Feeling tired is a universal problem. Every day about 2.2 million Americans complain of being wiped out and exhausted.
While many people are convinced this is because of their jam packed schedules the reality is it’s more likely connected to the way they eat or don’t eat. Here we look at some of the top ways to fight fatigue and to prevent you from wanting to go back to bed as soon as you’ve gotten up.
Your mother was right – breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it fuels you up and gets you in gear for the day ahead. Even if you do not feel hungry when you get up have something nutritious to eat. Research studies have shown that those who consume breakfast function better and feel better both physically and mentally. Researchers at Cardiff University in London have also discovered that the stress hormone cortisol is lower in those who eat a small bowl of breakfast cereal or oatmeal in the mornings.
Instead of eating three large meals a day change things up by eating three smaller meals and two snacks throughout the day. This will help to keep your blood sugar at a stable level and by so doing it will also keep your energy level where it is supposed to be. Be aware that eating big meals requires more of your energy to digest and can leave you feeling very tired. What you need to do when you eat your mini meals is to make sure that you eat a mix of protein, carbs and healthy fats (such as seafood, nuts and olives).
You need an adequate amount of fiber to not get run down.
Fiber works with carbohydrates to release them into the bloodstream at a slow rate that is better for the body’s metabolism. What this serves to do is to keep your energy at a high level. Most people consume only 10 to 15 grams of fiber per day despite the fact that the daily recommended dosage is 25 to 30 grams. To add more fiber to your diet eat an apple with the skin on, eat air-popped popcorn, whole-wheat spaghetti or black beans and cheese wrapped in a multigrain tortilla.
There is no substitute for drinking water. Hydration is the name of the game in keeping tiredness at bay.
You may wonder why this is the case. Approximately 83 percent of our blood is made up of water. The water found in the blood helps to digest food, control body temperature and transport waste out of the body. The majority of other bodily fluids are also composed of water. Mild dehydration thickens the blood and then forces the heart to work harder to deliver blood to the organs and the cells in the body. Unfortunately this causes tiredness because the heart is pumping faster and more intensely.
You do not just have to drink water to increase your intake of it. There are foods that contain ample amounts of water that you should be eating as well. These include broccoli, carrots, grapefruits, oranges, watermelons and yogurt.
Samantha
Leave a Reply