Monday 28 July 2014

Going Low-...

The Low I am referring to is Low Fodmaps. I am one of the many people who suffer with IBS. Although I haven't been clinically "diagnosed" by an expert, my doctor has confirmed that all the symptoms I get are on par with that of IBS. Someone recently asked me what I would do in my current situation, right here in the present, if I had three wishes. The reason for the present is because I am always changing. Like everybody else in this world, my focuses switch and I want for different things all the time. But at the current moment my wishes are as follows:

  1. Get my dream job.
  2. Have nothing physically wrong with my body.
  3. And have better relationships.
I actually changed for myself to be a better person because one day that one person changed my life forever & I realized how short life was so why be this horrible person & live through so much bs . When you can be happy & bs free !!!! Do it for yourself people !! Do it for the new you ; ) only be that bitch at  certain times when it's necessary  !!!!

Obviously, these goals can all be achieved with time, but it would also be great if they could do a 360. in a second.

However, Life prefers time and so I am currently attempting to tackle all three head-on. I first began researching IBS early last year when my symptoms started getting worse, and that's when I discovered the low fodmap approach to IBS. I researched into it and was blind-sighted by how many foods, healthy foods, contributed to flared up symptoms. As someone who enjoys their fruits, veggies and salads it was hard to justify trying to go without these items or just avoiding certain food items.

FODMAP diet. for a happy belly :) more here: http://ibs.about.com/od/ibsfood/a/The-FODMAP-Diet.htm
Source

It is recommended that at the beginning of your low fodmap journey you do the elimination phase. When I first read about this I was baffled by the concept. As a general rule I try not to follow strict or depriving diets or food plans. Past issues with food showed me that I should just follow my own diet. By that I mean eating healthy whilst also enjoying my favourite, less-healthy foods. However, by following the elimination phase would mean cutting out a large chunk of my diet and getting rid of foods that are known to upset people that have IBS. By following this 4 to 6 week period and keeping a daily diary improvements should be seen. And that is almost guaranteed. I mean it isn't rocket science, eliminating the cause of your stomach upsets is going to lead to a healthier stomach, but hearing peoples testimonies that I have come across it makes everything that much more tempting!

"During the elimination phase, you should follow the low FODMAP diet strictly and eliminate all foods on the high-FODMAP list for around 6 weeks."
Source 

I have yet to actually go through the elimination phase, but just by lowering the amount of high fodmaps that I put into my mouth I am seeing massive improvements in my general gastro health. If you have IBS yourself I would definitely recommend looking into fodmaps and the highs and lows of the food they categorise, even if you just follow my approach and lower the higher fodmap foods that you put into your mouth. 

I am still researching into The Low-Fodmap diet, by looking at different blogs, journals and articles on the subject, but I am very glad for the information I have found so far and I wouldn't have known about it unless I'd have researched into it one late night.

Here's a couple of useful Fodmap Food Lists.

xoChloexo 

Wednesday 23 July 2014

WIAW: Because I Finally Remembered!

It feels like forever since I linked up with Jenn for a WIAW post. But I finally remembered to get some candid shots of my eating from yesterday and I thought why not blog it...

This will be a quick post as I am currently sweating my ass off and all I am doing is sitting on my bed. The good weather has hit and I want to make the most of it. Living in England you never know exactly how long this amazing weather will last. It could literally be gone tomorrow!

                                                            Meal One


Snack One



Meal Two



Snack Two and Three




Meal Three



Now the warm weather has finally hit, I find myself reaching for the easy to plate (no slaving over a stove), chilled and fresh meals. Grab and Go is what I have been about recently and it is definitely evident in these photos!

Can't wait to sneak a peek at everyone elses eats...let's go.

xoChloexo


Wednesday 16 July 2014

Doing Things Just For Doings Sake

I have been done with University for the past month and a half now and it's stressful trying to get a job. Trying to maintain a routine has been key to not having a full fledged breakdown, but I'd be lying if I said that I haven't been struggling. And struggling I have, big time. Since my birthday meltdown last month I have been getting by pretty well, but not having a job nor an education to work towards is getting on my nerves. Having a job means having a routine and something to keep my mind preoccupied.

I've gone from having a job and being a university undergraduate, to being unemployed and it's beginning to take its toll. I know most grads would be jumping at the chance to relax after all the hard-work they've just put in to their degree, but I am ready to get out there already. The problem is I have social anxiety/anxiety and it is sometimes a problem doing everyday tasks and so I often question how I am going to survive in the real world that faces me. Will I completely fail? Will I cower and avoid situations that make me feel uncomfortable? All these questions are negative, of course, that's the way my brain works. It naturally jumps to the negative and that's something I am working on, improving the way I see and perceive situations.

But with all this in mind, during my small strength and resistance workout this morning, I found myself pondering the idea am I doing it to prove a point? Am I just doing things for doings sake? As people we do this on a daily basis, we do things just to go through the motions. There's no enjoyment in the task at all, but it needs to get done. Like washing up the plates, or doing the laundry, because if we don't, who will? But there are certain things that we need to drop because they don't make us feel good and it's unnecessary to put ourselves through that.

These thoughts and emotions stem from my looming Graduate Assessment day, but the thing is that it's for a position that I don't even want. But neither do I know what I want to do, so should I just go for it? Probably wasting both my time and my money on buying train tickets to get there. Or should I kindly phone up and say that I won't be attending. If it's not something you want to do, should you continue ahead and do it anyway is the question I am asking? If I was offering advice to someone else, I would say forget it, phone up and cancel. And maybe that's the advice I should follow myself.

I'm not someone who left University knowing what they wanted to do, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, but I am only now realising that. Everybody has their own path to follow and at the moment I am definitely feeling lost. But I can't help think that feeling 'lost' is a kind of luxury, a luxury I can only afford for a while longer. Time and money are both running thin and I need to have a serious think about what I want to do and how to go about achieving that. If that means taking classes and working retail, then that should be the path I follow.

I think this is enough rambling from me. It is time to get on with the rest of the day, including a trip up the A&E with the mother for her messed up eye.

xoChloexo