As we start to bring October to a close here in the northern hemisphere, the nights are getting longer and the days noticeably shorter.

This is a time of year when our bodies start naturally asking for more rest. But it’s also a time of year when everyone can feel the day-to-day stress and pressure starting to build.

The holiday season is just around the corner, and the end of the year is just 9 weeks away.

Many of us will start to lean more heavily on sugar and caffeine to keep ourselves going. And then, to counteract those stimulants at the end of the day, we’ll reach for heavy, fatty foods in the evening to help us slow down.

It becomes an exhausting and vicious cycle of ups and downs that we might not even be aware we are creating for ourselves.

I don’t know about you, but I want my energy to feel natural and consistent throughout the day. I want to wake up feeling rested and refreshed. And I want my body to feel ready for bed as the day ends.

If we are constantly reaching for foods and drinks to pick us up or calm us down, we are artificially short-circuiting our natural energy cycles.

There is a better way to reclaim your body’s natural energy.

The first and most foundational way is to make sure you are eating well-balanced meals at regular intervals throughout the day. Skipping meals, skimping on calories, and avoiding carbohydrates at all costs can create energy dips that our bodies have a difficult time overcoming.

Our brains use up 75% of the fuel we give to our bodies (!!), so eating at regular intervals throughout the day not only helps with our overall energy, but it also supports crystal clear thinking and staves of brain fog.

If you eat the right balance of foods at regular intervals throughout the day, you won’t need to reach for caffeine and sugar to keep yourself going. Your body will have the right fuel to support you well, and you won’t find yourself reaching for things to either pick you up or help you relax.

For many women, eating at regular intervals throughout the day means eating breakfast, lunch and dinner – no exceptions. But it also might mean eating 1-3 snacks in between your meals.

You might be reading this and think, “That’s just TOO much food!” But for many women, when they start eating smaller meals more regularly throughout the day, their exhaustion disappears and their brain fog lifts.

If you think you’d like to try this out, or if having balanced and healthy snack ideas on hand for yourself (and your family) sound good to you, here are 8 delicious snack ideas to help you reclaim your energy, balance your blood sugar, and kick brain fog to the curb:

1. ¼ cup of raw seeds or nuts – unsalted sunflower & pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, cashews, Brazil nuts, pecans… variety is queen!
2. 1-2 Tablespoons seed or nut butter on celery sticks – try almond butter, hemp seed butter, cashew butter, or even pumpkin seed butter for something different.
3. 1 cucumber sliced – sprinkle sea salt + a dash of cayenne pepper on top.
4. 2-4 fresh figs + ½ cup coconut yogurt of your choice – I love the Culina, CocoYo, and Harmless Harvest brands.
5. Fresh fruit – 1 apple, ½ banana, ½ cup grapes, grapefruit, kiwi, orange, pear, persimmon, tangerine…
6. ½ avocado – sprinkle sea salt + dulse, or sea salt + microgreens of your choice
7. Raw veggies + 2 Tablespoons hummus – try carrots, celery sticks, sliced cucumber, red bell pepper, radishes, or a couple of Romain lettuce leaves
8. ¼ cup cultured veggies with 2 Tablespoons of dulse flakes – sauerkraut or Kim Chee are great for this!

Try these yummy snack ideas out for yourself. Notice how they help you smooth out your energy ups and downs, and help you feel better throughout the day.