How healthy are you?
Take our quick quiz to discover just how healthy your immune system is, as well as some useful information about your general health and wellbeing!
Check nowNow that we are all spending more time at home - for a bit anyway - this is a good opportunity to look at ways of increasing your energy levels. Today I look at five simple ideas to help you do this, whether you are a bursting-at-the-seams type of person or a tired-all-the-time person.
Some tips to improve energy at home are:
Let's take a closer look.
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Energy production is complex. It involves many chemical interactions but the solution may be simple.
A recent trial1 on both young and older adults looked at the effects of inactivity. They found that even two weeks of less physical activity had many negative effects. Both young and old gained some fatty tissue and lost some muscle tone during the study. In older people, it also affected energy production and their cardiorespiratory fitness. In other words, the amount of oxygen reaching their heart, and the amount of energy produced by their cells. It does seem that the older you are, the more important it is to keep yourself moving. There are so many easy ways to do this. Even short sessions of gentle movement will help circulation, blood flow and cellular energy production. You will feel better almost immediately!
If you are now working from home and don't have to commute, try to use this time to move about more during the day. You could try the following:
Our skin manufactures vitamin D from sunshine. We need it to make healthy bones, teeth and muscles. It is essential for our immune system and for energy production.
It's quite difficult to find good food sources of vitamin D; fortified food and oily fish are the main ones. A winter sun holiday may have topped up your levels, but only temporarily, and not if you were covered in sun block. It's been a long winter.
The NHS2 recommends that vulnerable people take a vitamin D supplement from October to the end of March/April. The recommended amount is about 10 ug/mcg or 400 iu for most adults.
Talk to your GP if you think you are deficient in vitamin D and check out the recommended guidelines.
Some foods can make you sleepy. Have you have ever felt (or always feel!) sleepy during the day? A diet that is full of 'energising' foods may be the cause. Caffeinated drinks, and quick-releasing carbohydrates like white pasta and white bread, are good examples. Let's not even mention the fizzy drinks and the sweeties.
When you tuck into your pan au chocolat and coffee in the morning, you immediately feel the pick-me-up-effect. The caffeine, starch and sugar in your breakfast are all fast-releasing. Your energy levels rise; you feel good for a while. As the hours pass, though, that sudden spike of energy can drop making you tired and sleepy. You'll be craving that sweet fix or caffeinated high again.
Try eating slow-release energy foods: wholegrains, protein-rich foods and caffeine-free drinks. Try peanut butter on wholemeal toast or porridge oats instead of your French pastry.
Are your lips often cracked and dry? What colour is your pee? It should look like pale yellow water or just like water. Do you drink 1.5 litres of water a day? Up to 60% of the human body is made up of water. The brain, vital organs and muscles contain even more than that. Even slight dehydration will cause body tissue to lose fluid and function less well. Symptoms include tiredness, poor concentration, dry mouth, lips and eyes. During illness or in a vulnerable person, dehydration can be dangerous.
So, drink more water - it's free, and will make you more energetic. Your lips will stop looking like a discarded scrunchie.
Minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, are essential for turning the food you eat into energy. Unprocessed meat, grains, vegetables, fish and other healthy foods are rich in minerals.
Magnesium – necessary for energy metabolism and normal muscle function. Extra magnesium in the diet can help with tiredness and fatigue. It can also improve sleep quality and relax tense, sore muscles. Good food sources include – green leafy vegetables, nuts, meat, dairy products, whole grain rice and bread.
Potassium – contributes to normal muscle function. You may be low in this if you eat a lot of salt and processed foods. Good food sources include – turkey, fish, nuts, seeds bananas, beans and shellfish.
Calcium – bone health (along with vitamin D, magnesium and exercise), but it is also important for energy metabolism and muscle function. Good food sources include – dairy products, sardines, green leafy vegetables, tofu, nuts and many fortified foods.
1 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00125-018-4603-5
2 https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/how-to-get-vitamin-d-from-sunlight/
Take our quick quiz to discover just how healthy your immune system is, as well as some useful information about your general health and wellbeing!
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