Do you often feel tired?
The reasons could be so simple.
![Picture](/uploads/5/0/0/0/50009721/2511956_orig.jpg)
The food you put into your body will have a major impact on your health. Unfortunately we live in a time where people work long hours and have stressful jobs. It is very easy to put aside your health when you are exhausted but in fact your health is everything.
Breakfast is considered by many to be the most important meal of the day. This is because you would have spent approximately 8 to 12 hours without having any food. However it is important to note that your body has a good store of glycogen which it can turn into glucose to feed your cells which in turn supply you with the energy you need.
However, a healthy breakfast has many health benefits.
It would be ideal if you could wake up earlier and find time to have breakfast at home. However time may not be on your side so you need to be able to make something quick like a bowl of cereal or a piece of toast. There are some good healthy cereals but there are also a lot of unhealthy ones.
Cereals such as oats, whole wheat, mixed grains and fruits are all good but do make sure that they do not have added sugar or at least the sugar added is very low. Sprinkle sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, nuts, and dried fruit on to cereal. Try making your own cereal by using outs, seeds, nuts, dried fruit, bananas, kiwis, apples, melons and pears. Always add one or two pieces of fruit to your breakfast to help you ensure you have your five a day – make one of those a banana* (or half).
Bananas = potassium - good for:
Fruit provides vitamins and minerals help your body function properly and can help prevent certain health conditions. Fruit has fibre and this helps to slow down the digestive process and keep you feeling full longer.
If you don’t like to eat too much at breakfast you could go for a very small bowl of cereal and/or have a smoothie – blend together half a banana, an apple, a kiwi, a squeeze of lemon, some berries. To make it a really energy boosting smoothie add a table spoon of spirulina and /or a table spoon of wheat grass and some ground linseed for a protein boost.
Alternatively have one/two pieces of whole grain toast. Avoid too much butter, jams and sugary spreads. Go for a slice of low fat cheese like goats cheese, Tahini, humus, peanut butter – only the low sugar types. This will add some protein to your breakfast.
When you eat protein for breakfast, you will feel more energized. You are more likely to feel full longer, which can lead to healthier eating habits. Protein helps to build and repair bodily tissues, and it is used to produce hormones and enzymes. Protein also contains the amino acids we require for our bodies to function properly. Protein can be found not only in meat and dairy but also in many vegetables and grains. However, over processed grains lack protein.
A good way to start your day is with an egg. If you don’t have the time you could either hard boil one the evening before or in the morning and take it to work with you. The same goes for any breakfast food; if you are too rushed, make breakfast to go. Alternatively, keep your breakfast foods at work to have when you get in.
Coffee – Ideally you should stop drinking it and have the energy boosting smoothie, green tea, ginseng tea - there are many healthy options. If you can’t do without it then one cup of coffee in the morning is all you should have. Throughout the day drink plenty of water and green tea and any other energising herbal teas that you may like. Ingredients in coffee interfere with the normal detoxification process of the liver which can eventually make you feel tired.
You should get enough vitamins and minerals from your food; however today with the abundance of over processed food lacking certain vitamins and minerals is common. There are certain vitamins and minerals which you are more likely to be lacking.
B vitamins - not eating enough of a varied diet which also includes plenty of vegetables and the consumption of alcohol can lead to a level of deficiency, especially as the B vitamins are water soluble and therefore are not stored in your body.
Vitamin D - During the winter months where there is not much sun it is more important to ensure you are getting enough vitamin D. Vitamin D is found in salmon and other fatty fish, egg yolks, cultured soy and kefir. However even if you eating these foods you may still be deficient if your diet consists of too much processed, sugary foods that spike insulin levels, which sends vitamin D into fat stores instead of keeping it in the blood where different body systems can use it. Exercise can prevent this from happening as it helps keep blood sugar stable, lowers insulin levels and burns fat stores, freeing up more vitamin D. Vitamin is stored in your body and supplementation can lead to problems if not monitored so it is best to obtain it from food.
Vitamin C – You should get your daily intake through the fruit and vegetables you consume but it may not always be so easy – especially if you are buying ready cut fruit and vegetables as a lot of the vitamin C would have been destroyed. Your body does not store it and is easily destroyed by alcohol
Iron – If you eat mainly processed meat, don't eat pulses or nuts and certain vegetables such as spinach, mushrooms and other dark leafy greens you may be deficient in Iron. A lack of Iron can cause you to feel constantly tired. Iron supplementation can be dangerous if over done so it is always best to get enough Iron in your diet. When you eat iron rich foods it is advisable to take them with vitamin C rich foods as this will help the absorption of the iron.
Magnesium If you lack magnesium you may feel irritable, have sleep problems, suffer from migraines, muscle cramping and/or constipation. Anyone who eats a highly processed diet and suffers from stress is likely to be deficient in magnesium. Foods highest in Magnesium are leafy greens, nuts, seeds and fish especially mackerel and tuna.
Selenium – If you lack selenium you are likely to feel constantly tired, find it hard to concentrate, have low immunity. Selenium can be found in brazil nuts, fish, seeds, meat, mushrooms and whole grains. One good quality brazil nut gives you your daily intake of Selenium and this is better than supplementation.
Your meals should therefore be made up of a variety of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
A whole grain sandwich or wrap with a healthy filling will provide you with the complex carbohydrates to provide you with energy for the rest of the afternoon. Alternatively you could go for salad – green, quinoa, bulgar, rice. If you don’t have time to prepare these at home, a lot of Supermarkets now offer ready-made fresh salads that are affordable and healthy. Stay away from oily foods and a lot of simple carbohydrates and foods with a high Glycemic Index (GI) such as white flour, potatoes and alcohol. If you eat a lunch made up of high GI foods and simple carbs you are highly likely to feel tired before the day is up. Drink plenty of water. Stay away from sugary drinks, which include all juices found on supermarket shelves. If you want to drink juice go for fresh juice.
Do have a mid afternoon snack if you need to; have a piece of fruit and if you are still hungry have a healthy natural bar but do ensure that it is healthy!
Have something healthy and low fat for dinner. You don’t need a lot of time to make something healthy. Brown rice with a quick tomato sauce is easy to make. Avoid ready made sauces. Try having rice, quinoa or buckwheat as alternatives. Eat more vegetables – they are easy to cook and highly nutritious. Eat more sweet potatoes and swede than potatoes. Chicken breast, as well as a whole chicken is easy to cook. Eat more fish - stay away from farmed, bottom feeders and shell fish and always think sustainability! Avoid anything fried – grill or bake your meat and vegetables instead. Eat plenty of pulses like beans and lentils. Have salads in the evening if you don’t feel like cooking: plenty of greens, raw carrots, tomatoes, capers, olives – add some feta cheese, cottage cheese or goat’s cheese. It is important to eat greens every day such as lettuce rocket and spinach. Eat avocados - they will provide you with the good fat your body needs.
If you drink alcohol, reduce your intake as this can cause sleep apnoea, make you feel sluggish in the morning and regular consumption of alcohol has negative effects on the body.
Exercise! If you have no time to go to the gym or exercise classes then make it a point to do something every day. Buy yourself a skipping rope and stretch every day,or go power walking. Exercise releases stress and gets the happy hormones going.
Make it a point to get 7 hours of sleep a night. Have a cup of chamomile tea before you sleep and don’t eat for two hours before you go to bed. If your digestive system had to work when you are trying to sleep you are likely to have a disturbed sleep.
Remember that a good diet results in a healthy lifestyle and small life style changes can make big improvements.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Resources
http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/nutritional_disorders/vitamin_deficiency
_dependency_and_toxicity/vitamin_b12.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/quit-coffee_b_1598108.html
http://www.vrp.com/single-vitamins/vitamin-d3-deficiency-linked-to-a-surprising-number-of-health-concerns
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/lifestyle-guide-11/supplement-guideselenium
Nutrition for life - Lisa hark and Dr Darwin Deen - November 8, 2007
Breakfast is considered by many to be the most important meal of the day. This is because you would have spent approximately 8 to 12 hours without having any food. However it is important to note that your body has a good store of glycogen which it can turn into glucose to feed your cells which in turn supply you with the energy you need.
However, a healthy breakfast has many health benefits.
It would be ideal if you could wake up earlier and find time to have breakfast at home. However time may not be on your side so you need to be able to make something quick like a bowl of cereal or a piece of toast. There are some good healthy cereals but there are also a lot of unhealthy ones.
Cereals such as oats, whole wheat, mixed grains and fruits are all good but do make sure that they do not have added sugar or at least the sugar added is very low. Sprinkle sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, nuts, and dried fruit on to cereal. Try making your own cereal by using outs, seeds, nuts, dried fruit, bananas, kiwis, apples, melons and pears. Always add one or two pieces of fruit to your breakfast to help you ensure you have your five a day – make one of those a banana* (or half).
Bananas = potassium - good for:
- muscles
- blood pressure
- kidneys
Fruit provides vitamins and minerals help your body function properly and can help prevent certain health conditions. Fruit has fibre and this helps to slow down the digestive process and keep you feeling full longer.
If you don’t like to eat too much at breakfast you could go for a very small bowl of cereal and/or have a smoothie – blend together half a banana, an apple, a kiwi, a squeeze of lemon, some berries. To make it a really energy boosting smoothie add a table spoon of spirulina and /or a table spoon of wheat grass and some ground linseed for a protein boost.
Alternatively have one/two pieces of whole grain toast. Avoid too much butter, jams and sugary spreads. Go for a slice of low fat cheese like goats cheese, Tahini, humus, peanut butter – only the low sugar types. This will add some protein to your breakfast.
When you eat protein for breakfast, you will feel more energized. You are more likely to feel full longer, which can lead to healthier eating habits. Protein helps to build and repair bodily tissues, and it is used to produce hormones and enzymes. Protein also contains the amino acids we require for our bodies to function properly. Protein can be found not only in meat and dairy but also in many vegetables and grains. However, over processed grains lack protein.
A good way to start your day is with an egg. If you don’t have the time you could either hard boil one the evening before or in the morning and take it to work with you. The same goes for any breakfast food; if you are too rushed, make breakfast to go. Alternatively, keep your breakfast foods at work to have when you get in.
Coffee – Ideally you should stop drinking it and have the energy boosting smoothie, green tea, ginseng tea - there are many healthy options. If you can’t do without it then one cup of coffee in the morning is all you should have. Throughout the day drink plenty of water and green tea and any other energising herbal teas that you may like. Ingredients in coffee interfere with the normal detoxification process of the liver which can eventually make you feel tired.
You should get enough vitamins and minerals from your food; however today with the abundance of over processed food lacking certain vitamins and minerals is common. There are certain vitamins and minerals which you are more likely to be lacking.
B vitamins - not eating enough of a varied diet which also includes plenty of vegetables and the consumption of alcohol can lead to a level of deficiency, especially as the B vitamins are water soluble and therefore are not stored in your body.
Vitamin D - During the winter months where there is not much sun it is more important to ensure you are getting enough vitamin D. Vitamin D is found in salmon and other fatty fish, egg yolks, cultured soy and kefir. However even if you eating these foods you may still be deficient if your diet consists of too much processed, sugary foods that spike insulin levels, which sends vitamin D into fat stores instead of keeping it in the blood where different body systems can use it. Exercise can prevent this from happening as it helps keep blood sugar stable, lowers insulin levels and burns fat stores, freeing up more vitamin D. Vitamin is stored in your body and supplementation can lead to problems if not monitored so it is best to obtain it from food.
Vitamin C – You should get your daily intake through the fruit and vegetables you consume but it may not always be so easy – especially if you are buying ready cut fruit and vegetables as a lot of the vitamin C would have been destroyed. Your body does not store it and is easily destroyed by alcohol
Iron – If you eat mainly processed meat, don't eat pulses or nuts and certain vegetables such as spinach, mushrooms and other dark leafy greens you may be deficient in Iron. A lack of Iron can cause you to feel constantly tired. Iron supplementation can be dangerous if over done so it is always best to get enough Iron in your diet. When you eat iron rich foods it is advisable to take them with vitamin C rich foods as this will help the absorption of the iron.
Magnesium If you lack magnesium you may feel irritable, have sleep problems, suffer from migraines, muscle cramping and/or constipation. Anyone who eats a highly processed diet and suffers from stress is likely to be deficient in magnesium. Foods highest in Magnesium are leafy greens, nuts, seeds and fish especially mackerel and tuna.
Selenium – If you lack selenium you are likely to feel constantly tired, find it hard to concentrate, have low immunity. Selenium can be found in brazil nuts, fish, seeds, meat, mushrooms and whole grains. One good quality brazil nut gives you your daily intake of Selenium and this is better than supplementation.
Your meals should therefore be made up of a variety of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
A whole grain sandwich or wrap with a healthy filling will provide you with the complex carbohydrates to provide you with energy for the rest of the afternoon. Alternatively you could go for salad – green, quinoa, bulgar, rice. If you don’t have time to prepare these at home, a lot of Supermarkets now offer ready-made fresh salads that are affordable and healthy. Stay away from oily foods and a lot of simple carbohydrates and foods with a high Glycemic Index (GI) such as white flour, potatoes and alcohol. If you eat a lunch made up of high GI foods and simple carbs you are highly likely to feel tired before the day is up. Drink plenty of water. Stay away from sugary drinks, which include all juices found on supermarket shelves. If you want to drink juice go for fresh juice.
Do have a mid afternoon snack if you need to; have a piece of fruit and if you are still hungry have a healthy natural bar but do ensure that it is healthy!
Have something healthy and low fat for dinner. You don’t need a lot of time to make something healthy. Brown rice with a quick tomato sauce is easy to make. Avoid ready made sauces. Try having rice, quinoa or buckwheat as alternatives. Eat more vegetables – they are easy to cook and highly nutritious. Eat more sweet potatoes and swede than potatoes. Chicken breast, as well as a whole chicken is easy to cook. Eat more fish - stay away from farmed, bottom feeders and shell fish and always think sustainability! Avoid anything fried – grill or bake your meat and vegetables instead. Eat plenty of pulses like beans and lentils. Have salads in the evening if you don’t feel like cooking: plenty of greens, raw carrots, tomatoes, capers, olives – add some feta cheese, cottage cheese or goat’s cheese. It is important to eat greens every day such as lettuce rocket and spinach. Eat avocados - they will provide you with the good fat your body needs.
If you drink alcohol, reduce your intake as this can cause sleep apnoea, make you feel sluggish in the morning and regular consumption of alcohol has negative effects on the body.
Exercise! If you have no time to go to the gym or exercise classes then make it a point to do something every day. Buy yourself a skipping rope and stretch every day,or go power walking. Exercise releases stress and gets the happy hormones going.
Make it a point to get 7 hours of sleep a night. Have a cup of chamomile tea before you sleep and don’t eat for two hours before you go to bed. If your digestive system had to work when you are trying to sleep you are likely to have a disturbed sleep.
Remember that a good diet results in a healthy lifestyle and small life style changes can make big improvements.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Resources
http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/nutritional_disorders/vitamin_deficiency
_dependency_and_toxicity/vitamin_b12.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/quit-coffee_b_1598108.html
http://www.vrp.com/single-vitamins/vitamin-d3-deficiency-linked-to-a-surprising-number-of-health-concerns
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/lifestyle-guide-11/supplement-guideselenium
Nutrition for life - Lisa hark and Dr Darwin Deen - November 8, 2007