Every day, it’s lurking — somewhere in the window between lunch and dinner, waiting to sap your energy and motivation.

It’s the midday slump, that time of afternoon when many people succumb to fatigue, lethargy and a general decline in productivity.

But you don’t have to surrender to the post-lunch “food coma,” according to Dr. Christopher Rhodes, a nutritional biologist and CEO of Mimio Health in Davis, California.

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Rhodes — whose mission is to “improve society’s cellular health and longevity through nutrition, vitamins and supplements to reach peak human performance” — revealed some of his practical tips to keep energy levels high all day long.

1. Resist grazing or food ‘teasing’
2. Keep glucose in check
3. Optimize your health with a daily supplement
4. Consider quitting coffee
5. Eat a nutritionally rich lunch
6. Get active after eating

1. Resist grazing or ‘food teasing’

Snacking throughout the day can cause your body to want greater amounts of food, causing a spike in blood sugar and sleepiness, Rhodes cautioned.

“While eating smaller portions throughout the day may seem like a great way to stave off hunger, it can actually have the opposite effect,” he told Fox News Digital. 

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“Small snacks often don’t meet our body’s satiation thresholds — meaning that while food is coming in, it’s not biologically sufficient to actually make us feel less hungry.”

The opposite can actually be true, he noted, as small amounts of food often stimulate hunger and appetite. 

“This isn’t just a side effect of eating, but actually a design feature in almost all manufactured or packaged snacks, which are formulated specifically to cause cravings by giving intense bursts of flavor that fade quickly,” Rhodes said. 

Snacking throughout the day can cause the body to want greater amounts of food, causing a spike in blood sugar and sleepiness, a nutritionist warned. (iStock)

“There’s a reason you can’t eat just one potato chip.”

Consistently eating high-carbohydrate snacks or meals can also lead to compounding glucose spikes throughout the day, the expert said — which can lead to brain fog, emotional swings and energy crashes.

“There’s a reason you can’t eat just one potato chip.”

When choosing snacks, the best options are whole-food products like nuts, fruits or jerky, which can provide healthy fats, fiber and protein.

These choices do a better job of slowing digestion, keeping you feeling full and balancing glucose spikes, Rhodes advised.

2. Keep glucose in check

Glucose is the body’s preferred energy source, and its levels are tied to “a thousand different biological processes” that affect everything from energy to mood to metabolism, Rhodes said. 

“The body is very good at using and processing glucose within a specific range, but go too low or too high and that’s where you get into trouble,” he warned. 

Glucose spikes from high-carb and high-sugar foods can provide a quick burst of energy, but this will soon fade and leave behind sluggishness, brain fog and mood reduction, the expert said. (iStock)

Glucose spikes from high-carb and high-sugar foods can provide a quick burst of energy, but this will soon fade and leave behind sluggishness, brain fog and mood reduction, according to Rhodes. 

“The key to sustained energy is keeping your glucose levels balanced in normal ranges throughout the day,” he said.

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The best way to achieve this is to pair carbohydrates with healthy fats, proteins and fibers that help to slow digestion and extend a sharp glucose spike into a smooth, even curve, he said. 

3. Optimize your health with a daily supplement

“Outside of glucose spikes, there are plenty of other negative effects caused by or associated with the postprandial (post-meal) state in the body,” Rhodes said. 

“Food can be very disruptive to our natural metabolic homeostasis, as it floods our systems with sugars and fats, diverts energy toward digestion and away from other processes, and introduces foreign molecules into the body that trigger immune responses.”

A fasting supplement is designed to help reduce dietary inflammation, control hunger throughout the day, and reduce the post-meal slump. Before taking any new supplements, it’s always best to consult with a doctor or medical professional. (iStock)

Rhodes recommended taking a fasting supplement like Mimio, which his company designed to improve cellular health, energy, cognition and performance. 

“It’s the world’s first fasting mimetic supplement, designed from seven years of clinical fasting research at UC Davis to provide the beneficial protective effects of a prolonged fast in a simple daily pill,” he said.

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A fasting supplement is designed to help reduce dietary inflammation, control hunger throughout the day and reduce the post-meal slump, Rhodes said.

Before taking any new supplements, it’s always best to consult with a doctor or medical professional.

4. Consider quitting coffee

Drinking coffee causes sharp upward and downward energy spikes, as well as creating a false sense of adrenaline, Rhodes said.

“Just like sugar, caffeine can provide short, intense bursts of energy that often leave us feeling even more miserable and sluggish just a few hours later,” Rhodes said. 

Drinking coffee causes sharp upward and downward energy spikes, as well as creating a false sense of adrenaline, according to the expert. (iStock)

“And just like sugar, the best way to prevent these spikes is to pair caffeine with things that can slow its digestion and smooth out its utilization in the body.”

Instead of coffee, he suggested sipping on green tea, which contains an amino acid called L-Theanine. 

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If you do drink caffeine, Rhodes recommended combining it with a meal that includes healthy fats, fiber and protein — or pairing it with L-Theanine, which has been shown to help reduce the jitteriness and distractibility that can come from caffeine alone. 

“Green tea tends to provide a much more balanced experience than coffee.”

“L-Theanine and caffeine are both naturally present in green tea, which is why green tea tends to provide a much more balanced experience than coffee,” Rhodes said.

“It also has a multitude of other benefits, from enhancing cellular stress resistance to improving gut, heart and brain health.” 

5. Eat a nutritionally rich lunch

“The best way to keep yourself energized and satisfied throughout the day is to prioritize the nutritional density of your lunches,” Rhodes said.

Low-carb lunches — such as chicken salad, fibrous veggies, and healthy fats like avocado and nuts — will help slow digestion and gastric emptying while providing an energy source for your body, according to the nutritionist.

Low-carb lunches — such as chicken salad, fibrous veggies, and healthy fats like avocado and nuts — will help slow digestion and gastric emptying while providing an energy source for your body, according to the nutritionist. (iStock)

“While carbohydrate-rich foods will provide you with a quick burst of energy, they can lead to glucose spikes that can throw your systems out of balance — and they typically contain fewer micronutrients and bioactives that support cognition, energy production and productivity.”

Instead, Rhodes recommended crafting meals that are rich in healthy fats, fiber and proteins.

“The best way to keep yourself energized and satisfied throughout the day is to prioritize the nutritional density of your lunches.”

Some examples are protein-rich salads, hearty vegetable soups, or more traditional rice and noodle dishes that replace the carbs with veggie alternatives, like cauliflower “rice” and zucchini “noodles.” 

“Fiber helps to provide volume to a meal without contributing any extra calories, and forms a gel-like matrix in your stomach that helps to trap other nutrients, so they’re released more slowly during digestion,” Rhodes noted. 

“Fiber helps to provide volume to a meal without contributing any extra calories,” a nutritionist said. (iStock)

Fats like avocado and nuts help to keep you fuller for longer.

“Proteins are the most slowly digested macronutrient — and as an added bonus, they have the highest ‘thermic effect,’ meaning the body has to burn more calories to digest proteins than any other nutrient,” Rhodes said.

6. Get active after eating

When you eat, your glucose level spikes, and it is best to use up that consumed energy quickly to keep your levels balanced, according to Rhodes. 

“This is also a great time to take advantage of a brain break, so you can return to work refreshed,” he said.

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Physical activity immediately after eating can help balance out glucose spikes.

“After a meal, your body naturally reprioritizes its energy toward digestion and metabolism, putting other organ systems like your muscles and brain on the back burner,” he told Fox News Digital.

Performing any physical activity after a meal will help to shift energy utilization back to your muscles and brain, the expert said. (iStock)

Performing any physical activity after a meal — whether it’s taking a walk, climbing stairs, gardening or even doing household chores will help to shift energy use back to your muscles and brain, Rhodes said. 

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“Instead of breaking down the nutrients in your meal and storing the energy for later (usually as fat), post-meal exercise helps shuttle the newly created energy directly to your cells for immediate use — and has been shown to help smooth out glucose absorption curves to provide more balanced, stable energy,” he added.

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More than a third of adults fail to get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep each night — and the scarcity of shuteye can have a surprising effect.

Lack of sleep can lead to what some experts refer to as a “silent epidemic” — a condition called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which affects more than one in four American adults, according to the American Heart Association.

What is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)?

As its name implies, NAFLD is marked by the presence of fat in the liver.

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The primary cause is weight gain, along with metabolic risk factors such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high triglycerides and obstructive sleep apnea, according to Ibrahim Hanouneh, a gastroenterologist with MNGI Digestive Health in Minnesota.

“Heavy alcohol consumption can also lead to fatty liver, but NAFL refers to fatty liver that occurs in the setting of metabolic syndrome and weight gain in the absence of heavy alcohol consumption — hence the name ‘non-alcoholic,’” Hanouneh told Fox News Digital.

The condition is also known as MASLD (metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease) to reflect the association between fatty liver and metabolic syndrome.

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A family history of fatty liver can also increase the risk, noted Hanouneh, who is also co-author of the book “Regenerative Health: Discover Your Metabolic Type and Renew Your Liver for Life.”

NAFL is known as the “silent epidemic” because it often has no symptoms. 

“In some studies, fatty liver has affected 25% to 33% of the general population — almost one out of four individuals — but the vast majority of individuals have no symptoms at all, particularly in the early stages,” said Hanouneh.

The primary cause of NAFLD is weight gain, along with metabolic risk factors such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high triglycerides and obstructive sleep apnea. (iStock)

Some people may have non-specific symptoms, such as fatigue, foggy memory and abdominal pain.

“Generally speaking, fatty liver disease does not cause major symptoms until it is too late — for example, when the patient has already developed cirrhosis or liver cancer,” Hanouneh said.  

Fatty liver disease is associated with an increased risk of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.  

“The vast majority of individuals have no symptoms at all, particularly in the early stages.”

“NAFLD has become the leading indication of liver transplantation and the leading cause of liver cancer in the Western world,” noted Hanouneh.  

Patients with this disease are also at an increased risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes, he warned.  

“Some studies also suggest that patients with NAFL are at an increased risk of getting type 2 diabetes,” he added.

Patients with this disease are also at an increased risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes, a doctor warned.   (iStock)

Not all people with NAFLD experience liver damage. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the more severe form, leads to swelling or inflammation of the liver and damage to liver cells, according to the American Liver Foundation’s website.

This can ultimately lead to fibrosis, or scarring, of the liver.

Link between sleep and NAFLD

Lack of high-quality sleep has been linked to weight gain, an increase in hunger and adverse blood sugar control in multiple studies, according to Kristin Kirkpatrick, a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic and co-author of “Regenerative Health.”

“Insulin resistance is a major risk factor for abnormal amounts of fat in the liver,” said Kirkpatrick.

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The risk is particularly high for postmenopausal women, she noted. One study found that chronic short sleep duration led to a 20% increase in insulin levels among that group, compared to 15% overall.

“The stress on the body caused by a lack of sleep can cause adverse metabolic changes that ultimately may lead to NAFLD,” Kirkpatrick said.

Lack of high-quality sleep has been linked to weight gain, an increase in hunger and adverse blood sugar control, studies have shown. (iStock)

The expert also cited a new study in JAMA (the Journal of the American Medical Association) showing that short sleep duration increased the risk for type 2 diabetes.

“Though some risks could be offset by a healthy diet, a majority could not be reversed by a nutrient-rich dietary pattern,” she said.  

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“Type 2 diabetics have a significant increase in risk of developing NAFLD.”

Maintaining consistent sleeping hours may help with weight management, Kirkpatrick told Fox News Digital. 

“That means going to bed and waking up at the same time on weekdays and weekends.”

Screening, treatment and prevention

Due to the “silent” nature of NAFLD, experts stressed the importance of screening for fatty liver in patients with risk factors — even if there are no signs or symptoms of liver disease.

“NAFLD is a preventable disease,” Hanouneh told Fox News Digital. 

“It is also a reversible disease at early stages.”

Imaging tests, such as ultrasounds or CT scans, can visually assess the appearance of the liver. (iStock)

Three main types of tests are used to diagnose the condition, according to JAMA Network.

Blood tests can measure inflammation in the liver. 

Imaging tests, such as ultrasounds or CT scans, can visually assess the appearance of the organ.

“NAFLD is a preventable disease — and reversible at early stages.”

There are also some newer tests that measure the amount of fat in the liver — “such as transient elastography, an ultrasound-based test that measures how stiff the liver is” — but they may not be very reliable for diagnosing more advanced liver disease, JAMA Network stated.

For those who have been diagnosed, a low-carbohydrate diet is key to managing fatty liver disease, experts agreed.

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“Studies suggest that a low-carb diet that leads to weight loss of 5% to 10% can potentially reverse fatty liver disease,” Hanouneh said.  

“Also, cut back or abstain from alcohol depending on the degree of fatty liver disease.”

It’s important to follow up with a health care professional to manage metabolic risk factors, doctors advised. (iStock)

It’s also important to follow up with a health care professional to manage metabolic risk factors, he said — particularly type 2 diabetes, which is “crucial in the management of fatty liver disease.”

For people with NAFLD, Hanouneh also recommended incorporating regular exercise, particularly interval training, three times a week.  

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Coffee has also shown potential benefits for fatty liver.  

“I typically recommend one to two cups of black coffee a day if possible,” Hanouneh said.

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Pure orange juice might have some unexpected benefits.

Researchers from Toronto Metropolitan University researched the effects of drinking 100% orange juice compared to a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB), or “orange drink,” on appetite, food intake and glycemic response in adults.

The study was funded by the Florida Department of Citrus. It was published in the journal Nutrients and also surveyed emotions and sensory characteristics associated with the beverage.

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Thirty-six “normal weight” adults were tasked with drinking either 100% orange juice, an orange drink or water before eating.

The researchers found that food and energy intake was lower in subjects who drank 100% orange juice compared to the orange drink.

Caloric compensation from 100% orange juice was 84%, while the orange drink was −25%. 

(Caloric compensation is the “regulation of energy intake by adjusting one’s intake based on previous consumption,” according to the National Institutes of Health.)

There was no significant difference in average appetite between the beverages, but blood glucose levels were lower after people drank the 100% orange juice.

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“Rest-of-day blood glucose concentrations were lower after 100% orange juice compared with the orange drink and water control,” the study stated.

“In conclusion, consumption of 100% orange juice as a preload resulted in higher caloric compensation, lower total daily EI [energy intake], and lower blood glucose concentrations compared to the orange drink.”

The researchers’ hypothesis was that the flavonoids in 100% orange juice slow down the digestion and absorption of sugar. (iStock)

Study co-author Nick Bellissimo, associate professor of nutritional physiology at Toronto Metropolitan University, reacted to the findings in a statement to Fox News Digital.

While a “number of dietary guidelines” recommend reducing sugar intake from “all sources,” Bellissimo said, the findings suggested that 100% orange juice can be beneficial.

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“Orange juice is similar to a sugar-sweetened beverage in that it contains free sugars, but it also contains sucrose (fructose and glucose bound together), while also containing vitamin C and flavonoids,” he noted.

The researchers’ hypothesis was that flavonoids in orange juice slow down the digestion and absorption of sugar.

“Thus, you are not seeing the same spike in blood glucose as you see with the SSB,” Bellissimo said.

Study participants who consumed orange drinks ate more calories at lunch than the 100% orange juice drinkers. (iStock)

“Interestingly, the energy in the orange juice was compensated for at the next meal – i.e., participants decreased their food intake at lunch by an amount similar to the energy in the orange juice – whereas participants ate more calories at lunch after consuming the SSB.”

Bellissimo confirmed that this effect on energy intake and glycemic response “persisted for the rest of the day.” 

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“And participants consuming the orange juice actually consumed fewer calories, primarily by decreasing their carbohydrate intake,” he said.

“A little bit of orange seems to go a long way,” Bellissimo added.

People who drink 100% orange juice should mix it with some water for a more positive blood sugar result, a registered dietitian suggested. (iStock)

Ilana Muhlstein, a registered dietitian and nutritionist in Los Angeles, was not involved in the study but shared her thoughts on the study with Fox News Digital.

“The most important finding of the entire study is that the blood glucose concentrations were lower after 100% orange juice compared with an orange drink of the same calories, which shows that the body can recognize a difference between natural sugars and added sugars,” she said.

“The body can recognize a difference between natural sugars and added sugars.”

As a dietitian, Muhlstein said she is “constantly encouraging people to drink water,” especially prior to their meals, just as done in the study.

“It’s important to note that drinking water has a meaningful impact on lowering blood sugar levels,” she also pointed out. 

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“If someone wanted to drink orange juice, I would encourage them to stick with 100% orange juice, versus an ‘orange drink’ sweetened with sugar, and do their best to mix it with some water for a more positive blood sugar result.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Florida Department of Citrus for comment.

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