Feeling tired with no energy makes it hard to get through the day, but simple changes in your diet, including choosing energy-boosting foods, can make a big difference.
Fatigue is a common complaint. The stress of a hectic lifestyle, giving so much to others and not taking care of yourself as well as you should manifests in physical, mental or emotional overexertion.
One key to keeping energy levels high all day is maintaining a good diet. The foods you choose to eat have a critical impact on how energetic you feel. But beware. Morning cup of coffee or that candy bar for a mid-morning snack may give you a temporary burst of energy, but the crash afterward leaves you feeling even more tired, fatigued and lethargic.
The trick is to choose foods that release energy more slowly and give you a gradual boost of long-lasting energy. Stay away from high-glycemic foods that deliver an immediate, short-lived boost but leave you feeling sluggish and tired.
The Forgotten Meal-your breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But who has time to eat in the morning anyway? The morning rush we all experience makes breakfast an easy meal to forget. But if you are skipping breakfast and find you are tired by midmorning, then its time to re-evaluate that eating habit.
Even if you dont have time to cook in the morning, a quick "meal-on-the-go" is better than no breakfast at all. Some "grab-and-go" choices for caregivers on the move:
• Sprouted Grams, beans, cereal with fruit and yogurt
• Whole-grain toast with peanut butter and fruit
• Oatmeal with raisins
Carbohydrates Get A Bad Rap
Carbohydrates are the bodys preferred source of energy. There are good carbs and bad carbs. The good ones are essential for good health and high energy. Good carbohydrates are the foods which have neither been processed, nor or they altered either by human being or machines.
To make the most of "carb" energy, eat a combination of complex and simple carbohydrates. Most of the carbs you eat should be complex carbohydrates, which are slow burning. Foods such as:
• Whole grains
• Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, squash, pumpkin, and carrots
• Beans
• Nuts
• Grain cereals and grain breads
Bad carb foods are, unfortunately, the foods most people love the most:
• White rice
• White bread
• Pasta
• Candy
• Baked goods
• Soda
By choosing good carbs over bad, you will see a noticeable increase in your long-term energy and endurance.
Fat: Another Nutrient with very Bad Reputation
But the reason behind is not bad. Too much of the "bad" fats are associated with diabetes, heart disease, cancer and some chronic illnesses. The right types of fat and in the right amounts, however, can make food taste good, and is a concentrated source of energy. Heres a primer on fats:
The good fats-
Monounsaturated Fats - Nuts including peanuts, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, and avocado as well as canola, mustard and olive oil.
Polyunsaturated Fats – Seafood, fishes like salmon and fish oil, as well as corn, soy, safflower and sunflower oils are high in polyunsaturated fats.
The bad fats
Trans fat – packaged foods, candy, commercially fried food such as french fries, packaged snacks such as microwave popcorn
Saturated fat - butter, lard, and cream, coconut and palm oil
Pack In the Protein
Protein maintains cells, assists in growth, transports hormones and vitamins, and preserves lean muscle mass. Protein also strengthens the immune system. So replenishing the bodys source of the nutrient is very important.
Good sources of protein include:
• Meat
• Poultry
• Fish
• Eggs
• Beans
• Nuts
• Low-fat dairy products
When we eat these types of foods, our body breaks down the protein that they contain into amino acids (the building blocks of proteins).
Never Underestimate the Power of Water
Fatigue is often a sign of dehydration because the body depends on water to distribute and make use of iron and other fatigue-fighting nutrients throughout the body. Water is an essential ingredient in the production of energy molecules.
Your body needs water to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to all your organs. Water also transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects your joints and organs.
The Institute of Medicine recommends that women get about 11 cups of water from food and drink each day, and men get about 16 cups daily.
Fatigue is a common complaint. The stress of a hectic lifestyle, giving so much to others and not taking care of yourself as well as you should manifests in physical, mental or emotional overexertion.
One key to keeping energy levels high all day is maintaining a good diet. The foods you choose to eat have a critical impact on how energetic you feel. But beware. Morning cup of coffee or that candy bar for a mid-morning snack may give you a temporary burst of energy, but the crash afterward leaves you feeling even more tired, fatigued and lethargic.
The trick is to choose foods that release energy more slowly and give you a gradual boost of long-lasting energy. Stay away from high-glycemic foods that deliver an immediate, short-lived boost but leave you feeling sluggish and tired.
The Forgotten Meal-your breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But who has time to eat in the morning anyway? The morning rush we all experience makes breakfast an easy meal to forget. But if you are skipping breakfast and find you are tired by midmorning, then its time to re-evaluate that eating habit.
Even if you dont have time to cook in the morning, a quick "meal-on-the-go" is better than no breakfast at all. Some "grab-and-go" choices for caregivers on the move:
• Sprouted Grams, beans, cereal with fruit and yogurt
• Whole-grain toast with peanut butter and fruit
• Oatmeal with raisins
Carbohydrates Get A Bad Rap
Carbohydrates are the bodys preferred source of energy. There are good carbs and bad carbs. The good ones are essential for good health and high energy. Good carbohydrates are the foods which have neither been processed, nor or they altered either by human being or machines.
To make the most of "carb" energy, eat a combination of complex and simple carbohydrates. Most of the carbs you eat should be complex carbohydrates, which are slow burning. Foods such as:
• Whole grains
• Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, squash, pumpkin, and carrots
• Beans
• Nuts
• Grain cereals and grain breads
Bad carb foods are, unfortunately, the foods most people love the most:
• White rice
• White bread
• Pasta
• Candy
• Baked goods
• Soda
By choosing good carbs over bad, you will see a noticeable increase in your long-term energy and endurance.
Fat: Another Nutrient with very Bad Reputation
But the reason behind is not bad. Too much of the "bad" fats are associated with diabetes, heart disease, cancer and some chronic illnesses. The right types of fat and in the right amounts, however, can make food taste good, and is a concentrated source of energy. Heres a primer on fats:
The good fats-
Monounsaturated Fats - Nuts including peanuts, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, and avocado as well as canola, mustard and olive oil.
Polyunsaturated Fats – Seafood, fishes like salmon and fish oil, as well as corn, soy, safflower and sunflower oils are high in polyunsaturated fats.
The bad fats
Trans fat – packaged foods, candy, commercially fried food such as french fries, packaged snacks such as microwave popcorn
Saturated fat - butter, lard, and cream, coconut and palm oil
Pack In the Protein
Protein maintains cells, assists in growth, transports hormones and vitamins, and preserves lean muscle mass. Protein also strengthens the immune system. So replenishing the bodys source of the nutrient is very important.
Good sources of protein include:
• Meat
• Poultry
• Fish
• Eggs
• Beans
• Nuts
• Low-fat dairy products
When we eat these types of foods, our body breaks down the protein that they contain into amino acids (the building blocks of proteins).
Never Underestimate the Power of Water
Fatigue is often a sign of dehydration because the body depends on water to distribute and make use of iron and other fatigue-fighting nutrients throughout the body. Water is an essential ingredient in the production of energy molecules.
Your body needs water to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to all your organs. Water also transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects your joints and organs.
The Institute of Medicine recommends that women get about 11 cups of water from food and drink each day, and men get about 16 cups daily.
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