If the change of season is making you unusually sleepy and with low energy this year, try to incorporate the following wellness practices into your day and feel yourself again
- Consume most of your animal proteins for breakfast and lunch, avoiding their consumption in the evening. Dinner should be mainly based on good-quality carbohydrates (such as grains, legumes and legume pasta). Structuring your meals this way will optimize your metabolism and promote good, restful sleep.
- Reduce your caffeine intake to two cups of matcha or coffee per day (maximum 150-200mg of caffeine/day). Also, concentrate your caffeine intake during the morning to avoid interfering with sleep (as it can take even 7 hours to metabolize and completely eliminate caffeine from the body). Finally, remember to drink matcha or coffee only after introducing a protein-rich meal to not negatively affect your hormonal balance, which would also ‘mess up’ energy levels.
- Eat savory breakfasts. Try my high-protein crêpes with avocado smash and arugula, fried sage and oregano or ricotta and extra virgin olive oil. Or go for a tasty egg bowl with fried eggs, veggies (ideally dark leafy greens), some beans and avocado.
- Make 3 of your lunches per week seafood-based. Fish is rich in iodine and will support your metabolism and your nervous system, optimizing energy levels throughout the day.
- Optimize nerve and muscle relaxation in the evening by introducing potassium-rich foods for dinner. Try brown rice with sautéed zucchini, parsley and 1 teaspoon of pine nuts, or teff pasta with hemp seed pesto (pesto here is functional because it contains basil, an adaptogenic plant), or cream of potatoes, zucchini and leeks with 1 teaspoon pumpkin seeds.
- Drink nettle tea to supply the body with iron to optimize blood flow while supporting energy levels.
- Supplement 300mg of Magnesium Glycinate per day. Take it before going to sleep.
- Lower cortisol levels with acupuncture, yoga, meditation, infrared sauna and avoiding exposure to blue light (electronic) before going to sleep.
