Avoiding winter colds and flus with nutritionist Catherine Saxelby

Nutritionist Catherine Saxelby gives 5 ways to beat the mid-afternoon slump

Here's how to push through that mid-afternoon low at 3 or 4pm when your energy levels slump and your thoughts turn to coffee and chocolate.

1. Take a power nap (once known as a siesta)
If you're lucky enough to work from home or to have the luxury of a flexible lifestyle where you can take a quick nap, then give in to it. A 30-minute nap is what your body calls for to match its in-built circadian rhythms. It will refresh and revitalize you for the rest of the day. It's what those clever Spanish and Italians have formalized into a siesta.

2. Plan energizing strategies into your lunch break
If you can, go outdoors for a walk in the fresh air and greenery. Research shows walking in open green spaces like a park or along a rive is more invigorating and helps re-charge the brain for the afternoon. If you can get to a heated pool or a gym, a swim or workout works well to boost your metabolism and re-new your energy.

3. Up the protein
Eat a high-protein lunch, based on tuna, salmon, chicken, hard-boiled egg or cold meat with salad rather than a sandwich, roll or pasta meal. There's evidence that protein helps maintain alertness and also helps with satiety (feeling fuller for longer) which is good for weight control.

4. Eat low GI carbs
It pays to select slower-digested low GI carbohydrates at lunch so they'll stick with you longer and prevent your energy levels from flagging. Here's some suggestions:
* Swap from white bread to grainy bread or rye bread
* Avoid white rice if you order Asian take-away. Ask for hokkien noodles instead.
* Go for legumes such as baked beans on grain toast or chickpeas in a salad with tuna or in a lentil curry. They have one of the lowest GI's of all carbohydrates.

5. Snack right
Plan to have an afternoon snack to pick yourself up and make it through to dinner. Forget the chocolate bar. It's a kilojoule-laden treat that leaves you looking for more an hour later.
Good energy snacks that won't ruin your diet are:
* a handful of almonds, walnuts or mixed nuts, ideally unsalted
* fruit and nut trail mix
* cheese with wholegrain crackers
* mug of soup e.g. lentil soup, minestrone OR pea and ham
* fruit salad with yoghurt.


Catherine Saxelby BSc, Grad Dip Nutrition Dietetics (Syd), APD, MAIFST
is a nutritionist with a passion for helping people to be healthy and to enjoy good food. Each month she shares information on nutrition and provides a nutritious, appetising recipe.

http://www.brita.com.au/betterliving/nutrition/july10

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• nutrition
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