{"id":664,"date":"2008-08-20T06:00:08","date_gmt":"2008-08-20T10:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/is-this-the-secret-to-feeling-100\/"},"modified":"2013-09-26T08:21:52","modified_gmt":"2013-09-26T16:21:52","slug":"is-this-the-secret-to-feeling-100","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/is-this-the-secret-to-feeling-100\/","title":{"rendered":"Is This the Secret to Feeling 100{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c}?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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There\u2019s plenty of advice on the web about what to eat and drink, and a lot of it can be more than a bit confusing. What exactly is a \u201csuperfood\u201d? Should you be eating a meat-heavy caveman diet or a fruit-rich raw food diet for optimum health? Do you really need two liters of water every day?<\/p>\n

Often, we mistrust the advice being peddled \u2013 and with good reason. But this shouldn\u2019t lead us to stop caring about what we put into our mouths altogether. One of the best ways to cut through the hype, the fads and the ridiculous promises is to figure out what works for your body<\/em>. That means being conscious as to how food, water, caffeine and alcohol make you feel \u2013 and adjusting what you consume accordingly.<\/p>\n

Listening to your body about food<\/h2>\n

Try thinking through times when you\u2019ve felt ill, lethargic or sluggish after eating. You might want to ask yourself questions like:<\/p>\n

– How do I feel after a big meal?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Have you ever been stuck in a boring lecture or conference after a large lunch? Did you find yourself struggling to keep your eyelids open? Most people find that overeating at lunch-time has a poor effect on afternoon productivity: it\u2019s hard to get on with work when you want to curl up and fall asleep.<\/p>\n

Eating a big evening meal might help you to sleep \u2013 but eating too much near bedtime is likely to leave your stomach unpleasantly full and gurgling as you\u2019re trying to drop off.
\n
\n– How do I feel if I eat a lot of sugar?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some people react more strongly to sugary foods than others, experiencing an initial surge of energy followed by the \u201csugar coma\u201d slump. I find that I invariably feel groggy and out-of-it after a huge ice-cream sundae, and realizing this has helped me curb my sugar intake!<\/p>\n

– Do my eating habits help me stay energized and focused?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Most of us are distracted and irritable when we\u2019re hungry \u2013 have you ever skipped breakfast and found it difficult to concentrate at school or work? Even if you\u2019re dieting, it\u2019s important to eat enough, which means having a light snack if you\u2019re hungry between meals.<\/p>\n

The types of foods which you eat also have an effect: you\u2019ll probably find you get sustained energy from high-fibre foods, starch-rich foods and fruits and vegetables \u2013 whereas sugary treats like pastries and doughnuts can leave you struggling to focus.<\/p>\n

Listening to your body about water<\/h2>\n

Many of us are making a conscious effort to increase our water intake, but you probably don\u2019t need to force down glass after glass of water if you\u2019re not thirsty. Ask yourself:<\/p>\n

– Does drinking a glass of water perk me up when I\u2019m tired or irritable?<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

If so, you might be getting dehydrated. I often don\u2019t realise that I\u2019m thirsty until I find myself lacking concentration and getting grouchy. Next time your brain is feeling sawdust-like, have a glass of water and see if it helps.<\/p>\n

– Do I get headaches which go away when I drink water?<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the most common causes of headaches is not drinking enough water. If you find yourself suffering regularly from mild headaches, try drinking extra water. This especially applies if your headaches always occur at the same time every day.<\/p>\n

– Am I forcing myself to drink water when I\u2019m not thirsty?<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you really aren\u2019t thirsty, there\u2019s no need to drink more water just to meet a daily quota. Learn to trust your body here \u2013 if you feel fine otherwise (no headache or lethargy), it\u2019s unlikely you\u2019re getting dehydrated. Drinking too much water isn\u2019t great for you, because it depletes the amount of sodium in your body.<\/p>\n

Listening to your body about caffeine and alcohol<\/h2>\n

Some people have a much higher tolerance for caffeine and\/or alcohol than others. This can be due to genetic factors, body mass, or simply how much caffeine or alcohol you\u2019re used to drinking. When considering whether you need to limit your intake, or limit when<\/em> you indulge, think about:<\/p>\n

– Do I feel ill after drinking alcohol or caffeine?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I regularly drank too much alcohol as a student, and (unsurprisingly!) felt dreadful each time. There\u2019s nothing fun about the room-spinning sensation of being drunk, and if you get to the point of throwing up, that\u2019s your body reacting to what it sees as an attempt to poison it.<\/p>\n

Caffeine rarely produces such strong reactions, but too much can leave you wired and jittery rather than perked up ready to concentrate.<\/p>\n

With both alcohol and caffeine, you need to figure out how much you<\/em> can drink without getting a negative effect. Maybe your friend can get through two bottles of wine every evening, or your colleagues drink triple-shot espressos \u2013 that doesn\u2019t mean your body will be happy with you doing likewise.<\/p>\n

– Does alcohol or caffeine affect my sleep?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some people find that a small amount of alcohol can help them sleep, and others like a mug of milky tea or coffee last thing at night. But too much alcohol (even just one glass of wine for some of us) results in poor quality sleep, and many people need to avoid caffeine in the evenings in order to drop off easily. After sleeping badly for several nights in a row, I cut out the cup of tea I was drinking at 6.30pm when I got home from work; it worked a charm.<\/p>\n

Have you made improvements to your eating and drinking habits based on how your body feels? Or do you find it hard to trust your physical reactions? Share your experiences with us in the comments below.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Written by Ali, a writer and website creator (<\/em>www.aliventures.com<\/em><\/a>).<\/em><\/p>\n

Image by The Half-Blood Prince <\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s plenty of advice on the web about what to eat and drink, and a lot of it can be more than a bit confusing. What exactly is a \u201csuperfood\u201d? Should you be eating a meat-heavy caveman diet or a … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12163,"featured_media":665,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[24],"tags":[2010,2972,1745,538],"yoast_head":"\nIs This the Secret to Feeling 100{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c}? - Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Have you made improvements to your eating and drinking habits based on how your body feels? Or do you find it hard to trust your physical reactions? 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