I am recently coming off an “all-nighter” after I don’t know how long.  I remember doing this in my early twenties and my body never rebuking me quite the way it does now.  A meager three hours of consolidated sleep along with aches and pains in my body got me seriously thinking… What in my life provides me with sustenance?  What is it that allows me to function better than I am right now.  I decided I needed to make a sustenance list and really learn from this experience.

Well for starters sleep is on the top of my sustenance list.  Restorative sleep truly is underrated… that is until it is gone. Down-time, mindfulness, and organization are also on my sustenance list.

Along with food of course.  Vitamin C’s virtues have been popping into my head for the last few days given all the research out there on the how it works as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent, boosts your immunity and may play a preventative role in certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, and possibly diabetes.

Where are those peppers, limes, and marigolds?  Apparently  P.K. Dubey from Monsoom Wedding knew what he was doing as he fell in love and ate his marigolds. With Spring here, edible flowers like marigolds and nasturtiums, are one way to consume the water-soluble vitamin C to keep you connective tissues healthy, better absorb iron, and boost your immune system.  Five servings of fruits and vegetables typically provide 200-300 mg of Vitamin C, an essential nutrient.  Since our bodies lack the enzymes to make vitamin C you need to get it from your diet, i.e., those fruits and vegetables.

Vitamin C Sources
Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts                   Spinach
Peppers                                              Asparagus
Cabbage, Cauliflower, Cantaloupe         Chard
Grapefruit (fresh or juice)                   Honeydew Melon
Oranges (fresh or juice)                      Tangerines
Mango, Papaya, Strawberries              Tomato (Fresh and Juice)
Peppers, Spinach                                Potato

Check out this website to come up with quick and easy recipes for these fruits and vegetables.

My ahh moment after my sleep deprivation experiment was the realization that everything on my sustenance list should be assessed daily and in some cases hourly.   Just as vitamin C needs to be replenished throughout the day with fruits and vegetables since the body does not store large quantities so does my spirit.  When I mindfully check in with myself via body scan, journaling, or just take a moment to breath I usually find my sustenance flowers.

What gives you sustenance throughout your day?