Food For Your Healing

We all need fuel to perform our daily tasks and should therefore eat plenty of food for energy.

Throughout our busy day we sometimes feel in need of a quick energy boost.  Sometimes this is mid-morning when we may have missed breakfast, or maybe mid-afternoon when we feel ourselves flagging.

So what do most of us do?  We turn to coffee for a quick energy rush! Regardless of what you may believe, this is a temporary fix and not the best solution.

Change Your Eating Pattern And Diet

If you find you habitually do this then you should instead try to eat small meals of energy promoting foods several times throughout the day, rather than drinking coffee, snacking on high calorie snacks or bingeing on infrequent large meals.

It is true that foods that are high in sugar, such as pop drinks, will give your body an energy rush through elevating your blood sugar levels.

However your blood sugar levels must not be allowed to go above a certain level for various reasons.  These include physiological reasons.

A sudden rise in blood sugar is often followed by a rapid drop, as the body’s insulin system cuts in to remove this excess glucose.

As a result your energy levels drop and you are now in a worse situation and you may start to find it more difficult to concentrate, feel irritable, tired or lethargic.

For this reason, it is better to choose certain carbohydrates instead of sugars in an attempt to replenish your energy level.

You should opt for  low GI (glycemic index) or complex carbohydrate food for energy as these take longer to digest and therefore provide a more constant supply of energy by virtue of a more constant supply of glucose to the bloodstream.

Bearing this in mind, here are some foods that are good for increasing and maintaining your energy levels:

Oatmeal

Oats are a low GI food which contain a large amount of fibre and are slowly and steadily digested, providing a controlled stream of energy.

They are one of the best ways to start the day as they are filling, and, combined with fruit, make an excellent breakfast.

Oats also contain the B vitamins that are involved in the transformation carbohydrates into energy and are often called the energy vitamins.

Other low GI carbohydrates to choose are high-fibre breakfast cereals, vegetables, whole-grain breads and pasta, and brown rice.

Lentils

Lentils are probably not as much used in our diet as they ought to be as they are a valuable source of vegetable protein, complex carbohydrates, and fibre.

They also contain many essential nutrients including the B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, calcium, and copper.

Lentils are low in fat and calories, and a useful addition to any meal.

Other beans of all sorts have a similar high protein, low calorie advantage.

If you are not used to beans in your diet you need to introduce then gradually in order to avoid problems of flatulence. It can take a while for your body to become accustomed to them.

Bananas and Fruits

Have you ever wondered why many athletes, especially tennis players, eat a banana during a sports event?

This is because bananas contain natural, simple sugars for an energy boost, plus more complex carbohydrates for sustained energy.

They also contain high levels of potassium, one of the electrolytes that tend to be lost during vigorous exercise through sweating.

Like most types of fruit bananas contain healthy amounts of fibre and vitamin C.

Some of the other fruits that offer an energizing boost include apples, grapes, peaches, and pineapple.

Fish and Lean Meat

You can also look to fish and lean meat as a great source for energy.

Fish such as tuna and sardines, contain an amino acid called Tyrosine that, when digested helps to manufacture the brain chemicals Norepinephrine and Dopamine.

These are important neurotransmitters essential to brain function, so improving your mental condition.

Other lean protein foods also contain tyrosine, such as beef, turkey, pork tenderloin, shellfish, and eggs.

Nuts

Nuts are useful as a quick energy source.  This is because they contain a very important coenzyme known as Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10.

There are many enzymes in our body that aid in the breaking down of chemical bonds, resulting in the production of energy.

Coenzymes aid the action of these enzymes and CoQ10 supports over 80% of cellular energy producing processes in our bodies.

Walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, peanuts and soy nuts are all ideal choices.

Chocolate

Chocolate is a very effective source of calories that is easy accessible at most corner store or gas station.

There is a small out of caffeine content in chocolates which can boost energy and mental alertness up to a certain level.

Chocolate also contains bio-active compounds such as Tyramine and Pheylethylamine which appear to elevate mood and enhance activity.

Now don’t go overboard with this energy food!  Too much chocolate can lead to irritability and restlessness.  Many chocolates also contain high levels of sugar.

Water Intake

If there is one food for energy that is essential above all others it is water.

Your body requires water to digest, absorb and transport nutrients.

Without it there would be no way for your body to extract the essential energy providing nutrients from the food you eat.

When you are dehydrated your cells do not take up delivered nutrition as effectively, and your body can’t expend excess heat through sweating as well as it should.

This leads to fatigue and further reduces your energy levels.

Related Article:

Food For Energy Boosting – Who Else Wants To Boost Their Energy Naturally?
Get the pickup you need with food for energy boosting.