Boost your energy to reduce your stress

In our fast-paced, high-stress society, fatigue and even exhaustion have become the norm. More sleep,­ of course, is the best answer. But the right diet can also help fuel your body for the long haul and keep your energy ­levels from flagging throughout the day.

The major components of all foods — carbohydrates, proteins, and fats — are the nutrients that provide calories and so give you energy.

• The human body converts carbohydrates to glucose: its most important source of energy. This is the "blood sugar" that rises after eating carbohydrates. A rise in blood sugar triggers your pancreas to release insulin, a hormone that helps glucose enter the body's cells.
• Once inside the cell, glucose supplies the energy to fuel your body. A certain amount of unused glucose is stored in muscles and liver as glycogen. Your body draws on these stores whenever your blood sugar drops. Once glycogen stores are full, excess glucose is ­converted to fat.
• Protein can also be converted to energy but is a less efficient source than carbohydrates.
• While fats are the most concentrated source of calories, they are actually a less efficient source of energy than carbohydrates because they take longer to digest and metabolize.

Despite some extravagant claims, vitamins don't provide energy.

• They are needed, however, to power many of the metabolic processes that lead to energy production.
• A diet that includes an ample supply of vegetables, legumes, fruits and whole-grain products will provide adequate vitamins and minerals.
• Many fruits also provide sugars that are quickly converted to energy.

• Don't forget to move around! Exercising will raise your metabolism and help you feel better mentally and physically, and may help you reduce your anxiety and stress levels.
• It may help to get a drink — not that kind! Everyone needs at least six to eight glasses of fluid per day to be properly hydrated. If you exercise, you need more. Water regulates your body temperature, transports nutrients to your body, and carries waste away.
• Fatigue is one symptom of mild dehydration. You could be mildly dehydrated without knowing, and that certainly would increase your body's stress levels too.

Keep this guide in mind and reduce your stress by making healthy changes to boost your energy.