Best Energy Foods
Okay so you’re having a hard time getting up in the morning and you reach for your usual pick-me-up, a large cup of coffee and a sugary snack. By mid-morning you’re crashing and are again heading towards the office coffee pot in search of another little boost. Somehow though, you just can’t seem to keep up and you head towards another sluggish crash.
Improving energy and stamina levels comes from the right diet and exercise program. Eating well and maintaining a consistent exercise routine are the best ways to ensure an energetic and healthy life. Many people, however, fall into the vicious routine of caffeine ups and downs followed by a poor quality sleep, followed by the caffeine cycle all over again. Instead of crashing and burning on bad lifestyle choices, below are some ways to improve energy levels through the foods you eat.
Fish: Especially, the cold water variety, are a terrific source of energy for both the brain and body. Cold water fish like salmon, herring, tuna, trout, halibut, sardines, and mackerel are high in omega-3 fatty acids. These fats are essential to proper brain function and will help make you feel more alert and energized. Include these in your diet a few times a week, or take a fish oil supplement and see the difference.
Whole Grains: if you’re avoiding all carbohydrates like the plague then you may be suffering from low energy levels. Although carbs can cause weight gain when consumed in excess and when the wrong kinds of carbs are chosen (yes potato chips are the wrong kind of carbs), without adequate amounts of whole grain carbohydrates the body suffers. Whole grain cereals, and oatmeal especially, can be great ways to counteract low energy levels. These will help keep you full and offer important vitamins and minerals for your body, like vitamin B12—a well known energy vitamin.
Meats: We’re not talking daily steak dinners here, but instead an adequate intake of lean meats and protein rich foods. Protein is essential to energy levels and meats can provide important vitamins and minerals. Iron and B12 vitamin deficiencies are known to cause sluggishness and low energy levels. So make sure that you are getting enough protein in your diet. Good vegetarian sources include lentils, chick peas and nuts and seeds.
Alongside a healthy diet you will obviously need a good exercise program as well. Getting at least thirty minutes of exercise per day will increase your energy in the long run. Cardio and weight training are both important to keeping you looking and feeling young and vigorous.
Foods for Heart Health
By Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN eDiets Contributor
Did you know that your heart can pump over 2000 gallons of blood every day? No wonder so much attention is paid to this beating big guy. Keeping your heart strong is part of an all around healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise, adequate sleep, minimal stress and a balanced diet. While we would like to provide one magic food to keep your heart in tip top shape, it’s simply not possible -keeping your heart healthy is a team effort. Having a variety of nutrients is crucial so we’ve chosen a bunch of heart friendly foods worth adding to your grocery cart.
Fiber Fiber is essential for keeping your blood pumping and heart throbbing. Acc
Got milk, but which type best for growing bodies?
Milk does a child’s body good, but choosing the right type can make a parent’s head ache.
As reports of childhood obesity rise, we asked registered dietitian Sarah Krieger, a children’s hospital consultant in St. Petersburg, Fla., and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, to share guidelines she is giving families.
Why is milk important for children?
“It contains so many nutrients that children need to grow. Calcium is obvious, but milk is also high in potassium – it has more than bananas – phosphorus, protein, vitamins like B12 and D and magnesium.”
What is the right milk for what age?
“Birth to age 1 is breast milk or formula.
GIVEAWAY: 25 Seed Packets
Free organic seeds for your garden. Need I say more? This year, as part of their Sowing Millions Project, Seeds of Change is giving away 25 packets of seeds to Food Renegade readers.
Whats so special about these seeds? Glad you asked.
Second, theyre GMO-free! No weird, genetically engineered pieces of foreign DNA have been forcibly incorporated into the plants. YAY.
Third, theyre open-pollinated. That means they will produce new generations of whatever you plant. In other words, you could collect seeds from your hardiest, tastiest plants this year and plant those collected seeds next year!