Savoring Summer: Eat Healthy for More Energy

Sustainability. It’s a popular buzzword in international development work these days -- and it should be in your nutritional vocabulary, too!

Here’s why. Say you’d like to help a farming community in a developing country. You might provide hand tools, tractors, seed, or fertilizer. Each item would have a different impact on the community – both in the short and long term. Suppose you decide to bring enough fertilizer for the community to use for a whole year. Their production nearly doubles! But that kind of help isn’t “sustainable”; the next year’s harvest will drop back down as they run out of fertilizer. And what if you don’t come back with more fertilizer? They would be worse off than when they started.

Our bodies are the same way. You may be running low on energy, and you might consider different ways to cope. The easiest solution – sugar or caffeine – will give you the immediate ‘boost’ you might be looking for. But a couple hours later, you’re back where you started . . . or worse. Living a “boost-to-boost” lifestyle will wear your body out and deprive you of the natural energy you really need.

Believe it or not, the eating tips in this column will actually help give you the “sustainable” energy to carry you through your day without needing that “fix”. Break out of the roller-coaster cycle of caffeine highs and lows, and you’ll enjoy a more consistent, healthier and happier life.

We’re talking about the Four H’s of healthy eating tips. Last week, we explored how everything you put into your body needs to be Hygienic and Healthy. Now, we turn to Hydrating and Hearty.

KEEP IT HYDRATING
When we get tired, the last place we point our finger is dehydration. And yet, dehydration is one of the leading causes of fatigue. Water is the most important nutrient (yes, nutrient) your body needs, and those hours in the sun make it even more important to get that water.

• Don’t mistake thirst for hunger. Next time you think you want another round of potato chips, grab a glass of water instead. Chances are that’s what your body really wants.

• Avoid sodas and coffee. An ice-cold Coke might go perfectly with that medium-rare Angus burger you’ve just sunk your teeth into… but the caffeine and sugar detract from the hydrating value of the water. If you can’t bear the thought of going without, try a caffeine-free alternative.

• Avoid alcohol. Like caffeine, it doesn’t give your body the water it needs.

KEEP IT HEARTY
Too many Americans are overeating. The solution is not forcing yourself to eat less! Rather, you need to eat more hearty meals.

Here’s why: your body craves good nutrition, whether you’re eating well or not. If you eat less hearty food – snack foods, junk foods, or low-protein foods – your body is not satisfied for long. That’s when you reach for the snack food – the food that holds your appetite off but doesn’t really satisfy.

So if you’re not in college . . . don’t eat as if you are!

• At work or play – reach for the salad, not the potato chips. “Junk snacks” will fill your stomach without feeding you, and you’ll be worse off for it.

• At home – break out the crockpot! If you find yourself “on the go”, stews and other crock pot meals are quick and easy to throw together in the morning and satisfy in the evening. The slow cooking process locks the flavor in with the nutrition.

• Anywhere – supplement your food! Even a hearty stew doesn’t give your body all that it needs. Taking vitamins and nutritional supplements daily will help you sustain a “hearty” diet. And, try joining the hundreds of thousands of people who use Royal Jelly, a natural substance from the beehive that can help provide added energy, stamina, and vitality.*

Make the Four H’s a habit to enjoy sustainable energy. A healthier lifestyle helps you feel alive! Make a habit of the Four H’s . . . today!

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. As with any natural product, individual results will vary.

For more information about Bee-Alive or Royal Jelly, please visit www.beealive.com.