About 12 months ago I spent most of every day lying in bed. I struggled to move around the house. I found standing for longer than a couple of minutes difficult for many reasons- lightheadedness and balance, weak leg muscles and aching hip and back joints. I was in a crash stage of ME, no matter how much determination or courage I had, whether I was frustrated or calm, cross or relaxed I had no energy. My body needed to heal and it needed a few months off for that healing process to take place. I had to let it happen.
As you may remember from the blogs, eggs and dishwashers post, I found standing in the kitchen for 8 minutes to organise eggs for breakfast an amazing miracle. That happened in February. It was repeated a couple of times every week and only once a day. As the months went by my balance has allowed that to happen more often and my body is learning to move around the house and outdoors with more ease and a stronger posture.
I can stand in the kitchen and cook. I still have problems with the preparation of food, my wrists are strengthening, but I cannot chop vegetables without painful consequences and mixing ingredients is also an issue. I have modern technology to help me there!
I have decided to encourage this back into my life. Each part of survival has to be practiced again, standing and walking is happening, eating food is a daily part of life, so I have chosen it as my next hurdle.
It may be a hurdle but it is oh, such an enjoyable one!
My new diet for the next month begins with a food delivery in about a week's time. A local organic farm delivers it's own produce and that of other suppliers, so all in one go I will have meat for two weeks, vegetables, fruit and dairy for one week. My challenge is to cook easy fresh meals regularly with these prize winning, tasty ingredients.
Can it be done? I have gone through my collection of recipe books. Some of the options taste great, but 10 or 20 ingredients are involved and 45 minutes preparation! I went online to look at 10 minute cooking, 20 minute cooking recipe books. It might take less time, but still vast numbers of ingredients! I'm not filling my cupboard with food, just for an occasional teaspoonful! So next option 5 ingredient cooking... gourmet food or American cooking, full of measuring cups and strange ingredients- I don't know those options in the UK!
This is when I thought I'm about going to the organic delivery option, good food just needs a fry, boil, steam, a few minutes under the grill, or a quick and easy casserole or stew. The taste will speak for itself. I have a creative nature and enough interesting pre-prepared delights to fill the tastebuds (ready chopped frozen onion, garlic, peppers and fresh herbs!) So it is an experiment in giving myself an extra boost towards recovery. Nutritionally the better food will help me heal and recover more quickly and with the practice in the kitchen, the confidence and physical flexibility and strength will be improved too.
Wish me luck!
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