5 foods that increase anxiety (and cause health/gut issues)…

If you can get the nervous system to relax, you can calm the overthinking and lower anxiety/stress levels.

Your gut is responsible for creating neurotransmitters that alter your mood, serotonin in particular. If your gut is bogged down by junk food or inflamed it can be difficult for it to make those happy neurotransmitters. Food has the ability to affect your mood. 

5 foods to help shut off that fight or flight nervous system response:

1. High histamine foods (alcohol, aged meats and cheeses, leftover meat, vinegar)

2. Caffeine (increases blood pressure and doubles the stress hormone cortisol. Weaning off caffeine is better than cutting altogether, as the body needs time to adjust)

3. Sugar and carbs (spikes glucose, which doubles adrenaline. Has been shown to cause erratic behaviour in children and anxiety in adults. Sugar also feeds bad gut bacteria, and can have detrimental effects on your health). 

4. Gluten (causes inflammation, stimulates the nervous system and can cause leaky gut, allowing for autoimmune disorders and gut infections)

5. Dairy (up to 10% of people are lactose intolerant. Can cause inflammation, gut irritation and kick the nervous system into high gear. Can cause brain fog and sinus infections as well). 

— thehealthyconsultant.com (excerpt, paraphrased from March 22 2023 article) 

Interesting, and some new information for me. I’ve had gut/digestive issues my entire life and have absolutely noticed a sensitivity to all the above. It’s not easy avoiding these yummies! But I know I feel a million times better even just reducing consumption. Just sayin’ ;) Hugs and good luck. XO

Blessings,

Chatgirl 

Believe in miracles…

Stay strong and believe in miracles.

Your blessings are coming.

Claim it with faith.

— Unknown

I’m not religious per se (sporadic Catholicism growing up, depending on my mother’s mood, and ability to get out of bed Sunday morning, Lol), but I do believe in having faith. I also choose to believe in miracles. I think I’m ok with a bit of pie in the sky thinking because it makes me feel hopeful and happy. Just sayin’ ;) Hugs and good luck. XO

Blessings,

Chatgirl 

You kept going…

May you never forget that when it was hard, and you were overwhelmed, and felt afraid, and walked alone, and felt invisible, and didn’t have the answers, and couldn’t see the way, and wanted to give up… 

you kept going.

— Nakeia Homer (Social worker, best selling author, Life Purpose Coach and wellness and trauma-informed educator). 

I’m all about inspiration and pep talks. (Sometimes I let myself sulk a bit too, Lol). Just sayin ;) Hugs and good luck. XO

Blessings,

Chatgirl 

 

Haven’t clearly expressed yourself?…

If I did something wrong, communicate. 

If I hurt your feelings, make me aware of it.

If I didn’t listen well enough, tell me again in a way I’ll understand.

If I’m insensitive to your needs, to your desires, 

or to your thoughts, tell me so I can consider them.

However, don’t ever hold an attitude with me because you haven’t clearly expressed yourself.

I’m not a mind reader.

— Sylvester McNut 

I’m feel fortunate, and very grateful, to have learned how to clearly and respectfully communicate in a treasured relationship. Just in time for my perfect partner! Fewf. It wasn’t always this way, which may explain my two divorces, Lol. I used to sulk silently, or get defensive and/or sit in a hurt place for a while. I now understand how to “invite” a great discussion, so that both people can share their experience, their thoughts, their feelings, their needs and their desires. Having said that, some relationships just seem at odds, at the core. Just sayin’ :) Hugs. XO

Blessings,

Chatgirl 

I choose…

To live by choice, not chance

To be motivated, not manipulated

To be useful, not used

To make changes, not excuses

To excel, not compete

To choose self-esteem, not self-pity

I choose to listen to my inner voice, 

not to the random opinions of others

— Unknown

Boy did I learn the first point the hard way. I left important aspects of my life somewhat unattended and paid dearly. My previous relationship was flailing and I sat idling. In my defence, I wasn’t 100% positive I should throw the baby out with the bath water. But, in truth, I knew the relationship was emotionally unfulfilling. In career, same thing. I was in a pretty secure, well paying job, but the company culture was a bad fit for my personality and disposition. Again, in my defence, I can appreciate why I put off the whole job search/interviewing/new position learning curve ordeal. Problem is, when you don’t act on your own behalf, life has a way of just happening TO you, and not in the way you would want or choose. I’m proud, and relieved, that I know how to have my own back. Just sayin’ :) Hugs. XO

Blessings,

Chatgirl 

 

Faith leaps over hope…

I don’t believe in hope. 

Hope is a beggar. 

Hope walks through fire. 

Faith leaps over it.

— Jim Carrey 

Personally, I love hope. It makes me feel good. But I love the idea that faith leaps over hope. And thinking back, when I’ve been absolutely certain about achieving something, I’ve succeeded. Just sayin’ :) Hugs. XO

Blessings,

Chatgirl 

Three Life Rules…

1. If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it.

2. If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no.

3. If you don’t step forward, you will always be in the same place.

— Unknown

Agreed. Having said that, I’ve been pursuing entrepreneurial endeavours for a loooooong time now. So far, no success. But I’ll keep trying, in the hope that I can, at some point, achieve the laptop lifestyle (working from a beach during winter) that I’ve always envisioned. Keepin’ the dream alive. Just sayin’ ;) Hugs and good luck. XO

Blessings,

Chatgirl