Fight Fatigue!!!

FIGHT FATIGUE WITH NUTRITION AND ACTIVITY!!!

 

 

 

Napoleon Bonaparte once said that courage is only

the second virtue in a soldier; the most important one

is endurance of fatigue. Nowadays, fighting fatigue

has become equally important for a growing army of

people too busy or stressed to get adequate rest. In

fact, according to a 2007 survey by the National Sleep

Foundation (NSF), more than half of American women

report getting inadequate sleep. And when too sleepy

to function, 66 percent choose to “accept it and keep

going.”1

Other cultures approach the problem a little differently.

Many countries actively practice siesta—a 15- to

30- minute afternoon nap. Several recent studies support

the beneficial effect of 10- to 30-minute naps on

alertness, performance and learning ability.2-4

Caffeine Quick Fix

In the United States, however, it is caffeine—not

naps—that helps 78 percent of people cope with their

responsibilities.5 The benefits of caffeine are real: It

improves mood and cognitive performance,6-9 and

coffee consumption can potentially decrease insulin

secretion10 and liver cancer risk.11 On the negative

side, regularly consumed caffeine can increase anxiety,

12 risk of headaches13 and the inflammation

process.14 Cola beverages, but not coffee, also have

been associated with an increased risk of hypertension.

 

Caffeine is considered toxic—causing arrhythmia,

tachycardia, vomiting, convulsions, coma or even

death—only in amounts exceeding 5g. While the risk

of toxicity is rare, the pervasiveness of caffeine warrants

some caution. Many soft drinks, for example,

contain only between 20 mg and 40 mg of caffeine per

an 8-oz can;16 however, today’s specialty coffees can

be very potent—ranging from 58 mg to 259 mg, and

even up to 564 mg, per dose.17

FIGHT FATIGUE!!!
 

Food for Energy

Instead of using caffeine to push ourselves to perform

despite fatigue, preventing energy drops is a wiser

approach, health experts advise. Aside from sleep,

our performance—and even our mood—depends on

balanced blood sugar levels.18-20

While cautioning against seeking quick blood-sugar

boosts, experts recommend juices, such as pomegranate,

instead of caffeine or sugar, for those in

urgent need of re-energizing.

The key to properly preventing blood-glucose

slumps— which can lead to fatigue, headaches, craving

sweets, depression, irritability and a host of other

symptoms—is the old-fashioned basics of proper

nutrition. In one study, a breakfast rich in fiber and carbohydrates

caused higher alertness, while high-fat

meals led to lower alertness and higher caloric intake

throughout the day.21 Another study showed that protein-

rich or balanced meals, which cause less variation

in blood glucose levels, improved cognitive performance.

Inadequate glucose is not the only thing contributing

to fatigue. It can result from anemia—iron, B12, B6, or

folic acid deficiency as well. Omega-3 fatty acids,

leafy green vegetables, and vitamins C, E and B12

have been shown to improve memory and cognitive

functioning.

Moving the Body

Even with adequate sleep and nutrition, our lack of

motion can regularly put us to sleep. To prevent

mental fatigue, try starting the day with exercise, taking

frequent 5- to 15-second micro-breaks (shoulder

rolls or stretching) throughout the day, getting up and

walking every two hours, and, of course, taking

advantage of the lunch break to “do the opposite” of

what your job entails. For people with mentally challenging

occupations, experts suggest a walk or other

physical exercise; for those doing physically taxing

work, some brain-stimulating activities, like puzzles.

Imbalanced body postures, such as slouching, also

require the body to consume more energy. In addition

to adopting an “energy-efficient” standing position,

with feet shoulder-width apart, and sitting

straight, which helps improve circulation, take frequent

60-second “Stand up, Perk up” breaks that

combine relaxation, breathing and stretching.

To those in urgent need of quick re-energizing, consider

aerobic exercise instead of coffee. It’s quick

and easy—and it stimulates brain chemicals that

give us a lift.

Whether re-energizing through sleep, nutrition, exercise

or—better yet—a combination of all three, it’s

clear that fatigue should not be taken lightly. It’s connected

with depression, and anti-depressants are

now the fastest-growing prescribed class of medications.

Instead of taking stimulants, opt for proper

exercise, adequate sleep and a balanced diet.

 This information has been reprinted with permission from acatoday.com