3 Tips for Optimal Energy This Christmas + My Top Energy Foods
Exhaustion doesn’t have to be your normal! Here are some tips and foods I recommend for more sustained energy during this busy season.
Keep Snacks to a Minimum & Eat Full Meals
Mindless snacking and grazing the entire Christmas break is easy to do, but it's not the most optimal way to eat for energy. When we eat small bits of food here and there, we're not going to trigger our satiation hormone, leptin, making us feel a lot more hungry. Also, eating all day long triggers the hormone insulin, to be released by the pancreas a lot more frequently (try every time we put something in our mouths!) Over time, this causes our energy to dip due to imbalance in our blood sugar and hormones.
Cut the Sugar: The Enemy of Energy
Ah sugar, the true enemy of energy. Talking about insulin spikes, sugar and processed flours are the worst possible thing to be consuming when trying to gain more energy. Not all sugars are the same of course, but comforting foods and drinks like hot chocolate, specialty coffees, bread, potatoes and baked goods have significant impact on our blood sugar and insulin. They can leave us feeling exhausted and crashing later on. Do your best to avoid refined sugars over the holidays and make sure you're eating plenty of fibre.
Keep Digestion Moving for Better Energy
There's nothing worse than the feeling you get when you've eaten poorly and now you're constipated and exhausted, am I right? Improper bowel movements are SERIOUS energy drainers! Think about it, all that excess weight in your system is literally full of energy-sucking toxins. Gross.
Try these things to stay regular:
Add in lemon water 30 mins before your first meal
Reduce your sugars
Get more fibre in the next few days
Add 1 tbsp of chia and flax seeds to your daily diet
Get some daily movement in
Use a good quality magnesium supplement and take it before bed to support bowel movements. They should be long and easy to pass, not clumpy. You can purchase the highly absorbable magnesium I recommend to my clients at a discount.
If you’re not sure how to eat for healthy digestion or just want someone to tell you what to eat, get your FREE 3-Day Gut-Healing Meal Plan!
My Top Foods to Eat for Energy:
Dark Leafy Greens - Rich in chlorophyll, iron and magnesium.
Deep Blues, Purples & Reds - Think blueberries, raspberries, red cabbage, beets and pomegranate for their rich colours and antioxidants like astaxanthin, which help improve energy metabolism.
Wild-Caught Alaskan Salmon - An excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and protein, which will provide more sustained energy levels.
Walnuts & Chia Seeds - Also rich in essential fatty acids, fibre and protein, these foods will help keep blood sugar stable and energy balanced.
Grass-Fed Meat - Rich in protein, more easily absorbable iron and B12, grass-fed meats are an important addition to an energy-boosting diet.
Cordyceps & Ginseng
These last two aren’t normally a food you’d eat, but they’re found in a supplement that’s fantastic for both energy and stress-reduction.
Cordyceps are a type of mushroom that packs powerful adaptogenic affects, meaning it helps balance the body in a variety of ways.
Ginseng is also an adaptogenic herb that is often recommended for fatigue and lowering blood sugar. Adaptomax, which you can find here, contains cordyceps, asian ginseng and rhodiola, in an energy-boosting, stress-relieving blend. This product works best when taken twice daily, in the morning and at lunchtime.
Benefits of Cordyceps:
Boosts energy
Supports the adrenal glands
Reduces stress
Supports immune function
Benefits of Asian Ginseng:
Boosts mood
Increases energy
Normalizes blood sugar levels
If you’re curious about anything I’ve talked about today or would like to book an initial appointment for the new year to get to the root of your fatigue, leave me a comment below or contact me today!
Merry Christmas!
Asher
Sources:
The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, 3rd Edition by Michael T. Murray, N.D.
