Fight fatigue... with your fork!

Everyone experiences some degree of fatigue from time to time. With our hectic lifestyles, it can become a daily struggle to fit everything in and all too often, we collapse, exhausted, onto the sofa at the end of the day. The shorter days and longer nights certainly don’t help.

Broadly speaking, fatigue is mental or physical exhaustion. In many ways it is a normal phenomenon; a process that slows the body down at the end of the day and prepares us for sleep, or protects overworked muscles from possible injury. Too often, however, fatigue is a negative force in our lives: at best an inconvenience and at worst, completely debilitating.

Fortunately, however, there are some simple dietary changes we can make to help keep fatigue from getting us down.

Drink plenty of water. We’ve heard it a thousand times but a lot of us still don’t get enough H20 during the day. Mild dehydration is a common and often overlooked cause of fatigue. Dehydration can reduce blood volume and diminish blood flow to the organs, slowing down your brain - and you along with it. Drink about 8 glasses of water a day and don’t wait until you actually feel thirsty – you will already be slightly dehydrated by this time.

Eat breakfast. The brain is very hungry, using up to 30% of your daily calories. A good breakfast is a healthy start to the day, refilling our energy stores and keeping lethargy at bay during the morning hours. This is especially true for children, who have a higher metabolism and naturally smaller energy reserves. Be sure to include carbohydrates at breakfast time. Wholegrain cereal and fruit or wholemeal toast and yoghurt are great breakfast choices.

Eat protein and carbs in combination, especially at lunch. It’s not your imagination: that drowsy, dopey feeling you get around 4pm is part of your brain’s natural daily rhythms. Dr Judith Wurtman, a pioneering food researcher at MIT, recommends eating carbohydrates and protein in tandem at lunchtime to fight the afternoon doldrums. Protein contains the amino acid tryptophan (a precursor of the neurotransmitter serotonin), which helps to fight emotional fatigue.

Eaten in combination with protein, carbohydrates may boost the brain’s intake of tryptophan. Protein rich foods also contain tyrosine (a precursor to the neurotransmitters dopamine and noradrenaline, promoters of alertness, attention and motivation).

“There’s one group of people who are especially susceptible to late afternoon fatigue,” says Wurtman, “and they’re called ‘women’!” Women often choose skimpy salads for their midday meal, leaving them at a loss for the nutrients they need. They should opt instead for the fatigue-fighting team of lean protein sources and unrefined carbohydrates to elevate energy and mood.

Use caffeine wisely. Caffeinated beverages are one of the best ways to fight fatigue. Caffeine not only makes you feel more energised, it also increases alertness, reaction times and ability to think clearly for up to three hours. But too much caffeine can make you irritable and jittery, actually decreasing your performance on some tasks. Caffeine too late in the day can cause insomnia. In some people, overuse of caffeine is associated with withdrawal symptoms like headaches. If caffeine’s your thing, try a single cup in the morning and a another with lunch.

Get enough calories but avoid big meals. While overeating is a serious problem for many folks (and can itself lead to fatigue), if you’re an intensely active person or you’re on a stringent diet, you may not be getting enough calories during the day. Everyone’s needs vary: take care to consume enough calories for your gender, body type and activity level. Find your requirement here! High-intensity exercisers should be especially sure to get enough protein.

Don’t, however, take in all your calories in one or two daily feasts. Instead, eat five or six smaller meals during the day. To aid digestion, a full stomach draws blood to the belly and away from the brain, leaving you listless and less alert. Smaller meals also help to keep your insulin level more constant, avoiding the fluctuations of energy and mood associated with insulin swings.

Eat iron-rich foods. Iron enables blood to carry oxygen to the organs of the body. Deprived of adequate oxygen, the brain cannot function at full capacity, leading to lack of mental acuity and feelings of fatigue. Iron intake is not generally a problem for men but it is not uncommon for women less-than-optimal iron stores. If you suspect you’re not getting enough iron, boost your intake with foods like lean red meat, liver, spinach and apricots.