Fight fatigue with these energy-boosters this summer
Summer's on to us. The dry, unflinching heat is draining us to the core - and this is just the beginning of the long hot spell ahead. For the next few months we will sweat and swear at the same time, yet accept feeling drained of all energy and enthusiasm as part and parcel of this "terrible" season.
But don't make the mistake of pinning low energy to just the soaring temperatures. A common reason behind feeling always fatigued is low haemoglobin (Hb) that signals anaemia (below 13 Hbg/dl for men and 12 Hbg/dl in women). This reduces the ability of the blood to transfer oxygen through the body and hampers energy production. And during summers the problem and symptoms simply snowball due to added hot weather stresses. By the way frequent headaches, breathlessness, and dull and tired looking eyes are other tell-tale signs of low Hb.
Bring up your Hb
Bringing up your Hb has to be a two pronged effort. Get enough iron in your diet and ensure that it gets absorbed too. Simplest solution is to eat enough dulse, a sea vegetable, harvested off the coast of Britain and Ireland is one of the richest plant sources of iron. Sadly, it is not that easily available (you'll find it mostly in health food shops), but there are plenty other ways of bringing up the Hb levels. Just consciously eat more of these foods:
Meat and liver are best sources of iron and non-vegetarians must eat them regularly. Egg yolk is a good source too (so no more just egg white omeletes please).
Lentils (chickpeas, kidney beans), soya bean (better when fermented), dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, drumstick leaves, fenugreek leaves and watercress, mushrooms, potatoes (with their skin on) and peas, and certain fruits, specially dried apricots, peaches, prunes and raisins are good sources.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are of great value because their ascorbic acid (vitamin C) content facilitates iron absorption. That's why it is advised that you have pomegranate juice (a good source of iron) with some orange/sweet lime juice (for vitamin C) added to it. And have your lentils (sprouts, chickpeas etc) with a dash of lemon. Similarly, lemon rice with lots of peas is a good idea too.
Mushrooms, grains, nuts and beans are rich in copper, which is needed for the release of iron stored in the liver, for intestinal absorption of iron and for the absorption of iron into haemoglobin.
Nuts (particularly pistachios, peanuts and cashews) are good sources of iron. However, iron from cashews and pistachios is not as easily absorbed as iron from non-veg sources. So to boost absorption eat cashews with a vitamin C rich source say kiwi fruit, or add them to a salad with peppers and tomatoes or down them with a small glass of orange juice. Almonds are not that high in iron but as they are a copper, iron and vitamins powerhouse, so act as a catalyst in the synthesis of haemoglobin.
Soak seven almonds in water for two hours, grind into a paste after removing the skin and have every day.
Pumpkin seeds are a tasty, portable snack and a brilliant source of iron. So are fenugreek seeds and black sesame seeds. Soaking one teaspoon of the sesame seeds in warm water for a couple of hours, grind and strain them, and then mixed with a cup of milk and sweetened with jaggery. Drink it up.
Honey is remarkable for building haemoglobin in the body. This is largely due to the iron, copper, and manganese contained in it. Got a sweet tooth? Stick to dark chocolate. Along with satisfying your cravings, it'll deliver iron too.
Avoid these
Don't diet. Our average diets barely manages to meet the RDA (recommended dietary allowance) for iron, so dieting and decreasing food intake makes it even more difficult to get it enough. So don't skip meals.
Avoid foods with high tannins (tea) or caffeine (coffee) content, as ironically they may lend a (perceived) of energy but they actually block cells from absorbing a full dose of iron. So, no cuppa with meals. Keep a gap.
Also read: Foods smokers must eat if they can't kick the habit