Right on cue to a bout of 3:30itis?? Learn how to banish those arvo cravings and brain fog!

Don't let the arvo slump get you down! Read on below to find out how you can improve your afternoon energy, get rid of those cravings (yes I see you with that coffee....) and improve your quality of work with better concentration and focus!

Plus, see if you can find the bonus FREE healthy sweet treat recipe below :)

You know how it goes!

It's 3:30pm, you have run around like a headless chook all day, with no sign of slowing down for the next 5 hours still. And it's taking ALLLL of your effort just to get to the end of the day.

Late nights, early mornings, the morning rush, work life, mum life, the cleaning and the endless chores and erands for the day and you realises its mid afternoon and you have barely eaten any food all day (uuhooo!)

BAM!!

Cue the mid arvo coffee/chocolate cravings and that awful blurry brain fog that comes over you, where the world just feels heavy on your head and you could really just use a nap. Right?!

First of all, what is brain fog? Well it isn't a medical condition in itself, rather a term used to describe a range of symptoms which may be different from one person to the next. However it tends to feel like a fuzzy, light headed feeling, where you feel fatigued, lack concentration and mental clarity and generally feel slow and sluggish.

Now while it's ok for a foggy brain or sugar craving to happen on the odd occassion due to life being busy, stressful or because we are becoming unwell, if it is happening regularly and you have ruled out health related conditions with your gp, there are some other reasons why this might be affecting you so much.

And, as 'normal' as this part of your day may have come to feel, I am here to tell you that you DON'T have to suffer through this exhaustion! You don't have to feel like you are dragging your legs through the last few hours of the day.

There are a multitude of reasons why this '3;30itis' may be taking over your life:

• Amount and quality of sleep

• Screen time

• Stress

• Lack of physical acitvity

• Some health conditions such as anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency, hypothyroidism, some autoimmune conditions, hormonal fluctuations, allergies, diabetes among others

• Not drinking enough water

• High intake of caffeine, alcohol, high carbohydrate/simple sugars

• And what I believe to be a HUGE common factor, the quality and amount of food you are eating.

While some of these factors may be contributing to brain fog alone, if that brain fog is also associated with mid arvo sugar cravings, then there is a high chance that the quality of your diet and the amount of food you are eating is playing an extremely large part in the puzzle.

Read on below to find out how you can beat the arvo fog and cravings, with a large focus on your lifestyle and eating behaviours.

Tip #1 - Eat More Food

You read right! I know, I know, almost everything you read or everything you hear in today's society has us led to believe that we need to eat less food (especially if that advice is also linked with how to lose weight), but ultimately if you are not eating enough food to accomodate your basal metabolic rate PLUS your activity level (even if it is mostly sedentary) then your body is going to be screaming out for food and this can present with cravings and brain fog.

From a scientific standpoint, your brain cells NEED glucose for fuel and to function efficiently. Your brain can literally not function without it!

Glucose comes from the breakdown of food, or carbohydrates more specifically and without enough glucose, the neurotrasmitters required to send signals and messages throughout the body are not effectively produced, therefore causing a breakdown in communication between the nerve cells in the body. This is what leads to lack of concentration, poor memory and the fuzzy light headed feeling we experience with a low blood sugar level from not eating enough or regularly enough.

So, when we haven't eaten enough food, or have left it longer than 5 hours between meals/snacks, our blood sugar levels can drop, leading to the body telling us it needs glucose to bring blood sugar levels back up, in the way of cravings and we also begin to feel fuzzy in the head, lose concentration and can even feel a little faint and dizzy.

While everyone is different and there is no one-size fits all amount of food that you need to eat, most are going to need to be eating between 1500cals-2500cals even if they are aiming to lose weight. That means that 800-1200cal diets (or less) or that small salad for lunch or apple for a snack, are simply not enough, and I can near on guarentee that even if you are losing weight, you may still be having cravings and feeling lethargic and fuzzy in the head come the afternoon....am I right?

Aim to eat at least 5 times a day consisting of breakfast, lunch, dinner, a mid morning and mid arvo snack in order to keep your blood sugar levels stable and energy levels up.

Tip #2 - Eat protein and healthy fats along with your carbohyrdates

So, as you read above, carbohydrates are required as the main energy source for the body and in order for the brain to function effectively, it requires glucose from the breakdown of food to allow effective communication between the cells of the body.

However, it is well known that carbohydrates alone, have a direct impact on our blood sugar levels and resulting insulin production and when we consume carbohydrates, this causes a spike in blood sugar, a large release of insulin to help clear the sugar from the blood and then a resulting crash in blood sugar levels soon after.

This crash in blood sugar in one of the major culprits to brain fog and cravings. Because we begin to feel so awful and hazy, we crave additional sugar/carbs/caffeine, to give us a quick pick me up, and of course human nature doesn't tell us to grab a whole balanced meal, but instead a coffee, chocolate or carby pick me up, which again leads to a spike in blood sugar and follow on crash, again leading to brain fog and cravings!!

And the cycle continues all day every day....does this sound like you?

So ultimately, we want to prevent the quick spikes and crashes in energy and aim for more sustained satiety (how full you are) and more stable blood sugar levels for longer to keep your energy levels more stable, improve concentration and focus and prevent cravings.

Key the protein and healthy fats!

Proteins

Protein is the building block of our body and it is well researched and documented that protein rich foods not only ensure repair and growth of muscles and tissue in your body, it also keeps you feeling full for longer and is the most satieting macronutrient. Feeling full for longer, naturally will help to prevent hunger and cravings.

Proteins contain essential amino acids and these are crucial to the production of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and seretonin responsible for mood, sleep and anxiety. Therefore by ensuring a sufficient protein intake you may improve your moods and quality of sleep therefore minimising the possibility of brain fog in the day.

Healthy Fats

Now, healthy fats, you know foods such as avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds etc, these are a real key to helping to balance blood sugar levels to therefore prevent the arvo brain fog and cravings.

While carbohydrate based foods alone are responsible for spiking blood sugar levels, resulting in a crash, healthy fats help to slow the release of glucose into your blood stream therefore providing a more steady stream of energy and preventing a rapid spike and drop in blood sugar levels. So eating healthy fats at the same time as your proteins and carbs is a simple way to already improve your energy levels and brain function.

Omega's and in particular Omega-3 found in fatty fish, chia, walnuts and flaxseeds in particular, are essential for healthy brain function and development (you know how you hear about fish oils improving brain health and memory/concentration).

So aim to include a combination of fatty fish, nuts, seeds, avocado's, olive oil, nut butters etc in your daily intake alongisde your carbohydrates and you will benefit from a more stable blood sugar level as well as supporting your brain function.

Tip #3 - Minimise coffee and high sugar foods

While, coffee and sugary foods tend to be the go to's when we are feeling lethargic, foggy and hungry in the mid arvo, while these foods and drinks will certainly give you the short term pick me up you are looking for, it will only come back and bite you in the bum again shortly after.

As you read above, simple sugars/carbohydrates and caffeine lead to a direct spike in blood sugar and insulin levels, leading to that crash soon after and the vicious cycle of feeling tired, cravy and looking for pick me ups.

Instead of reaching for the arvo coffee or chocolate bar for a quick fix:

• have a matcha or herbal tea and

• keep some quick pre-prepared nutrient dense snacks on hand.

• Make some protein balls, or healthy brownies on the weekend and take them to work with you when you feel the hunger kicking in. Even something as simple as a protein shake, apple and almonds or a smoothie will be a perfectly balanced pick me up to prevent the soon to come energy slump and cravings.

(and because I am feeling generous, here is my Purely Peach Healthy Brownie Recipe!! Perfectly balanced and nutrient dense to help you get through those arvo cravings)

https://www.purewellnessbypeach.com/promorecipe-1/purely-peach-brownies-and-protein-shake

Focusing on complex carbohydrate foods, high in fiber and nutrients such as vegetables, legumes, whole grains and fruits will serve you much more efficiently than the simple ones found in sugary processed foods, just remember to have those proteins and healthy fats alongside.

Better yet, instead of waiting for the fogginess and cravings to kick in,

• Focus on eating regularly every 2-3 hours and no longer than 5 hours with a balance of lean proteins, nutrient dense carbs and healthy fats so that you ultimately no longer feel the need to grab for the quick fixes.

Tip #4 - Drink more water

I'll keep this one simple!

Did you know that your brain is made up of 75% water!

Therefore water is crucial to your brain health and cognitive function. Even a drop of 1-2% in your hydration is enough to create symptoms of brain fog such as headaches, fatigue and lack of concentration! (cue water break asap!!)

So while everyone is different, as a baseline, aim to drink 2-3L of water everyday. If you are particularly active, work outside in the heat, or are pregnant/breastfeeding, aim for additional amounts to cater to your increased need.

Aside from brain fog, if you are experiencing dry skin/lips, fluid retention/puffiness, dark coloured urine, headaches, bloating, constipation, joint pain or regular muscle cramps it is a likely sign that you are not drinking enough water and could be one simple controllable way to banish the 3:30itis.

Another tip-if you are feeling thirsty, you have already begun to get dehydrated. So keep on top of it regularly throughout the day to ensure your body and brain are receving the water it so needs.

Tip #5 - Look at your lifestyle

Your nutrition and eating behaviours are going to be largely linked to your brain fog and cravings and is one of the most controllable factors that you can improve on your own accord.

Aside from your food intake and hydration, as mentioned at the beginning, there are some other factors which may be contributing to your brain fog also.

• Focus on getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night-Sleep is crucial to our brain cells repairing and regenerating and ensures our memories are formed and knowledge is stored. Continuously having less than 5-6 hours of sleep can severly impact your cognitive ability, energy levels and moods which can also lead to emotional/stress eating and further cravings too.

• Get moving-Physical activity is known to increase blood flow to your brain and to increase adrenaline and the happy feel food hormones. By doing all 3 of these things, it can help you to feel more energised, less lethargic and able to concentrate and focus more clearly. It's also a great way to get out of the basic day to day routine and by getting some fresh air, or being around others naturally helps to pick us up.

• Minimise stress-OK so coming from a self confesed perfectionist and 'not able to sit and do nothing' person, I know this is much easier said than done haha and I believe the factor which at times feels like the least controllable of all due to work and life, but ultimately stress significantly impacts brain funtion and cravings, so when you can try to take a break. go for a walk, have a bath, take some me-time once a week or even for 15 minutes each day. See a friend, laugh until your cheeks hurt, take up yoga or meditation. Just one of these activities added in to your hectic life may be enough to reduce your stress load a little and help the brain fog and cravings.

• Put the screen away-yes that phone you keep scrolling on or your work computer. Just take a break. We all know how it feels when we have been looking at a screen all day, it plays tricks on your eyes, gives us a headache and ultimately makes us feel foggy and sluggish. So take a break, have some water, eat a balanced snack and get some fresh air before getting back to your tasks.

So don't let 3;30itis and those pesky cravings rule your life!

Take control and make even just one positive change to your nutrition and lifestyle today and see your energy levels, concentration, work performance, moods improve and those cravings slowly disappear.

What will it be for you??

• Consistently eating every 2-3 hours?

• Eating healthy snacks between your main meals?

• Adding some proteins and healthy fats to your meal/snack?

• Drinking more water?

• Going to bed an hour earlier?

• Adding in 30mins of exercise a couple of times a week?

• Or allowing yourself some de-stress time?

Whichever you choose, just know you can do it!

Oh and did you find the freebie Healthy Brownies included above?? You're welcome :) Enjoyy!!