The New Nation - Internet Edition

Rita Faria

It's 3 p.m. and you can barely keep your eyes open. Your limbs feel heavy and, in mid-sentence, a large yawn has stopped you cold -- for the third time. It's not as though you didn't get the requisite eight hours last night, so what's going on? It could just be one of those days, but if you're out of energy on a regular basis, you might want to take a look at your diet.

There are a lot of ways in which what you eat or don't eat could affect your energy level.

"If clients come to me complaining of low energy, I would look at their individual diet. The food you eat may not be the only thing affecting your lagging spirits, but it makes sense that what goes in affects what you are able to put out.

Every person is different. If they're leaving out red meats, or they're a vegan or lacto-ovo, there may be an iron deficiency." All of these diet choices provide little iron, and Lynch says at that point, she would send a client for hemoglobin testing. If you do have an iron deficiency, prescription iron supplements would be necessary to build your energy back up. And don't worry -- if you're a little low in iron, you don't have to turn away from your veggie lifestyle. Lynch says eating whole grains and lots of vitamin C can help boost your iron intake.

If iron isn't your energy-stealer, another culprit might be the latest diet craze.

Carbs are the body's preferred source of energy. If you're on a diet that really restricts your carb intake, you might not have as much energy.

Extremely low-calorie diets could also zap your energy because your caloric intake would be so much less than what you're burning off.

So, follow the Atkins plan or the South Beach diet, if it's right for you, but if you are experiencing a lack of get-up-and-go, you might have to adjust the diet to your individual needs.

Body uses food for energy. It sounds obvious, but if you aren't getting enough calories, you won't have as much energy.

"Eat your vegetables" is a favorite adage of mothers everywhere and for good reason. To maintain a strong, healthy body, you need to eat a nutritious and balanced diet filled with vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean meats.

A proper diet can help build strong muscles, keep your mind alert, give you energy and enhance your performance. Simply said, "Food fuels your body and mind".

There is so much focus on the appearance of Cheerleaders, they sometimes become victims of fad diets, fast weight loss and improper nutrition. Don't give in and fall into these ruts. Cheerleading is a high energy sport that takes fast thinking, good coordination and strong muscles. It is far better to maintain a healthy and nutritious diet, get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids and exercise, to keep your body in peak condition for optimal performance. You are what you eat; eat healthy and be healthy.

Without getting into too much physiology, your body needs carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Carbohydrates are the body's main source of energy. Proteins are the basis for your muscles and fats/oils help with your nerves and hormones among other things. A proper diet should include all of these, but the key to maximum performance is the ratio you intake. An athlete should eat a balanced diet that is high in carbohydrates, low in fat, and adequate in protein.

Follow these simple guidelines of what to eat before, during and after you perform, compete, or tryout.

What to Eat and When

Before

Eat high carbohydrate foods like bread, pasta, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. Carbohydrates are digested quickly and provide glucose to the muscles. Stay away from dairy products and too much protein like greasy hamburgers, pizza, ice cream, and cheese. Avoid soda pop and candy bars. They can give you a quick burst of energy, but it will drop quickly, leaving you feeling spent.

Timing your meal from 1 to 4 hours before strenuous activity will help keep plenty of blood glucose available for your muscles.

It is also important to drink plenty of water to keep your muscles hydrated.

During

Drink plenty of water. Exertion and perspiration deplete your body of fluids and can lead to dehydration. It is recommended you drink at least a half of cup of water for every twenty minutes of exercise or strenuous activity.

If your activity is hard and continuous, over 90 minutes, drink a sports beverage or a drink with sugar added.

After

This is the time to eat protein to replenish what you lost during your physical activity, but don't overdo it. Remember protein can not only come from meats but is also present in dairy products and eggs.

Replace carbohydrates if your activity was long and exerting.

Replace any potassium or sodium that has been lost during competition or training by eating fruits, vegetables and salty foods.

Continue to replace fluids.

Knowing what foods your body needs for energy will payoff in your athletic accomplishments. Eat smart and you'll perform better.

Healthy diet increases tolerance

Good nutrition can help a patient replenish the good cells and lessen any adverse side effects.

It's important to have good nutrition at any time in your life, and at this time when you're under treatment, it's a more stressful situation on your body.

Dietitians advise patients to concentrate on three areas when undergoing treatment for breast cancer: proper hydration, overall calorie intake and increased protein.

Proper hydration

Being properly hydrated plays a key role in how well you feel during cancer treatments. Patients may complain about headaches and fatigue and assume that these are just the typical side effects of chemotherapy, when in reality they may be due to poor hydration and nutrition.

It's important to drink plenty of fluids, especially water, during treatments. Keeping a glass of water or juice nearby throughout the day can remind a patient to stay hydrated.

You want to keep those kidneys healthy while they're filtering everything out. Increased tolerance of your chemotherapy treatments is evident when you have good hydration and nutrition.