Energise your life
GP and recipe writer Dr Chintal Patel highlights five ways to increase your vitality and shares a recipe using chickpeas for slow-release energy
1. Add variety to your diet
This is my number-one tip. Aim to incorporate as many different coloured foods in your diet as you can. You can do this through fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, spices, or look at your snack cupboard – choose things like mixed nuts, seeds, dried fruit or crackers. That way, you’re not defaulting to a chocolate bar or crisps.
2. Get more fibre into your meals
Focus on including more plant foods in your meals. Throw frozen fruit in porridge or a smoothie, use up veg in a soup or curry, bulk out pasta and pies with a can of beans or legumes.
3. Avoid extremes
I suggest looking at your weekly shop with an 80/20 mindset. Make plans for lots of vegetables and nourishing recipes throughout your week, then, if you do find yourself at a party or someone brings some cake to work, it doesn’t need to be an issue, because you’ve already included plenty of nutritious foods in your week.
4. Get enough sleep
Sleep is massively important for our overall health. We don’t often give it much credit, but as well as helping us feel energised in the morning, sleep is so important for cellular renewal, rejuvenation and longevity. The recommendation for optimal sleep is between seven and nine hours for adults, so take some time to figure what works for you.
5. Digestion is key
While what you put into your body is important, how your body reacts to that food is equally so. We tend not to consider gut health until we experience a specific issue like bloating or flatulence. If you find yourself feeling tired, anxious or filled with brain fog after a meal, those are signs that your digestion needs support.
More like this
Make this whole with chole with cumin rice & raita for a high-fibre meal.
Find out more on the Good Food health podcast.
