Every week we will email you the most up-to-date health and wellness information from an acknowledged expert in the field: Brazos Minshew - TriVita's Chief Science Officer. These reports offer a wealth of information on subjects that are important to you - and many topics have been suggested by our own readers. Our ultimate goal is to provide you with information that helps you lead a healthier life. This free newsletter is just one of the exclusive benefits of being a TriVita member.

Energy and Metabolism: How is Your Energy Level?

The World Health Organization (WHO) states, "Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. It is the ability to lead a socially and economically productive life."

Does that describe you? Or, like many people in North America, are you just too tired to think about being "socially and economically productive?"

If you feel too tired to do much more than read this article, don't feel alone. Up to 85% of the people that visit a doctor for any reason also complain of being chronically tired. It seems that we are in the middle of an energy crisis that has nothing to do with petroleum production!

When we talk about energy we need to distinguish the difference between the ability to survive and the feeling of being energetic. We must admit that even the sickest person is converting nutrients to energy in order to survive. Yet, we want to do more than survive - we want to feel energetic. We want to have the energy to dream and then have the energy to live those dreams. We want to feel our best every day. Is that possible?

Eating for energy: fats, protein, and carbohydrates
As I mentioned, energy comes from the way our bodies burn nutrients such as fats, protein, and carbohydrates. These nutrients must be metabolized. The word metabolism is from a Greek word that describes the process of creating energy from food. This description gives us the first hint as to how we can create and sustain an energetic feeling - by balancing our diet every day.

A balanced diet must include:

7 to 9 servings of fruit and vegetables (for adults)
30+ grams of high quality protein
20 to 35 grams of fiber daily
Sugars from the foods we eat provide us with ready energy, but it doesn't last very long. Proteins are converted to energy at a much slower pace and provide us with a more stable supply of energy - five times as much energy per gram as sugar.

However, when it comes to providing energy, fat is the undisputed champion. Fat provides us with stamina. It burns slowly and steadily up to 8 times longer than sugar. So for stamina that lasts all day and into the evening hours, select foods high in "good" fats.

Many experts say that we should get as much as 30% of our total calories per day from fat. This may mean more than 70 grams of fat for a 2,200 calorie per day diet. That's a lot of fat! But don't reach for the French fries just yet. You see, all foods contain fat. Fat is as important for plants as it is for humans. So, select fats from foods that are known for high energy, such as vegetables, seeds, nuts, legumes, and certain types of fish.

Take Control of Your Health

When frustration drains your energy: immediately drink 2 glasses of water.
When anxiety and tension prevent you from enjoying the moment: 10 minutes of deep breathing will cut your stress in half!
When fatigue seems insurmountable: a brisk walk in the open air will revive you.
When mental fog descends and clouds your thinking: a cup of green or ginseng tea will cut through the fog and brighten your mind.
For more information about TriVita's Health Products login at side panel of this site.