How to increase your energy when you have IBS
Energy is a bit like time, we are always wishing we had more and not having enough of it means we often stop doing things we enjoy or that are good for our gut health and IBS symptoms like exercise, cooking a healthy meal, going to bed early etc.
So let's take a look at how to increase your energy levels when you have IBS.
The thing with energy is some of the activities that give us more energy like exercise and eating healthily involve some effort on our part. So it’s a bit of a catch-22…
I want more energy but I’m too tired to cook a nutritious meal or exercise. It’s so easy to get caught in a never-ending loop of craving more energy but not doing the very things that give it to us!
Small consistent changes however can help to break the vicious cycle and a great place to start is with your diet. You wouldn’t fill your car with cheap fuel and expect it to run efficiently so why expect your body to have energy if you don’t eat healthy nutritious food?!
Think of your body as a bank and food as currency, energy is the return on your investment.
That’s not to say that you have to spend your weekly wages on food. Eating healthily is not expensive, in the short or long term and your health is the most worthwhile investment you will ever make.
6 diet changes you can make today to improve your energy levels
So what small changes can you make to your diet starting today that will make a difference to your energy levels?
Focus on eating whole foods and limit intake of sugar and processed foods
Have a breakfast with a good amount of protein
Make sure all your meals and snacks are well balanced with protein and healthy fats
Don’t leave long gaps between eating
Swap your afternoon coffee for a caffeine-free alternative
Drink 6-8 glasses of water throughout the day
Doing even one of the above will improve your energy when you have IBS, practice all of these healthy habits and your energy levels will soar.
Of course movement, sleep and stress can also impact energy levels, which is why I developed my signature 5-pillar diet and lifestyle roadmap back from IBS, but concentrating on proper nutrition is a great place to start and often yields great results.
