Food to Boost Your “Mood-Energy” Level!

(For Moms, Dads, and Any Other Adult Who Is Tired of Being Tired!)

By Maggie McHugh, MS, RD, CDN

Finding yourself with no energy...again? What and how much you eat can affect your energy level. Having no energy inevitably affects our mood as well, and that can affect how we deal with our kids. The following healthful habits can boost an adult's “mood-energy.”

• Start the day off with a healthy breakfast that includes complex carbohydrates and a good protein source. For example, a vanilla yogurt with a mix of blueberries and Grapenuts.
  
  
• Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day that are healthful (every 3 – 4 hours). This will provide a steady stream of energy to keep you going.
  
  
• Eat a moderate size, low-fat lunch to beat the afternoon slump. Include at least 1 serving from each of the food groups to keep it healthy and light. For example, 1 cup salad with chopped veggies, ½ cup beans, and 1 Tbsp crushed walnuts with a low-fat dressing; 1 orange; ½ of a multigrain English muffin, and 1 cup skim milk.
  
  
• Get enough iron (about 15 mg/day if you are not pregnant, and about 30 mg/day during pregnancy). Your best sources are beef, chicken, and fish. Breads, cereals, rice, pasta, and beans also have iron.
  
  
• Avoid severe calorie-restricted diets. Too few calories will provide little energy and nutrients to stay healthy. Constantly feeling hungry will make you miserable!
  
  
• Drink plenty of fluids (at least 6 – 8 cups/day), preferably water. Low fluid intake can cause mild dehydration and fatigue.
  
  
• Include any type of physical activity on a daily basis. Exercise fuels your body’s cells with oxygen giving you the boost you need.
  
  
• Include foods that are a good source of omega-3 fats at least 3 times each week, like salmon, canola oil, walnuts, and foods fortified with omega-3 such as Barilla Plus pasta and Eggland’s Best eggs. Omega-3’s can boost your mood!
  
  
• Munch on Brazil nuts or add fresh garlic to your recipes. This will boost your selenium intake, which is great for beating bad moods and irritability.

From the list above, try adding 1 – 2 of these healthful habits at a time until it becomes a habit. Then add another. Before you know it, your friends and family will have a hard time keeping up with your new energized self.

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For more great tips from Maggie on keeping your family nutritionally on their toes, click here.

Maggie McHugh, MS, RD, CDN is a local Registered Dietitian and co-founder of Eating for You (and baby too), Inc. She can be contacted at (585) 271-6310 or www.eating-for-you.com. To ask Maggie nutrition questions, visit the Ask Maggie page of her web site.