7 WAYS TO ENERGIZE
Simple strategies to put the spring back in your caregiving step
BY:MARY ELIZABETH TERZELLA
1. Have the right bite for breakfast
If you start your day on an empty stomach, you'll be in a slump before lunch. But the wrong breakfast also can sabotage your stamina. Sweet cereals, doughnuts, white toast and other simple carbohydrates all offer a quick jolt of energy. Yet, that fast high can lead to a sudden low as your blood sugar spikes and then plummets, explains Lona Sandon, RD, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
For a steady supply of energy, your meals should be a mix of fiber-rich complex carbohydrates (whole grains, vegetables, fruit), protein (eggs, meat, low-fat dairy) and a little healthy fat (olive or nut oil). This will slow the absorption of carbs into your bloodstream.
One good morning meal: whole-grain cereal with milk and fruit. More fiber may mean more energy, suggests a recent Welsh study. Subjects who ate high-fiber cereal every morning felt less tired than those who ate a low-fiber cereal.
2. Eat more often
A large meal will make you feel lethargic. So, what's your best bet for all-day invigoration? Eat smaller-portion meals or snacks about every four hours to keep your blood sugar—and energy—on an even keel, advises Sandon. And limit your snacks to about 200 calories so you do not overeat.
3. Fill your tank
If you're low on H2O, you'll likely feel fatigued. "Getting the equivalent of about six to 10 cups of water a day is essential for energy," says Sandon, "since water helps us digest and metabolize our food."
But you don't have to drink plain water to stay hydrated. "Juicy foods"—fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, cucumber, celery, tomatoes and apples—which are over 90 percent water, can help you meet your fluid quota. And broth-based soups, milk, 100 percent fruit juices, coffee and tea all contain large amounts of water.
Tip: If your urine is the color of pale lemonade, you're getting enough fluid. Darker, apple-juice colored urine indicates you're dehydrated.
4. Get more of the vitality vitamin
About 30 percent of us have lower-than-optimal blood levels of vitamin C, and one of the earliest signs of this shortfall is feeling tired or listless, says nutrition researcher Carol Johnston, PhD, of Arizona State University. Her research shows that upping intake of vitamin C improves the body's ability to oxidize fat. "The reduced ability to oxidize fat creates fatigue," Dr. Johnston explains.
For extra oomph, she recommends getting about 100 milligrams of vitamin C from food (1 cup of strawberries contains 85 mg; 1 cup of orange juice has 80 mg; 1 kiwi, 70 mg; 1 mango, 57 mg).
Stressed-out caregivers may benefit from extra C. According to a recent German study, people who have high blood levels of vitamin C don't show the expected mental and physical signs of stress when subjected to psychological challenges. "For folks who want to supplement, I would recommend 250 to 500 milligrams daily," says Dr. Johnston. However, don't take vitamin-C supplements if you have a history of kidney stones or genetic anemia, such as thalassemia.
5. Rev up with exercise
When you're pooped, the last thing you want to do is jog or hit the gym. But a workout can recharge your batteries by releasing feel-good brain chemicals and pumping energizing oxygen to your brain, says Patrick O'Connor, co-director of the University of Georgia-Athens exercise psychology laboratory. In fact, a UGA analysis of 70 studies found that sedentary people who start exercising regularly have about 20 percent more energy and feel less fatigue than couch potatoes.
To help you power through the day, try a lunchtime workout. A recent British survey found that, regardless of the type, duration and intensity of the activity, people who worked out at lunchtime were less likely to experience an afternoon slump.
6. Lighten the overload
A schedule that leaves no room for R&R is guaranteed to wipe you out, says Mary Ann Bauman, MD, author of Fight Fatigue. Her advice: On weekends, pare down your to-do list to high-priority activities and ask for help, if necessary, so you don't spend all your time tending to others and doing chores that steal your stamina. "To replenish your energy reserves, you need to take at least two hours on Saturday and again on Sunday to do something just for you—whether it's exercising, reading or gardening," says Dr. Bauman.
7. Soak up some sun
Evidence suggests that early-morning exposure to bright light increases energy and that working under sunlight-intensity artificial light in the afternoon can keep you alert and productive when you're short on sleep. "Sunlight increases your level of serotonin, a hormone that helps elevate mood and decrease fatigue," says Bruce S. Rabin, MD, medical director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Healthy Lifestyle Program.