Tired All The Time? It doesn’t have to be like this!
Updated: Feb 25, 2022
Dozing off at your desk? If you can’t get through the day without a nap or copious amounts of coffee, you could be suffering from fatigue. Various factors could be hijacking your energy, such as nutritional deficiencies, illness, stress, over-working and under-sleeping. Of course, there are a multitude of factors which could be causing your fatigue, and to truly get to the bottom of the issue, it’s best to have a full consultation with a qualified nutritional therapist.
To get you started, fight back with these energy-boosting foods…
Oats
Oats contain good amounts of complex carbohydrates, which are essential for energy production, stamina and mental clarity. Unfortunately, a lot of people these days are carb-phobic and are simply not getting enough of this essential nutrient.
Complex carbs are the body’s primary energy source – providing fuel for both brain and muscles. Put it this way, you wouldn’t drive your car without fuel, so don’t try run your body on empty either!
Whole-grains such as oats also contain a number of B-vitamins, aka the ‘energy vitamins’, which are essential for turning the food you eat into useable energy.
Oranges
Adequate amounts of Vitamin C is crucial for a healthy adrenal system, which helps prevent fatigue from both physical and emotional stress.
The recommended daily intake of vitamin is amount is at least 75mg a day for women and 90mg a day for men, and one large orange contains nearly 70 mg. Cooking significantly reduces vitamin C content of food, so ensure you get some raw fruits and veggies in your diet daily.
Beans and lentils
These guys are a great vegetarian source of iron, a lack of which can result in weakness, fatigue and apathy.
Unfortunately, our bodies can’t absorb iron from vegetarian sources as well as animal sources. Therefore, to increase absorption, ensure you eat your beans and lentils with foods that contain high amounts of vitamin C, which can increase the absorption 6 – 10 fold.
Spinach
Popeye got it right: Spinach contains high amounts of magnesium, which is essential for energy, strength and stamina. It also relaxes muscles and can aid sleep. In short: if we don’t get enough of the stuff, we feel tired and weak.
Health experts often refer to magnesium as the master mineral, because of it’s involvement in over 300 vital enzymatic processes in the body. Unfortunately however, magnesium is one of the most common deficiency’s worldwide. To ensure you are getting enough, toss spinach in smoothies, juices, salads, stews, curries, everything!
and finally... Water!
Even being mildly dehydrated can leave you feeling weary and fatigued, according to recent research in the Journal of Nutrition. Of course, you can ensure you swig enough aqua throughout the day, but you can also top up your H20 levels through foods such as watermelon, cucumbers and citrus fruits.