Listen to “Eating to Boost Energy”.
Healthy eating is more than just eating organic, unprocessed foods to stay in shape; it also means keeping your energy levels high.
Different kinds of foods are converted to energy at different rates. Some foods, such as candy and other simple sugars, can give you a quick boost, while others, such as whole grains and healthy unsaturated fats, supply the reserves you need to draw on throughout the day.
Eating healthily can seem like a chore and a challenge for many of us. It’s much easier to grab fast food on the go or microwave an unhealthy ready meal. But the truth is, we eat too much, too quickly and too irregularly. Our bodies resent us for unhealthy eating habits and often punishes us with digestive disorders, food allergies and intolerances.
We’ve turned the word ‘diet’ into something that appears difficult and needs to be accomplished by hitting improbable targets. In reality, your diet is simply the food choices you make.
Certain foods are nutritional powerhouses, packed full of vitamins and minerals to help the body with energy production. However, no single food, including those mythical ‘superfoods’, can compensate for unhealthy eating. What’s more, there’s no evidence that one single food can provide an energy boost. Instead, it’s all about balance. What you eat can have a profound effect not only on your health but also on your energy levels.
Here are some simple tips to help you make better food choices on a daily basis:
Avoid eating foods that have a long shelf life. If it’s been sitting on a shelf for a long time, it’s not good for you. Processed foods are addictive, chemical-laden foods usually sold in jars, boxes, and bags. Armies of well-paid food scientists make it their mission to come up with recipes that appeal to your taste buds, even if it means causing havoc to your health.
Avoid sugar as much as possible. Sugar creates an addictive cycle of hunger, fatigue and moodiness. Sugar causes an initial spike in blood sugar levels, making us feel temporarily energized and happy. However, since it’s devoid of real nutrition, the blood sugar quickly plummets, leaving us feeling tired, hungry and moody. As a result, we reach for more sugar, and the cycle continues.
Choose real food. Eating real food means eating foods in their most natural form and avoiding processed foods as much as possible.
The proven way to recognize real food is to see whether or not it goes bad. Food that doesn’t go bad for a while has to be highly processed and pumped full of preservatives to extend its shelf life. Real food expires sooner because it’s fresh.
Here are a few quick tips to start boosting your energy levels through your diet:
- Eat mostly fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains.
- Focus on getting your protein from plants instead of animals.
- Be flexible and incorporate meat and animal products from time to time up to 2-3 times a week.
- Limit caffeine intake
- Drink plenty of water
What you eat can have a profound effect not only on your health but also on your energy levels. Try it out for yourself, and you’ll feel much healthier and more energized in no time.
