healingways
Powerful Energy Boosters
Daily Tips with Staying Power
by Kathleen Barnes
Many Americans occasionally complain of having a lack of energy, and for some it’s a daily experience. Low energy levels can arise from a number of underlying factors, but poor diet and ongoing stress are the most likely culprits.
Eat Right
A consistently healthy diet can be the missing key ingredient to maintaining high energy in the long term, along with avoiding short-term energy dips. A diet featuring antioxidant-rich veg- etables, healthy carbohydrates, low-fat proteins and healthy fats will not only keep energy levels high, it’s also es- sential to long-term health, according to Dr. Christine Gerbstadt, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “If you think of getting energy from a cup of coffee or a candy bar, understand that it’s just a quick boost
that doesn’t last long,” advises Gerb- stadt, author of The Doctor’s Detox Diet. “The kind of energy you get from complex carbs and whole grains will stay with you.”
Adding a little protein, like a piece of low-fat cheese or a dollop of peanut butter on a whole grain cracker, will keep energy steady for even longer, starting with breakfast.
Gerbstadt further notes that a mid- afternoon energy drop may be due to a blood sugar dip. The carb/protein plan also works well at these times, or a cup of green tea might just hit the spot. “Green tea does deliver some caffeine,
natural awakenings November 2012 37
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