How I help my clients kick the afternoon slump
I find that many of my clients, friends and family complain to me about feeling tired especially in the afternoon. The fact is, there are many factors that can affect our energy levels from an illness, long COVID-19, to the change of seasons and light. But most of the time, it comes down to poor lifestyle and food choices.
When I work with my clients, I ask them to write down all the food and drinks that they consume on five different days. I also ask them questions about their life including their work, the way they relax, exercise, sleep, socialise, etc. This way I get an idea about what could potentially be causing their fatigue. Here are 3 things that I often notice in their diet:
1. Dehydration
It is so simple, yet most people don’t drink enough water. But dehydration can have a big impact on our energy levels and cognitive function. I recommend my clients to sip a little bit of water when they start feeling sluggish.
2. Nutrient deficiency
I notice a lot of my clients are cutting down on their meat intake and going towards a more plant-based diet, usually for an environmental reason, which I totally respect. But when they tell me they feel tired all the time, that’s when I want to investigate their iron and B12 levels. Vegetarians and vegans run the risk of being deficient in these two nutrients if they don’t eat a balanced diet or take supplements. A blood test will help us determine if there is a deficiency and then we can correct it if needed. Some other key nutrients that are involved in energy metabolism are B vitamins, vitamin C and magnesium so I make sure that their diet provides them with plenty, or I suggest adequate supplementation if needed.
3. Blood sugar imbalance
I often notice 2 things that that my clients struggling with fatigue do:
1. They have a coffee for breakfast with maybe a croissant, fruit, or cookie later in the morning.
2. They snack on chocolate, bread, cookies or fruit.
Tiredness can be a symptom of both hyper and hypoglycaemia (high and low blood sugar). When you eat food, it is broken down in the body into a sugar called glucose. This is the primary fuel that powers our bodies. It is carried around in the blood stream and taken to cells which use it for energy. The level of glucose in the blood is carefully controlled by a hormone called insulin. After we eat, the amount of glucose in the blood rises. Insulin is released to bring blood glucose levels back down to 'normal' levels. However, if blood sugar rises too rapidly, the body can end up releasing too much insulin. This causes the blood sugar to swing to low again, making us feel tired, grumpy, and hungry again. So how can we avoid this rollercoaster and stabilise these blood sugar levels? Watching what we eat is a good start.
What do I tell my clients above then? I make sure that their breakfasts and snacks (and all their meals actually) contain the following:
- A high-quality protein
- Healthy fats
- Fibre
These nutrients will help slow down the release of glucose in the blood stream and so prevent a blood sugar spike and the energy crash that follows. So, what’s an ideal snack? Try an apple with a handful of nuts, a few carrot sticks with a dollop of hummus or a Greek yogurt topped with berries and mixed seeds. What about breakfast? Avocado on toast with a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and grilled tomatoes, or porridge with peanut butter and banana slices.
I would definitely recommend to pay attention to blood sugar levels because if your glucose is too high too often, you will produce too much insulin and overtime this can lead to insulin resistance, a condition that has been linked with many disorders such as diabetes, infertility, heart disease, Alzheimer’s…more on that on another article!
