That said, I am still affected by the smells that permeate around my desk. Initially, it smells really yummy….and the cravings set in. After about 5 minutes though – I am really glad that I haven’t had any, because I usually get a headache from the smell. There is a reason why offices have lunch rooms – I just wish my coworkers would use ours.

A proper diet is really important for having energy and definitely important for maintaining it. Fast food can be a quick fix, but you will find that you will feel much worse, 40 minutes after eating than you did before.

When researching the kinds of food that I should be eating, not only to feel energized (the energy drink I posted a couple of days ago, works really well by the way), but to keep my mood elevated. I came across this article published in Mental Floss (my favorite magazine – which has a really cool blog) – it came via Men’s Health.

Here are the tips they cover – with some of my thoughts.

Stay alert With Protein – do you get an afternoon crash? Make sure you have some protein at lunch time. I am trying to cut back on all kinds of meat right now, but there are lots of options. I am a big fan of edamame and peanut butter and banana sandwiches (not together) – there are healthier options, but I have a hard time giving up PB&B. I don’t eat it more than once a week though. Put some chicken on top of your salad, or countless other things that you can do. Don’t know much about healthful eating? – b5media has some blogs that can help you – stop by either Veggie Chic or Eating Fabulous for some good ideas.

Kill stress with foods rich in magnesium – magnesium is so good for people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Not only does it help with stress and many other things – but it gives you energy!!!!

Fat-free carbs fight insomnia – they must have written this especially for me! They recommend a bit of popcorn right before bed – with little or no fat (that means no butter, unless you can stop at just a smidgen). I am going to try this tonight, and see if it helps.

Get happy with fish- a study in Finland, proved that people who eat fish are 31 percent less likely to suffer from depression. That’s a good reason to order sushi….mmmm sushi, my favorite. If you don’t like sushi, you can grill salmon, or tuna, or trout, or whatever you desire – its all good for you.

Remember the antioxidants – these come in the forms of fruits and vegetables. If you don’t eat these everyday, your brain will start to erode. And no one wants that to happen. I like being smart….(it makes me feel superior to the rest of the people in my life – shhhh).

*Thanks to Mental Floss and Men’s Health for the great tips!

**Picture Source – Flickr
I just love that the McDonald’s bag says “Put litter in its place”- because that’s exactly where their food belongs- in the trash!

Post from: Blisstree

Food is Fuel -Use it to Boost Your Energy

As most if not all of my fellow Chronic Fatigue sufferers will tell you, food can be particularly bothersome. Very necessary, but it seems like we (or at least myself) always have another food intolerance poppinig up. For instance right now, I can not tolerate any red meat, lettuce, or potatoes. And forget about milk (unless its lactaid), and right now I am also passing up any beverage with vodka in it. All of the above give me terrible head and stomachaches, not to mention milk still makes the bottoms of my feet peel. I know, too much information in a food post…sorry about that.

When I start feeling terrible, and I suspect that food is the cause. I go on the BRAT diet. BRAT stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast. Some people substitute apples for applesauce. But my grandfather makes THE best applesauce in the world (without sugar), and so I am sticking with the sauce, as its way tastier than regular apples (and I am not allergic to it). Adhering to this incredibly strict diet is not easy, since you are only allowed those items. But after a few short days, your body recovers, and you can start introducing small amounts of regular food back into your diet. Make sure you start slowly, because the whole point of going on the BRAT diet is to clean out your system, so you can start over and figure out what exactly it is that you are ingesting that is making you ill. You should be able to notice any intolerances immediately. When they pop up, remove them from your diet. Its not forever, try again in a few months, and things will probably change again,,,and you can go back to eating your favorites once again.

When your stomach has settled down after a few days on the BRAT, and you are well on your way to finding the bad foods. You may want to think about making up a batch of magic soup. I swear there are healing properties in this soup. It is guaranteed to make me feel better, and I have no doubt that it can do the same for you. For a sort of recipe (ok actually a list of ingredients) go here.

Post from: Blisstree

CFS Patients Find Success With The BRAT Diet