Low energy: Health Complaint Number One

Everywhere you go people are looking for 'energy'!  

Ask yourself: Do you jump out of bed in the morning or does your hand hover over the snooze button getting every last minute of sleep you can? Fatigue is hard to define. Sometimes you can feel physically tired and sometimes you can just feel mentally tired. Pushing ourselves too hard and burning the candle at both ends can lead to what naturopaths consider 'adrenal exhaustion'. Your adrenal glands secrete a number of hormones in response to physical stress. In these high stress-fast paced times-our adrenals are under constant pressure. 

We are often seduced by the belief that a cup of coffee is the “fix” we need. And is it really a fix at all? Or just a patch that leads to an inevitable crash and burn? 

In reality, the "energy" we're chasing is simply mental alertness.  It's no secret that coffee and cigarettes contain drugs that stimulate your brain, giving you temporay mental alertness we mistakenly call 'energy'. 

If you are tired of being tired,  tired of the yo-yo let down after the sugar fix or coffee fix, if you are looking for a better way of living, a life that doesn't depend on chemicals – (literally, drugs!) - to keep you awake and be motivated, then set the coffee cup down, step away from the super sized Colas and energy drinks, and lets turn to holistic living. 

There are better, healthier ways to achieve permanent higher levels of physical and mental energy. 

Here are 6 natural ways to get more energy,  

1) Exercise
We all know the benefits of exercise and have heard it preached over and over again. Fit exercise in to your time schedule based on your personality. If you have to do it first thing when you wake up, just do it. It doesn't appear to matter what time of day you exercise, just be consistent. Create the exercise habit. Turbulence Training works for many people because they don't have to think, they just follow the workout patterns and get done fast. Focus on intense strength training for 20 minutes followed by a brief interval training session to boost your metabolism. Exercise is a drug which causes the release of many chemicals into your blood, resulting in mental stimulation from blood flow to the brain and an improved sense of overall well-being. Exercise just makes you feel good. 

2) Eat more frequent smaller meals.
Skipping breakfast sets up the starving cycle (which preserves fat cells in the body) and then hunger drives you for a high-carbohydrate lunch, and a huge dinner. Instead, eat breakfast and then every 3 hours eat a small meal. Research shows that a high-fibre breakfast helps control appetite and increases mental alertness all morning, and improves your ability to process information. Skipping breakfast and relying on a coffee to get you through the day is immature. Got no time? You’ve got all there is… 24 hours a day. You can get up 10 minutes earlier to have a protein shake, some almonds, and a piece of fruit. The benefits will far outweigh the discipline of 10 minutes less sleep. 

3) Eat only whole, natural foods.
Foods such as fruits, vegetables, organic proteins, raw nuts (not roasted in oil), Green Tea, water. Running on processed foods is a script for an energy meltdown. When you stick to whole, natural foods during the day, sticking to a snack rather than a binge, you'll never feel like dozing off. Processed foods appear to be easy, but the time lost in lethargy isn’t worth the damage to the body. 

4) For anyone wanting a boost in energy.
I recommend the NUTRIWAY^® or NUTRILITE^® Siberian Ginseng and Ginkgo Biloba blend which contains 2 active herbs. Siberian ginseng is from a class of herbs known as adaptogens. These herbs have long been used in assisting the body to adapt to the extra demands placed upon it during times of physical stress and to boost stamina and endurance. It's fantastic for students, athletes and the elderly. The addition of the Ginkgo Biloba may assist with circulation to the head and therefore be helpful for memory and concentration. When you are feeling the effects of physical stress NUTRIWAY^® Siberian Ginseng and Ginkgo Biloba is a great way to support your body and maintain your energy levels. I would recommend two tablets in the morning with breakfast and two tablets at lunch time. The valuable addition of NUTRILITE'S^® organic Acerola concentrate as well as Schizandra extract, bitter orange and peppermint extract completes this premium formula. 

5) Drink more water.
Often fatigue is simple dehydration.  Drinking water helps to cool the brain, as well as eliminate toxins from the body.  

6) Work environments zap our 'energy'.
Poor posture, eye-strain from computer screens, stale air in your office cubicle, and sitting in a car seat will suck the life out of you. Get up and have a stretch and a short walk. Get the blood moving! 

According to Men's Health magazine... "British researchers recently found that when people exercised during their workday—regardless of the duration or intensity of the movement—they were less likely to feel fatigued, and that translated into a 15 percent improvement in job performance." Daily exercise breaks are essential to not only boost energy, but mobility. Each day, as your computer sucks you into its visual vortex, your upper body becomes rounded forward and tense. You need to reverse that movement. Here's how... 

Stand tall and reach as high as you can with your arms fully extended upward. Lower your arms and roll your shoulders turning your head in a complete circle several times changing direction. Reach down and touch your toes and have a great stretch. Repeat several times. Do this every 60-90 minutes. Whenever possible get outside into natural light. The vitamin ‘D’ is good for your immunity and overall health.