3. Include iron rich foods
Are you chronically fatigued? Feeling as if you're dragging your body around? Having trouble concentrating? There's a chance that you could be anemic. Iron-deficiency anemia is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies in North America. Iron is essential for producing hemoglobin, the main component of red blood cells. Hemoglobin carries oxygen to your body's cells, where it is used to produce energy and perform essential metabolic functions. If your iron stores are low, your red blood cells can't supply as much oxygen to the cells. The consequence is flagging energy.
The best food sources of iron are red meats, organ meats, iron-fortified cereal products, whole-grain or enriched breads, dried fruits, leafy green vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and blackstrap molasses.
There are two kinds of iron in our food: heme and nonheme. Heme iron -- found in red meat, liver and eggs -- is better absorbed than nonheme iron, which is found in enriched cereals, some dark green vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and certain dried fruits, such as raisins.
Enhance your body's ability to absorb nonheme iron by eating these foods with something that contains vitamin C; for example, if you eat a bowl of iron-enriched cereal (such as cornflakes) with some strawberries or a glass of orange juice, the iron in the cereal will be better absorbed.
Recipes:
• Chicken Livers and Onions in Tomato Sauce
• Stir-Fried Broccoli with Orange and Almonds
4. Refuel throughout the day
Eating a midday meal will recharge you for the afternoon. And eating small meals and/or snacks throughout the day keeps your blood sugar steady, maintains a constant flow of nutritional energy and helps stave off those irksome hunger pangs. Snacks can be the same as small meals, so a sandwich, a bowl of hearty vegetable soup, cheese and crackers, mini-pizzas, yogurt with fruit, a bean dip with crackers or vegetables, and a low-fat muffin all make the nutritional grade.
Recipes:
• Carrot Apricot Bran Muffin Bars
• Yellow Split Pea Dip
5. Stay hydrated
Fluids are critical to well-being because water regulates body temperature, transports nutrients to your cells and carries waste away. Everyone needs at least two litres of fluid per day to stay properly hydrated. If you exercise, you need even more. Fatigue is one of the symptoms of mild dehydration. Unfortunately, you cannot depend on thirst as an indicator of your fluid needs, so you could be mildly dehydrated without knowing it. Get in the habit of consuming fluids regularly -- even if you are not active. Besides drinking water, you can get fluids from juices, sports drinks, lemonade, milk, soups or watery foods, such as lettuce, cucumbers and fruits.
Recipes:
• Tropical Smoothie
• Beef Pho
Page 2 of 2 -- Explore complex carbs and nutritious oatmeal toppings for breakfast on page 1.
