Food

My appetite is greatly affected by my state of mind. If I am really suffering, I lose my desire to eat completely. This is when I survive on bananas and coffee, a combo that is not ideal but just about keeps me going. When my mood has improved, but I am feeling weary, I reach for carbs and pile on the pounds. During my year of post-natal depression, I could eat four Chelsea buns in one go, and biscuits and cakes by the ton. Needless to say I became very tubby, which played havoc with my self esteem. Neither scenario is ideal, and when you are anxious or depressed, what you need is food that is dead easy to prepare, appetising to eat and offers you nourishment for brain and body. Here are my top tips:

Be prepared:

Go to the shops with a list of what you need. It is so easy to get to the supermarket, feel overwhelmed and come out with something useless or even nothing at all. Go to the shops when it is quiet, or shop online. I generally feel more perky in the evenings, so this is when I go food shopping. If you can't face a huge supermarket, go to a smaller Co-op or Tesco Local. If you really can't face it, this is the time to enlist a friend to help you, and ask them to do your shopping for you. Don't forget your purse/wallet, shopping trolley token and reusable bags - there is nothing more frustrating than getting there and not being able to complete the task because your foggy old brain has forgotten these items. Grr.

When I am having a good day, I try to batch cook as much as I can and freeze things, so I can have them on stand-by for when I am not feeling so great. Stews, sauces and cottage/shepherds pies are ideal for this, and I take great comfort in knowing my children are having home cooked food.

Some suggestions:

Pimped Up Pizza - buy a simple frozen or chilled margarita pizza (cheese and tomato), and add your own fresh toppings to make it more nutritious, along with a drizzle of olive oil. I like sliced pepper, onion, mushrooms and olives. It takes minutes to do, minutes to cook and is tasty (and cheap).

Jacket Potatoes - rub the skins with oil, prick the skin and smother with salt. Shove in the oven on a medium heat for an hour or so. Eat with cheese, coleslaw, beans, butter or tuna mayo.

Soup - tinned, fresh from the chiller cabinet or home-made. Ideally with decent bread. So easy to digest and so comforting. If you have a friend who has asked how they can help, ask them to make you some soup and you can have it in the fridge or in the freezer for when you need something quick and tasty. Chicken noodle soup is the best, but even good old cream of tomato from a tin can hit the spot.

Toast - old favourites like cheese on toast, eggs on toast (scrambled or poached), sardines on toast, peanut butter and jam on toast - ideal comfort food.

Sushi - slightly left field, but a good option if you really can't be bothered to cook but want something that you can buy from supermarkets and that is wholesome and tasty. 

Fruit - get the best quality and most delicious looking fruit you can afford. Lots of berries, bananas, apples, peaches and grapes that you can pick at when you are feeling the need for sustenance. Try to have it all washed, prepared and ready to eat (do this when you are feeling a little more lively, or ask someone to do it for you).

Smoothies - use up any fresh fruit that is no longer at its best, or have a stash of frozen berries you can blitz with a banana and some orange juice. Mix in yogurt for extra calcium and calories, and if you need some greens, shove in some baby spinach leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Nuts - bags of unshelled and unsalted nuts are great snacks. I like Brazil nuts, cashew nuts and pistachio nuts, but any nuts are better than crisps or sweets.

Porridge oats - made in a microwave or on the hob, with loads of milk and sugar (or golden syrup), this is a perfect slow release energy food. I always have oats in my cupboards for porridge, making granola or flapjacks - all dead easy to do, and so filling and nutritious. 

Drinks - it is essential to stay hydrated. If you like herbal teas, make sure you always have your favourite tea bags on stand by. If you like cordials and squashes, have these on hand too, to encourage you to keep drinking. Don't get sugar free squashes with artificial sweeteners, go for the sort that are made with sugar and are 'high juice' so you get a little energy boost. I am a coffee drinker, and I do believe caffeine can really help give you a lift if you are feeling sluggish, but don't over-do it, particularly after 3pm as it can affect your sleep. Avoid alcohol at all costs - even a glass of wine can set you back (alcohol is a depressant and can interfere with anti-depressant medication) so it is just not worth it, even for the temporary relaxation it offers.

What are your tips for fast and nourishing food when you are feeling glum?