What many people don’t know is that the quality of the foods we choose plays an important role in providing our bodies with energy and activity or, conversely, increasing our levels of laziness and lethargy, such as eating certain types of food in excessive amounts. causes the body to secrete hormones that lead to feelings of laziness and exhaustion, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in America.
The effect of serotonin
Nutritionist Sandra Akiki told Sky News Arabia:
The association of lethargy with certain types of food is confirmed by science. For example, eating large amounts of protein-rich foods, such as chicken, fish, milk, eggs, and soy, leads to the secretion of tryptophan, an amino acid that causes the body to synthesize a substance or l he hormone serotonin, which plays a major role in influencing certain functions of the body such as mood and sleep Any defect in the secretion of the hormone serotonin leads to an abnormality in the rhythm of sleep in humans, and highlights lethargy and laziness.
Digest foods containing fat
Akiki adds:
Pasta, rice, white bread and foods that contain flour are those rich in starches, in addition to foods that contain a lot of sugar, which increase blood sugar, and therefore, if insulin levels in the body are not enough to regulate blood sugar, symptoms of lethargy and laziness appear in the digestive process that occurs after eating, and it plays a role in increasing levels of lethargy and fatigue, especially if the meal was fatty and filling. The process of digesting foods containing fats takes a lot of time, which drains energy from the body.
Elements that reduce body energy
Akiki explains:
Due to the nature of modern life, people are always looking for whatever boosts their energy levels, not realizing that their actions are the root cause of this feeling. The daily worries of work, inability to exercise, and lack of confidence in healthy eating all reduce energy levels in the body and cause lethargy.
Focus on food quantity and quality
For her part, Jumana Al-Bashiti, a clinical nutritionist, said in an interview with “Sky News Arabia” that:
The reason a person feels sluggish after eating is due to two things, namely the quantity and the quality of the food they eat. Fast food and foods high in fat, such as fries, burgers and pizza, are not easily digested by the body, so they stay in the digestive system for a while and lead to a feeling of lethargy, in addition to fats and fats. Rich red meat, after eating which one feels tired and sleepy.
Foods that give us energy and then cause lethargy
Al-Bashiti adds that there are foods that directly provide energy to the body and then cause a sharp drop in blood sugar, which are processed and refined sugars or starches, such as white bread, because the increase in eating these types of foods causes lethargy after a while, as the body has tried to control blood sugar, but has lowered it more than necessary.
The body absorbs vitamins while resting
According to Al-Bashiti:
Drinking while eating sometimes causes bloating or indigestion, so it’s best to postpone drinks after eating. The need to eat slowly to avoid feeling lethargic. Do not eat late at night, because the body is forced to digest food and absorb vitamins and minerals, when it is tired and needs rest.
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