the mum's guide to feeling more energised
DESCRIPTION
Naturopath and nutritionist Lisa Guy shares natural ways for Mums to boost their energy. She discusses the importance of sleep, natural and organic foods, balancing your blood sugar levels, choosing whole grains, the importance of Iron, Magnesium and Vitamin C in your diet.TRANSCRIPT
The Mum's Guide
To Feeling More
Energised
By: Simone Denny
We are very fortunate to have the wonderful Lisa Guy contribute to the Nourishing Hub
blog again this week. Lisa is a respected Sydney based naturopath, nutritionist and
passionate foodie. In addition to operating her 'Art of Healing' clinic, Lisa makes
regular contributions to a variety of leading magazines, newspapers and websites.
Read more about Lisa below.
The Mum's Guide to Feeling More Energised
Lisa Guy ND
Being a mum can be one of the most rewarding and yet one of the most tiring
occupations going. When you bring your little bundle of joy home for the first time the
option of resting up and getting enough sleep, to recoup and recover, is usually a pipe
dream. Then if you are unlucky enough to have a little one who is not sleeping well,
throw in low iron levels and being too busy to eat well, and other children to look after,
it is not hard to see how exhaustion can set in.
The good news is though that there are plenty of things you can do naturally to give
your energy levels a much-needed boost.
Get some sleep
Firstly, it is important to grab sleep were you can to recharge the batteries. So when
your little one has a sleep in the day, make sure you have one too. The washing and
cleaning up can definitely wait.
Go natural
Eat wholesome natural foods, preferably organic, including plenty of fresh fruits,
vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and wholegrain breads and cereals. A healthy diet is
important to supply you with all the vitamins and minerals you need for energy
production and good health. Remember that fresh and unprocessed is best. Drinking
plenty of water is also very important, so aim for at least 2 Litres a day.
Keep your blood sugar levels balanced
Keep your energy levels up by eating smaller, frequent meals throughout the day,
including nutritious protein-rich snacks. Limit any sugary, processed foods that cause
your blood sugar levels to rise rapidly then plummet, which will leave you feeling even
more exhausted. Protein-rich meals will help stabilise your blood sugar levels and help
you maintain more balanced energy levels. Good protein choices include nuts, seeds,
yoghurt, organic eggs and chicken, fish, lean meat, tofu and legumes. Trail mixes
made up of raw almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds with
some dried fruits, or hummus with vegetable sticks or wholegrain crackers make
excellent snacks. Protein powders can make a healthy addition to a busy mums diet,
great for making fruit smoothies, and protein balls to snack on when you are out and
about. Brown rice protein powders are particularly beneficial for breastfeeding mums
as rice is hypo-allergenic and won’t cause digestive complaints in lactose sensitive
individuals.
Choose wholegrain over ‘white’ refined carbohydrates
Choose natural wholegrain, complex carbohydrate foods (wholegrain breads and pasta,
brown rice, quinoa and whole oats), over refined ‘white’ carbohydrates (aka: white
bread and pasta, commercially baked cakes and cookies made with white flour, sugary
breakfast cereals). Wholegrains are rich in fibre and a good source of carbohydrates,
which will provide you with a slow, steady supply of energy throughout the day, as well
as B vitamins, needed for energy production. Eating ‘white’ carbohydrate foods, on the
other hand, will cause a sharp rise then drop in blood sugar levels, which will leave you
feeling tired and flat and craving more sugary, ‘white’ carbohydrate foods. This is also
a trigger for your body to lay fat.
The importance of iron
Low iron levels are very common in women, especially post pregnancy. Iron deficiency
can be a major cause for women feeling tired and run-down. Iron plays an essential
role in energy production, and is needed to make red blood cells to transport oxygen
to all the cells in the body. Iron is also important for strengthening the immune system
to protect you from colds and flu and other infections. Common symptoms of iron
deficiency are tiredness, muscle weakness, lowered immune function, difficulties
concentrating and poor memory.
Women’s iron requirements are a lot higher than men’s, and it increases by almost 10
fold during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This increased demand is often hard to meet
by diet alone, so iron supplementation along with a healthy well-balanced diet is
important for mums.
Not all iron supplements are created equal though. Iron supplements made with iron
sulfate or ferrous sulfate can cause digestive upsets including constipation. The type of
iron supplement you should be using is one made from organic chelated iron, which is
easily digested and absorbed, and just as effective as the other type of iron, but
without the unwanted side effects. Organic iron supplements don’t cause constipation
or digestive complaints. A good iron supplement will also contain vitamin C to help
improve iron absorption. You should also make sure you eat plenty of iron rich foods
such as red meat, legumes (especially lentils), wholegrain breads and cereals, and
green leafy vegetables. Vitamin C helps improve the absorption of iron, so include
some vitamin C rich foods like tomatoes, orange, lemon, broccoli, parsley or cabbage
with meals.
Energy boosting B vitamins and magnesium
B vitamins and magnesium are two important nutrients needed for energy production.
They are also your ‘anti-stress’ nutrients to help you deal with being a busy mum in a
healthier way. Supplementation is recommended together with including foods rich in
vitamin B and magnesium, such as wholegrain cereals, nuts, seeds, legumes, eggs,
milk and green leafy vegetables.
Super spirulina
Taking the superfood spirulina can help give you a much needed boost in energy.
Spirulina is an extremely nutrient-rich food, including protein, omega-3 fats, B
vitamins, iron and magnesium. Spirulina also has immune boosting properties and can
help keep your blood sugar levels more balanced. A good maintenance dose is around
6 tablets or capsules a day. You can also buy spirulina powder which is easy to add to
juices and smoothies. A green smoothie with green leafies (spinach and kale),
cucumber, celery, apple, avocado and a heap teaspoon of spirulina is a perfect way to
start the day.
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About Lisa
Lisa is the author several books including My Goodness: all you need to know about
children’s health and nutrition, Heal Yourself, and Pregnancy Essentials. She is also
Body and Soul magazine's resident nutrition expert. Lisa is driven by a desire to help
people achieve their happiest, healthiest selves by using healing herbs, homeopathic
remedies, and clean, wholesome foods that are full of nutritional goodness. Lisa has a
particular interest in infant and children’s health and helping support women through
pregnancy and beyond.
Read more about Lisa here
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