Part of my job as a Nutrition and Wellness Consultant is to stay on top of health and fitness news. I read as much as I can and share everything I read. Here, I am sharing something I think will help everyone, no matter, age, sex, work status, etc
This article was titled How to Eat Right on the Job, but after reading it, I thought all of the advice applies to your everyday life. For those who don’t have time to read the whole article right now, I will keep it short (as short as I can) to get all the important and fun information you can start incorporating into your 9-5 now.
Things you will need:
A new food attitude: Carbs are not the enemy. Neither is fat. Eliminating certain food groups may help your waistline, but it will hurt your brain functioning.
A stash of snacks: To keep your brain well fueled, you can’t let yourself get too hungry. Have a ready supply of trail mix, peanut-butter crackers or non salted pretzel chips—my fav. The combination of carbs and protein in these snacks will stabilize your blood sugar, fill you up, and keep you energized.
Some willpower: Big meals actually reduce the supply of energy to your brain and leave you feeling sleepy for hours. Eat half of what you order, and take the rest home.
1. Balance What You Eat, Whenever You Eat
Besides the basic four food groups meat, dairy, grains, and vegetables we should be having a different set of food groups “proteins, carbohydrates (which produce glucose), fats, and fiber — and a different way to combine them.” I know it may sound hard, but they recommend having a little serving from every group every time you sit down to it—that’s where the new attitude comes in 
And yes, including the carbs, which some diets normally restrict. “Why? Because the combination of carbs and protein (and to a lesser extent, fats and fiber) regulates your glucose levels and keeps your mood and mental ability on an even keel.” If you cut back on either group, you’re missing half the benefits that food can offer.
2. Neglect Carbs at Your Own Peril
Brain cells require twice the amount of energy needed by other cells in your body because they never rest. And high-carb foods like pasta, bread, fruit, and rice produce the brain’s favorite fuel — glucose. “Your brain only wants to burn glucose,” says Shawn Talbott, a nutritional biochemist and author of A Guide to Understanding Dietary Supplements: Magic Bullets or Modern Snake Oil. It can burn protein if it has to, Talbott adds, “but it’s like trying to run a gasoline engine on diesel.” Long story short: CARBS ARE NOT THE ENEMY!
3. Pack in the Protein
This is SO important! Because protein (and fiber) keeps you fuller for longer, thereby eliminating big meal times and grazing. Proteins such as meat, fish, dairy, eggs, beans, and nuts slow the absorption of glucose so your brain gets a long and steady flow of fuel, rather than the brief blast you get from eating carbs and sugary foods (fats and fiber also help with this). And protein also brings its own set of brain boosters to the party. Great snacks are FiberOne bars which contain 35% of your daily value of fiber, have one along with your breakfast or as an afternoon snack; and toast with peanut butter and bananas—delish!!
No Comments