Foods For Energy Boost!

An extreme feeling of sleepiness or lack of energy can be called fatigue. Many factors can lead to fatigue, including: stress, a medical disorder, strenuous exercise, or your diet. Often, it is the foods we choose that cause fatigue, but we can make better choices to improve our energy levels. By combining different energy foods, you can decrease the likelihood of experiencing fatigue.

Sweets or high GI (glycemic index) foods such as cookies, cakes, white rice, and white bread are all made from refined flour which falls into the category of processed foods. These grains are so heavily milled that all the nutrition has been crushed out of them. The only part that is left is the pure starch which is quickly absorbed into the body; causing blood sugar spikes. The temporary rush may make you feel as if you have a lot of energy, but it only lasts a short time and you will experience a sugar crash later. It’s a bad cycle to be on.

You have to have carbohydrates in your diet. There are different types of carbohydrates and some are very beneficial in regulating blood sugar levels. Whole grains are much better, they contain more fiber and will last longer in your system with less blood sugar spikes – for your information, these foods are classified as low GI (Glycemic Index).

Here’s something you should know: whole grain foods generally have a significantly lower GI than refined grain foods.

Eating frequent meals is one of the best ways to keep high energy levels throughout the day. Watching your food combinations will be a great help as well. Eating whole grains along with proteins can help prolong high energy.

Being even mildly dehydrated can leave you feeling tired and fatigued. Fruits are high in water-content and contain many nutrients; making them the perfect way to have a snack and get a great source of hydration.

Dairy products can be a great help also as they offer a lot of protein and good carbohydrates. In the morning or during the middle of the day, a bowl of oatmeal as a snack will offer great carbohydrates to provide you with some energy boost. Foods with a lot of fiber take longer to digest and therefore last much longer in your system. This means they release energy for a longer period of time: keeping you full for longer. These foods also help to keep blood sugar levels steady, hence your energy level will stay stable, instead of fluctuating. Foods like beans are a great source of fiber and protein, which has earned them the title of superfoods by many dieticians.

High protein foods like eggs are an excellent source of slow-releasing energy. Here are several excellent high-protein foods:

• Egg – an egg has 6 grams of protein along with iron and zinc. Eggs can also help regulate blood sugar levels while providing vitamin B which is well known for energy.
• Nuts have both fiber and protein. Combining them with eggs help to boost energy and sustains it steadily throughout the day. Bananas are a great source of potassium; which helps long term by fighting muscle fatigue.
• Mushrooms are little miracles when it comes to energy and nutrition. Vitamin B, (pantothenic acid, niacin, and riboflavin), is a good source of thiamin and vitamin B6. Aerobic energy production and protection of the mitochondria from damage are just two of the ways in which your system will benefit from riboflavin. Pantothenic acid fights fatigue from stress by helping the adrenal glands. And with its niacin content, the food you consume is turned into energy.

You can replace coffee with tea because tea contains Theatine which actually helps you stay alert. Of course, you also get and you get a little boost from the caffeine: about 30 to 50 mg per cup. This is about half that of coffee. Another secret wonder are chia seeds. These increasingly popular little seeds have a long history of improving performance and endurance. The big secret they are hiding is the wealth of nutrition they have. One tablespoon has 5 grams of fiber to stabilize blood sugar levels and omega 3 acids to help keep your heart healthy. Always avoid energy drinks as they are loaded with lots of sugar – this causes you to experience sugar crashes several hours later – and artificial sweeteners,which weaken the immune system over time.

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Healthy Foods

Healthy Foods That Are Making You Fat

Let’s face it: It’s a challenge to eat well and sort through the reams of various diets out there.  Even the best of us cannot always deny the gleam of a shiny glazed donut or the crunch of a perfectly salted potato chip.

But what if some of the so-called “healthy foods” we’ve been told to eat all these years are actually saboteurs to our already strict and restrictive diets, causing frustration and unsightly weight gain?

This is precisely the subject of a fascinating book, THE PLAN, by Lyn-Genet Recitas, who purports that there are “healthy foods” that cause a negative response in our bodies, causing us to gain bloat and weight.

Here are some of the usual suspects (tell me if you are not as shocked as I was!)

• OATMEAL – I almost cried when I read this. I love oatmeal and was eating it every other day. However, I did notice my stomach always felt unwell and nauseous after I ate it. Turns out, 85% of people are reactive to oatmeal. It only helps to reduce cholesterol if this is a “friendly” food your body can digest, otherwise, it will negatively impact your health or even raise your cholesterol!
• SALMON – Superfood? Not necessarily. Again, this omega rich food has an 85% reactivity rate.
• Upset you’ll have to give up all these yummy, healthy foods? It gets worse…Check out the rest of the list of highly reactive foods (this is just a sample – there are many more!!!)
• ASPARAGUS
• TOMATO SAUCE
• TOFU
• BLACK BEANS
• TURKEY
• SHRIMP
• GREEK YOGURT
• CAULIFLOWER
• SUSHI

Sufficed to say this list has dramatically whittled my already restrictive diet down to zero.

But why are these foods potentially so bad for you?

The problem? INFLAMMATION.

Yes, Recitas writes that these foods may be healthy in a vacuum, but combined with our unique body chemistry, they can be quite toxic.  And doctors are starting to acknowledge that inflammation is the underlying cause behind all disease and health issues.

She outlines a plan with a 3-day cleanse (almost like an elimination diet) to rebalance your body and then slowly re-introduce foods in a controlled manner to monitor your weight and body response.

I highly recommend reading this book for more information.  Even if just for the theory or concept behind it.  I can tell you my belly bloat has been significantly reduced over the last year once I determined which healthy foods were actually causing my body to have an inflammatory response and I’ve adjusted my lifestyle accordingly

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