The Role of Nutrition in Enhancing Stamina

While we were kids, most of us had the urge to run around in the afternoon without a care but our parents wanted us to take a nap so we wouldn't get sleepy before dinner time. Oh, how the tables have turned! Now most of us are wishing that our office timing would include a two hour nap time along with the lunch breaks but you’re supposed to run around passing sheets and making reports. What made this change? When we were kids, we used to have an unlimited amount of energy throughout the day, even though we were picky eaters and left the veggies out. Growing up we got the control of what we want to eat and started making food choices even worse. Something that seems like a high energy meal, like a bowl of chicken rice or the double patty burger, makes us feel sleepy and lethargic within the first twenty minutes. Every adult has felt it and has a separate amount of hatred for it. But isn’t food supposed to fuel you to move forward with more energy? Well our engines are not so different from our vehicles, not all foods are fuel for energy and stamina. Let’s understand why-

How does food fuel energy?

The basics of turning food into fuel is in digestion. When we eat, the body churns the food into a soluble mixture by adding stomach acids and enzymes from the pancreas. When this soluble mixture moves into the intestines, all the nutrients are already turned into liquid. These nutrients along with the calories are extracted by the intestines and sent into the bloodstream, while the solid waste is pushed downward into the large intestine to be excreted.

Energy from the food comes in the form of sugars from carbs. The enzymes in our digestive system turn the sugars into glucose which is soluble in blood. When the glucose is absorbed by the body and released into the blood, it is then used up by the different tissues in the body as energy or stored in cells to be used later as fuel. However, to get into the different cells of the body, we require the hormone called insulin. 

Insulin is what allows the cells in our bodies to open up to consume sugar. It also controls the amount of sugar that will stay in the bloodstream and how much of it will be consumed by the cells. If the body is not producing enough insulin, the glucose in the bloodstream keeps travelling and settles in the liver or is stored in between muscle cells as fat. When a lot of insulin is produced in the body, overtime the cells become rigid to its control and stop taking in as much insulin as is needed to function at full capacity, thus causing a drop in energy levels. This causes the blood sugar to be high for a longer time developing type-2 diabetes in the long run.

How insulin and blood sugar affect energy

Insulin is produced by the beta cells in the pancreas, which control the production and flow of insulin the body. When the cells have absorbed enough glucose from the blood, the sugar levels in the blood start to drop and the beta cells know it is happening. Thus, they reduce the flow of insulin in the blood while stopping the production of insulin. With this the amount of glucose going into the cells gets low and your energy levels start to drop slowly. This when your body urges for an after meal nap that we spoke of earlier. It allows the body to process all the extra glucose with the slowly secreted insulin, so that it can be stored as fat or used up as energy to keep the muscles working.

This rise and fall of insulin happens multiple times through the day where your energy levels keep rising and falling. Based on the amount of glucose that is going into your cells, you will either be very energetic or feel lethargic right after you’ve eaten.

Suppose you’ve eaten a lot of ice-cream. It will spike up your insulin production for a few minutes because there is a lot of glucose to process. As soon as the cells have had their fill, they resist the command of insulin and then, like a vicious cycle, the leftover glucose starts flowing in the body with less insulin being produced. This excess sugar content needs to be processed by turning it into glycogen, so glucose stops going into your cells, making you feel lethargic.

How a proper diet keeps up cell energy

There are certain foods that cause an imbalance in the insulin and blood glucose levels in the body while there are some which have a better effect of insulin and blood glucose flow. Here are a few food rules you can follow for constant stamina and energy through the day-

Eat less but often

You need to keep a quarter or more of space left in the stomach to allow the movement of acids and enzymes in the stomach. Eat smaller portions throughout the day and divide your food intake into three to four meals.

Eat more protein over carbs

It doesn’t mean you have to not eat carbs at all, they are necessary for glucose. But try to eat more of proteins, as they digest slower than carbs and keep the glucose levels controlled and constant. They are a constant supply of good energy which also repairs the cells which have insulin resistance.

Eat a variety of ingredients

Your body requires all kinds of nutrients to function properly. Don’t just think of calorie intake, eat fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals. They are needed to enhance and control the digestive and hormonal systems for a healthy living.

Stay hydrated

The body requires easy movement of blood to process the glucose properly. Hydration is important to balance the flow of insulin and glucose in the body. Drink at least 12-14 glasses of water throughout the day.

In Conclusion

You do not need to listen to influencers or self-proclaimed experts. Trust your doctor and more than that- your experience and your instinct. Experiment with your food intake and see how you feel after you give it at least a week’s time. Eat a lot of lean protein and always choose healthy fats like nuts and fruits over refined sugars like cakes and chocolate spreads. Apart from that, you can choose to supplement your stamina building process by adding herbal extracts to your system which balance the biology. Qraamen Dynamo Power Caps come with energy and stamina balancing herbs like kesar, cloves, shilajit, and more.