Foods and other ideas to overcome that midday slump

Who hasn’t felt the midday blues or the midday slump?  You are fine all morning, you get through lunch but then start to drag around 3-4 pm, yet you have an hour or more of work or just the rest of the day to get some things done.  Are there foods that might perk you up?  If so, what are they?  Any other ideas to overcome that midday slump?

What foods and/or beverages can boost your energy?

Some dietitians have a few ideas:

     1. Focus on foods that have some fiber.  Why?  Fiber delays your stomach from emptying so you also fill full longer.

a.     Bananas – I love bananas and usually start my day by eating a banana.  Bananas provide a quick energy boost as they have the natural sugar, fructose. 

b.     Oranges – my husband likes to grab an orange as an afternoon snack.  Oranges are a good source of fiber, about 4 grams of fiber per orange.  And, you get your daily dose of vitamin C with just one orange.  Oranges are also rich in those healthy antioxidants that can lower inflammation and prevent cell damage.  

     2.  Focus on foods high in protein:  Why?  Protein takes longer than carbs to digest and this helps you feel full.  Thus, if you eat protein foods, you won’t be as hungry as if you just snacked only on a piece of fruit or had a sugar-sweetened soda. 

a.    Yogurt:  When sitting at a desk all day, one way I perked myself up was to eat a 6-ounce yogurt and drink a Diet Coke.  Real cow’s milk yogurt not only provides about 5 grams of protein per 6 ounces, it is also a high-quality protein.  And real cow’s milk yogurt is a great way to add some calcium and vitamin D to your day.

b.     Crackers and Cheese – choose some whole grain crackers for fiber and nutrients and some cheese for protein.

c.       String Cheese – have one stick of string cheese and a piece of fruit. 

d.       Nuts – enjoy a handful of nuts for protein and fiber.

e.     Eggs – have a snack of a couple of hard-boiled eggs.  Eggs provide about 6 grams of protein per egg and again it is a very high-quality protein.  As noted last week (Nutrition in the News), we can enjoy some eggs in our diet again.  

       3. Focus on hydration.  One of the first signs of being dehydrated is thirst.  Even being slightly dehydrated can lead to feeling fatigued.  Its not just adults that can get the afternoon slump.  A study of adolescents found that on hot days, they may not be drinking enough fluids when at school resulting in less ability to concentrate and being fatigued.  One principal I know ensured every teacher had some bottled water for their students on the day students were taking the state tests.  The principal knew that being dehydrated could lessen alertness and concentration so he made sure the students were hydrated before taking the test.  Athletes also want to be sure they stay hydrated.  Another study found that athletes who limited fluid intake for 15 hours not only felt fatigued but also had trouble concentrating.  Not a great way to compete.  Just think of athletes who sleep for 12 hours, get up, skip breakfast and then head out for a morning soccer game.  They will be dehydrated and not at peak performance.

a.      Athletes – hydrate before and during exercise.  Some recommend at least 2 glasses of water before physical activity. 

b.     Adults:  Drink water throughout the day.  Add some lemon, lime orange wedges for a pick me up.  Caffeine can help overcome a midday slump.  Some people find late afternoon coffee may interfere with sleep but it shouldn’t be a problem if you take in some caffeine four to six hours before you go to bed.  It doesn’t have to be coffee.  Enjoy a cup of green tea or a Diet Coke for a quick pick me up.  Both have less caffeine than a cup of coffee but can still give you an energy boost. 

      4.  Move:  If you have been sitting for a while, it is time to get up and move.  My Apple watch is always telling me it is time to stand and when it does, I get up and walk around for a few minutes.  It doesn’t have to be a major exercise routine, even moving around for 10 minutes or so can help boost your energy and help you be more alert.  If you are at home, walk around the house or go outside and walk around the block.  At work, you can walk to the water fountain, go to the stairwell and walk up and down a couple of flights of stairs.  Even doing some stretching can help you feel more alert and less tired.   North Carolina Health recommends some shoulder rolls can help reduce tension and lessen fatigue.   

Feeling that afternoon slump?  Try one or more of the above ideas to perk you up and avoid the “four o’clock fade”.  

Sources:  ideas , protein foods , yogurt, Nutrition in the News , fatigued , adolescents , Athletes , Move, North Carolina Health, avoid  Image Sources:  Tired guy  , Hydration , Office stretching exercises

Nutrition in the News

Nutrition is a changing science.  What you may have believed a few years ago, may change as science comes up with new research and new findings.  Sometimes science reinforces what we already know, but sometimes science says just the opposite of what we long believed was true.  One of the changing beliefs is about eggs – good or bad for your heart?  There are other topics of interest in the news recently and here are some of them.

Do eggs increase your risk of heart disease?  So many people have learned “eggs are bad” because eggs contain cholesterol and are therefore bad for your heart.  Yes, it is true eggs do contain cholesterol and not a small amount.  The Mayo Clinic notes one large egg has about 186 mg of cholesterol.  For years the American Heart Association recommended we limit eggs because of this cholesterol.  So, what has changed? 

Eggs can be good for your heart.  What??? How can this be true when everyone has been told that eggs are bad for your heart.  Then they said, well, maybe not as bad as we thought and you can eat up to 1 egg a day or 7 a week and that is OK.  Now, some researchers are saying eggs are good for your heart and it is OK to eat more than one egg a day.  So confusing.  What changed?  Scientists reviewed 23 studies on heart disease between 1996 and January 2020 that looked at 1,415,839 people consuming no eggs, one egg a day, and more than one egg a day to see if egg consumption increased risk of heart disease.  Their findings may surprise you.  Believe it or not, they found that people eating MORE THAN 1 EGG A DAY did not increase their risk of heart disease.  They actually found eating more than 1 egg a day, decreased one’s risk of heart disease.  Here is the conclusion of their research”:

Our analysis suggest that higher consumption of eggs (more than 1 egg/day) was not associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but was associated with a significant reduction in risk of coronary artery disease.

I remember a relative visiting that had high cholesterol and his doctor said, “no eggs”.  So, I made some muffins with only egg whites (egg whites have no cholesterol).  At home, his wife noted she often used egg beaters to skip the cholesterol.  (Egg beaters are made with egg whites, no yolks, so no cholesterol.)  Maybe now, his physician would say, “enjoy some eggs”.  But maybe not “too many” eggs.  Years ago, I was eating a lot of eggs every week, a lot.  Then I had my cholesterol checked and it was way up, 280 mg/dL, which is a high total cholesterol level.  They now want your total cholesterol to be below 200 mg/dL.  Needless to say, I cut back on my egg consumption.  I enjoy eggs and I like egg salad sandwiches.  But regardless of the research, I am not going to go back to eating eggs almost every day.  A few eggs a week for me is fine.   

Are there “no-calorie” foods?

Have you ever heard someone say, eat celery as it has negative calories?  Celery is very low in calories but one doesn’t burn up more calories eating celery than one gets from celery.  Weight Watchers, now WW, has some “free” foods or ZeroPoint foods, meaning you can eat them as you wish because these foods are low in calories.  But there aren’t really any “negative-calorie” foods.  

It is interesting that it does take some calories to digest, absorb, and metabolize the food you eat.  Fats take the least calories to digest and use, about zero to 5% of calories.  Carbs are next at about 5-10% of calories.  Protein foods are the highest, taking 20-30% of calories to digest and utilize.  That is another reason to eat some protein at each meal.  Eggs would be a good protein to eat as eggs are low in calories and provide a high-quality protein. Milk, yogurt or cheese would also be high quality proteins to include at meals. 

The next time someone tells you not to eat eggs as they increase your risk of heart disease, you can tell them about this latest research.  If someone posts about negative-calorie foods, you know there isn’t any truth to it. 

Sources:  Mayo Clinic , research , egg beaters , ZeroPoint   Image Sources:  Eggs , Negative calorie foods , snacks

Skip the coconut oil

Are you using coconut oil and thinking it is a healthy choice?  Many people I talk to and a number of students in my classes think coconut oil is healthy.  Not true.  If you are using coconut oil, there are many healthier choices.  A recent article on getpocket.com says, Stop cooking with Coconut Oil . 

Why do some people think coconut oil is good for your health?

The article notes that two studies in 2003 claimed coconut oil would reduce your belly fat.  Not only that but coconut oil would rev up your metabolism.  Based on these claims, some health advocates pushed coconut oil and a surprising number of people listened to them.  People started cooking with coconut oil, adding coconut oil to smoothies, and even adding some to their morning coffee.  More claims were provided as to how eating coconut oil would improve your memory , lower cholesterol, boost your immune system and even promote good digestion.    

And those pushing coconut oil were very successful in convincing Americans that coconut oil was healthy.  A survey of 2,000 Americans in 2016, found that 72% said coconut oil was healthy, 15% said no it wasn’t healthy and 13% didn’t know.   My husband says he would have to answer, “don’t know” as he doesn’t know much about coconut oil.  How would you answer that question?

That sounds good so what is the problem?  

Why should you avoid coconut oil?

The problem with coconut oil is its saturated fat content.  Harvard.edu notes coconut oil “contains more than 90% saturated fat”.    Many people don’t realize that saturated fat is worse for your heart than cholesterol.  Saturated fat raises the bad cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, which increases your risk of heart disease.  In fact, coconut oil has even more saturated fat than butter which has 60% saturated fat.  In a study, the American Heart Association noted that lowering intake of dietary saturated fat and replacing this fat with vegetable oils high in polyunsaturated fats reduced heart disease by about 30%.   Another article, Coconut Oil and Heart Health, stated:

“Coconut oil may be viewed as one of the most deleterious cooking oils that increases risk for cardiovascular disease.  Even in comparison with palm oil, another tropical oil with high saturated fat content, coconut oil increased LDL cholesterol.  Replacing coconut oil with nontropical unsaturated vegetable oils, especially those rich in polyunsaturated fat, will have a health benefit.” 

What are some cooking oils high in polyunsaturated fats that would be good for your health?

One time I was in the grocery store and saw a young couple pick up a bottle of cooking oil, look at it and put it back.  Then they picked up another bottle of cooking oil, looked at it and put it back.  I wanted to go up to them and ask if they needed help choosing a healthy cooking oil.  What would I have recommended?  A cooking oil high in polyunsaturated fats.  Why?  Because polyunsaturated fats help lower the bad cholesterol, LDL.  As noted above, LDL is related to heart disease so lowering it is a good thing.  What healthy cooking oils high in polyunsaturated fats does the American Heart Association recommend?  

• Safflower oil
• Sunflower oil
• Corn oil
• Soybean oil

Two other oils high in polyunsaturated fats are walnut oil and cottonseed oil.

How can you be sure to include these oils in your diet?  The American Heart Association has some suggestions (adapted from AHA) 

• Salad dressings – make your own salad dressings with one of the above heart-healthy oils
• Cook with these oils – bake, broil, grill, sauté, stir fry using one of these oils
• Have a cast iron pan?  Season it with one of the above oils
• Read ingredient labels – look for these oils in the foods you buy.  Why are Sunchips healthy?  Not only are they whole grain, but they are made using heart healthy oils such as Sunflower oil.

When you go to the grocery store this week, pick up some cooking oil that is good for your heart.  We now use both Olive Oil and Corn oil in our kitchen.  Olive oil for things like salads and corn oil for sauteing foods.  Have some left-over coconut oil?  It makes a good skin moisturizer.  My daughter used to use it on her dog to make its coat nicer.  WebMD notes coconut oil is “possibly effective” in treating eczema.    

Read ingredients and look for heart healthy oils. 

Sources:  , Stop cooking with Coconut Oil , claims , survey of 2,000 Americans in 2016 , Harvard.edu , noted , Coconut Oil and Heart Health , cooking oils , suggestions , Sunchips , eczema   Image Sources:  Coconut oil , Heart Healthy oils , Sunchip ingredients 

Can you eat better to sleep better?

Does what you eat affect how you sleep?  My daughter sent me an interesting article discussing how the food you eat and the beverages you drink affect how well you sleep.  The author said she tried a new diet and found that she slept better.  She based her “diet” on information she learned from The Sleep Doctor who was on the TODAY show offering advice.  The Sleep Doctor not only has a website offering sleep advice, he also runs an online course, “How to Sleep Better Course”.  Along with the Sleep Doctor a clinical psychologist also provided some diet advice that this article reviewed and the author tried. 

 

If you want a better night’s sleep, what are some things you might want to try?

1.  Coffee 

a.     Wait 60-90 minutes before your first cup of coffee:  The Sleep Doctor recommends you forgo coffee until 90 minutes after you wake up.  This would be a challenge for many people who grab their cup of coffee almost as soon as their feet hit the floor.  I know it would be a challenge for me.  Why should you put off that 1^st morning cup of coffee?  The Sleep Doctor notes that when you sleep and then get up, your body has lots of chemicals in it.  Drinking coffee first thing, just adds to those chemicals.  So, the Sleep Doctor recommends you start your day with a drink of water (lemon water would be great).  You are dehydrated when you wake up so the water is important.  Then wait 90 minutes and enjoy your first cup of coffee.  The author noted she did reach for water when she woke up but could only make it 60 minutes before her first cup of coffee. 

b.    No coffee after 2 PM – This I can do.  I like my caffeinated coffee in the morning but after lunch I switch to decaf coffee if I have coffee at all after lunch.  

No coffee after 2 PM. Switch to decaf after 2 PM.

2.  Don’t overeat – yes, eat until you feel full but don’t overeat.  Overeating can tax your body and this can affect how well you sleep.  In the nutrition class I teach, I recommend not eating late at night and then lying on the couch.  Many people get acid reflux and indigestion (heart burn) if they lay down after eating.  Eating late at night and then going to bed would have the same effect. 

      3.  Focus on protein and complex carbs at meals:  This will help you maintain a more level blood sugar level throughout the day.  Eating protein at meals helps keep you feeling full.  Complex carbs like whole grains, are not only healthy, they won’t spike your blood sugar levels. 

4.   “Avoid foods with high amounts of added sugars” Did you ever really look at how many foods you eat with added sugars?  (See Added Sugars and Risks for Your Health .)  In the class I teach, students are asked to review every food and beverage they eat for added sugars.  Some students eat diets very low in added sugars.  Others have diets surprisingly high in added sugars.  For example, drinking a bottle of sweet tea three times a day, added 570 calories and 144 grams of added sugar to one student’s daily intake.  That is a lot of added sugar calories.  Start to look at the Nutrition Label and look for “added sugars”.  Most nutrition labels now have this information.  I try to save my “added sugars” for desserts and we try to keep added sugars out of our main meal.  Not really easy to do as even many spaghetti sauces have added sugar.     

5.  "Stay hydrated” – yes, you can aim for 8 glasses of water a day. But it doesn’t have to be water.  I wrote a blog on Is water the best for hydration? and surprise, it isn’t just water that keeps you hydrated.  Researchers have found that fat-free milk, whole milk and real orange juice are actually beverages more hydrating than water.  Who would have thought that drinking real milk is a good way to hydrate?  In the classes I teach, students often think they have to give their kids water at meals and often water in place of milk.  Not true.  The kids will hydrate just fine with a glass of milk and they will also get important nutrients like calcium and vitamin D that water doesn’t provide. 

Real milk is great for hydration.

What are some foods that can help you sleep and what are some foods to avoid?

Foods that help you sleep:

• Turkey, chicken
• Nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios
• Rice – choose brown rice as it is whole grain
• Salmon
• Spinach, avocado
• Bananas, cherries, kiwi

Foods that may disrupt your sleep:

•  Drinks with added sugar – soft drinks, sweet tea, sports drinks
• Spicy foods
• Caffeine – coffee, tea, some soft drinks
• Alcohol
• Chocolate
• Processed foods high in fat and/or sugar

So how did the author do trying the “sleep diet” for a week?  She claimed she was sleeping much better.  She even noted she felt more focused during the day and could pay better attention.  The Sleep Doctor notes that when you get enough sleep, your mood is better throughout the day as most of us know from experience.  He calls it “mood-stable”. 

If you want to sleep better this week, try some of these ideas.  Make a comment and let us know what worked for you and what didn’t.

Sources:  article , The Sleep Doctor , How to Sleep Better Course” , clinical psychologist , Added Sugars and Risks for Your Health , Is water the best for hydration?   Image Sources:  Coffee , Milk, Sleep