A lack of energy is the most common complaint I hear amongst
new clients. It is also the first improvement they
1. Drink more water
Dehydration is one of the most common signs of feeling flat,
run down & tired. When you don’t have enough water your brain your blood
thickens which means the heart has to work so much harder to pump blood around
to your vital organs. Increasing your water will not only increase energy but
it will also increase cognitive function too.
Tip: try to have a glass of water as soon as you wake up
(instead of coffee) and chase every tea & coffee with the same about of
water
2. Ensure you have a good night’s sleep
This is the most obvious way to boost your energy – but it
is easier said than done. There can be a lot of factors that prevent your from
having a good night’s sleep including
- Electronics (TV, phone, laptop etc.)
- Stress
- Poor sleep environment (bed/pillow not comfortable, distractions around the room, too much light etc.)
- Inability to switch off
- Poor routine
- Poor routine
- Poor diet
- (and so on)
Tip: remove all electronics from the room, ensure you room
is dark & spend 15minutes winding down at night time each night
3. Eat regularly
Eating every 3-4 hours of a well-balanced diet will ensure
that your blood sugar levels have less dramatic spikes & drops meaning you
will feel less like you are on a roller coaster, forever trying to pick up your
energy back up. Going for more than 5 hours without food can cause you to
overeat as you try to compensate bringing your sugar levels back up (often of
the wrong foods), not to mention that ‘food coma’ feeling once you have eaten
double what you have intended
Tip: Ensure you have protein at every meal or snack and be
prepared
4. Reduce the caffeine
People differ in their sensitivity to caffeine
and can have very different types of reactions & it is about understanding
how sensitive you are. Caffeine can increase alertness, heart rate &
promote weight loss but it can also cause restlessness, difficulty in sleeping,
headaches, IBS symptoms, and for a lot of people send them on a rollercoaster
of energy levels.
Tip: Swap a coffee/tea/soft drink for a loose
leaf herbal tea; replace the morning tea coffee with a mug of warm water with
lemon
5. Increase your B vitamins
B vitamins are essential for increasing energy as they
required creating a molecule of energy in the body. Most of you B vitamins required
for energy are found in mushrooms, asparagus, spinach, broccoli, strawberries
and sunflower seeds.
Tip: Have a snack of strawberries & sunflower seeds, as
well as swapping lettuce for spinach in your salads
6. Increase your Iron intake
Iron is known to have a dramatic effect on energy levels. Our
bodies generally absorb heme iron sources better (red meat) compared to non-heme
iron sources (beans, legumes, brown rice, nuts) however you can absolutely have
adequate iron levels consuming non-heme iron source. Ensure you are consuming your high iron foods
with high vitamin C foods (broccoli, blueberries etc.)
Tip: Add some extra beans to your salad and nuts to your
stir fry
7. Decrease your refined sugars
Reducing the refined sugar in your diet will IMMEDIATELY
boost your energy levels simply because consuming refined sugar peaks your
insulin levels very quickly and drops them just as fast – causing you to crave
more sugar to pick your energy back up and the cycle starts again. Remove them
as much as possible from your diet
Tip: Swap the afternoon chocolate bar for some organic
yoghurt with blueberries & chia seeds
8. Catch some rays
Low vitamin D levels are becoming more prevalent in our
society. Getting 15minutes of sun on exposed skin (no sunscreen) 3 x per week
can be very difficult for those you work inside in offices as well as the elderly.
Vitamin D can also be found in salmon with bones, fish, fish oil, mushrooms
Tip: Ensure you have a
salmon at least once a week & go outside on your lunch break 3 x per week.
If you need help improving your energy simply email admin@naednutrition.com.au
