Thursday, 8 September 2011

Mid Afternoon Slump? Boost Your Energy

Welcome to The Hormone Diet Blog! Since I am writing this mid day I thought I would share a few energy boosting tips for when you can't squeeze in a nap? Apply them to boost your energy and productivity during the day:

1. Take a good quality multivitamin at breakfast, lunch and/or dinner. It may help prevent your afternoon energy lull.

2. Avoid eating too many carbohydrates such as breads or pastas at lunch and be sure to have some protein with your meal. Also, avoid sugary snacks-they will just cause you to crash later on. A salad with grilled chicken or shrimp is a good lunch choice.

3. Always have water at your desk. Dehydration is a very common cause of fatigue and headaches.

4. Taking a liquid vitamin B complex with your lunch may also give you a boost. This is a helpful supplement to keep at the office.

5. Adaptogenic herbs, like rhodiola, ginseng or licorice can increase vitality - especially if the cause of your fatigue is ongoing stress or overwork. These are available at your local health food store and are often in the section called adrenal gland supplements. Your adrenal glands are commonly referred to as your stress glands because they release adrenalin and cortisol when you are in stressful situations. Over long periods of stress or overwork, they can become strained or lead to burnout, which is why herbs to support their function can be beneficial to increase your energy reserves.

6. Ensure 7. 5 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Under sleeping is just as harmful as oversleeping. If you find that you consistently need more than 9 hours of sleep per night, a trip to your doctor's office for some simple blood tests to evaluate causes of fatigue may be worthwhile. Ask for an assessment of your thyroid to rule out hypothyroidism and your iron, folic acid, vitamin B12 and complete blood count to rule out anaemia, both of which can cause fatigue.

No comments:

Post a Comment