With Dr. Kristy Lewis

These days we need every advantage possible to keep energy up, moods balanced, and the immune system strong. One simple recommendation to maintain health and vitality is to keep blood sugar stable throughout the day. In my naturopathic practice, I have seen considerable shifts in health when this need is recognized and made a priority.

Here are my top 5 tips to help you maintain blood sugar levels and sustainable energy throughout the day.

1. Eat a high protein breakfast: a high protein start to the day has been shown to decrease empty nutrient intake and reduce sugar cravings for the rest of the day. Add hard-boiled eggs to your slice of toast or hemp hearts with nut butter to your oatmeal or a high protein smoothie, and you will be amazed how this will shift your energy, focus, and sugar cravings later in the day.

2. Eat a mid-afternoon snack: in the same way that breakfast protein decreases afternoon cravings, a mid-afternoon snack rich in protein will result in fewer sugar cravings after dinner. For example, choose a handful of nuts and fruit or plain greek yogurt mid-afternoon, and the result will be balanced late afternoon energy and less junk food after dinner.

3. Never miss a meal: after years of exploring, recommending, and trying multiple fads and therapeutic programs, I have returned to a very basic philosophy when it comes to nutrition. I call it “Grade 3 eating,” and it consists of 3 balanced meals breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the day. When we miss a meal, not only do we set ourselves up to make poor choices later, we also spike our stress response, decrease our immune health and further aggravate our blood sugar levels. You are not doing yourself any favours by skipping a meal.

4. Always balance your meals: a balanced meal consists of protein like chicken, fish, tofu, or eggs and whole-food starch like rice, potatoes, or quinoa and good fat like nuts, olive oil, or avocado, and at least 1/2 your plate veggies. Most of us busy moms don’t balance our meals. Begin to ask yourself the question: is there protein or fat? Can I increase my veggies? Adding nuts, hemp hearts, hard-boiled eggs, and a handful of spinach can completely makeover your meal and offer you balanced energy for the day.

5. Eat your fibre: Fibre keeps our blood sugar balanced by slowing down the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar. When we eat more fibre, our energy becomes balanced. When choosing carbohydrates, always reach for the darker and denser options like brown rice over white rice or sweet potatoes over white ones. Another great tip to increase fibre and decrease insulin is to add 1 tbsp of ground flaxseed to your

By Kristy Lewis

If you regularly feel exhausted, it’s a good idea to consult your health care professional to rule out any underlying health issues. Tiredness can also be the result of a busy lifestyle. If you find yourself struggling to stay alert throughout the day, then you might want to try some of the following suggestions to boost your energy.

Stay Hydrated with Water and Electrolytes

The human body is 55-75 percent water. All bodily systems depend on adequate water to sustain regular metabolic activity. Even mild dehydration can compromise function and lead to symptoms like thirst, dry skin, constipation, fatigue, headaches, and weakness.

How much water should you drink? Here is an easy formula to get you started:

Your weight (lbs) ÷ 16 = Daily intake (cups)

If you had an intense workout, try coconut water or water with lemon and honey to help replace the electrolytes your body sweated out.

Limit or avoid caffeine

Caffeine and coffee simply fool your body into producing fake energy. Caffeine temporarily takes large amounts of adrenaline from your adrenal glands, resulting in longer-term energy levels and greater dependence on caffeine for energy.

If you do consume caffeine, have your last caffeinated drink before midday. This is because it takes women 8 hours to metabolize caffeine.

Substitute your cup of coffee with Rooibos tea. Rooibos tea is made from South Africa’s red bush plant. It’s packed with antioxidants, including aspalathin, which regulates the adrenal hormones, helping to reduce stress and maintain high energy levels.

Natural light

Exposure to bright, natural light first thing in the morning is the best way to wake up your brain and to regulate your biological clock, and keep it on track. Enjoy your breakfast in by a sunny window or, better yet, get outside for a few minutes and enjoy the natural light and the fresh air, which will also help you feel more energized.

Daily exercise

Incorporating at least 30 minutes of exercise into your day will not only give you more energy but will also make you healthier and happier. Exercise releases endorphins that will leave you feeling uplifted. Physical activity also sends oxygen and nutrients to your cells, helping your system work more efficiently for an extra boost of energy; exercise outdoors in the morning to get the benefits from the natural light.

Eat Chia seeds

Chia seeds have high amounts of omega-3 and omega-6 that help regulate glands, fight adrenal fatigue, and reduce inflammation. They are also high in protein and fibre, which keep blood sugar stable.

Starting your day with refined carbohydrates such as a bagel, muffin, or high sugar cereal can disrupt blood sugar levels, causing a mid-morning crash. Adding chia seeds to your morning smoothie or oatmeal can help satisfy your hunger and avoid an energy crash.

Chia seed pudding is a delicious snack, and it’s easy to make.

Chocolate chia pudding

• 1 ¼ cup almond milk
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ cup chia seeds
• 4 pitted dates

Place all the ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour the pudding in glasses or small jars and refrigerate for a minimum of four hours.

Stress can affect your body, your thoughts and feelings, and your behavior. Recognizing common stress symptoms can help you to manage them; this is important because stress that's left to fester can contribute to mental health challenges, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

Here are a few tips for getting your stress under better control.

Take a deep breath (or maybe a few)

With Dr. Kristy Lewis

These days we are all overwhelmed with expectations, pressures, and judgments about how to live our lives. So many of us find ourselves trying to do it all and making choices that do not reflect our inner values in an attempt to meet these unrealistic expectations. The reality is this is not obtainable nor sustainable, and many people find these pressures begin to manifest in the body as physical discomfort. The top 3 burnout symptoms that I see in my Naturopathic practice are:

1. Fatigue: Do you feel tired even with a good night's sleep, wake up feeling exhausted, and move through your day in a haze of brain fog and heaviness. Is consuming excess coffee, sugar, and salt the only way you feel you can “get through the day.”  Do you fall asleep with your children or on the couch only to wake later feeling groggy and disappointed that you did not get any time for yourself?

2. Moodiness and agitation:  Are you feeling sad, shameful or frustrated because you do not understand why you are lashing out at your partner and children? You love your family and have the life you always dreamed of but do not feel joy or happiness. Do you feel disconnected from yourself? And loved ones and wonder what could be missing?

3. Body pain/tension:  People who are in adrenal fatigue have more chronic pain. Do you carry the weight of unrealistic expectations on yourself? Is it possible that this pressure is now showing up in your body as chronic backache, headaches, whole-body muscle fatigue, and tension?