Put down the sweets & Energize!

We’ve all had the feeling of drowsiness come over us - the feeling of not having enough energy to do anything but sit on the couch and constantly refresh our facebook page. More times than not this problem has nothing to do with the amount of sleep we're getting. Rather, it is a direct result of eating too much sugar. I got my wisdom teeth out this weekend and thus my diet has been restricted to ‘soft foods’ only. Lately, I feel more tired than ever, even though I’ve slept more in the past few days than I usually do. At first, I blamed my tiredness on the medication, but now am realizing that I’m tired because I’ve been ingesting way more sugar than my body is used to. All of the soft foods I’ve been eating, (Jell-O, ice cream, yogurt, pudding) are loaded with sugar!

You don’t have to be recovering from getting teeth pulled to know what I’m talking about. We all have our moments when we eat too many sweets! Sometimes we even suffer from a sugar comatose without realizing it, because most of the foods we eat are loaded with sugar whether or not they taste sweet. For example, low fat products typically have a higher sugar content than their full fat substitute. Skim milk, for example, has more sugar than whole milk and reduced fat peanut butter has more sugar than regular peanut butter. Of course, both are examples of natural healthy foods, so, like fruit, the sugars contained in them is better for you than sucrose (table sugar) because it’s unrefined and naturally generated. Still, we in-take more sugar than we think, even while watching other health factors like fat content. Also consider the alcohol you drink - it's loaded with sugar calories!

A spike in sugar intake may cause headache. It will also make you feel lethargic and feel as though you don't have a lot of energy. This is because sugar causes insulin levels in your blood to flow which triggers activity in your brain that instigates a ‘sleep response.’ If you aren’t a diabetic your body produces enough insulin to overcompensate causing a drop in your blood sugar levels – thus making you feel sleepy.

So, what can we do to counteract these sugar ‘highs’? The most important thing to remember is to hydrate! Drink lots of water to help your body break down, digest and dispose of the sugar it doesn’t need. Foods to keep in mind to off-set a sugar coma are avocados, sweet potatoes, nuts, kidney beans, popcorn, fruits that are high in fiber (cherries & citrus fruits), herbs, spices such as cinnamon, garlic, onions, licorice, and barley, and of course – exercise along with any and all raw veggies – they are the best cure!

Always remember the basics: foods that quickly raise sugar levels are typically processed; primarily those that contain white sugar & white flour. Beware of some of those ‘healthy’ foods like juice, certain fruits, low fat items and yogurts when trying to lower your sugar level. Foods that help relieve you of a sugar high are those that are high in fiber but low in carbohydrates (vegetables), & those that are high in protein (yogurts, nuts, fish and poultry). With this rainy weather we need all the help we can get to stay energized and motivated. Boost your energy by puting down the sweets and getting off the couch!