HaveHealthNow Blog by Wellness Mike

Eating for Energy Healthy eating is the cornerstone to success at work, home, and in the gym. Your body needs energy to keep going, just as your car needs fuel to drive. The food you eat gives you that energy — the physical and mental stamina you need to make it through your day. Energy comes from 3 nutrients: carbs, fat, and protein. After you eat, these nutrients are released into your bloodstream and converted to glucose, or blood sugar — the energy you need to power your body’s work. Energy you don’t use right away is stored as glycogen in your liver and muscles for quick release or as fat for possible use later. Colorful Carbs Fruits and vegetables contain complex carbs — your body’s preferred fuel source. If you don’t eat enough carbs, your muscles will feel chronically fatigued. You need 45%-65% of your calories as carbs — which fits perfectly with a plan to eat 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Morning Energy Boost After 8-12 hours without food, your body need

Today’s grocery stores and neighborhood produce stands offer an attractive array of fruits and vegetables. Becoming produce savvy and learning to be selective will help you make good choices. Before long, practicing these tips will make the best choices easy. Timing is Everything Purchase your fruits and vegetables twice a week to assure you get the freshest available. Vegetables and fruits lose nutrients the longer they sit around — especially vitamins A and C. If something is on sale, ask the produce manager how long it’s been in the store. Sometimes fruits or vegetables are marked down because they’ve been unrefrigerated for several days or are damaged. If you’re buying produce to eat today, buy ripe. For tomorrow or the next day, look for items that need just a little ripening. If you don’t plan to use them until later in the week, buy fruits and vegetables that aren’t yet ripe. (You can ripen fruit more quickly by putting it in a loosely closed paper bag at room temperature.)