Mental Health During Quarantine: Part 2

I have to admit, I was a little shocked how well my Mental Health During Quarantine post did. People shared it and people read it and even though I was proud of it, my engagement went WAY up! 

So I decided to another part to this and make it a series!  

And I have to admit something: I have been slacking. I have not been taking much care of my mental health and I feel like I'm too busy taking care of my physical health recently.

 I NEED TO SNAP OUT OF THAT "too busy" MENTALITY! Even during a lock down, I'm a go-er. But paying attention to my needs is also important. Which is why I like to write these posts because I get use out of them too! 

So here we go: Mental Health During Quarantine part 2

Reading (or Listen to Someone Read) More

Libby app- I found out via my local library's Facebook page that you can get eBooks on your phone (or iPad or things of the sort!) AND audio books. Now, I'm picky with audio books because I feel if you're voice is off, I can't listen to it (which is why I can't listen to the Twilight series. The narrator makes me cringe...). But I've listened to 3 books so far and loved every single one! You'll need an existing library card number, which you can find ON your actual library card. And if your card happens to be expired, contact your local library about renewing it! I emailed mine and they renewed it via email so fast! You can find the Libby app on the Apple App Store. 

Target- Some of you may or may NOT know that Target stores have discounts on their books. I usually see 20%, but I'm not sure if it differs. They will have a sticker on their books that have a percentage off and if you buy it and would like to get that sticker OFF: use a hairdryer, heat up the sticker, then peel off slowly! Anyway, I go to Target online or in stores and always browse the books. I end up buying some I don't even need half the time. They always have a good selection to me!

Making Lists

Places to travel- I'm usually big on list making but during this lock down, I'm obsessed with making lists. My favorite thing to do right now is make lists of places I want to go after the ban gets lifted. I was SUPPOSE to travel to London this year but that won't happen, so I am hoping to go to Las Vegas. I also want to drive a bit on Route 66 and my friend wants to take a girl's trip to a beach town in Michigan. I mean, I dream big because I do have a job so I can't take too much time off, but I swear I get happier making my travel lists!

Places to take photos- This is mostly for the younger crowd but taking cute photos in nice outfits is my obsession. The flowers are starting to bloom and I can't wait for peak flower season. I'm always bad at posing, to be honest, and I just got an email from my favorite Instagram account showing some pointers on posing. It's getting me in the picture taking mood! Now, she is also SELLING a posing guide, but it's crazy expensive just to warn you. BUT here's her blog that got me excited to try new things: X

Use Your Hands

I'm going to do it. I am going to share with you guys how I make my Simple Sugars for my coffee and tea. I tried selling them last year but no one really wanted to pay $5 for something I made, I guess, and kept wanting for me to make it for them for free...SO I'm giving in and sharing my recipe in hope that someone will make it and be AMAZED by how easy and delicious it is! For this, I'll be doing an easy mint recipe. This year I'm going to see if I can make it with Stevia sugar, but for this one, it's plain white sugar. 

What You'll Need:

1. 1 cup of water
2. 3/4 cup of sugar
3. a handful of cleaned mint leaves

Directions:

1. -Get out a small pot and pour in water. Bring to a boil.
2. -Stir in sugar and turn off burner
3. -Stir in mint leaves after pouring in sugar 
4. -Keep stirring every 5 minutes for 30 minutes. It will thicken over time. 
5. -When you get the syrup consistency and you make sure it's cool, place it in a jar. Make sure you use it within 2 weeks!

Let me know if you have questions or if you tried it! I'm obsessed with making it with lavender buds and putting it in my morning tea or my cocktails at night!

Keeping Sane

-I wanted to share some facts about this time. Many people are using social media so much these days and apparently, people are turning to YouTube for a safe space. Take a look at this chart from Forbes

I have been using YouTube for workout videos and as much I hate to workout, it does bring a sense of comfort. But in my opinion, Twitter is THE worst during this time. People are rude and mean and spewing hate. I liked it back when I would see dog pictures...But of course, everyone is different!

-If you are currently working from home, create a simple schedule and stick to it! But don't forget to get fresh air. Also, set work boundaries: "When working from home, be sure that you are working reasonable hours. It can be tempting to work more while you have your work at home, however it can also be taxing on your health and well-being, so stick to a schedule with healthy boundaries." X

- I found a great PDF giving some tips like how to educate yourself and being your own advocate: X

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I hope you guys like this series. I know it really helps me. Thank you for all the comments and the shares, I appreciate every single one of you!

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Mental Health During Quarantine

Yes, that picture above is of me. No filter, eyebrows a mess, and is that a speck of blanket fuzz on my head? Most likely. 

We have all been having a hard time lately. Whether it be your kids driving you nuts during the lock-down or being an essential employee that doesn't get a break, everyone is going through their own thing. 

A lot of friends have been texting me or I've been seeing them on social media about how sad they've become. Bad mental health is at an all time high right now. Even though we're having enough time to focus on ourselves, a lot of people aren't doing it. They're anxious. They're feeling trapped. It's just not a good scene in the mental health community right now. 

Which is why I'm making this post. I'm not a doctor and a lot of people expect me to be. I can't fulfill that roll for you. What I CAN do though is give advice for things that I've been through, what I've been feeling, and what is helping me. 

I hope this post can give you some hope during this pandemic. I've done some research and put things together for you guys. Mental health is always just as important as your physical health and I think people are seeing that more now than ever!!

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Self Care During Quarantine 

Yes, self care is more than face masks. Here's some of my favorite things to do (and some things I want to do...) to keep you busy and keep your mind going a bit!

-Get dressed up (and then take cute pictures of your outfits!)

-Exercise. Take a walk outside or do an at-home YouTube workout! My friend Melissa has some workout videos on her Instagram for inspiration and this one is my favorite: X

-Give yourself a break from the news. I haven't watched TV in a week. I still get my news from Facebook usually but Twitter has also been SO negative recently so I usually just scroll on by.

- Try a new recipe. I made Crispy Baked Artichoke Hearts from this recipe here: X. Let me tell you, AMAZING!! Shout out to Natalia for the vegan blog recommendation! Now, here's a recipe that my friend Claudia wrote out that I'm DYING to make:
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Low Carb/Keto/Fat-Head Dough Pizza

Ingredients:

 Dough:

·         ¾ cup almond flour

·         1 egg

·         2 oz. cream cheese

·         2 cups mozzarella cheese

·         1 tsp salt

·         1 tsp pepper

·         1 tsp Italian season (can add more/other seasoning to your desire)

                

Toppings:

·         Mozzarella cheese (or cheese blend) (amount is to your liking)

·         Low-carb sauce (I typically use Rao’s, but it can be expensive. I found Paesana Vodka Sauce actually have 1 less carb. I usually just read the labels at the store and get the cheapest low carb lol) (again, amount to your liking – usually ½ cup-ish)

·         Any other toppings (pepperoni, other cheese, veggies (careful some can be high carb)

·         Walmart also sells “sugar free” (brand is G Hughes) sauces like barbeques and hickory and honey mustard. Sometimes I’ll do a BBQ chicken pizza instead of tomato sauce, but I use the dough recipe. The more familiar you get with it, the more you can tweak your dough and toppings to your liking.

Instructions:

1.       Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2.       In microwave safe bowl, add 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and 2 ounces of cream cheese.

3.       Microwave for 1 minute. Mix.

4.       Microwave for 30 seconds. Mix.

5.       Let cheese cool down before adding more (you don’t want to cook the egg)

6.       Add egg, seasonings, and almond flour.

7.       Mix well. Note that it may not be completely consistent or like one smooth dough (that’s normal, just do your best)

8.       Either on parchment paper or I use silicone baking mats, put a thin layer of olive oil (or any oil) so the dough doesn’t stick.

9.       Flatten out dough on paper or mat. I usually put some oil on my hands or also use rubber gloves when pushing the dough out (I hate the texture and the mess).

10.   Once dough is flat (to the thickness of your liking, but not too thin because it will rip when you flip it), place in over for 10 minutes.

11.   After 10 minutes (give or take depending on how you like it), flip the dough.

12.   Bake for 5 more minutes (give or take).

13.   Take dough out of over and add toppings.

14.   Place back in over for about 5 minutes (I eyeball the pizza until it looks good).

15.   Take out pizza when it looks good and let it sit for about 5 minutes for the cheese to cool. This is important because the dough is also cheese and it may slide/fall apart when you try to cut it if it’s too melty.

16.   Enjoy 😊

Makes roughly 3-4 servings (8-ish slices, slices/serving)

Dough (roughly): Calories: 300, Total Carbohydrates: 6g, Fiber: 2g, Net Carbohydrates: 4g, Total Fat: 24g, Protein: 18g

(toppings add to nutrition facts)

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-Read a good book (Not to brag but you can follow my book blog here: X. I do have to say though, don't read The Wife Between Us. A bestseller apparently, but I have no idea how). 

Instagram Accounts to Cheer You Up (or At Least Gives You Nice Pictures to Look At)

- Lwuce . Lucy is beautiful and talented and an all around caring soul. I have been obsessed with her art and outfits since day one. I think my first DM to her was something like "do you go to art school? Because you should." Her pictures always make me happy!

-Girlboss- If you're down and out about your job, your side hustle not going well, or your creative mind not thriving, Girlboss is for you. I am constantly inspired by their posts. ALSO! Sign up for their email list because right now they're sending out amazing emails that have gotten my brain juices FLOWING!

- Jade Louise Pye - Not to brag, but I know her. No big deal. BUT just because I call her a friend, doesn't mean she has a great Instagram. Well, thank God she DOES. Jade is a beautiful person (and is always there to listen to me rant about life) and her pictures on Instagram are gorgeous to look at. Whether it be a selfie of her and whatever she's doing at the moment, I'm always think to myself "she takes the best picture angles...."

-Mavis Slade- Can I stop being friends with cool people? Apparently not...Mavis is one of my favorite people on this Earth. If I had a million and one dollars, I would give it to her because when she thrives, I thrive for her. Her Instagram is so aesthetically pleasing that I'm 100% in awe of it all the time. It's like a pink hue with a bit of purple and a dash of blue sometimes? You should just check it out.

How to Be Outgoing Via the Internet 

Zoom- I have had 3 morning coffee dates and about 3 wine nights via the Zoom app. I have never used it on my computer but apparently it's a lot more fun that way? But I use my phone and it has connected me to friends in times when I need them the most. For the free version, you can only talk for 40 minutes, so you can always use FaceTime to talk to people who are close friends.

Live- Instagram Live is VERY popular right now. What Instagram Live is, is where you can make a live video for your followers on Instagram to watch you. I did it once and talked about mental health and it was SO much fun! Miley Cyrus and other celebrities are using Instagram Live as a "talk show" platform, too, which is cool. Facebook Live is also an option. I feel like it's used by older adults a lot more than younger ones, but it's still a live video and can reach many people!

Phone Call- I literally called my friend Nicole and ranted to her about my life the other day. Just a simple phone call. She reached out, I reached back. As easy as that! Check in with people. Schedule phone calls to get things off your chest. It's nice, trust me. 

When You're Feeling Alone

Call4Calm- My state of Illinois in the United States just started something called Call4Calm: a free emotional support text line, for Illinois residents experiencing stress and mental health issues related to COVID-19. 

For this text line, here's some more information:

"Individuals who would like to speak with a mental health professional can text “TALK"— or for Spanish, “HABLAR"—to 552020. Individuals will remain anonymous, and within 24 hours they will receive a call from a counselor employed by a local community mental health center to provide support.

Individuals can also text the number, using key words such as “unemployment," “food," or "shelter" and will receive information on how navigate and access support and services"

Crisis Text Line- I used to volunteer for this text line and they are ready and willing to take your texts. Please text "HOME" to 741741 if you are feeling isolated, stressed, sad, anything you'd like help with. But remember, these people are there to HELP you. If you do not accept things they are trying to help you with, this is not the text line for you.

NAMI- The National Alliance on Mental Illness has helped friends of mine AND ME. They are sending emails on how to help yourself during this time (so make sure you sign up on their webpage!) but you can also read things on their site to make you feel more at peace right now. They have a linked page to The Guardian article that I enjoy that sets my mind a little more at ease. Click here for the article: X

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If you liked this post and would like to see another one like it, I would love to write one! I always have ideas roaming around my head! I hope everyone is staying SAFE and staying 6 FEET AWAY! I don't care if you're at Target, 6 FEET PEOPLE! 

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Life Update: April 2020

My last post on here was February 27th 2020 and I'm SORRY! I started a book blog (just a little side blog) and that's been taking up some time. But certain people have been asking how I've been recently and I'd like to address things and tell you ALL about me right now. 

March 2020 was the worst month for my family. Things going on with my grandma, my mom having bronchitis then tearing her meniscus (her knee, which she's not able to go to the doctor about because everything is closed), then the stupid virus, and THEN on March 31st, I got diagnosed with diabetes. 

I've been having symptoms for a while but then I started having really bad symptoms at work. I was getting dizzy and wanted to faint and get sick at the same time. I never told anyone at work because I have this thing about calling off work. I feel like my team needs me to work. It's weird but I never let on something was really wrong with me. I didn't even tell my mom until I was at the post office right before the quarantine started and my left palm went numb suddenly. 

I was pre-diabetic a couple years ago and my mom's side of the family has a lot of diabetes so I had an inkling on what was going on. I was peeing a lot. I was drinking so much water. I was getting headaches when I have only had a couple headaches in my entire life. My feet were numbing on and off for about 2 years. Then my hand. 

I drove home that day from the post office and sat in my driveway, googling things. I felt like I knew what I had. But I couldn't go to the doctor because of the virus. So when it came to March 31st at work, I finally told my boss I wasn't feeling well and I went by myself to immediate care.

The doctor there took some tests and told me "hey, we try not to send anyone to the ER because of the virus, but you NEED to go. Your blood sugar is way too high."

Long story short of the time in the ER, but I couldn't have my mom go with me (no visitors), I had blood tests, lots of finger pricks, and an IV that I cried at when it was put in. It was a mess. But then the results came in. The doctor there said I have diabetes but I need to keep tracking my blood sugar to make sure. 

I left, ate a Snickers bar that was in my purse, then set up an over the phone appointment with my primary doctor. I got some more tests done in the coming days. Lots of blood, lots of urine. 

I got some results back and my doctor was shocked. My blood sugar was astronomical, I had a crazy a1c level, high cholesterol, and my liver enzymes were so high that he told me "there is so much wrong". I have to go back in for more tests.

I was forced into having a dietitian. I have my first over the phone appointment a few days ago and I was nice and she was nice but I was over it. I am overweight. Losing weight is HARD. Especially since I'm on so many medication that makes me gain weight. I also don't stick to diets. 2 weeks max. I'm so picky with food that I don't even try. So, as you can tell, I was a little angry at all this. 

My feelings were and still ARE all over the place. I'm angry then sad then I pout then I'm angry again. People who don't have diabetes or haven't dealt with it don't understand how difficult it is. At least at first. It's a huge lifestyle change, especially for me. I don't want to go to work anymore because I know I'll be dizzy and sick every day until this is under control, which could take a whole year. I'm just in a rough place. I literally pouted because I couldn't have a flour tortilla the other day. 

I'm already tired of bland (healthy) food and it's only been a week. I want to cry writing this. As a person who is addicted to food, this is, as I keep saying, HARD. 

So, going through more tests and more time learning about my body and educating myself about food is in my future. 

I wanted to put some facts I learned from my dietitian though!! It's all a learning experience, I'm trying to remind myself that everyday. 

-64 oz of water a day is what you need to aim for 

-White bread spikes your blood sugar so high than an hour later, it crashes

-Aim for under 80 carbs a day at first 

-When you eat a carb, you need to follow it with a protein every time

- Light cheese is great for diabetics 

(I'm going to have weekly sessions with her so when I learn more, I would be happy to share it!)

Yep, that's my life right now. I would love to get back into writing but we'll see when I have time!

 

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