancing Herbalist.com.
