With our ever-changing lifestyles and around-the-clock schedules, who really has time to eat right?? But less face it, food is our fuel and without the right fuel, we can run ourselves down fast..and being tired is no fun at all. You can't concentrate at work, you exercise less, and getting out of bed takes a lot of effort. It's a miserable way to trudge through life. But did you know that having more energy may be as simple as choosing the right foods?
From my research what I found is the key is to focus on low-glycemic foods (because they release energy slowly) that are high in complex carbohydrates and low in excess fats. Iron is also very important because it produces red blood cells that carry blood to exercising muscles. A first step is to eliminate "quick-fix" foods that contain simplex carbohydrate foods, like candy bars and soft drinks, which spike your energy level before it plunges quickly. Next, it's extremely important you start incorporating these 10 foods into your diet (atleast according to Health & Nutrition Magazine).
Daily:
1. Whole grains. They're high in fiber (which can help slow the breakdown and absorption of sugar) and complex carbohydrates. They also contain antioxidants similar to those in fruits and vegetables. Additionally, they reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Adults should eat 6 to 11 servings of whole grains per day. Examples include whole grain breads, pastas, and rice.
Breakfast
2. Oatmeal. According to the American Dietetic Association, oat products are some of the best sources of soluble fiber. You can combine oatmeal with raisins, honey, and yogurt for extra flavor and energy.
3. Bananas. This fruit is packed with potassium, which helps your muscles contract. One per day prevents stiffness that comes from sitting at a desk.
4. Orange Juice This drink is ideal for the morning and is extremely high in vitamin C, which helps you get the most iron out of other foods.
Meals
5. Pasta. When athletes "carbo-load" before a game, they usually eat a big plate of spaghetti. It's extremely high in complex carbohydrates and low in calories, fat, and sodium.
6. Salmon. This fish is high in protein, and its high concentration of omega-3 fats and B vitamins can boost your cardiovascular health.
7. Beans. A small, powerful vegetable packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, beans can be used in creative ways. Add them to soups, burritos, pastas, and dip spreads. In 2005 the Department of Agriculture recommended that Americans eat three cups of beans per week.
Snacks
8. Dried fruit. These high-energy, low-fat snacks are easy to pack and almost never go bad. Try a medley of apricots, figs, and raisins. However, be aware that some commercially packaged dried fruits contain sulfur dioxide, which has been shown to increase your risk of asthma.
9. Almonds. Ounce-for-ounce, this is the most nutrient-dense nut. Research has shown that adding two ounces of almonds to your daily diet increases your intake of vitamin-E and magnesium.
10. Yogurt. Quick, easy, and delicious, yogurt is available in a variety flavors. One cup of low-fat yogurt contains almost 13 grams of protein and 17 grams of carbohydrates-just what you need for great energy.
This a quick and efficient way to jump start your new Day that doesn't take a lot of planning ahead!
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Declare Your Independence!
In observation of Independence Day, I wanted to acknowledge The Declaration and its Importance..
The Declaration of Independence is the most important of all American historical documents. It is essentially a partisan document, a justification of the American Revolution presented to the world; but its unique combination of general principles and an abstract theory of government with a detailed enumeration of specific grievances and injustices has given it enduring power as one of the great political documents EVER. After stating its purpose, the opening paragraphs (which I have inserted below) assert the fundamental American ideal of government, based on the theory of natural rights, which had been held by, among others, John Locke, Emerich de Vattel, and Jean Jacques Rousseau. When you read the following, it brings you back to a time, when liberty and pursuit there of was taken very seriously. . We need to go back to a time when Americans still kept a clear conception of themselves as a people composed of individuals capability…here’s what some of us may have forgotten:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,—That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”
On this 4th of July, I wish the every American peace and more importantly, independence from anything or anyone that is holding you back from pursing your life’s purpose!
The Declaration of Independence is the most important of all American historical documents. It is essentially a partisan document, a justification of the American Revolution presented to the world; but its unique combination of general principles and an abstract theory of government with a detailed enumeration of specific grievances and injustices has given it enduring power as one of the great political documents EVER. After stating its purpose, the opening paragraphs (which I have inserted below) assert the fundamental American ideal of government, based on the theory of natural rights, which had been held by, among others, John Locke, Emerich de Vattel, and Jean Jacques Rousseau. When you read the following, it brings you back to a time, when liberty and pursuit there of was taken very seriously. . We need to go back to a time when Americans still kept a clear conception of themselves as a people composed of individuals capability…here’s what some of us may have forgotten:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,—That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”
On this 4th of July, I wish the every American peace and more importantly, independence from anything or anyone that is holding you back from pursing your life’s purpose!
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