TrumatterLiving: 3 Things this week- the gut, the gutter and stuff in between
Cleaning the gut food, cleaning the gutter DIYs, A multigrain bread and a bit of skincare that worked for me! Welcome to the dirty talk.
To begin with, I am writing this piece without a single cup of tea or coffee in my system. So in the event that I digress a lot or dot the newsletter with sheer nonsense you’ll know why. And maybe have it in you to forgive me a little because dependency is a strange thing.
But what is stranger is the will power one gets to do the right things when they are knee deep in you know what!
The Gut: A little backstory
To begin with, I went through a period of extreme stress. Through out February. I think I didn’t show it much but inside I could feel that odd knot in the center of my sternum. Know what I mean?
Secondly, I have never been able to digest milk and milk products well. The dahis don’t work either! But after a day long shoot and 3 cups of vending machine poop coffee (with milk) I decided to have 250 grams gajar ka halwa. Felt very squeezy after, forgot about it. The next day I rolled a good 150 grams in a chapati like a true gangsta and made an edible blunt. Felt squeezy all day. Topped it with a mascarpone filled croissant with blue berry glaze. Felt truly unwell. Had one antacid and just slept.
And that ladies and gents was the end of my peaceful days. 29th February morning I permanently called the bathroom my home and knocked a doctor’s door by evening. And until today it is a bit of a roller coaster because one’s gut needs time to heal! And while I am healing, I do think that it was all an emotional response to the stress. Which alone is a big factor in destroying your gut flora!
Here are the good-for-gut-foods & meditation that are helping me heal
A banana oats smoothie with chia and flax seeds + Cosmix protein + Fiber supplement for breakfast
Just throw in a banana, 2 tbsp rolled oats soaked overnight with chia seeds and flax seeds in water. Add cold water or ice and a splash of vanilla. You can add in blue berries/strawberries too. I use Wellbeing nutrition fiber supplement - one 7g in a smoothie and 1 cosmix protein sachet of 24 grams.
A protein rich breakfast
2 egg whites + some tomato & lettuce, or just a protein smoothie, scrambled eggs - all works beautifully
kombucha in place of coke
Replaced my coke and pepsis with kombucha. Though, ofcourse, a glass of chilled coke after a crunchy burger is heaven and Anthony Bourdain will be very upset at this hipster sissiness but let me tell you, I don’t want to die a most painful death.
Replacing 4’0 clock coffee with dandelion root tea
Tastes like whatever but it’s really calming for your liver. The one I use has hibiscus and milk thistle. Apparently good. Can be just my head too. But yes, helping.
500 ml of oil per month
This is truly a bit difficult given we are a household that loves its fish fries but I think 2 tsp oil gives a fish fry the same taste as 2 tbsp oil. Switch to cast iron or non stick and use less oil.
Reducing sugar, coconut and everything that comes out of a package
Tough ass shit to do. But choice kya hain? Maple syrup in your coffee works wonderful though! And coconut (though I absolutely love coconut) is heavy for the gut, unless you are having coconut water. And last but not the least- everything processed!
Sausages, bacon, prasuma momos, french fries, basa fillets, to-fry stuff, and hello! OAT MILK! Because all packaged oat milk are actually called oat beverage and most use PALM OIL. So does Nutella btw! Just don’t. Avoid.
Meditation
I downloaded the headspace app and do their guided meditations. That seems to somehow magically help those cramps.
Okay, now to a great bread recipe
A very good multigrain bread recipe
Okay, now to start with- this is not devoid of Maida or all purpose flour. But its not all of it. It also does not have any of the emulsifiers or stabilizers or whatever is it that they put in a slice. It also smells a 100 times better than anything you will ever taste out of a packet.
And this is what is propelling me towards saying no to food from packets. One just doesn’t know where it all comes from.
Your packaged momos can very well be made road side in very unhygienic conditions. The ‘healthy’ food section is swiggy is full of bento meals which I am sure comes out of a packet. And I tell you this because I have worked in a food start-up. Nothing is fresh! NOTHING.
So, just s**k it up and make it at home.
Multigrain bread recipe
In a bowl add 1.5 tbsp active dry yeast + 1 cup water + 1 tsp sugar and let it proof.
Next, mix 1/2 cup maida, 1/4th cup atta + 1/4th cup nachni flour + 1/4th cup jowar flour+ 1/2 cup oats. Add all of this to the proofed yeast and add water as necessary. It will be atta dough consistency so add water as you go.
Once everything has come together as a beautiful dough, rest it for 1 hour on counter and then pop it in an airtight container and proof in fridge overnight.
Next day, bring it out, get it to room temperature and give it a light knead.
On a counter, sprinkle with flour and roll it out with your rolling pin to 1” thick
Now roll in tightly, tucking the dough in as you go (you can see some youtube tutorials as to how to shape a loaf bread)
Rest for an hour or until doubled.
To a 9” loaf pan add some olive oil and seed mix on the sides. Pop your bread dough in and brush on top with water and sprinkle the same seed mix. I have also added some oats.
Bake for 25 minutes in 220 and then bring it down to 180 and bake another 15 minutes.
Cool, slice, enjoy!
The coolest drain cleaner ever
So when I said gutter, I meant drain. So, in a bowl mix baking soda with 3 drops of lemon and lavender essential oil. Mix well. Sprinkle it all over your basin and also add to your drain mouths. Let it stay for a minute or two, then pour vinegar in the drain mouth and just hot water all over! The whole kitchen smells nice!
The stuff in between: The part where i talk about 5 brands that truly worked for me
Hibiscus Monkey - in shower moisturizer. Very hydrating, visible reduction in abrasions, skin stays softer longer but its a false claim that you dont need any moisturizer once you have applied this. You need re-application specially if you have dry skin. But excellent.
Innisfree volcanic pore reduction mask - 100% recommend
Earth Ritual blue pea flower body scrub- Smells heavenly, works like a charm. If you wax or shave, use it post that to totally make skin ultra smooth. Then slather the hibiscus monkey in shower moisturizer or Earth Ritual blue pea body lotion.
Laneige sleeping lip balm- Nothing ever worked as beautifully as this did. Not even clinique.
Wellbeing Nutrition collagen supplement- In the last 3 weeks, atleast 5 people told me that my skin looks glow-y and I think this supplement is kicking in. Can be, can be just the joy of not doing reels.
But all of the above products worked beautifully for me and I thought it’s worth letting you all know. Yeah, no sponsored. I wish i was though!
Toodles.