I don’t know about the rest of you, but this muggy weather is taking its toll on my energy levels.  The days are hot and sticky, the nights are warm and muggy and sleep seems impossible right now.  This can cause you to feel tired and drained during the day.

Why do we feel tired when it’s hot?

According to the experts more women than men report this general fatigue.  Many things can cause sluggishness, but poor nutrition is a big culprit.

The key is to balance your blood sugar levels to prevent peaks and crashes through the day. So eating every three/four hours is optimum. At The Body Retreat we recommend three main meals and two small snacks every day.

Choosing food to increase energy levels

But you need to choose your snacks wisely, yes an ice cream or a long ice cold fizzy drink would be lovely on a hot summers day. But beware, the simple sugars found in ice creams, lollies, soft drinks, and biscuits may provide a quick boost, but then a big letdown afterward as your blood sugar levels crash will leave you  feeling worse than before and in need of an even bigger boost!! Protein is the key to balancing those blood sugars.

The best way to beat fatigue is to eat a healthy breakfast to kick-start your body into gear for the day. It will help you to think clearer and eat healthier for the rest of the day. Our “On the Go” smoothie really comes into its own on days like these, it is healthy, tasty and nutritious and it only takes 2 minutes to prepare, you can even do it the night before and keep it in the fridge.  Because it’s fluid it is more easily absorbed, which means you, get the impact of the nutrients fast.  But its well balanced to ensure no crashes!!

Breakfast on the Go Smoothie

Serves 1 

Ingredients:

1 small ripe banana

50g pineapple, peeled and cubed

1 tbsp wheatgerm

1tbsp porridge oats

1 tsp crushed linseeds

50 mls  fresh apple juice

50g natural yoghurt

50mls coconut water

Sprinkle of fresh nutmeg or ground cinnamon

Method:

Place the banana and pineapple in a blender and blend until a rough puree, add the remaining ingredients and blend until a smooth juice.  Poor into a glass and grate a little fresh nutmeg or sprinkle a little ground cinnamon on top to taste.

Why should we drink lots of water?

Two-thirds of your body is made up of water.  Dehydration is one of the leading causes of a lack of energy, if you’re not well hydrated, your body puts its resources into maintaining your water balance instead of into giving you energy. If you are not a water lover try adding a splash fresh fruit juice and lots of ice to make it more to your palette… but only a splash of juice, remember pure fruit juice is just sugar.

Exercise to beat tiredness

While eating the right food and drinking enough fluid can help to combat fatigue, sometimes there is no better solution to tiredness than a quick walk outside. Try a 10-15 power walk in the sunshine and fresh air to blow away that fatigue. It is particular good to get outside just before you go to bed a night, bringing your body temperature down before you go to bed will help you to fall asleep faster.

Follow these simple tips and you will  have a good nights sleep, feel rested for the next day and get more out of these gorgeous sunny days.