Magazine_Winter2021_RND4_11.24.20.indd

How Stimulating! By Monica Sellecchia It’s 3 o’clock on a Thursday afternoon and I’m slumped over at my desk counting the minutes until I can crawl back under my covers and take a nap. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Millions of us suffer from the “midday slump” phenomenon. We’ve been up since 6am, working for 6 hours and functioning off of 6 hours (or less) of sleep. We just can’t seem to keep our eyes open — now what? It’s time to refuel and recharge! Aside from being delicious and providing pleasure (that’s right) to the senses, food is the key to providing ENERGY to all living beings. But just like humans, no two foods are exactly alike. Some foods will nourish and energize you while others will drain you and wreak havoc on your body, which may be the reason why you’re in this low energy mess in the first place. Finding balance with what you eat will give you the energy you need to avoid the midday slump and eat healthier! You may have heard “Food is Fuel” and if you’re eating the right ratio of carbohydrates to proteins to fat then you are definitely fueling up your body. Typically getting “55% of our calories from carbohydrates, 15% of our calories from protein, and 30% of our calories from fat” will do the trick, but these are general numbers and they change depending on individual circumstances. It can be hard to find the time to track and calculate these numbers — believe me I understand! So a great solution to this would be to stock your fridge and pantry with essential foods that are healthy, all-natural, unprocessed and packed specifically with protein, healthy fats and unrefined carbohydrates. That way you only have quality foods to choose from and to grab when you’re in a hurry. Listed are some of my favorite energy boosting foods that give me prolonged energy and endurance while I’m sitting at my desk or working out at the gym! Continued on next page. Nutrition Quarterly · 2021 – Volume 1 5 Featured Articles