Healthy Happy Chaos

Anxiety……..What does the gut have to do with it?

Wow, I totally had bigger plans when it came to this blog and somehow, I let myself fight myself and here I am months (okay, years) later not doing what I wanted to do. Isn’t it funny how anxiety works? One day you are overly excited and committed to a new, exciting opportunity and the next you are doubting yourself and not do anything with it for months because you feel you will fail so what’s the point. This is exactly why I want……no, need to stay on top of my healthy habits. When I eat right and take care of myself, I am able to have some control over my anxiety and panic attacks. I still find it amazing the direct connection nutrition has on your mind and body, but yet I find myself deviating. I absolutely hate it and our big move to another country completely through me out of whack. It has been the hardest for me to get Well back on track with my nutrition and fitness. In just three months we will have been here for 2 years and yet I cannot get back on track. I cannot get my mind where it needs to be.
So, here I am, again. 2024 and I am attempting to make changes for myself for the better because I need to. I am letting too much get to me mentally, emotionally, and physically. And guess what? It isn’t working for me. I need to get back to where I was roughly 3 years ago. I need to commit to myself and make things better for myself. So thank you for joining me on my journey to refind myself. I have some big goals and I have put it all on a vision board (my entire family created one for themselves) and displayed in our home entrance hallway. First post of 2024 is going to be on anxiety and food because i started a new book that has really been intriguing with the detailed explanations on how our mind is affected by our gut!

Anxiety – such a terrible sounding word and for many like me it comes with a whole load of feelings. The actual definition is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, that can be mild or severe. Everyone has feelings of anxiety at some point in their life. Some experience it quite a bit more than others. I for one seem to experience it in some form or fashion each and every day. I would like to say that I have not always been this way, but as I think about throughout my life I am not able to come up with a time I haven’t experienced anxiety. Some days are better than others which is a big plus. But I don’t say all of this to be a downer and all negative. I am saying all of this because I know what my reality is and that I need to do what is necessary to take care of me. I have learned over the years that when I do right by myself I am able to reduce the effects of my anxiety attacks.

The first thing that I have learned is that there is direct connection between nutrition and anxiety. One thing that I have learned is that when I eat clean foods and minimize the amount of preservatives that I take in I seem to have a lot better focus and my anxiety doesn’t take over. Reducing my intake of foods that I am sensitive to helps to reduce the grumpy and foggy feelings as well. There is just something about that full, pressured feeling in your stomach that just makes a person grumpy, right?

So this book was released this past year that just happened to pop into my local library, Calm Your Mind With Food: A Revolutionary Guide to Controlling Your Anxiety by Uma Naidoo. I just got it a couple days ago and already finished part 1 because of how interesting her thoughts are. More to follow as I progress through the book, but so far…..WOW! I’m excited to see what I learn with this book.

For the past 6 years I have made solid efforts to keep on the right path. About a year and a half into this lifestyle change I spoke with my doctor and was able to get off my anxiety/depression meds. This was a big moment for me because it was my second round of being on these meds. I thought I was good and spiraled to point I was afraid of not coming out. Got the help I needed and was given meds to help me get better. It was determined then that I would need to be on these meds for the rest of my life. That was a defeating moment in my life, but it was also the point of turn around for me. I was determined to make some changes for my family and for me. We all deserved the best version of me. That’s when the various health and wellness program trials started. That’s when I started understanding my own personal connection with food.

I know it’s hard to believe because we use food to celebrate and comfort. How can something that brings us so much joy cause so much harm at the same time? I learned first-hand what food does to my body and mind about 7 years ago. Had a friend introduce me to a program/challenge that taught me how to eat clean. I was extremely skeptical, but I trusted her and felt it was worth a shot. Worst case scenario it doesn’t work, and I move on to something else. I am here to tell you that it was totally worth my time and changed my outlook on life. Recipes and shopping lists with nothing but pure, clean products. Basically, what this meant it raw veggies and homemade sauces. Getting rid of products packed full of additives and preservatives. It certainly was a huge learning curve, but I committed myself and did my research along the way learning all about what, why and how. How I came out at the end of the 30 says was truly amazing to say the least.

I was down weight and waist size, I was thinking clearer, I had so much energy throughout the day (and without extra caffeine!), I was sleeping so well (6-8 hours of sleep), my relationships were better because I wasn’t in a funk lashing out at everyone around me, I was able to handle stressful situations head on without losing my mind, virtually no panic attacks, muscle gain and definition, and the list seems to go on and on. I was truly amazed how I felt after just 30 days, so guess what I did?! I jumped all in and became a consultant and health/wellness coach with the company! I was hooked so bad! Now I still believe that the program and the products are great, however, I have let the negative thoughts get the best of me and convince me that I am not meant to feel good or do something that made me so happy. Why do I do this to myself? Well, thanks to my own mind I am now here regretting my choices. No more! I have got to stop doing this! I enjoyed what I was doing! I was happy with who I was and the difference I was making with my clients! I enjoyed how I personally felt taking care of myself! I need to get a grasp of this anxiety thing and stop letting it define me and my life!

Here is to taking the first step…………..