Is someone keeping record of how many times I've given up coffee in the seven years I've been posting on chain? I've had various substites, usually homemade, from dried mushrooms to cacao and ashwagandwa and everything in between. After a hellish two weeks of hormonal related nervous system uber stress, and desperately trying to restore order, I haven't even had to think about giving up coffee again - it's been just a good old tea with oat milk all the way. Turns out, I quite enjoy a cuppa char in the morning (British slang term - with cha coming from the Chinese word chá (茶) for tea, from trade with Asia in the 19th-20th centuries). I'm feeling better. Less frazzled, and less desperately seeking relief from physical symptoms of anxiety, which if you've experienced at all, is hell on this good earth.

@ablaze wrote about a healthy breakfast the other day, and whilst I have my mother's voice in my head telling me to vary my diet, I can't go past porridge at the moment (@honeydue, this is my perfection - don't sweat a recipe, just experiment and find how YOU like your oats) with oranges. Yep, novel - or rather navel, haha. Probably because my system is craving what both provide - oats support normal nervous system function because they have B1 and thiamine, magnesium, iron and complex carbs, and oranges because of vitamin C, which is involved in the production of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and helps protect nerve cells from oxidative stress. Add some unsweetened vanilla collagen powder and a sprinkle of omega 3 seed and some coconut yoghurt and some psyllium if I fancy and I'm happy. Jamie can keep his vegemite and avo on toast.

Jamie had read the other day that people who eat the same breakfast every day do so because of childhood trauma - it's one thing they can control and is consistant in a day which can throw curveballs at you.

For a minute I believed that was his story as he does have vegemite on toast every day, sometimes with cream cheese, sometimes with avo, but then I remembered he's perfectly happy if I make him scrambled eggs or fried halloumi and tomato on toast. A bit like how he's allergic to almonds unless they are on an almond croissant. Geminis can convince themselves of any bullshit.

The more important question is, is the tea and porridge helping?

Maybe. For now.