HOLISTICALLY YOURS·WEDNESDAY, 7 AUGUST 2019
I am definitely a moon girl, going back to the partial eclipse and the full moon just the other week, I felt on top of the world, buzzing and full of energy, then last week a little less so, maybe the heat was affecting me or maybe it’s just trying to fit in as much as possible during the day, finding that the evenings go so quickly and that we are heading to bed later and later and still getting up with the alarm!
So let’s get to those all important “Fatigue Fighting FOODS” – to see which foods have high levels of the vitamins and minerals that gives energy, so this way we know what the best options are, not just for afternoons when you’re fading, but to keep us from fading in the first place! For the list Nutrients and what we get from them health wise, please see Fatigue Fighting Nutrients – here http://holistically-yours.com/holistically-yours-fatigue-fighting-nutrients/
Protein: Animal-Based
Meat, fish, eggs, and dairy are all good sources of protein. Different foods contain different mixes of other energy-producing nutrients, though.All of the foods in this category contain protein. Here are some of the other nutrients you can get from meat:
- Beef (red meat): CoQ10, iron, carnitine, B vitamins, magnesium, creatine (in lean cuts)
- Pork: CoQ10, iron, magnesium, potassium
- Poultry (white meat): CoQ10, carnitine, B vitamins, magnesium
Fish and seafood:
- Halibut: magnesium, potassium
- Herring: CoQ10, creatine
- Mackerel: CoQ10
- Salmon: magnesium, creatine
- Sardines: CoQ10
- Shellfish: B vitamins
- Trout: CoQ10
- Tuna: creatine
Other animal-based fatigue fighters include:
- Eggs: CoQ10, B vitamins
- Milk & other dairy products: B vitamins, magnesium
Protein: Non-Animal Based
If your diet doesn’t include a lot of meat or other animal products, you may need to increase your intake of plant-based proteins in order to avoid fatigue.
Sources of protein that don’t come from animals include nuts, seeds, and beans.
They’re especially important for vegetarians and vegans, as well as people who are on other diets that limit how much meat they can eat.
Like meats, many nuts and seeds have nutrients other than protein that can help give you more energy.
These include:
- Almonds: iron, magnesium, potassium
- Amaranth (a grain-like seed): B vitamins, magnesium, potassium, protein
- Cashews: magnesium, potassium
- Chia seeds: magnesium, potassium
- Peanuts: CoQ10, magnesium
- Pistachio nuts: CoQ10, iron, magnesium, potassium
- Pumpkin seeds: magnesium, potassium
- Quinoa (a grain-like seed): iron, magnesium, potassium
- Sesame seeds: CoQ10, iron, magnesium, potassium
- Walnuts: iron, magnesium, potassium
Beans that are good for a boost of energy include:
- Black beans: iron, magnesium, potassium
- Edamame: CoQ10, potassium
- Soybeans: CoQ10, iron, magnesium, potassium
Remember that protein helps with endurance and that coupling it with carbohydrates can give you both immediate and sustained energy.
Fruits
Fruit can be an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, including those that help your body produce energy.
Fresh, whole fruit is best, since it can lose vital nutrients as it gets older or as it’s dried. (Dried fruits and juices tend to be much higher in sugar than fresh fruits, as well.)
Some good choices when it comes to fatigue-fighting fruit include:
- Apples: CoQ10, magnesium
- Bananas: magnesium, potassium
- Blueberries: magnesium, potassium
- Dates: potassium
- Goji berries: iron, potassium
- Cantaloupe: magnesium, potassium
- Lemons: magnesium, potassium
- Oranges: CoQ10, magnesium, potassium
- Raisins: iron, magnesium, potassium
- Strawberries: CoQ10, magnesium, potassium
Fruits are also high in natural sugars (carbohydrates), so choosing the ones above may help you get both short-term and long-term energy!
Vegetables
Vegetables contain multiple energy-producing nutrients, and some will even give you a little bit of protein (although not nearly as much as sources like meat, eggs, dairy, nuts, and beans).
Here are several that can help eliminate your fatigue:
- Asparagus: magnesium, potassium, protein
- Avacoados: potassium, magnesium, protein
- Broccoli: CoQ10, magnesium, potassium, protein
- Carrot: magnesium, potassium
- Cauliflower: CoQ10, magnesium, potassium
- Spinach: iron, magnesium, potassium, protein
- Squash: magnesium, potassium, protein
- Sweet potatoes: magnesium, potassium, protein
As with fruit, vegetables do contain carbohydrates, but generally less than fruit has.
Grains
Grains are a source of carbohydrates for quick energy as well as some nutrients for sustained energy. Some good choices are:
- Brown Rice: iron, magnesium, potassium, protein
- Oatmeal: iron, magnesium, potassium, protein
- Whole wheat: iron, magnesium, potassium, protein
- White rice: iron, magnesium, potassium, protein
Many breakfast cereals contain these grains and also are fortified with vitamins and minerals, so they can be good sources of fatigue fighters also.
On Milk Substitutes;
Popular substitutes for milk contain some energy-producing nutrients, either naturally or through fortification
.However, these beverages may be less similar to their primary ingredients than you might think.
That’s due to substances being lost during processing or because of added water or other ingredients.
Here’s how some of them stack up:
- Almond milk: high levels of potassium but small amounts of iron, magnesium, and protein
- Rice milk: small amounts of B vitamins and protein
- Soy milk: moderate levels of riboflavin (a B vitamin), magnesium, and protein; high levels of potassium
On Caffeine;
Caffeine gives you quick energy, but it’s a stimulant, which means it speeds up the body’s processes rather than nourishing cells.
It’s not an inherently bad thing—in fact, coffee and tea both have some health benefits.
However, caffeine can cause some problems. As you probably know it can make us jittery and disrupt sleep, especially if you have a lot or consume it late in the day.
By looking at the above and adding some foods in to the daily menu at different meals or for snacks, we are giving our bodies a fighting chance to keep running without those energy dips which sometimes last more than a day or two!
