Smaller Portions, Less GERD

Rainy days coinciding with a busy week ahead.  In the next seven days I will:

• attend Fashion's Night Out
• see Moby at a Barnes & Noble appearance
• coordinate a booth at a street fair
• coordinate a booth at a Mets game health fair
• volunteer at the animal shelter
• run "on all four cylinders" at work to meet deadlines and prep for the aforementioned fairs

I'm already pacing myself, getting nutritious foods ready, and planning for extra sleep.   (How is it that we don't take sleep seriously?  That it's the first thing to go when we're super-busy?  How did sleep deprivation become so glamorous and a mark of success?   I wonder if I got more sleep than my usual 6-7 hours if my GERD symptoms would decrease.)

SMALL PORTIONS -- ONE STEP TO HEALING

Progress!  I can definitely see a difference in my day when I have a "half breakfast" followed by a second half breakfast a few hours later.  

This usually involves a half portion of cereal (though I have a full serving of almond milk, since I like it for my calcium, Vitamin D, and other nutrients) around 5:30 AM - 6:00 AM and a homemade oat-flax-raisin-apple muffin (these are tiny, made in a vintage tin!  not your usual bowling ball sized muffins!) around 9:30 AM.   Or I'll have a hard boiled egg (from my pastured eggs at home), or a quarter sesame bagel, plain.   I have been experimenting with nut butters for a second breakfast, as well.   I usually have some fruit as well -- berries, applesauce, or a stone fruit.  

For lunch, I have a regular portion, which is already reasonable, and for dinner, I've reduced my intake altogether by about one-fourth of my usual portion.   I allow a couple of snacks throughout the day as well (granola bars, fruit, nut butters on crackers or half slice bread).  

Immediately, I feel better, and really feel the positive effect during the morning into the afternoon.  No bloating.  There may be some "food in throat" feeling after breakfast, but I suspect this may coincide with my caffeine intake, if I'm drinking black or green tea that day.  I will have to log this!   I'm still playing around with alternating days of tea in finding a way to still consume it, even if it is a trigger.   

A PUZZLE...

One thing puzzling me -- why do I have GERD symptoms (slight heartburn, FIT) after a few moments of waking up in the morning?  I don't wake up from symptoms, and don't have them right upon waking -- they kick in 5-10 minutes afterward.  Hmmm.  

BONUS LINK: To help pace myself and generally de-stress, I'm trying to incorporate more mindfulness in my days.  Here is a useful piece on mindful breathing.