Quitting smoking and electronic cigarettes

So, we're three months into the year and Christmas seems like a distant memory, as does New Year. So how are you doing on your resolutions? I must confess I'm failing on most of mine - apart from giving up Diet Coke, which I have done for Lent, but I've replaced it with full fat Fanta so the point is kind of lost.

Apart from losing weight though, one of the most popular resolutions is to give up smoking. I've never smoked. I would love to tell you that it's because I'm so strong-willed that I've never been tempted, that I stood strong in the face of peer pressure. But honestly, it's just luck. I've just never had a lot of friends that smoke, so in those impressionable teenage years, I never tried it. And of course, now I just have no interest in it at all, but I have so many friends who started smoking as teenagers and haven't been able to kick the habit.

Vype electronic cigarettes got in touch with us recently to ask about our experiences with e-cigs. While some of my friends have been able to quit smoking by sheer willpower alone (actually, more than one have quit when they got pregnant, and never started again) but I've also had a lot of friends rave about electronic cigarettes. Often it's the action of smoking that they miss, as well as the nicotine, and electronic cigarettes combine both of these things.

Obviously it's not a good idea to smoke an electronic cigarette if you've never smoked - they still contain nicotine, which is addictive. But if you're trying to kick the habit, as a healthier alternative to tobacco cigarettes, they're a great bet. I'd love to know if you've ever successfully quit smoking with the help of electronic cigarettes - let me know in the comments!



Collaborative post.

teapigs matcha green tea

Ever since teapigs sent me a sample tin of their matcha green tea, I've been walking around singing “matcha, matcha tea” to the tune of Matcho Man (I know!). But this tea has seriously put a spring in my step, which is a good sign.

Matcha tea has been drunk in Japan for pretty much ever – Buddhist monks use it to keep them alert and awake for a hard day's meditating. It is made from green tea leaves, grown undercover for the last two weeks of their cultivation, which causes excess production of chlorophyll (the stuff that makes plants green). These leaves are then carefully ground down to form a fine powder.

In recent years matcha has become more popular in the UK, popping up in cafes, health food shops, smoothie bars and all sorts of weird and wonderful recipes. teapigs boast of the many health benefits of their matcha – as well as its high antioxidant levels and energy boosting caffeine, this miraculous green powder apparently contains the right stuff to help you lose weight and have healthy skin while you do it.

All of the science aside, you've got to like the taste of the stuff, right? teapigs kindly sent me an electric whisk and some handy serving suggestions along with my tea powder. I decided to try a milky matcha latte first – easy to make by heating some milk in a saucepan and then whisking in ½ a teaspoon of match green tea powder and a little bit of sugar to taste. You do have to whisk quite well to get everything to mix together so you're not left with clumps, but the milk whisk made this easier. This was a really nice warming drink, sweet – if slightly 'green' tasting. A note here: make sure it's only a ½ teaspoon of the powder you use – I accidentally put a full, heaped spoon in on my first attempt and it was so chlorophyll-y that it was like eating a bouquet of flowers.

For my second drink I decided to try a teapigs favourite – matcha tea shot. I whisked a ½ teaspoon of the powder in to a pudding shot glass (technical term for you there!) of good quality apple juice. This one I really liked. It was a quick drink, really smooth and tasty – the balance between the sharp tea and sweet apple worked really well. It was like drinking a shot of really good iced tea – but with the added smugness of knowing it was good for me. I had this instead of my usual morning coffee a few times, and while I don't know if it made me any 'brighter', I certainly didn't suffer from swapping out my usual caffine fix.

Am I a full on convert to matcha tea? Not yet, but I'm very happy to incorporate it in to my morning drink routine, for a bit of variation. And with spring and summer just around the corner I could see me replacing hot coffee with a sweet and refreshing matcha apple shot more often. Plus, I've already amassed a long list of matcha recipes to try (but as most of them are cakes/involve chocolate, I might not mention them here!)

This post was written by Maggie and you can check out here blog here.

Guest post - The Fast Diet: a two week convert

The following post is brought to you by the lovely Becca who has written posts for us previously. You can check out her blog here: Friendly Film Fan and I'm sure she would be happy to chat about the 5:2 plan over on twitter.

We’ve all done it, reduced our calories so low for a few days to shed a couple of extra pounds, put our bodies into starvation mode and then proceed to gain back those lost pounds plus more when we finally, finally, let ourselves eat carbs again.

I am guilty of this. I am also guilty of ‘being good’ and reducing my chocolate intake, only letting myself have alcohol or sweets once a week, going on soup diets and trying to simply exercise the weight away.

Needless to say I have failed at all of this (having no long-term will power) and I have never found the idea of going to a class appealing, despite it being one of the most successful and sustainable methods. The weight I need to lose is that pesky ‘last ten pounds’ that won’t shift no matter what, I needed something different that I could stick to forever – and I hope I have found it in the Fast Diet.

Now I am not writing this post having been on the Fast Diet for weeks or months and am now the svelte figure I always dreamed of being. No. I am two weeks into this thing and I already love it.

I know many people on this diet (also known as the 5:2 Diet or Intermittent Fasting), but thought it impractical and bad for you to spend two days a week severely lacking in calories. Then one of my best friends revealed she had been doing this intermittent fasting since the new year began and had lost over a stone, was feeling healthier and happier than before and found it, the most important word in the dieting dictionary, EASY.

Two weeks in and I have to agree. For those who don’t know the philosophy behind the Fast Diet I highly recommend reading the book by Dr Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer or watching the Horizon film that Mosely made in 2012 called Eat, Fast and Live Longer. I have to say the science really convinced me.

It is based on the principal that humans are designed to fast – we would hunt our prey, gorge then go for weeks without eating again. Today we are so used to having three square meals a day and grazing in-between that when we skip a meal our brains panic. What? No food? We must be dying!

No, you’re not dying. You’re okay.

This diet does not advocate skipping whole days of food. What happens instead is you have a quarter of the calories you normally require (500 for women, 600 for men) split however you want on two, non-consecutive days a week. I have been experimenting with my allowance and had a sandwich for lunch and noodles for dinner the first day, a protein filled late breakfast with nothing else to eat (but lots of tea, Pepsi max and water) the second, and breakfast biscuits for lunch with a small amount of curry and rice for tea on my third.

I have found a Monday/Thursday routine is best because then I get at least two days between each ‘fast’ where I do not count any calories. Plus I don’t start work until 1pm on a Monday and it is quite easy to work through my late break (gaining some time off in lieu in the process).

The first day was pretty hellish for me, because all you can think about is food when you are restricting it. Plus I wasn’t exactly prepared food-wise, so my biggest piece of advice is to stock up on veg/salad so you can gorge yourself on something.

The second day was much better, and the third was almost easy.

The key thing I am loving about this change of eating habits is if I really want some chocolate (or other ‘bad’ thing) I can have it. It might be a day later than my craving but still, it’s not true denial if you can have it at some point. The Full Fat version. An entire tub of Ben and Jerry’s if I so desire.

I mentioned earlier that the science convinced me to pursue this diet (along with my friend’s fantastic results). By consuming low calories on intermittent days I effectively put my body into ‘repair mode’, NOT starvation. My body will begin to use the sugars in my blood to produce energy, moving on to the fat once it has burnt through all the sugars. This lowers my blood sugar levels; cutting the risk of getting diabetes. This is particularly nice to know as my Grandfather had type-two diabetes along with a plethora of other illnesses.

There are other long term benefits they believe will come from this type of diet, including cutting the risk of developing Alzheimer’s at a young age (i.e. before 80) and being healthy much longer into old age.

All pretty convincing stuff.

If anyone out there has an interest in this diet do read the book, it does not cost much and will open your eyes to a new way of living. I am looking forward to seeing my body change and my eating habits develop better patterns, with the odd tub of Ben and Jerry’s thrown in.

PS: another added bonus I only just realised this morning – my skin has started to clear up and my chin, normally my worst nightmare, is clear for the first time in years.

Eating Disorders Awareness Week - Guest post by Welsh Girl Problems

Gemma - I've wanted to write about my experiences on this topic myself but didn't know how to express myself or communicate how much of a struggle it is for me to maintain a healthy attitude towards food. I follow @ProblemauMerch on twitter and love her quips about Welsh life but her serious blog post 'That Bitch Bulimia' really struck a chord with me and I'm glad she has agreed to let me re-post it here. It took me over two years to admit I had a problem and to ask for help so my advice is to talk to someone if anything in this post applies to you.

When you suffer from an addiction which threatens your health, and you're lucky enough to be offered support, it is encouraged, that you cut out whatever it is you're addicted to.

It's very straight forward. 

An alcoholic is told to stop drinking. They are discouraged from visiting anywhere which might sell or promote the consumption of alcohol, at least until they are well enough to be in those kinda social environments. This can take months, or years. Sometimes they may never feel strong enough to visit a bar an order a lime soda, whilst their friends sip pints. And that can be ok, because there are other more suitable venues which might be safer for them, a coffee shop, or a cafe for example.

A drug abuser is offered medicine to help ease them down from their addiction. They too are encouraged to avoid situations which might lead to substance use, or trigger a re-lapse. 

A person looking to pack in the fags is encouraged to explore a wide variety of smoking alternatives. Patches, gums, e-cigarettes. All available from the NHS, or the high street.

There are hospitals and rehab centres across the country which work to protect and support patients dealing with addiction. Here, they are offered psychological support to treat the mental illness which goes with addiction. They are given advice about making positive lifestyle choices,and physical support as their bodies learn to deal with the change which comes from cutting out a once dependable substance. 

Most work on the common evidence, that it takes 21 days to break a habit.

Which is what made overcoming Bulimia, that bit more difficult for me.

For 6 years I was addicted to the binge, purge cycle. A common by-product of Bulimia.

I should note, I am not directly comparing an eating disorder to the enslavement of substance abuse, nor am I belittling the struggles of overcoming a life threatening addiction.

But what makes eating disorders more difficult to treat, is that when other addicts are given support to help cut our their addiction. Bulimics are offered support to get better, but told to continue eating, 3 times a day. 

Your body doesn't need alcohol or cigarettes to survive. But you must eat. Which is why, when I was incapable of doing so properly, I felt like such a failure. There was no way I could eat 3 meals a day and keep them down. Everything was done in excess. I couldn't imagine eating a bowl of cereal, without having a second, or third. I could never fathom eating a sandwich for lunch, without finishing the loaf. Come dinner time, I would be so hungry from already having purged twice, that I would overeat to compensate, and so the cycle began. I had no control over my eating habits.  

During the height of my illness, I felt more vulnerable and pathetic every day. I punished myself for feeling like this by continuing the binge, purge cycle. I was furious at myself. Why could I not do what newborn children do instinctively? Was I more incapable than an infant?

It was the punishment more than anything which kept me trapped in the cycle. That and the secrecy. I thrived (or what I thought thriving to be at the time) on the knowledge that I knew something no one else did, that I had a huge secret that nobody but me and my thoughts knew about. Power and control are commonly associated with eating disorders, and it was the lack of control around me which propelled me to want to control my Bulimia. Schedule, and routine where essential and helped me to feel organised and gave me a structure which I felt to be lacking in my everyday life. 

The illness started when I was at college and joined me through most of University, I acknowledge now that it was the struggle to adapt to change, which laid the foundations of the disease. Exhausted from a constant emptiness and midnight binge, purge cycles, I skipped classes and on the rare occasions I did attend lectures, I was so busy thinking about my next binge that I never really felt present. It threatened to ruin my academic career, something which I will regret for the rest of my life. 

Before the Bulimia I adored dressing myself. I took so much pride in my appearance. I explored the history of textiles, I scoured the art world for new outfit inspirations, rummaged through antique stalls for the finest jewels.

As a bulimic I wore black. Everyday. Nothing but. Occasionally a dark grey, but only on a good day. I draped myself in layers of cotton, linen and wool. nothing that would cling to me. Nothing which would even hint at my original form, or god forbid, my stomach. My stomach which was always so bloated from constantly throwing up. I had no social life to speak of - surrounded by the most fabulous friends and family, and I was folding into myself, unable to hold a conversation without my mind wondering off onto the subject of food. I would stand in front of the mirror for hours to find the latest flaw, it was my favourite past time.

I remember running my hands across my ribs as I sucked in my stomach, wishing I could stay this way, but I was only ever 'perfect' for as long as I could hold my breath for. As I exhaled out, my frame would returned to it's shabby self, so too did my bloated, round belly, stuffed above the perfect bones I knew were underneath. 

My nails could never be long, or they'd catch on my throat and I'd be coughing up bloody and nursing an already sore throat.

There was a constant imprint of my top teeth on the upside of my hand. A perfect copy. The scars of which are still faintly outlined on my knuckles.

My teeth, my teeth I'm still paying the price for. They're ruined. I'm so embarrassed to write that I've already lost 1 tooth because of it. Thankfully it's near the back.

Quite often blood vessels would burst in my eyes, which looked rank, obviously. They were always bloodshot and I struggled to keep them open. 

My skin was always dry and cracked, especially around my mouth. 

My heart used to beat like crazy, and it scared me to death. At night I was so dizzy that I never knew if I was passing out, fainting, or falling asleep.

The dehydration meant my face and neck were constantly swollen and puffy, as were my ankles, feet and hands. Everything was swollen. Which made me think I was fatter, which made me need to throw up, which meant the cycle continued.

Physically, it was the worst my body had ever looked. 

But it's not the physical alterations which I remember as being most life ruining, but rather the mental side effects, which accompanied the disease.

The depression mostly. The insomnia which was caused by the sugars in the food I binged on. (As sugar is consumed quickly through the gums, you could never get rid of it by being sick. After a binge your body is empty of food, but full of sugar which is what makes diabetes so common in bulimia sufferers) The paranoia, the fear that someone would catch me, the embarrassment I felt when leaving the bathroom. And the punishment. Never feeling deserving of anything. Health, wellness, affection, intimacy, coherence, confidence. Which was great, because as a Bulimic I was never able to have those feelings. 

I was engrossed by this. I calculated that 80% of my time awake was spend thinking about food, how to get it, and how to get rid of it. There was no room for anything else.

I was suffering a gut wrenching mental illness, which felt incurable. When someone breaks their leg you can wrap it up, give them antibiotics, and wait for the body to heal itself. A mental illness feels all consuming. You have the one tool capable of fixing yourself constantly to hand. Your brain. But it feels broken. There's a voice in there which tells you not to help yourself, persuades you into believing that you honestly couldn't help yourself. That you're not worthy of help. Learning to control these thoughts, is what makes the recovery of a mental illness so difficult. My secret was controlled by these thoughts.

But eventually, like all secrets, I was found out. My friend, my hero, walked me to my doctor, sat me down, held me hand, and told me to tell her everything.

Turns out she'd known for a while.

When I told my mother, she said. 'Do you feel better already, by saying it out loud? By acknowledging that it exists inside you?' 

And I did. I absolutely did. I suddenly felt like I'd stepped out of the darkness, that I was already on the road to recovery.

Just saying it, I am a Bulimic, and I need help. Felt like I was helping myself already. 

Talking to my family and friends made it easier for me to see how serious of an issue it was and with the incredible help support of my loved ones and my local GP, I was offered counselling and therapy to help me overcome my illness. 

Recovery really started to feel more and more like an option for me during one on one sessions with my ABA (Anorexics and Bulimics anonymous) Councillor. Talking positively about the illness, sort of slowly started to push out the negative. Talking really gave me the tools I needed to fix myself. She and I would meet for a coffee, and chat and walk for hours. She was an incredible woman whose story helped me feel less alone. I still walk everyday because I know just how beneficial it is for my mental health.

I don't know if I'll ever be able to call myself a recovered Bulimic. I don't know if anyone could. It's the type of disease which stays with your whole life I imagine, because you still have to eat, 3 times a day. 

But since beginning my journey, I've fallen back in love with food, with dressing, but more importantly, I've finally fallen back in love with myself. I feel like I've been reconnected with an old friend, which is great news for me, because I am fuckin, fab as hell.

It was never my intention to write such a personal blog here, but writing anonymously has given me the confidence to lay myself out, and writing it down feels a bit like counselling. I'm so proud to say that today, I feel physically and mentally as healthy as I ever have. And I eat, well, 3 times a day.

If even one person reads this, and feels ready to ask for help, then I want them to know you're not alone. If you're ready to take the step, then please, Go see your GP, they will help point you in the direction of local meetings and help set you up with a councillor. Or head over to b-eat to check out what help and support is available for you. 

Or email me. If you need someone to phone when you're struggling in the supermarket, or you just wannna grab a coffee and take a walk. Then please, drop me an email : welshgirlprobs@gmail.com 

How you can get involved with EDAW

There are ways you can get involved too by helping to raise awareness of eating disorders:

• Share your own experience – contact your local media or give a talk in your community (or even post something like this!)
• Keep up to date on Facebook by liking the b-eat page – www.facebook.com/beating.eating.disorders and follow them on Twitter @beatED.