Creating a Mindful Impact on Health and Fitness: Energy boosting foods

Many of us have very busy schedules and we wait a long time between meals to eat. We rely so heavily on coffee, sodas, teas and other unhealthy caffeinated beverages to prop the eyelids open before the next meal. But what if you could naturally get your energy from foods? What if just adding or changing a few simple things in you diet could give you that sustained energy to get through to the next meal without having to stop at the vending machine or drive through?

Here are 4 simple ways to add foods to your already healthy diet to give you that kick in the butt energy you might desperately need!

1. Top those pancakes with peanut or almond butter AND 1/2 cup of strawberries instead of butter and syrup. Nut butters add B vitamins that help turn your food into energy. The protein and fat combo keep your energy up for hours

2. Replace croutons with chick peas on your salads at lunch. Chick peas are high in fiber, complex carbs, and protein for energy and staying alert. Croutons just add to simple carbs which turn to sugar and add to you mid afternoon crash! You can add them wet from a can or you can buy them dry roasted. Want to create your own? Pat them dry from the can, add olive oil, salt, pepper, and any other spice you desire, and bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes

3. Add orange slices to a kale or spinach salad. Orange slices soak up more of the iron from these green which add to your sustained energy levels. The vitamin C from the orange help convert the plant iron to an easily absorbed form of iron.

4. Throw 1/2 cup of whole grains into your stir fry. I would choose brown rice or quinoa because we do not eat gluten. The grains that are high in fiber aide in the body's serotonin production. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter linked to better moods and these high fiber foods can help add to your all day energy levels to keep you going for your busy life