Except this is precisely what I did last Thursday evening. I had a huge panic attack in the middle of watching a TV show whilst dinner was on the boil. Fair enough it was The Walking Dead, a TV show which always put me on edge, but the attack mostly came out of nowhere. I started to hyperventilate which basically feels like someone is sitting on your chest. I also felt pins and needles in my hands and at the back of my head/neck. Needless to say I was really scared and did not know what was happening to me. Jon called the emergency services who informed him that I was having a "crise de spasmophilie" and that I should breathe into a bag for 3-4 minutes to reintroduce the carbon dioxide back into my bloodstream. The firemen came quickly to check my heart rate and pulse and ask me a few questions about my general health. It seemed to be a combination of elevated stress and a few nights of not sleeping very well.
I hope that this never happens to you, but if you do ever find yourself having a panic attack please have faith that you will be OK, try to stay as calm as you possibly can and find a bag that you can breathe into slowly for a few minutes. The following day, I stayed at home and ate foods rich in magnesium (bananas, avocados and leafy greens) because this is what the internet advises.
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| Pineapple, fresh spinach, mint, kiwi and coconut water makes for a delicious breakfast juice. |
I also made sure that I caught up on my sleep and got on with enjoying the weekend. On Saturday, I went to the covered Batignolles market with some friends for a healthy juice and some yummy food at the My Kitch'n stand. In the evening, JB and I caught up on True Detective - are any of you watching it? It's very slow-paced but the camera work is great, the two main leads are compelling and the landscape of Louisiana is hauntingly beautiful. Also, who is the Yellow King? I've been reading all the internet theories...
On Sunday we visited our local market to stock up on fruit and vegetables. The panic attack gave me an opportunity to step back and take stock of how I'm living my life and think about ways in which I could be a bit healthier. I'm proud to say that I have not had a cigarette since New Year's Eve so I believe I am finally done with smoking which is a huge relief. I'm going to cut out dairy as well as limit my meat and alcohol consumption these next few weeks - just to see if I notice any benefits. Everyone functions differently but I think it is important to listen to our bodies and treat them nicely.
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| Lauren's Earl Grey cake with lavender icing - it was as delicious as it looks. |
What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than with lovely people, chatting about a variety of things whilst drinking tea and eating home-baked goods? There was flour less chocolate cake, lavender scones and Earl Grey infused cake. Lauren organised a knit-tea-ng afternoon which was heavy on the tea and light on the knitting! It was lovely to meet Marissa, Katie, Cindy and Lauren and catch up with Danielle and Lauren of course. Katie has a gorgeous apartment and it was very generous of her to accommodate us for the afternoon.
I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Happy Monday!
Lou
xx
