Self-Care for Rough Times- Nourishment Tips
Photo by Freddy G (@freddygthatsme) via Unsplash
As we find ourselves continuing to navigate the social, emotional, and financial challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, caring for ourselves, and for others, is challenging, at best. The phrases “progress not perfection” and “I’m doing my best” are apt right now. This is especially true when we talk about nourishing our bodies with food. Many grocery stores have bare shelves or low supplies of staples. Food assistance requests at local food banks are rising as many people with families to feed find themselves without employment. We will get through this challenging time together but that doesn’t mean it won’t be scary, stressful, and overwhelming.
Here are a few tips to help us nourish ourselves during rough times:
Nourish yourself as consistently as you possibly can (every 4-5 hours during waking hours). Set a timer on your phone and eat something even if you don’t “feel” hungry. Stressful situations blunt our hunger and fullness signals, yet our bodies still need consistent fuel. Self-care for nourishment means that we feed ourselves regularly to give our bodies energy. It’s also not uncommon during these times to experience intense cravings and./or binge eat. If this is happening to you, please know that it’s normal and likely serving a purpose for you. Eating less to compensate for binges will only make them more frequent and severe.
Create a “Nutrition 911” plan. Make a list of easy meals and snacks that require very little, or no preparation, and that provide adequate energy. One example is the peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the picture above. This is a great snack; include a side of veggies/fruit, a glass of your favorite kind of milk (and a cookie!) to make a meal. Having a list of go-to meals and snacks is a lifesaver when you don’t have the physical or emotional bandwidth to plan or prepare meals.
Be okay with needing to be flexible with your food choices. If you and your family are eating macaroni and cheese, frozen broccoli, and hot dogs for dinner several nights in a row, that is ABSOLUTELY FINE!! Canned, frozen, and “processed” foods are often labeled as “bad” foods in diet culture. In times like these, canned, frozen, and “processed” foods are lifesavers (literally or figurately). Depending on what’s available in our local stores and according to our budgets, we may be relying more on staples and less on fresh foods for the time being. Not every meal needs to be “balanced” in order for our bodies to get what they need. All we can do is our best with what we have available to us.
Finally, if you find yourself in need of food assistance visit Feeding America’s website to locate a food bank near you. You are certainly not alone if you are in need of food assistance.
My thoughts continue to be with you as we navigate these uncertain times,
Nicole