Apple and walnut chicken salad (recipe)
This version of the classic chicken salad boasts walnuts, apples and bold Italian seasoning.
“You feel as good as the last thing you ate” is a favorite saying of Dr. Darius Schneider, a Sharp Community Medical Group board-certified endocrinologist. That’s because some foods, he says, can cause fatigue and lead to mood disturbances, while others can improve your overall mood and well-being.
According to Dr. Schneider, mood and fatigue are the first casualties of poor nutrition long before your physical health begins to deteriorate. And, unfortunately, the modern American diet consist of lots of poor choices.
“High energy foods that are nutritionally poor don’t provide the body with enough fuel or nutrients to function at its best,” Dr. Schneider says. “Quick fix foods, such as hastily eaten protein bars or caffeinated drinks, only offer a temporary energy boost that quickly wears off and worsens fatigue.”
He recommends limiting the following to feel more energetic and boost your mood:
Foods that can improve your health and well-being
Foods, Dr. Schneider reports, such as berries, green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds and fermented foods combined with plenty of hydration, can have the opposite effect and improve your overall mood and well-being. “Plan your meals and have healthy snacks at hand to avoid mindless eating,” he says.
He also recommends you:
Read nutrition labels and question ingredients.
Limit caffeine and alcohol use.
Avoid sugary drinks and drink water instead.
Regularly exercise and limit long periods of sitting.
“Ask yourself how your diet impacts your energy and mood,” Dr. Schneider says. “What are the foods that positively impact your mood and energy levels and vice versa? Then, eat more of the foods that make you feel good and less of those that don’t and keep moving.”
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The Sharp Health News Team are content authors who write and produce stories about Sharp HealthCare and its hospitals, clinics, medical groups and health plan.
Dr. Darius Schneider is a board-certified endocrinologist affiliated with Sharp Community Medical Group.
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