I realized last night that my increasingly persistent cough felt familiar in a most unwelcomed way and may be more than just Covid lingering. I rose from my bed where I was coughing instead of sleeping, turned on the light, and found the inhaler marked 'urgent' on the side. Relief was almost immediate, as was the best night's sleep I've had in ages. This morning I used the everyday inhaler and will continue to do so to ward off the asthma. Normally the asthma only appears in the Spring, triggered by allergies, but it makes sense that Covid could do the same.
I don't like the way steroids make me feel, and in the past I would counter that anxious feeling by calming myself with food. But now I am aware of that pitfall, and instead of grabbing a snack I am focusing my attention here. We meet tonight to go over the fourth module so this is a good time to review.
Module 4
This is mostly about eating out with specific notes and tips for specific restaurant types, but there is also a section on eating at home with others who are not bright liners.
Eating Out: The first time through Boot Camp I sort of skipped through because years ago while eating for nutrition and living with a partner who liked to eat out I learned to navigate those waters. Really the bottom line is speaking with your server, asking menu questions, and requesting substitutions. As SPT pointed out, sometimes just tell them up front you can't eat flour or sugar and to help you with suggestions from the menu. Trying to be a better student this time I did pick up a couple of things that will be helpful should I ever start eating out again! For instance, at a Chinese restaurant you can ask if the dish tastes sweet to determine the sugar level in the sauce. Something I have done before is to get the dish I want (Kung Pao Tofu) and also a side of stir fry veggies to mix in to raise the ratio of veg to protein.
There was a lot of common sense stuff; dressing on the side, skip the cheese on salads if you've already chosen a protein, ask for an extra plate (I would ask for a to-go container up front) so you only keep in front of you your bright meal.
Eating In: If you have a partner and they are not eating the same as you, do your own cooking. Be responsible for what you put in your mouth, and keep your eyes on your own plate. This is something I took to heart in the beginning, and would batch cook for myself on Sundays and Wednesdays. This meant my dinner was ready to pop in to reheat so I was out of the kitchen quickly, leaving the space clear for the family to cook their meal. But lately when I am tired I ask to be included with their dinner order, or to share what they are making at home. The exhaustion from Covid is no joke, and I am so grateful to have family here to lean on. That being said, I have broken a few lines over the past couple of weeks while sharing meals. But I'm back to keeping my eyes on my own plate, and even made a batch of soup this past weekend to last me a couple of days.
Family: I love her take on feeding the family. Make a bright meal, add a bowl of starch for kids or anyone who wants it, and done. Easy Peasy.
Garbage: She mentions the old habit of popping food into your mouth instead of throwing it out so as to not waste it. The bottom line is that we are not garbage cans, so don't treat ourselves as such. Better the extra food be tossed, or saved for a future soup pot.
That was about it. I learned a couple of new things, but mostly it was just a review for me. It did make me want to eat out, to actually go to a restaurant, sit down and be waited on, and leave the dishes for someone else to wrangle. Right now that just sounds divine.
Time to go prep dinner.
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