To keep energised throughout the day it is important to keep your blood sugar balanced with the right healthy snacks and foods.

If you are eating refined, sugary foods and snacks this will cause a short burst of energy and then soon afterwards you will feel depleted with a low mood too. Apparently everyone is intolerant to wheat to some degree. Wheat is very dehydrating and can drain you of energy, making you feel fatigued and bloated too. 
 
Here are some healthy snack alternatives:
 

• Oatcakes, a wheat free bread wheat, spelt or rye bread or crackers if you can tolerate gluten, with either avocado, hummous, nut or seed butters, jam (sugar-free and organic if possible).
• Nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts, sunflower, pumpkin and hemp seeds with raw vegetables such as carrot sticks, cucumber, sugar snap peas or a piece of fresh fruit or dried fruit which doesn’t contain sulphur dioxide.
• Cereal/protein bars which don’t contain sugar or artificial sweetners and are preferably organic.

 
Meals can consist of any of the following depending on time and appetite: 
 

• Homemade vegetable soup from organic vegetables or miso soup which is quick to prepare. 
• A wholegrain such as quinoa, millet, brown rice, buckwheat or wheat-free pasta or noodles if you haven’t got the time to make a grain. 
• Serve with fresh or tinned salmon, sardines, mackerel or any other fresh fish you enjoy, organic chicken, organic free-range eggs, or for a vegetarian/vegan option use beans, lentils, pulses, tofu, tempeh etc. 
• Serve with lots of fresh vegetables (cooked and raw). If using sauces avoid ones containing sugar and artificial sweeteners. Sea vegetables such as arame, nori, kombu etc. can be used in cooking to enhance minerals but need to be introduced slowly.

 
 
Julie G. Silver is a Nutritional Therapist, Natural Health & Stress Management Consultant. To find out more visit www.juliesilver.co.uk