Caffeine/Sugar/Junk Food

[Eggy]

How much does all that affect your body? Can i expect a big change if i change everything?

So far i have already cut out Caffeine since the beginning of the year and i am now off sugar and using sweetners instead although they don't taste too great.

Also i eat loads of microwave meals, biscuits, crisps, chocolate and loads of other crap.

Over the past 3-4 days i have been changing my diet and eating things like jacket potatoes, scrambled egg on brown toast with low fat butter and i have switched from semi-skimmed milk to 1% fat milk, also i am eating things like really low fat chicken and sweetcorn soup, salads and things like ham, tomato, low fat cheese and lettuce sandwiches.

It's cost me more money to buy more healthier stuff and hope i am not wasting my money, I would expect a big change in the way my body is over the next few weeks.

[nomorepanic]

You know what they say Eggy - "you are what you eat"

Yes it will make a big difference but shouldn't cost you more than the likes of microwave meals and all the other crap as you put it lol.

[paula lynne]

Well done for the positive changes youve made Eggy

I think I read on here somewhere that people who suffer anxiety shouldnt take sweetners because of something that it contains? Maybe someone can clarify this here?

[nomorepanic]

To be honest sugar is better for you than sweetners so I don't think the odd teaspoon here and there is going to matter.

[Eggy]

The sweetner i have only contains sodium and nothing else according to the packaging, I avoided the usual ones, I am a very heavy tea/coffee drinker and i have to have 2 spoonful's minimum so that's why i have had to switch over to sweetner.

[katz41]

Try splenda sweeteners - the don't have any if the nasties in them and may suit you better
Well done you on going the more natural route. However I have to agree that healthier food can cost more but unfortunately i think that's the supermarkets for you - crap food is cheaper!!
Try changes gradually though, that way you shouldn't have too many side effects!!

[mr badger]

Needn't cost you more if you cook from scratch.

Learn a few basic recipes and you're away. I do enjoy a few guilty pleasures (Pot Noodle today - now very thirsty) but cook from scratch almost every night.

Definitely avoid things with MSG in them. A real anxiety causer, even in those not prone.

[KK77]

The sweetner i have only contains sodium and nothing else according to the packaging, I avoided the usual ones, I am a very heavy tea/coffee drinker and i have to have 2 spoonful's minimum so that's why i have had to switch over to sweetner.

What do you mean only "sodium"? :shrug: ALL artificial sweeteners contain chemical "nasties":

Aspartame
Neotame
Saccharine
Sucralose

These are all classed as chemical additives and I avoid them like the plague personally.

You should cut down on your coffee/tea intake and use sugar.

MSG is also one to avoid as Badger says.

[gaaron]

Eggy, Mr Badger is right...it actually is cheaper using good stuff..I can't afford the readymade/takeaways..so I'm healthy :D . I make batches of food then freeze them into meal sizes. Good luck:D

[mtatum4496]

I've tried all the alternative sweeteners and some have a worse impact than others on my anxiety levels. Splenda is far away the worse, while Sweet N Low seems to produce the most benign reaction. But in general, I've minimized sugar use in my diet as much as I can.

In general, I have to keep carbohydrates at a minimum since I am also diabetic, and even then must be smart about the ones I do ingest (complex mainly with only a little bit of simple carbs now and then). I can tell when I've gone a little heavy on the carbs, not only because of my blood glucose levels but also because I get jittery and am more likely to have a panic attack.

Caffeine, for some odd reason, seems to sometimes have a calming effect on me. I mainly get my caffeine from tea, with only the stray cup of coffee from time to time. I've pretty much given up on diet sodas for the most part, and have taken to allowing myself something with sugar only once a week - and then only a small portion.

[KK77]

I agree Gaaron - I think it's cheaper buying decent food. Also, crisps, chocolates and other snack-crap isn't cheap.

[gaaron]

Good food also keeps you 'full' for longer (says me who's just eaten a bar of chocolate - organic tho':)) x

[Eggy]

I've changed back to sugar but cut back from 3 teaspoons to 1 teaspoon in my tea/coffee, So i've gone from around 120g+ of sugar per day to around 40g.

[Anxious_gal]

I know artificial sweeteners have been known to trigger migraines in people who suffer from them.

[Meewah]

Eggy


This thread has brought out the closet nutritionists lol. Personally I went Vegetarian with anxiety, in actual fact I made some great changes with anxiety at my side. Anxiety is like a good friend to me now and keeps me on the straight and narrow. It reviews everything I eat and do. That said it over reacts sometimes and I have to put it in its place.

My Advice

Make changes gradually to reduce side effects. (usually gassy)
Eat natural unrefined food products. I only make food from raw produce. I make it fresh then batch it up. Most products that you get from supermarkets need a long shelf life so they generally treat it some way to make it last.

I drink rooibos tea (naturally decaffeinated and more antioxidants than normal)
I have 2 cups of freshly ground coffee most days (Mainly to keep a balance).

Do I feel different?

Not greatly, Lighter and more energy possibly. Don't expect huge changes in personality.

What happens inside your body well hopefully it repairs the damage that food abuse has caused.

All that said I do enjoy chocolate more now.

Mee

[sarahblonde32]

I use brown sugar, and dont put salt in anything, i eat a balanced diet (ish) but i still have good days and bad days.
sarah