Nutrition for Energy

Did you know that your nutrition can determine whether you are "Full of energy" or "Tired and depressed"? Some nutrition will boost your energy levels and others will detract and even increase fatigue. Fatigue is due to a number of causes; medication, lack of sleep, stress in the extreme, worry and depression, and even climate.

Experts recommend not to eat the following foods in excess:

• Fried and high-fat foods.
• Highly processed foods such as candy bars, chips, sweets.
• Stimulants such as coffee, tea, diet and regular sodas. Stimulants give you a quick boost and then drop your energy levels even lower. Intake of these beverages can often replace more healthy beverages that would supply essential vitamins and minerals.
• Alcohol and tobacco

The following things are recommended daily, to get proper nutrition:

• Breakfast every morning
• Fruits and vegetables - raw, lightly cooked, or dried. Bananas watermelons, dates, mangoes, mangosteen, papaya, and pineapple can increase your energy levels as fast as any candy bar. Carrots and potatoes are also quickly digested and absorbed into the bloodstream.
• Moderate amounts of nuts and seeds.
• Whole grains, brown rice, whole-grain bread, cornflakes, and shredded wheat.
• Adequate protein from lean meats, fish (salmon, mackerel, herring, red snapper, orange roughy, and cod), low-fat dairy, beans, and peanut butter.
• 6-8 eight oz. glasses of water per day.
• One multivitamin per day.

Following are things you can do to save time and energy, and still get good nutrition:

• Plan balanced meals in advance.
• Make enough to have left-overs.
• Buy prepared, cut, or sliced fruits and vegetables such as bags of lettuce, baby carrots, frozen fruits and vegetables. Frozen berries are really yummy!
• For those who don't like to cook, find community based food programs that will provide ready-made meals.
• Ask your family and friends to help you with shopping and cooking.

Some people will find it necessary to boost the calorific value of their meals even with good nutrition, so you can do this in the following ways:

• Eat five to six small meals throughout the day to maintain your energy level. This can also lead to overeating and fullness that can lead to increased fatigue.
• Drink high-energy drinks such as Boost, Ensure, a Healthy Energy Drink, or Carnation Instant Breakfast for a snack.
• Have a handful of nuts or a tablespoon of peanut butter.
• Use margarine, butter, and/or cheese on your steamed vegetables.
• Add canned meats such as tuna and chicken or non-fat dry milk to packaged rice, potato, or macaroni mixes. Meats pack in extra calories and nutrition.

In addition to good nutrition it is important to maintain a regular exercise pattern. Regular exercise helps decrease fatigue and improves your sleeping pattern. Even light exercise will improve your energy levels. Always refrain from lying down immediately after a meal. This can lead to heartburn and indigestion.

So, we have given you some helpful tips for getting more energy from nutrition. We hope you can use these tips to give you lots of energy, so you can enjoy your days and your life.