By Jane Barracato, MS, RD – Registered Dietitian and Head of Global Medical Science & Vitamin Mineral Supplements for FIGHT Vitamins.
As Lockdown 3.0 continues to throw the UK into a sense of flux, our lives – usually full of routine and regular activities – are left without structure. This overarching feeling of uncertainty is having a huge impact on how we function, disrupting our sleep, motivation, focus and mood.
If you’re struggling with ‘lockdown fatigue’ – that feeling of exhaustion mixed with grogginess, stress and monotony – there are a few simple dietary changes you can make to help break out of the rut and recreate a sense of normality.
Find a new routine
Whatever your past routine may have been, it’s time to let it go. If you’re working from home, juggling homeschooling and everything in between, it’s easy to fall into a pattern of cooking out of convenience rather than paying attention to what you are eating. Try setting out meal plans for the days ahead – this allows you to make considered choices about what you are consuming and what nutrients you may be missing. This doesn’t mean you have to plan everything to a T, but do try to make sure you’re not neglecting any of the important food groups.
Eat the rainbow
Your diet is so important when it comes to keeping healthy and that includes your mood and energy levels – let alone helping to keep your body functioning well and supporting your immune system. When it comes to breaking up your lockdown fatigue, your daily meal plan may hold the answer!
Everyone should eat a varied and well-balanced diet, and a good way to do this is to try and eat as many colours of the rainbow as possible. Fresh fruits and vegetables are sometimes harder to find in the winter months, but frozen and canned are just as good and can still add important nutrients to your body that will support your immune health.
Some vitamin-rich foods you should introduce into your daily meal plan include:
Vitamin C: Found in citrus fruits, peppers, broccoli, potatoes and berries. Your body needs Vitamin C to support the functioning of your immune system.
Biotin: Found in peanuts, avocados, sweet potatoes, meat and fish. Your body needs biotin to help convert certain nutrients into energy, helping to maintain many of your body’s major systems.
Vitamin B6: Found in all soy products, as well as banana, watermelon, peanut butter, almonds, sweet potatoes, artichokes, green beans and garlic. Vitamin B6 is important for the conversion of food into energy, helps to maintain balanced appetite, mood and immune function.
Vitamin D: Found in egg yolks, oily fish, red meat and fortified foods – such as some fat spreads and breakfast cereals and cheese. Increasing your Vitamin D levels can help to support healthy bones and your immune system.
Supplement support
In addition to consuming a healthy balanced diet, taking supplements can help you get the nutrients your body needs. To support immunity and energy release, the best nutrients to look for in supplements include Vitamin C and Zinc. You can find these nutrients in the FIGHT Vitamin range, which consists of three delicious vegan gummies made from curated vitamins and mineral blends designed to supplement a healthy and balanced diet, as well as three different high strength tablets available in Vitamin D, Vitamin C and Zinc. It’s best to check with your healthcare provider before adding in any dietary supplements.
About the expert
Jane Barracato is a Registered Dietitian and Head of Global Medical Science & Vitamin Mineral Supplements for Reciktt and FIGHT Vitamins. Learn more at fightvitamins.co.uk