The Secret on the Plate. Staying focused from one meal to the next

Pauliina Rasi is a communications expert, science writer and a nutritional sciences student. She has written this article for Living In Nyon about health, wellness and eating well helping make everyday life in and around Nyon a little healthier and and easier.

A good night’s sleep (and caffeine) isn’t the only option to keep you alert and focused throughout your day. What you put on your plate plays a big role in maintaining productivity and focus. Rushing between meetings, school pick ups and drop offs, work deadlines, events and evening plans. It can sometimes feel that it's adrenaline alone keeping us moving. And yes, the never-ending flow of caffeine in our bloodstreams (what would we do without that?)!

But have you ever thought about how big a role what you eat plays, too?

In this article, we'll look at the relationship between focus, productivity, mood and food with practical tips to maintain your energy throughout the day.  I’ll also share a few favourite local spots in Nyon for a healthy fueling break.

Why your energy rises and crashes during the day

While the food we eat is the visible part of nutrition, a lot is happening in the background. Before getting into specific meals and yummy snacks, it helps to understand two key players that influence how steady (or not) your energy feels during the day: glucose and insulin.

Glucose, also known as blood sugar, transports energy to our cells, and most of the time, the level of glucose in our bloodstream remains relatively stable. Between meals, your liver works constantly to produce a steady supply of glucose for your body to use for energy. Your brain and muscles rely on it to function whether you’re going on a brisk hike in the mountains or challenging your neurons to solve a tricky work dilemma.

After you eat, insulin comes into play. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, and its role, among other things, is to help cells take as much glucose from food and store what isn't immediately needed. Then again, after the job is done, insulin takes a break and lets the liver handle producing glucose for your body until your next meal or snack.

Skipping meals and why it backfires

While you can’t see these chemicals and organs at work, you’re likely to notice quickly if they get out of balance. Put very simply, two common nutritional pitfalls can knock insulin and glucose off rhythm.

Not eating enough or eating too much. 

Let’s look at the not-enough issue first. This can happen if you skip a meal, eat too lightly or let too many hours pass between meals. Common examples are skipping breakfast because mornings are rushed, having too light a lunch at your desk (I’ll just grab a quick sandwich) or deciding to power through the afternoon without a snack.

During these prolonged breaks in eating, your liver will do its best to keep producing glucose for your body to use as energy. It will do a fine job for a few hours, but after a while, reserves will run low. When that happens, the signs are often subtle at first. You won’t likely faint straight away but you might notice your concentration dipping, irritation creeping in, or suddenly have strong cravings for something sweet like a milk-chocolate Branch! Not likely a sign of acute magnesium deficiency but more about your body asking for fuel.

Time to munch lunch (just not too much)

On the other hand, eating too much at midday can really affect your productivity. When we eat a big lunch, heavy in carbohydrates and fats (yes, I’m thinking about those Pizza du Jour offers), your body needs to work hard to capture all that glucose.

Your body is smart, and in response, the pancreas gets the message and produces more insulin to help with the surge of glucose. But once those insulin and glucose levels drop suddenly it can lead to that afternoon energy drop many of us have experienced. The same pattern can happen with sugary, fatty snacks later in the day.

How to keep your energy steady during the day

The good news is that you don’t need to understand all the inner workings of your body to keep your energy steady during the day. A few simple nutritional habits can make a real difference.

First of all, eat regularly, and try to avoid skipping breakfast. There’s a learning curve to regular eating for sure, but think of it this way: You wouldn’t embark on a long drive without fueling your car first, so give yourself some high-quality fuel at the beginning of the day, too.

Secondly, at lunch and dinner, go for a balanced plate containing veggies, fibre-rich carbohydrates and high-quality protein. The official recommendation is ⅖ of your plate of veggies, another ⅖ of carbohydrates and the remaining ⅕ of protein. If this sounds too mathematical, check below some of my recommendations for places in Nyon that get it right.

Thirdly, when feeling peckish, replace the Branches and caracs with fibre- and veggie-rich alternatives to avoid triggering the glucose roller coaster.

My Top Tips for healthy fueling breaks in Nyon

Here are my most flavourful tips for snacks and lunches that are both delicious and nourishing:

• For breakfast or a mid-afternoon snack, Café Ex Machina’s bircher muesli is worth a small detour. It comes with high-fibre whole oats and seasonal berries and fruit packed with vitamins. The combination will release energy slowly and keep you satisfied for a long while.

• Happy Bowl at Place Bel-Air has a seasonal variety of bowls to be tailored to your liking and diet. Go for the quinoa base for more fibre, make sure to add several veggies to your bowl, and you’ve got the right ratio of carbs, protein and veggies almost automatically. 

• El Salad’s bowls help you up your veggie intake in a seasonal style, too, with a side of high-quality protein. Oil-based dressings, seeds and nuts contribute to the daily dose of healthy, unsaturated fats.

• To add spices to your plate, Tanoor’s buffet-style plates make it easy to combine flavours and health. Just make sure to fill the recommended ⅖ of your plate with varied veggie sides!

I hope you enjoy healthy, culinary adventures in Nyon and around! Share your favourite healthy breakfast, lunch or snack spot in the region so other readers can enjoy them, too.

Pauliina Rasi