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Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Sleep and Energy Stabilising Foods

The effect on mood and concentration from jolts in blood sugar can make coping with everyday problems more difficult. When the blood sugar level is raised, the pancreas produces insulin to bring it down again (and if this happens too often diabetes can develop). The short-term effect on our energy is to make us feel exhausted, irritable and stressed. We should choose foods that keep our energy levels at a fairly constant level, which helps us to concentrate on frees us from the urge to keep refuelling. It also improves our general mood, making us calmer and more balanced, so we are less likely to lie awake at night fretting over details or wound up from the caffeine in the emergency chocolate bar that we consumed before going to bed.
When looking for ingredients to create meals, keep in mind the following:
Water aids digestion, so try to drink at least 2 L a dayFresh fruit is the best slow release energy source. Juicing fruits removes all the pulp and fibre, which stops you just get initially hid from the fructose.Eating protein rich foods, such as lean meats, cheeses, eggs, naturally a bit and fish, the lunch will keep your levels balanced and into the natural dip in your circadian rhythm. Eating refined carbohydrates, like white bread, will cause your sugar levels to soar in crash, and only exaggerate this natural dip.Pulses, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds are all great slow release energy tried them with whole grain bread.Chromium rich foods, such as shellfish, cheese, baked beans and whole grain bread, help your body overcome extreme low blood sugar.A ravenous hunger the morning after a night of drinking is because alcohol fix your blood sugar levels, making you reach for quick fixes the next day. Drinking on an empty stomach, makes it worse.
The Glycaemic index
The body needs glucose for energy. It is obtained from starches and sugars in the food we eat i used or stored as fat will stop everything we eat is processed this way, but it is the speed at which this happens that makes a difference to our weight and general health - this is what gives food its GI rating. The fast food is broken down, the higher its index rating (a high rating is about 70 or above). Low GI foods keep us fuller longer, have more fibre, and are usually full of minerals and vitamins. Below are the glycaemic index (GI) rating of food, the better it is for maintaining a balanced sugar level. Eating foods with a low GI rating, such as pulses, lentils and beans, is a great help when you're giving up stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine because they help prevent the swings in mood and hunger. The more processed food is, like white bread, white sugar and junk food, the higher it tends to be on the index.
Choosing energy balancing foods and drinks in the day can help you feel healthily tired and unwound by bedtime a large breakfast of complex carbohydrates, such as porridge, fruit, nuts, seeds and lean protein will keep you balanced.
Tryptophan, the insomniacs friend
The good news is that for all the foods and drinks that all the stimulators innkeepers awake at night, nature has provided sleep inducing alternatives. Some karma is down while others actively deliver sedated effects. This is mainly down to a chemical called Tryptophan.
Tryptophan is an amino acid and essential chemical for life as it helps us to build protein. We consume about 1 to 3 g of Tryptophan a day, but we can boost our intake by seeking out foods have a higher concentration. It has the effect of speeding up the onset of sleep, decreasing the number of spontaneous wakings during the night and increasing the overall length of sleep during the night. Elderly people, who suffer from increased sensitivity to noise, find it especially helpful, as you go is on antidepressants because it can raise the level of serotonin, which is low in brains of the oppressed people. Eating a main meal around four hours before bedtime with a low to medium GI rating, including complex carbohydrates or some of the vegetables listed further down will help start the relaxing process.
If needed, a tryptophan rich snack before bedtime, such as suspects listed below should greatly improve your chances of getting a good night's sleep. Remember, however, to make sure you give any snacks enough time to digest (an hour or so) before you go to bed.
Foods rich in Tryptophan
BananasTurkeyMilk and other dairy productsAlmondsCabbageKidney will lean beansOatsPoppyseedPumpkin seedSpinachWheatEvening primrose seed (contains the most tryptophan of any food source)PoultryEggsRed meatsSoya beanTofuBasilDill.

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