“Stress Eating” is a real thing …. and is absolutely something you want to limit in times like this. How many times have you been to the fridge and or cupboard today?

I know I have caught myself doing it a few times, and I just stand there hoping something will be different when I open the door- what is it I am really craving? Community, physical touch, having coffee with my friends, all of the above and so much more.

Uncertainty can be a major driver for us to hoard food and then eat it all in one go and this is a real thing too , or graze all day long coz we are board, thankfully I’m not that one, but I do look trying to fill a need. Do you know what your need is? Time to find out.

One of the ways to combat stress eating and or boredom eating is not to have ‘junk ‘in the house, this works to an extent but I find it can send you ‘crazy” instead. So, a little bit of comfort food is ok.

What do I look for when I shop, thankfully we don’t need toilet paper (chuckle) but it is still scarce as hens teeth, not really sure why as the virus doesn’t really make you poop that often and if it does I would recommend booking an online consult with me to get your gut health back on track.

So I look for and focus on whole, fresh, organic foods whenever possible sometimes like now they are in short supply so when I get home all my veggies and fruits get washed, they take a nice bath for 15 min in apple cider vinegar or salt water then rinsed and put in the fridge. I do aim to get 5 different colours in my fruits and veg, to give me and my family a greater range of nutrition.

Frozen foods are my next best choice, as they are typically frozen at their peak of ripeness especially my berries as they are filled with vitamin C and anti-oxidants.

Then proteins- grass fed and organic if I can, but atm that’s not easy, I am loving my butcher at the moment as he has a great range still.

Eggs are a great option if you can eat them, and look at duck eggs if there are no chicken eggs- I used to love mine on low and slow heat scrambled yum..

Healthy fats like olive oil, olives, coconut oil/cream/butter, avocado and nuts if you can eat them.

If you live out of town like so many of my patients do, then looking for foods with a longer shelf life is the way to go.

Fruits with longer shelf life are apples, oranges, lemons, and limes as these are good sources of vitamin C, fresh bananas and berries can be easily frozen before going bad.

Vegetables with a longer shelf life; Root vegetables like onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and squash are all good options.

If you are on a nutritional program stick to those foods listed, now is not the time to be introducing new food groups to your eating plan.

Other good options for supporting your immune system right now are:

• Broccoli, and collards greens (make sure these are cooked for my thyroid and hashi’s tribe)
• Garlic and Chilli peppers
• Ginger and turmeric
• Green tea, or other herbal teas.

Supporting your immune health doesn’t need to be difficult if you plan out your shopping – think of what meals you will prepare for the week and shop for those. Slow cooker and soups feed more and leftovers are always a benefit for my busy mums.

Do need a way to feel relaxed and calm that is quick and easy – see my Crazy to Calm ebook or my mindful meditation ebook.