When we start to feel hungry, we start to tire out and so we realize that we need to refill the tank. We may then seek out any kind of food we can, preferably something that we will find tasty and then we eat until we’re full.
But food is not just fuel, it is also a material and a resource. This is what the body is made from. Our bodies work by taking what’s in our diets and then recycling that into the raw materials that build our bones, our muscles and our brains. This creates the important hormones and neurotransmitters that enable countless reactions and processes throughout our body. And it is what we use in order to fight disease and cancer.
If all you think about is ‘filling yourself up’, then your body will be missing out on crucial nutrients and that is when you start to feel slow and groggy. That is when you start to notice your skin flaking, your eyes looking bloodshot and your hair becoming brittle.
Nutrient Deficiency
Did you know that 80% of the US population is deficient in magnesium for instance? That is a huge number and it’s devastating when you think just what this mineral does: it helps to form bone and connective tissue by helping with the uptake of calcium, it prevents muscle pains and aches, it accelerates learning through brain plasticity, it enhances our sleep and it helps men produce more testosterone for greater virility and masculinity. This is just one nutrient and it does all that. Imagine the effect of not getting enough.
Vitamin D: which we can get from the sun or a few dietary sources. Again, many of us are deficient thanks to our desk-bound indoor lifestyles, which results in lower testosterone production again, poor sleep, low mood and susceptibility to disease and illness. Vitamin D acts like a ‘master key’ for many of your hormones and helps to regulate your hunger and your energy levels among many other things. Studies suggest that adding vitamin D to diets could save thousands of lives each year by preventing serious diseases!
Vitamin B12 is a vitamin that enhances the body’s formation and use of red blood cells, enabling us to transport energy and nutrients to our brain and muscles. Many people are low in this, especially vegetarians – which can cause nerve damage, depression inflammation.
Essential fatty acids, vitamins, amino acids, minerals all serve countless crucial and important jobs throughout the body and most of us aren’t getting enough. That’s because we’re just eating processed sugary foods, such as cake, sausage rolls and Coca-Cola: empty calories.
How To Increase Nutrients
A) Switch to fresh natural foods. That means that you’re going to try to eat things that you prepare yourself from fresh ingredients at least four times a week. This doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. It can be as easy as having some chicken with a side of broccoli and rice, or it could mean having a salad leads with avocado, tomatoes and tuna fish. This takes minutes to make and it’s not more expensive than a ready meal.
B) Take a multi-vitamin. While it’s true that it is better to get the nutrients we need from our diet, many of us will fail in this endeavor and so we’re left with no option other than to get it from supplementation. There is nothing wrong with doing this as long as it absorbs and it certainly can’t hurt to boost your levels of those crucial nutrients.
C) Seek out super foods and dense sources of nutrients. For example, you should consume smoothies occasionally if possible. I recommend swapping out your morning coffee on the way to work for a fruit smoothie (or better yet, a vegetable smoothie which is lower in sugar). Likewise, I recommend boiling a bunch of eggs and then snacking on them throughout the week. These are high in the brain boosting ‘choline’, as well as being complete sources of essential amino acids. Avocados are great because they contain magnesium, healthy saturated fats and more.
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If you want to supplement your diet further, here are some things you can add that will help you to feel and perform much better:
Lutein: Previously lauded primarily for its benefits for the eyes, lutein is a nutrient that can increase energy levels, as well as enhancing the brain.
Magnesium threonate: Taken before bed, this will enhance your sleep and strengthen your brain.
Omega 3 fatty acid: This protects the cells from damage, reduces inflammation (to combat joint pain and brain fog) and speeds up the communication between cells to boost brain performance.
Cordyceps: This can fortify you against adrenal fatigue and chronic stress. This is one of the biggest issues with our health today and by supplementing against it, you can increase your energy levels and prevent illness associated with being run-down.
The point is that by making these changes, you should start to look and feel healthier. You’ll have more energy, a better mood and your brain will work quicker. This will then make it easier for you to start focusing on other aspects of your health such as weight loss and fitness.
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