To start, take a look at how you respond to feelings of lethargy. Do you grab a soda, eat something sweet or drink caffeine? If so, your blood sugar levels may temporarily rise but then will follow so dramatically that you will be left worse than before you started. Then , the cycle starts again as you reach for more sugar. When your blood sugar first drops, if you can avoid the quick fix and try some foods that will slowly lift your levels, you might be surprised of the result. To start, eat breakfast in the morning. When you eat, try mixing foods with fiber and protein along with foods that are starch, the more slowly foods are digested and released into your system.
Once you stop stressing your body with the sugars, now you can add foods to your diet that help support your adrenal function, the part of your body that helps support stressful moments. Foods that include proteins like eggs, fish, lean meat, poultry, dairy products or soy, will slow down the rate at which sugar is released into your bloodstream.
There are also certain herbs and vitamins that help balance blood sugar. These include Vitamin C and B5 along with B3 and B6. Herbs are licorice, ginseng and astragalus.
What about a balanced diet, you might ask? Review studies have not shown that taking daily multivitamin supplements will prevent any chronic disease. However, taking supplements will help ensure you are getting enough of nutrients that may be missing from your diet.
Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet should provide you with all of the individual nutrients you need. Not everyone has a good diet so some of those nutrients might be deficient. For example, a person who hates fruits and vegetables might not get enough vitamin C and someone who refuses to eat dairy products will frequently need extra calcium.
Taking a daily multivitamin is an inexpensive and easy way to be sure you are getting the vitamins and minerals you need. A few individual dietary supplements have been shown to have positive benefits for your health too. Adding these extra supplements may be beneficial:
Calcium
Many people don't eat enough calcium-containing foods. This can add to a person's risk of developing osteoporosis, or weakened bones. The recommended amount of calcium for most adults is about 1200 mg per day.
Vitamin D
Some of the vitamin D you need comes from the food you eat, but most of it is made by your body after exposure to sun. Vitamin D is important for calcium absorption and the two nutrients are often combined into one supplement. An average adult needs about 400 IU of vitamin D.
Fish Oil
Omega-3 fatty acids will help prevent cardiovascular disease. Fatty fish is the best dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids, though plants such as flax contain omega-3 fatty acids. Studies suggest that 0.5 to 1.8 grams of fish oil per day is an effective amount.
Folic Acid
Folate is a B vitamin and folic acid is the supplemental form of folate. Folate is found in green leafy vegetables, citrus fruit and legumes. Folic acid supplementation is recommended for any woman who may become pregnant and may also help reduce homocysteine levels, which might help reduce the risk of heart disease. The recommended amount for adults is 400 mcg per day.
Chondroitin and Glucosamine
Researchers from the Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial found that participants with moderate-to-severe osteoarthritis pain found statistically significant amounts of pain relief with 1500 mg glucosamine combined with 1200 mg chondroitin sulfate supplements.
Antioxidants and Zinc
The Age-Related Eye Disease Study results showed that a combination of antioxidants and zinc taken as a dietary supplement reduced the risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration. The formula used in the study was:
* 500 mg of vitamin C
* 400 IU of vitamin E
* 15 mg of beta-carotene
* 80 mg of zinc as zinc oxide
* 2 mg of copper as cupric oxide
Probiotics
Foods like yogurt and fermented foods naturally contain bacteria called probiotics. These bacteria are similar to the friendly bacteria normally found in your digestive system. Probiotics are also available as dietary supplements and may be beneficial for people with irritable bowel syndrome and diarrhea.
Try changing your habits and replacing them with healthier foods and vitamins and you might be surprised how good you feel not only physically but mentally and emotionally as well.
About the Author: R. Fredriksen is the Vice President of Nutrition Dome, a leading provider of Jarrow Formulas, Pioneer Nutritional Forumulas, Lipodrene and other quality supplements. For more information, please visit www.nutritiondome.com.