5 Effective dietary tips to boost your energy

Sick of feeling exhausted?  While everyone is aware that sleep is energising, people often overlook the fact that nutrition has a profound impact on energy levels.

1. Protein power

Do you skip breakfast or have a quick sugar and carb loaded meal such as sweet cereal or jam on toast?  Energy levels are maintained by even blood sugar levels throughout the day - and the single most effective way to achieve this is by eating a small quantity of protein for breakfast.

A sugar or carb loaded breakfast results in a rapid increase in your blood sugar levels.  To counteract this, the pancreas produces insulin, which rapidly brings that blood sugar level down, making you feel exhausted and reaching for a sugar fix again - creating a vicious cycle of yo-yoing blood sugar and energy levels.

By eating a protein-rich breakfast, the blood sugar level rises slowly, maintaining steady energy throughout the morning.

2. Eat less

Eat until you feel you have had enough but not until you are full.  Digesting food is the most energy-consuming body process and our body can only breakdown and digest a certain quantity of food at a time.

3. Ensure you are getting your Bs

B vitamins are involved in many bodily functions and essential for converting blood sugar into useable energy.  Eat whole grains and leafy greens to get your fix.

4. Drink water

Water is critical to maintain adequate blood volume to carry nutrients to cells and carry waste out of our systems.  One of the first signs of even mild dehydration is fatigue or often we will misinterpret dehydration for hunger - and grab a chocolate bar for a quick, short-lived fix.

5. Careful with caffeine

A couple of cups of coffee a day will increase mental alertness and energy levels in the short term but excessive caffeine consumption will result in irritability and reduced performance.