Boost Your Energy with Clean Eating

Fatigue, brain fog, slow digestion, and feeling down can all be attributed to diet. Clean eating can be your ticket to more energy in body, mind and spirit. Whole foods, with little sugar and nutritionally charged ingredients, can make a difference to your day to day life including your energy levels. Stop feeling depleted and fatigued by adding the energy packed foods to your diet.

Pectin Fruits

Apples, pears, plums and citrus fruits all contain pectins, which can help to significantly reduce the binding of heavy metals in the body, especially mercury which can be associated with thyroid disorders, sometimes the culprit of chronic fatigue.

Chickpeas

Chickpeas are packed with fiber, high in zinc and are a great plant-based source of protein. Fiber can help with constipation and zinc with immune function. Both can help the body feel less sluggish.

Seaweed

Your body, especially your thyroid, needs iodine. Iodine is is a trace mineral that helps keep this crucial energy-producing gland balanced. Sea vegetables including kombu and wakame are an excellent source of iodine.

Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional yeast is a source of folate, vitamins B6 and B12. B vitamins play a crucial role in keeping our bodies running by converting our food into fuel, which gives us energy throughout the day. It can also help keep our brain active and improve memory.

Eggs

Eggs contain choline, an essential micronutrient needed for many functions of the body, especially for brain function. It is believed to boost brain function and to retain memory.  Bye-bye brain fog! Asparagus, collard greens, and brussels sprouts are also excellent sources, especially for those with vegan or plant-sourced diets.

Energy Bars using Superfoods

While many granola or energy bars out there may boast that they are “healthy”,  most have added sugars and preservatives. Look for energy bars sweetened with fruits like dates, dried fruit, or brown rice syrup. They should also contain good fats such as nuts, seeds, or coconut oil. Added superfoods such as spirulina, raw plant proteins, turmeric, ginger, and other spices are a plus. Energy bars are a great pick-me-up during the day. Just make sure they don’t send you into a later blood sugar slump instead of energizing you!

Citicoline Supplements

A natural substance found in every cell within the body and important to brain function, citicoline is an excellent supplement to add to your diet for brain energy. Citicoline has been shown to help with concentration, recall and overall thinking processes – keeping your brain awake and ready.

Foods That Deplete Energy

Limit or eat in moderation the following foods, as they will zap your energy and leave you feeling fatigued:

• Simple carbohydrates
• Sugars
• Bagels
• Cereal
• Soda
• Flavored Coffee
• Processed Foods
• Fast Food
• Vegetable Oils – Corn and Soy.

Cost-friendly Ways to Practice Clean Eating

• Read labels.  Make sure packaging claiming “healthy”, “natural” or “organic” truly are represented in the ingredients.
• Go to a local farmer’s market. These can be pricey, however sometimes going to a less popular one in your community or direct to a farm-stand can help you find great deals on fresh, local produce. Many of these markets also have fresh cheeses, meats, whole baked products, and raw honey available.
• Join a CSA.  Join community-supported agriculture (CSA) group, community garden or a local produce delivery to add more whole foods to your diet. Or even grow your own!
• Look for natural foods in your local supermarket. While supporting your local natural foods store is a great way to support the natural and local foods industry, perhaps you cannot always afford it. Try your local supermarket for some more regularly used staples at a better price. You are still supporting the industry and your diet without breaking the bank. Many of these same brands are also environmentally conscientious, which is an added plus.
• Less is more. You will find that the whole grains, good fats, and high protein foods that are regularly consumed with clean eating will keep you feeling fuller, more satisfied and energized for longer than refined and processed foods. You will eat less and also be buying less food overall.

Clean eating does not have to be complicated. Simply put, clean eating means being mindful of what you are eating as well as how much. Know how your food has been handled. How many times was your food changed on its way from the farm to the table? Look for foods that are minimally processed, refined, or handled. While some of these foods have become quite trendy, and sometimes expensive, you can practice clean eating without too much fuss. Try adding more clean eating to your daily diet, making it a habit and soon you will rid yourself of fatigue in mind and body!

Supplement with Nootropics for Energy

Nootropics are cognitive enhancers – bio-hacking the brain for better function including clear thinking and improved focus. All these terms may seem like something futuristic, but actually, they are quite simple and have been around for decades. Many are adaptogens that can be found in many traditional medicines across the world and others were already around, perhaps even in your last cup of tea!

Nootropics are simply compounds that support optimized cognitive function. Productivity, focus, and thinking all get a boost. Memory, motivation, and mood are also elevated. In fact, Nootropics are any type of food or compound that has the ability to improve mental abilities.  So while that second or third cup of coffee may seem like a good idea, there is a better way to stay alert with cognitive support without the jitters.

The brain uses up to twenty percent of the body’s total energy, more than any other organ in the human body. According to a study done in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, “two-thirds of the brain’s energy budget is used to help neurons or nerve cells “fire” or send signals and the third is used for cell-health maintenance”. ⁽¹⁾

Since the energy that the body receives is the same as the brain, when glucose, water, or oxygen decrease, so does the brain’s functions.  Just like for the body, sleep and rest are required by the brain to process information and repair itself.  If there is poor metabolism, the brain energy experiences:

• Brain fog
• Brain fatigue
• Lapse in judgement
• Poor memory
• Poor motivation.

Sleep and better nutrition can certainly resolve this, however as many of us know when we need these the most, we tend to get the least. Stress, busyness, and unforeseen circumstances can throw out our routine, interrupt our time management, and just throw our lives out of whack. Our sleep patterns and eating patterns worsen instead of improving. Nootropics can help our brains and bodies re-fuel and help us get back on track with a renewed spirit and brain power.

L-Tyrosine

Converts excitatory catecholamine neurotransmitters. These tend to decrease when under stress and increased activity. It has been found that taking L-tyrosine while under stressful circumstances when energy reserves are low will have the best results.

B Vitamins

Vitamins B6 and B12 help improve circulation, including in the brain. They also reduce homocysteine, a form of amino acid methionine that can lead to plaque buildup in the arteries and heart disease. The B vitamins are required by your body to produce energy from your diet, as well as supporting normal brain function.

Panax Ginseng

Used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years for all kinds of health conditions as well as improving memory and reducing fatigue. Panax ginseng also helps increase attention to tasks.

Gingko Biloba

This herb also has been used in TCM for thousands of years and used traditionally for mental clarity, improved circulation, memory recall and increased serotonin secretion. Focus and increased learning ability, and more control in decision making are all important to cognitive function at optimal levels.

L-Theanine

Found mostly in green tea leaves, L-Theanine is a naturally occurring amino acid. It is known for its nootropic properties including calming, memory boost, and increased learning ability. Sipping green or oolong tea, where L-Theanine can be found, can help to de-stress. It can also increase dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain for a feel-good effect boosting your energy and sense of well-being.

Bacopa Monnieri

Bacopa is an adaptogen and nootropic herb native to India and helps the body adapt to stress. Traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine for longevity and cognitive enhancement. Bacopa has been found to improve attention and memory, as well as mood. To truly reap the benefits a dose of at least 750 mg daily is best, along with a source of fat to increase absorption. ⁽²⁾

As always consult with your doctor before taking any supplements, especially if you are nursing or pregnant.