Many of us feel the need for that caffeine ‘hit’ when we wake and – at some point in the day – feel tired and hungry. It doesn’t have to be this way however. The key to waking up full of energy (and staying that way!) is maintaining a stable blood sugar level.

What we choose to eat every day holds the key to our health, vitality and general sense of well being. We wouldn’t expect a car to run well on low grade fuel and we shouldn’t expect our bodies to keep going if we don’t put the right fuel in, either.

Research has shown that following a Low Glycemic Load (GL) Diet is highly beneficial for our health, reducing the risks of developing both cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well as improving overall health markers. The Glycemic Load or GL refers to the amount and type of sugar contained within a food and therefore how that food then effects our blood sugar levels.

The key is to eat Low GL foods that allow our blood sugar levels to remain stable and thus our mood and energy levels to remain constant. Food is information for our body and if we provide the right information, the body does the rest for us.

Each meal and snack we eat (there should be 3 meals and up to 2 snacks in a day) needs to be a balance of low GL carbohydrates combined with protein and fat.

An example of a Low GL day:

• Breakfast: A large bowl of porridge with natural yoghurt and berries
• Snack: An apple and a handful of almonds
• Lunch: A large tuna salad with a balsamic and olive oil dressing and pine nuts with a small pitta bread
• Snack: 2 oatcakes with hummus
• Dinner: Chicken and vegetable stir fry with a serving of brown rice
• Drink: Water and lots of it!