How Your Diet Affects your Daily Energy

Fatigue Caused by Dietary Choices

Fatigue is a commonly experienced and often disregarded ailment. Usually attributed to physical activity, jet lag, stress, and general life experiences, poor dietary choices can also cause fatigue. When people are overwhelmed by stressors in life, they are also much more likely to deprioritize their food intake and eat whenever and whatever is convenient. Often, they opt for choices readily available at fast-food restaurants and grab-and-go convenience stores, which provide a quick boost to energy levels. However, this boost is extremely short-lasting and can even affect your energy after the sugar and caffeine wear away.

According to researchers, there is not a specific ‘energy diet.’ However, many dietary principles can be introduced to benefit the body and especially the gut microbiome. One of the most important of these factors is that timing is everything. There is nothing worse for your body than skipping meals and refusing your body the fuel it requires. Without food, your body will begin breaking down muscle tissue to generate energy. When energy is being negatively affected by your diet, you should eat small meals and snacks every few hours rather than three large meals a day. This provides your body with a steady supply of nutrients throughout the day, as many people feel depleted after just a few hours without food. Snacks don’t need to be significant to provide you with an energy boost if they contain good sources of the macronutrients, so even a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts can go a long way.

When it comes to macronutrients, how and when you consume them can also drastically affect energy levels. Carbohydrates are the body’s primary form of fuel because they are quickly converted to glucose for energy. For this reason, a light snack of carbohydrates is a good idea for quick energy in situations such as before an exercise. To achieve longer-lasting energy, protein should be eaten alongside carbs. Protein slows down the rate at which your body absorbs the carbs so that the glucose conversion will last much longer. Although any food with calories will provide your body with energy, foods high in fat stimulate serotonin production, which can create feelings of sluggishness and tiredness. Mixed meals containing minor amounts of healthy fats, protein, and complex carbohydrates are the basis of an energizing diet.

Why Supplements Won’t Directly Help

For more information about how your diet might be affecting your energy levels, go to AtlasBiomed.com:

“Maybe I should take supplements?

No, you should not. Contrary to myth, minerals and vitamins do not provide energy. Rather, they are involved in fundamental physiological processes. Feeling like you are running on empty does not mean that you have a nutrient deficiency.

In many cases, simply increasing your consumption of a specific nutrient will not necessarily improve your levels. In other cases, it can be downright harmful to your health because some nutrients like fat-soluble vitamins can be stocked by your body: incorrect dosage can lead to toxicity and serious consequences for your health.”

From Is Your Diet Affecting Your Energy and Nutrient Levels? - Atlas Biomed

https://atlasbiomed.com/blog/diet-and-nutrients-affect-energy-levels

Photo Source: WIX

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If you’ve already begun eating clean, have you noticed any effect on your energy levels? If not, do you think your diet could be to blame for any issues you experience with energy?

Written by Yellow Brick Road Token

October 30th, 2018