NUTRITIONAL Eat to beat...
HEALTH
Tiredness D
Each month we find out how choosing the right food can improve our health
o you wake each morning and feel like your head has just hit the pillow? Or struggle to get through the day by mid afternoon? One in ten women feel tired all the time and, excluding those with
a medical reason (anaemia or under-active thyroid), this could simply stem from food choices. Most people’s diet includes a hefty proportion of carbs, which your body converts into glucose. Some foods take longer to convert than others – low GI foods take longer, high GI foods are faster. The faster the conversion, the higher the ‘sugar rush’. When high levels of glucose appear in our blood it can be
CAFFEINE – it may give you a temporary boost, but in the long term it could play havoc with your adrenal function and insulin levels in a similar way as glucose JUNK FOOD – fresh, natural ingredients are often replaced with harmful salts, fats and sugars WHITE FLOUR PRODUCTS – bread, biscuits, cakes, white pasta FIZZY DRINKS – they contain high levels of sugar, caffeine and artificial additives FRUIT JUICES not squeezed yourself as they’re often sweetened HIGH SUGAR FOODS – sweets, chocolates, ice cream, meringues ALCOHOL – it disrupts energy levels and causes dehydration
dangerous, so insulin is released to convert the excess into fats. If this happens regularly, the body stops reacting to high glucose levels, leaving you fatigued. It’s easy to break the sugar rush-sugar slump cycle
by choosing foods that release energy slowly. And as these foods are likely to keep you fuller for longer, you should lose weight too. Here’s how…
WHOLEGRAINS (100 per cent wholegrain bread, cereal, pasta, air popped popcorn, pearl barley, quinoa and wild or brown rice) – these provide valuable fibre, nutrients and glucose that are released slowly OATS without added sugar for a sustained energy release Food with TYROSINE (lean chicken, Greek yoghurt, soy beans and cottage cheese) – an amino acid that turns adrenaline and dopamine into energy IRON-RICH FOODS (red meat, beans, lentils) – help blood cells transport oxygen around the body
FRESH FRUIT AND VEG – rich in antioxidants, they’ll improve mood and brain function. Try in smoothies for variety FATTY FISH (salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines) – they contain omega-3 fatty acids, essential for helping to balance blood sugar levels between meals REGULAR DRINKS (water, decaff tea or coffee, green tea) combat the mild to moderate dehydration that causes tiredness POMEGRANATES – the seeds contain conjugate linolenic acid to help steady blood sugar levels One or two squares 70 per cent cocoa DARK CHOCOLATE – a treat that won’t send sugar levels crazy!
Getty Images
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164