Joy Comes in the Morning

Quite the statement, right?

It’s been a week since I woke up with the first sign that something not fun was heading my way. And while I’m feeling a little better, I can’t help but look back and see how being sick can really wreck your healthy eating routine.

After all, no one really plans to get sick, right? It usually comes out of no where and if you aren’t prepared, you can find yourself making poor choices.

This past week was very eye opening for me. Like I said, my husband had a minor surgery and just the day before, my sickness took a turn for the worst. So, I was left to take care of him and the house and myself. A familiar story for anyone with a spouse or children. Life must go on. We gotta do what we gotta do.

I had so many plans for last week. I bought new workout clothes and was going to start doing a new workout routine. I had even bought some new healthy foods to try! I barely could make it off my couch to open a can of soup to eat!

I found myself running through the drive through to pick up the closest thing only to feel worse after eating it. I hate that. I love eating. And when I’m sick, it’s one of the rare times where I’m just not feeling it. But I don’t want to eat crap either. So, what do I do? How do I make healthy choices when a sickness pops up and takes me by surprise?

By being prepared. I bet you already knew I was going to say that. You’re smart like that. 😉

Here are some tips from the semi-sane version of myself right now:

1. Non-perishables. Not all preserved or non-perishable items are bad for you. I like to keep a good amount of these items on hand even when I’m not sick. I’ll throw a few of these items in my purse for hunger emergencies. Raw nuts and Lara Bars. They are filling and delicious. I usually buy raw nuts in bulk and then divide them into bags or containers, but I have been loving these Planters nuts lately. Almonds and cashews are my favorite nuts, but these have walnuts and pecans in them! These items travel well and can also be left in your car for emergencies.
2. Perishables. I have been loading my fridge with pre-washed and pre-cut vegetables for weeks now. I have gotten into the habit of buying a bag of carrots and one large cucumber each week and prepping them for easy snacking. Often times on Sunday mornings, I’ll throw a few of each in a baggie and eat them on the way to church. There’s something about fresh, crunchy vegetables for breakfast that makes me feel good! Sometimes, I’ll mix it up and buy peppers too. I also always buy a bag of apples and a container of tomatoes for easy snacking. I like my kitchen counter tops to be clutter free. Like, I’m a maniac about it. But I don’t mind having having a few produce items sitting out in pretty bowls. But they each have to have their own bowl…no mixing. A maniac I tell you.
3. Tea. I am a tea fanatic. I always have been. I want to be that cool coffee lover, but I just can’t. Tea is my thing. My favorite tea is English Breakfast. 🙂 But in the last few years, I have cut down my caffeine intake and have switched to herbal tea most of the time. I like to drink it before bed, but when I’m sick, I’ll drink it whenever my throat needs some loving. My favorites are Chamomile, Sleepytime and thebestteaIveeverhadyouhavetogoandbuysomerightnow Spring Cherry. What’s more comforting than a hot cup of tea when you’re sick? Soup? All right fine.
4. Soup. My husband and I love soup. But we like different kinds of soup. For him? The more noodles the better. For me? The more vegetables the better! And because he had surgery last week, chicken noodle soup won out. 😉 And because I am the way I am, no can soup would do. No. It had to be made from scratch! I heard once the difference between a cook and baker is measuring. Lol. I don’t measure. I create. The secret to a great chicken noodle soup? BAY LEAVES. Even just one bay leaf can totally transform and add a deep level of wowyoureallyknowhowtocook to your dish. I made about 8-10 cups of soup and we literally reheated it like 3 times for lunch and dinner. And because I love him, I also bought him four cans of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup…his favorite.
5. Water. Uggghh. Is there anything more annoying than being forced to drink water when you’re sick? It’s so hard. Like the effort to fill up that glass one more time almost kills me. Almost. But you need it! I like to fill up one of my pretty tumblers with an inspiring message on it and drink away.

Things to avoid when you’re sick? Sugar. I know it’s hard. When you’re sick, you want comforting easily accessible things. But pop and candy will not help you right now. Stock up on these suggestions instead and you’ll be ready with healthy choices anytime!

What are some of your tips and tricks for getting through a sickness?