As we come into spring, there’s generally a sigh of relief that winter is over, there’s more light and generally more warmth too. Hopefully, this also encourages energy levels but with many people suffering from ‘tired all the time’ (TATT) and still lots of nasty bugs floating around, many of us are not feeling our best.
However, there are many dietary changes that you can make to help get your energy levels back on track.
Clinical Nutritionist Suzie Sawyer shares her five top nutritional tips for getting ready for spring.
Keep it clean
There’s much written about ‘clean eating’, but what does that actually mean? Essentially, it means eating foods as close to their natural state as possible. The body needs nutrients to fuel its biochemistry which all come from the food we eat. Food is not just about fuelling us: the individual micronutrients – vitamins and minerals – each play an essential role in keeping us well. It makes sense, therefore, that the more nutrients we take in, the better we will feel.
Eating cleanly can take a little more planning, but it’s important to think about each meal as an opportunity to take nutrients on board. If you think about grains, those that haven’t been processed are going to yield far more nutrients than those that have, especially the all-important B-vitamins which provide essential energy. Therefore, avoid anything processed and white such as white rice, white pasta, white bread, and white sugar.
Stay well hydrated
It’s such a simple thing, but it’s one that we often miss. If you’re dehydrated at a cellular level, you’re likely to feel sluggish, plus the brain will not be firing as it should.
Aim to drink around 1.5 – 2 litres of water daily if possible. It’s great to drink fruit and herbal teas but water, perhaps with fresh lemon or ginger, tends to hydrate us better. If you’re doing lots of exercise, then it is even more important to keep well hydrated.
Try to get into the habit of having a glass of water on your desk or taking bottled water with you wherever you go. If you keep sipping throughout the day, it’s amazing how quickly you’ll meet the target.
Cut down on caffeine
Whilst caffeine gives us a quick boost of energy, the rate that energy levels drop afterwards is surprisingly quick, which is why we then reach for another caffeine hit and the cycle continues throughout the day. Essentially, caffeine upsets blood sugar levels which ideally need to be stable throughout the day, rather than rocking and rolling. Over time, if we’re constantly challenging this mechanism, the body tends to feel more and more exhausted.
Try to keep a lid on the caffeinated drinks and limit them to one in the morning and then change to decaf or other drinks through the rest of the day. As your body regulates, you’ll find less reliance on caffeine. Plus, if the body is better nourished generally, energy levels should improve as well.
Feed the inner you
We obviously can’t see what’s going on inside, but we can see and feel the effects of poor nutrition on the outside. The body produces energy in the mitochondria of the cells – think of them as a spark plugs in a car! Clearly our cells need a wide range of nutrients to work efficiently, but one key nutrient is CoQ10 which we can obtain from foods.
Whole grains, organ meats and oily fish are especially rich in C0Q10 so try to include them in your diet regularly. Obviously, energy production is not just about one nutrient which is why it’s important to keep the diet as varied as possible.
Keep it colourful
As a nutritionist, I’m always talking about eating a colourful and varied diet. This is because when there’s more colour on the plate, there are also more nutrients and nutrients mean energy!
Fruits and vegetables are especially rich in nutrients, so do try to include as many different ones as possible throughout the day. They are rich in those all-important B-vitamins which we need for energy, but also vitamin C, also used for energy and keeping the immune system in good shape. How about including some dark berries for breakfast, carrots, peppers and celery at lunchtime and broccoli and sweet potatoes for dinner?
So, get fired up and ready for Spring with some of these energy-giving dietary tips.
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If possible, try to do exercise in the morning. There is another very good reason for this: exercising outside in the bright morning light stimulates the production of melatonin, our sleep hormone, later in the day.
However, it’s also important to have foods throughout the day that keep blood sugar levels in balance. When blood sugar is out of whack then it can trigger the release of cortisol. This is our stress hormone, which can create more anxiety, restlessness, and irritability, none of which are conducive to a good night’s sleep! 
So, think about having an oat-based breakfast, such as overnight oats which is quick and easy to prepare the night before. Go for a salmon or tuna salad for lunch and grilled chicken breast with veggies for dinner. If you’re vegan, soy is also a good source of tryptophan, so a tofu stir fry would be a great option.
Turn off and don’t look at electronic devices at least two hours before bedtime. Decide what works for you in terms of having a warm bath with some lavender oil, reading a book, meditating or other relaxation techniques. The important point is to stick to a routine and try to keep regular bed and waking times too. And whilst alcohol might seem like a sedative, it is known to disrupt sleep patterns and is often the cause of early morning waking.
Deep breaths need to start from the belly. You might want to lie down and put your hand on your belly to ensure this is happening until you get used to the feeling. Initially, just try breathing in for four seconds and breathing out to the same intensity for four seconds. In essence, you are regulating your breathing in and out. As you get more practice, then try to do this for 6 seconds each way. The important point here is not to over think it – just concentrate on the breath. After a couple of minutes, you’ll certainly start to feel calmer. Try doing this for five minutes every day before settling down to sleep – you’ll be amazed by the results!
Vitamin B12 is also required for brain function, therefore it’s important to ensure intake is optimal, especially if you want a sharper brain as well as more fuel in the tank.
The best food sources are liver, meat, oysters, sardines, Swiss and cheddar cheese. A warming macaroni cheese might just hit the spot when it’s cold and grey outside. Interestingly, some B12 can be produced in the gut, but this varies from individual, so a supplement is often a good idea especially if you follow a vegan diet.
Although CoQ10 is found in every plant and animal cell, dietary sources can sometimes be limited, but it seems that vegetarians tend to preserve it better within the body. However, best food sources are liver, fatty fish, meat, soybeans, and vegetables, especially broccoli, so a varied diet is certainly going to help. A bean casserole with loads of vegetables added would be a great meal choice for this time of year and won’t break the budget either.
Production of CoQ10 in the body does diminish as we get older, plus certain medications, especially statin drugs cause its depletion, hence supplementation is often needed.
There are different forms of magnesium, which can be confusing to decipher. Magnesium malate (often used for chronic fatigue) and magnesium citrate are used in the Kreb’s cycle (the body’s main way of producing energy). However, magnesium bound to the amino acid glycine can help relieve anxiety but is also effective for aiding sleep.
It’s good for the body to feel hungry sometimes too. We have got very used to the availability of food in the developed world and it’s in front of us throughout the day. Once you start to take control of the situation, rather than food controlling you, changes will start to happen.
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