Diet
Why is it that filling up on pasta or Chinese food for lunch leaves us snacky and sleepy an hour later? Or that falling short on fluids makes us forgetful and foggy? Fact is, eating habits play a powerful role in how well we function on every level. Below, six top fatigue-fighting nutrition strategies to chew on.
Have breakfast... even if you don't feel hungry. You'll be a lot perkier: Studies show that people who eat breakfast feel better both mentally and physically than those who skip their morning meal. British researchers at Cardiff University even found that spooning up a bowl of breakfast cereal every morning is associated with lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Eat every three to four hours. Having three smallish meals and two snacks throughout the day can keep your blood sugar and energy levels stable all day long, says Roberta Anding, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association (ADA). Note the word "smallish." Supersized meals demand more of your energy to digest, which can leave you feeling lethargic. At each mini-meal, get a mix of carbohydrates (which the body uses for energy), protein (which helps sustain energy if needed), and healthy fats like those found in fish, nuts, and olives -- these fats and protein contribute to meal satisfaction, so you don't go hunting for sweets an hour later and wind up with a short-lived sugar high and subsequent crash. A few meal ideas: a low-fat yogurt parfait with berries and a couple of tablespoons of whole-grain granola; salmon over mixed greens with whole-grain crackers; and beef tenderloin with a baked sweet potato and asparagus.
Fill up on more fiber. Fiber has a time-releasing effect on carbs, so they enter your bloodstream at a slow and steady pace, giving your energy staying power, says Anding. When choosing your mini-meals (see above), include fiber-filled options that add up to the daily recommended 25 to 30 grams of fiber (the average person gets only between 10 and 15 grams). Some suggestions: a bowl of raisin bran (5 grams of fiber per cup); black beans and cheese wrapped in a multigrain tortilla (beans have 7.5 grams per 1/2 cup; one tortilla has 5 grams); air-popped popcorn (3.6 grams per 3 cups); an apple with the skin (3.3 grams); and whole-wheat spaghetti (6.3 grams per cup).
Fuel your brain with omega-3s. Found in fatty fish (such as tuna and salmon), walnuts, and canola oil, these essential fatty acids play a role in keeping brain cells healthy and helping you feel mentally alert. Another potential bonus: Omega-3s encourage the body to store carbs as glycogen — the storage form of glucose (blood sugar) and the body's main source of stored fuel — rather than as fat.
Stay hydrated. Water makes up the majority of your blood and other body fluids, and even mild dehydration can cause blood to thicken, forcing the heart to pump harder to carry blood to your cells and organs and resulting in fatigue. Also, ample fluids keep energy-fueling nutrients flowing throughout the body, says Nancy Clark, R.D., author of Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook. To gauge your hydration, Clark recommends monitoring how often you urinate. You should be going every two to four hours, and your urine should be clear or pale yellow in color. Tip: Besides drinking more, you can also consume foods that naturally contain water, such as yogurt, broccoli, carrots, and juicy fruits, like watermelons, oranges, and grapefruits.
Watch caffeine intake after noon. Typically, consuming a moderate amount of caffeine — 200 to 300 mg, the amount found in two to three cups of coffee — can make you more energetic and alert in the hours following, says Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D., a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. But when caffeine is consumed in large quantities — or anytime in the afternoon or evening — the quality of your sleep that night can take a nosedive, leaving you with heavy eyelids the next day. One caution for those who are highly sensitive to caffeine: Although switching to a decaf latte in the afternoon sounds like the answer, researchers at the University of Florida found that out of 22 decaffeinated coffee beverages tested, all but one contained some caffeine.
Why is it that filling up on pasta or Chinese food for lunch leaves us snacky and sleepy an hour later? Or that falling short on fluids makes us forgetful and foggy? Fact is, eating habits play a powerful role in how well we function on every level. Below, six top fatigue-fighting nutrition strategies to chew on.
Have breakfast... even if you don't feel hungry. You'll be a lot perkier: Studies show that people who eat breakfast feel better both mentally and physically than those who skip their morning meal. British researchers at Cardiff University even found that spooning up a bowl of breakfast cereal every morning is associated with lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Eat every three to four hours. Having three smallish meals and two snacks throughout the day can keep your blood sugar and energy levels stable all day long, says Roberta Anding, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association (ADA). Note the word "smallish." Supersized meals demand more of your energy to digest, which can leave you feeling lethargic. At each mini-meal, get a mix of carbohydrates (which the body uses for energy), protein (which helps sustain energy if needed), and healthy fats like those found in fish, nuts, and olives -- these fats and protein contribute to meal satisfaction, so you don't go hunting for sweets an hour later and wind up with a short-lived sugar high and subsequent crash. A few meal ideas: a low-fat yogurt parfait with berries and a couple of tablespoons of whole-grain granola; salmon over mixed greens with whole-grain crackers; and beef tenderloin with a baked sweet potato and asparagus.
Fill up on more fiber. Fiber has a time-releasing effect on carbs, so they enter your bloodstream at a slow and steady pace, giving your energy staying power, says Anding. When choosing your mini-meals (see above), include fiber-filled options that add up to the daily recommended 25 to 30 grams of fiber (the average person gets only between 10 and 15 grams). Some suggestions: a bowl of raisin bran (5 grams of fiber per cup); black beans and cheese wrapped in a multigrain tortilla (beans have 7.5 grams per 1/2 cup; one tortilla has 5 grams); air-popped popcorn (3.6 grams per 3 cups); an apple with the skin (3.3 grams); and whole-wheat spaghetti (6.3 grams per cup).
Fuel your brain with omega-3s. Found in fatty fish (such as tuna and salmon), walnuts, and canola oil, these essential fatty acids play a role in keeping brain cells healthy and helping you feel mentally alert. Another potential bonus: Omega-3s encourage the body to store carbs as glycogen — the storage form of glucose (blood sugar) and the body's main source of stored fuel — rather than as fat.
Stay hydrated. Water makes up the majority of your blood and other body fluids, and even mild dehydration can cause blood to thicken, forcing the heart to pump harder to carry blood to your cells and organs and resulting in fatigue. Also, ample fluids keep energy-fueling nutrients flowing throughout the body, says Nancy Clark, R.D., author of Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook. To gauge your hydration, Clark recommends monitoring how often you urinate. You should be going every two to four hours, and your urine should be clear or pale yellow in color. Tip: Besides drinking more, you can also consume foods that naturally contain water, such as yogurt, broccoli, carrots, and juicy fruits, like watermelons, oranges, and grapefruits.
Watch caffeine intake after noon. Typically, consuming a moderate amount of caffeine — 200 to 300 mg, the amount found in two to three cups of coffee — can make you more energetic and alert in the hours following, says Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D., a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. But when caffeine is consumed in large quantities — or anytime in the afternoon or evening — the quality of your sleep that night can take a nosedive, leaving you with heavy eyelids the next day. One caution for those who are highly sensitive to caffeine: Although switching to a decaf latte in the afternoon sounds like the answer, researchers at the University of Florida found that out of 22 decaffeinated coffee beverages tested, all but one contained some caffeine.
Eliminating night time noises can help. For example, turn off the house heater at nights and use a quiet, electric, stand alone heater with thermostat in the bedroom. Also: saves money by not heating the entire house. See Vornado heater at left: Quiet, remote, Thernostat.
- Be sur
e to have a good mattress or mattress pad. One that is suited to your needs.
- Be sur
e to have a good mattress or mattress pad. One that is suited to your needs. BioFlex Personal Mattress Overlay
The First Step Toward the Best Night's Sleep You've Ever Had! The First Step Toward the Best Night’s Sleep You’ve Ever Had! The quality and quantity of sleep is substantially less than what is needed. Many people are severely sleep-deprived and therefore dangerously sleepy during the day. In the 20th century. when average nightly sleep time declined 20%. many major disasters as well as a multitude of accidents on the road and at work are being linked to sleep-deprivation. Fifty million North Americans have a chronic sleep disorder; including insomnia. narcolepsy and sleep apnea. On any given day. 25% of the people did not get enough sleep the previous night and are not alert. HOW IMPORTANT IS SLEEP? The failure to get a good night’s sleep is one of the most common and harmful enemies to health and overall well-being. Poor sleep can seriously affect mental and physical performance. Furthermore. sleep deprivation can have a detrimental effect on an individual’s ability to recuperate from injuries. Therefore. restful sleep is the first step toward recovery and wellness. Developed after years of research by a highly skilled team of medical professionals. scientists and engineers. BIOflex Magnetic Sleep Pads have been hailed as the most advanced and effective products of their kind for their ability to help us get a good night’s rest naturally. They never loose their effectiveness and require no change in one’s routine or lifestyle. All one has to do is sleep on them.
The First Step Toward the Best Night's Sleep You've Ever Had! The First Step Toward the Best Night’s Sleep You’ve Ever Had! The quality and quantity of sleep is substantially less than what is needed. Many people are severely sleep-deprived and therefore dangerously sleepy during the day. In the 20th century. when average nightly sleep time declined 20%. many major disasters as well as a multitude of accidents on the road and at work are being linked to sleep-deprivation. Fifty million North Americans have a chronic sleep disorder; including insomnia. narcolepsy and sleep apnea. On any given day. 25% of the people did not get enough sleep the previous night and are not alert. HOW IMPORTANT IS SLEEP? The failure to get a good night’s sleep is one of the most common and harmful enemies to health and overall well-being. Poor sleep can seriously affect mental and physical performance. Furthermore. sleep deprivation can have a detrimental effect on an individual’s ability to recuperate from injuries. Therefore. restful sleep is the first step toward recovery and wellness. Developed after years of research by a highly skilled team of medical professionals. scientists and engineers. BIOflex Magnetic Sleep Pads have been hailed as the most advanced and effective products of their kind for their ability to help us get a good night’s rest naturally. They never loose their effectiveness and require no change in one’s routine or lifestyle. All one has to do is sleep on them.
Vornado EH
1-0032-28 TouchStone Vortex Heater w/ Digital Thermostat and Wireless Remote
forged from steel the touchstone vortex heater remains cool to the touch. remote control, digital lcd screen and timer! the touchstone has advanced multi-level safety protection and can warm an entire room in minutes with exclusive vortex action! vornado heater circulates air in a powerful vortex spiral that mixes different temperature layers of a room into a single uniform zone. touchstone model features a wireless remote and a digital thermostat, key in desired room temperature on the backlit lcd and that's it. continuously monitors and regulates heat output and fan speed. operation is exceptionally quiet. tight grill spirals deter curious fingers; it shuts off if tipped over or if something blocks the intake, outflow or blades; all-metal housing stays cool to the touch. compact, easily portable size fits in any room.
1-0032-28 TouchStone Vortex Heater w/ Digital Thermostat and Wireless Remoteforged from steel the touchstone vortex heater remains cool to the touch. remote control, digital lcd screen and timer! the touchstone has advanced multi-level safety protection and can warm an entire room in minutes with exclusive vortex action! vornado heater circulates air in a powerful vortex spiral that mixes different temperature layers of a room into a single uniform zone. touchstone model features a wireless remote and a digital thermostat, key in desired room temperature on the backlit lcd and that's it. continuously monitors and regulates heat output and fan speed. operation is exceptionally quiet. tight grill spirals deter curious fingers; it shuts off if tipped over or if something blocks the intake, outflow or blades; all-metal housing stays cool to the touch. compact, easily portable size fits in any room.
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