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Good food one way to lessen fatigue

December 2, 2007 12:36 am

EATING WELL can boost your energy throughout the day. I'm not speaking of an instant jittery pick-me-up like coffee provides, but a sustained bounce. Like anything sustained, it takes a little while to build up energy, but it's not hard to do.

Before you can use nutrition to add oomph, though, you have to have the proper base. Nutrition is like the seat on a three-legged stool. The legs are proper sleep, activity and playtime. Doctors recommend at least seven to eight hours of sleep nightly, and at least 30 minutes of walking or other exercise daily.

To that I'd add at least 10 minutes of daily playtime, such as talking with a friend or family member who makes you laugh, or doing something you find relaxing, whether it be prayer or rock-climbing or whatever. I also recommend at least a two-hour stretch of uninterrupted fun each week.

Playtime is not wasted-- it helps you cope with stress and recharges you batteries.

Also, keep away from two big energy drains: alcohol and tobacco. More than one to two small drinks per day can cause exhaustion and liver damage. And smoking in any amount can interfere with the amount of oxygen reaching your brain, thus causing tiredness along with more serious problems.

Once you've got your sleep, activity and playtime in order, then nutrition has more of a chance to increase your va-va-voom.

steps to better eating

First, make sure you're eating at least every four to five hours while awake. Skipping meals or waiting too long can cause your metabolism to slow and conserve energy. Naturally, you feel may feel tired as a result.

Second, make sure you're getting enough calories. Energy in its most basic form is calories. Dieters who cut calories below 1,500 per day often fall into a slump because they just don't have enough calories to function optimally. Taking in more calories may mean slightly slower weight loss, but it feels better and is easier to maintain.

Next, balance your plate. Try to include a palm-size portion of protein-rich food at most meals, whether it's chicken, fish, lean meat, eggs, cheese, yogurt, beans, nuts or seeds. Wild salmon and walnuts are particularly good choices because they provide not just protein but omega-3 fats, which are heart-healthy and also insulate neurons in the brain.

Keep your plate balanced with at least another palm-size portion of a starchy food, such as bread, rice, potatoes or corn. High-fiber choices, such as whole wheat, brown rice and sweet potatoes with the skins on, are better than refined carbohydrates such as white bread and sugary things.

Consider filling in the rest of your plate with colorful vegetables and fruit. Not only will these foods provide flavor, color and crunch, but they're packed with antioxidants that protect the heart and brain and stimulate the immune system to fight cancer.

Rather than over-salting food, consider seasoning with a dash of antioxidant-rich olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or antioxidant spices such as cayenne pepper, ginger, oregano, rosemary and curry powder.

Try to avoid overeating. A rule of thumb is to stop eating when you feel about 80 percent full. Because it takes awhile to feel satisfied, you are likely to feel 100 percent full about 20 minutes later. If not, you can always have a snack. But eating more can make you feel sluggish as your blood is partially diverted from your brain to your digestive tract.

You might not have a perfectly balanced plate at each meal, but the more often you can do this, the better you will feel.

what else?

Stay hydrated. Studies show that even slight dehydration can compromise athletic and mental performance. Water or milk are both terrific choices.

Coffee and tea are OK, but are best followed by water or they can cause mild dehydration. Consider making sweet drinks a treat rather than a habit, meaning not just soda and lemonades but also juices and sugary coffee and tea drinks.

Also consider taking a standard multivitamin. The B vitamins and vitamin D are especially important for feeling good, research suggests. But don't megadose--100 percent of the daily value is good enough for the B vitamins for most people. Evidence suggests twice the daily value of vitamin D is safe.

Of course, do not hesitate to see a doctor if you have a sustained drop in your energy level--perhaps a treatable medical problem such as anemia is the culprit.

In the long run, eating well not only tastes good, it helps you feel good, too.

Jennifer Motl welcomes reader questions via her Web site, brighteating.com, or mailed to Nutrition, The Free Lance-Star, 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401.