[ad_1]
Diet and mental state go hand in hand
You’ve heard the saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Well, it really is, for the simple reason that the fruit, like many others, contains vitamins and minerals that are good for the body. In this way, you get the nutrients you need to improve your immune system and create a healthy digestive system.
In fall and winter, however, we rarely think about fruits and vegetables as we try to eat more steadily to insulate ourselves from the cold front that comes with the seasons. This makes us reach for harmful foods that gradually spoil the results achieved in the gym. It is important to understand that a healthy diet should not be done only for the summer season, but is good to maintain throughout the year.
The reasons for creating a proper meal plan are many, from a desirable figure to a healthy improvement. In autumn and winter, we experience low energy levels, which can even lead to depression. This is because we are going out less, the days are getting shorter and the weather is getting colder. We spend more time at home in artificial light and heat, deprived of vitamin D.
All this makes us feel exhausted and tired, but natural factors are not the only cause of depressive states. It turns out that our diet can also affect, and overdoing harmful products not only spoils the figure, but also the mental state.
7 foods that drain you:
1. White bread, pasta and rice
Cereals are rich in carbohydrates, which provide the body with a good source of energy. However, processed grains, such as those found in white bread, white pasta and white rice, can actually do more harm than good when it comes to your energy levels.
This is partly because the fiber-containing outer layer of the grain, known as the bran, is removed during processing. Therefore, processed grains contain lower levels of fiber and are absorbed by the body more quickly than whole grains. Because of this, they cause a rapid rise in blood sugar and insulin levels, followed by a drop in energy.
In contrast, whole grains help you regulate your blood sugar levels and help sustain energy throughout the day.
Processed grains also lack another important part of the grain, namely the germ. It contains many important nutrients that can also play a role in maintaining your energy levels. The sprout is rich in B vitamins, which your body can use to create energy.
2. Added sugar
Many foods on the market are full of added sugars which, when consumed too often, can impact energy levels.
Many people, for example, consider cereal to be an important part of a healthy and energizing breakfast routine. However, many varieties actually fail to provide the expected energy-sustaining start to the day. This is because most breakfast cereals contain very little fiber but a significant amount of added sugars. In fact, sugars make up up to 50% of all carbohydrates found in many popular breakfast cereals.
This combination of high sugar and low fiber can raise blood sugar and insulin levels, resulting in a quick but short-lived energy boost. What’s more, some research shows that eating foods high in added sugars can make you more likely to crave other sugary foods, potentially creating a cycle of energy depletion.
Other popular breakfast foods that often contain high levels of added sugars include flavored yogurts, juices, muffins, granola bars, and even some types of bread.
3. Alcohol
Alcohol is known for its sedative effect. In fact, many people report that drinking a little alcohol with dinner helps them fall asleep more easily. While this may sound like a positive, it is not necessarily true.
Alcohol can actually reduce the quality and duration of sleep, leading to a more restless night. While your favorite drink may get you to bed earlier, it can sap your energy, causing you to wake up the next morning even more tired. Low to moderate levels of alcohol consumption have little effect on sleep quality and duration.
Moderate alcohol consumption is defined as one or fewer drinks per day for women and two or fewer drinks per day for men. One standard drink is equivalent to 355ml of beer, 148ml of wine and 44ml of spirits.
4. Coffee
When consumed in moderation, coffee can have positive physical and mental effects. Studies show that it can help reduce the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s by 26 to 34%. Another study found that coffee can reduce the risk of diabetes by up to 7%. Caffeine is thought to create a short-term boost in energy and brain function that many people rely on when they feel tired.
However, drinking coffee regularly will cause your body to build up a tolerance, which will lessen its effects. More importantly, regularly relying on coffee instead of proper nutrition or sleep can drain your energy over time. Too much caffeine can negatively affect sleep, which can lower your energy levels.
People who regularly consume coffee should limit their intake to about four cups a day.
5. Energy drinks
There’s no denying that energy drinks can give you a short-term burst of energy. In fact, several studies have shown that they can increase concentration and memory by about 24% in addition to reducing sleepiness.
Energy drink manufacturers include a cocktail of stimulant ingredients in their formulas. However, researchers attribute most of the energy-boosting effects to the sugar and caffeine these drinks contain. When it comes to sugar, many energy drinks contain ridiculously high amounts, sometimes as much as 10 teaspoons.
As mentioned above, consuming large amounts of added sugars can cause your energy to spike and then drop at the same rate, which can leave you feeling more tired than before you consumed the drink. Also, as with coffee, those who regularly drink energy drinks can develop a tolerance to the caffeine they contain. This means that the drinker must consume increasingly large amounts to experience the same energetic effects.
In addition, some research shows that energy drinks can reduce the duration and quality of sleep. If this happens often, expect a drop in your energy.
6. Fried and fast foods
Fried and fast foods can also deplete you. That’s because they’re usually high in fat and low in fiber, two factors that can slow down your digestion. This, in turn, slows the rate at which energy-enhancing nutrients enter the body, slowing the increase in energy.
In addition, fried and fast foods tend to be low in vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients. Nutrient-dense foods help boost your energy levels, but eating fried and fast foods too often can push them out of your diet.
7. Low-calorie foods
When snack time approaches, some people choose low-calorie versions of their favorite foods, believing them to be healthier. However, including too many of these foods in your diet can cause you to take in an insufficient number of calories throughout the day, which can seriously deplete your energy levels.
Calories are a unit of measurement used to estimate how much energy food will provide to your body after it is digested. Your body uses calories to maintain basic functions like breathing, thinking, and heart rate. The calories you take in also cover the energy you spend moving throughout the day, including exercising in the gym.
Regularly consuming significantly fewer calories than you need can create a hormonal imbalance and slow your metabolism, leaving you feeling drained. Eating too few calories can also increase appetite. This can cause you to overeat at the next meal, leaving you feeling overly full and sluggish.
Photo: Pixabay
[ad_2]
Source link