"Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper" – Adelle Davis, American author
THE DE-STRESSER
With tight deadlines, endless to-do lists and hectic schedules, most of us feel stressed from time to time. The body's way of dealing with it is to release two hormones, adrenalin and cortisol, the body's fight-or-flight hormone.
Stress can prematurely age, chronically tire or depress us and excess production of these hormones can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes and memory loss.
WHAT TO EAT
• Sliced banana topped with low-fat natural yoghurt and pumpkin seeds.
• Scrambled egg and grilled tomatoes on wholegrain toast with low-fat spread.
• Cup of peppermint tea.
WHY?
The pumpkin seeds, banana and yoghurt all contain magnesium to help relax tense muscles, creating a calming effect. It has also been linked to helping beat insomnia.
Eggs, yoghurt, wholegrain bread and pumpkin seeds are particularly good sources of B group vitamins, good for the nervous system and often depleted by stressful situations.
Eggs and yoghurt contain an amino acid called tryptophan, which the body uses to make the brain chemical serotonin. Serotonin is believed to play an important role in regulating anger, aggression and mood and increased levels of it make us happier and calmer. Swap caffeinated coffee for tea. It's a mild sedative with a calming effect, eases stress and tension and encourages relaxation without drowsiness.
STAY ALERT
Some jobs involve high concentration for long periods of time. Whether it's dealing with facts and figures, injured patients or negotiating traffic, you need to stay alert. Low blood sugar levels and dehydration are the two main causes that make our focus waver.
WHAT TO EAT
• A bowl of wheatflakes with semi-skimmed milk.
Wholegrain toast with grilled lean bacon and tomatoes.
• A glass of pomegranate juice.
• A cup of tea with semi-skimmed milk.
WHY?
Wholegrain bread and wheatflakes contain fiber and starchy carbs, which help prevent crashes in blood sugar levels that can leave us unable to concentrate, tired and irritable.
Bacon and wheatflakes contain iron to help keep haemoglobin levels high. It carries oxygen from lungs around the body.
Low iron intake can cause anaemia, which ruins concentration and leads to extreme tiredness.
Vitamin C helps us absorb and use iron better. Tomatoes and pomegranate juice are both good sources.
Dehydration makes us tired and hits concentration levels — fruit juice and tea boosts our fluid intake.
THE HIGH-ENERGY
Other roles require you to be active all day - whether it's for physical labour or constantly dashing to meetings in different locations. Keeping energy levels up can be difficult and many of us resort to sugary snacks that give a temporary energy high followed by a swift low.
WHAT TO EAT
• Bowl of porridge with a little honey
• Baked beans on wholegrain toast with a little low-fat spread
• Pot of low-fat fruit yoghurt
• Cup of coffee with semi-skimmed milk.
WHY?
Porridge has a low glycaemic index and is packed with slow-release carbs and fibre. This means it helps to maintain steady blood sugar levels - giving the body a gradual supply of energy throughout the morning.
Baked beans have a low glycaemic index and helps keep blood sugar steady. Wholegrain toast packed with fibre helps fill you up.
As well as being a good source of bone-building calcium, yoghurt is rich in protein. Research shows that good intakes of protein can help keep you fuller for longer — so you're less likely to snack between meals to keep you going.
KIDS NEED BREAKFAST
Overnight the body rests, sleeps and grows. In the morning you need fuel. How can you function without food? It is proven that eating breakfast improves concentration and focus. Children can be badly affected if they go to school on an empty stomach.
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