Question of the week:
"I would like to know if there is something natural that can really boost your energy levels? I have a hard time getting my body going a lot of days." - Brooke Lundeen, Pacolet Mills, S.Carolina.
Dear Brooke,
I think this question is great. So many young people these days complain of low energy. Often it can be sleep related. It's a good idea to make sure you're getting enough sleep each night. A full eight hours would be optimal. The key to this is to get to sleep by about 10pm. The reason is that it take a couple of hours to get into REM sleep. REM means "rapid eye movement" and it is generally the time when we dream, our eyes move quickly and our voluntary muscles in the body become paralyzed, in other words a very deep sleep. During this time we are also regenerating our bodies. The time between 11 and 1am is when we do the most reseting of our systems, so getting to sleep early enough and making sure it's quality sleep can help us to feel more rested during the day.
If lack of good rest is not your problem then it could be a few things; if you have a life full of stress (like most of us do) then you can begin over time, taxing your adrenal glands. These two tiny glands sit above your kidneys and process our master hormones. If the adrenals become fatigued, the muscle systems in the body break down and we become less able to carry out daily tasks with the skip in our step that we used to. Simple herbs like rodiola, holy basil and schizandra can really help to reset the adrenal glands. You'll notice after taking these for a short while that you feel less anxious and stressed about things and you might find yourself less fatigued and tired throughout the day.
Occasionally, we also could use a boost to shoot up our energy. If you aren't chronically tired but need a quick jolt every now and again, the vitamin B-12 (when taken in a sub-lingual form) can help give the body a burst of energy if you are lacking this important nutrient. 1000mcg to 5000mcg is the optimal dosage. Adding a few cups of green tea to our diets can help give boost energy because of the caffeine, and as an added bonus it can help increase metabolism and possibly shrink belly fat. The ayurvedic herb Gotu Kola has been used for centuries as an energy tonic and can also help with calm focus and metal acuity.
So Brooke, overall there are many things that you can try to increase energy. If all else fails get up and go for a brisk walk for 30 minutes, this getting up and moving can actually increase energy because it gets the body up and ready to keep on going. Here's to increased energy!! -R
*Information on this site is for educational purposes only and not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.
Wellness Within Nutritional Consulting
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Healthy Home, Healthy Body, Healthy Life!!
Today as a society we are at a crossroads, we
are facing a severe crisis in the state of our health. I am concerned as I see
more and more individuals not only over a healthy weight, but becoming
increasingly ill at a younger and younger age. Diabetes, cancer, fibromyalgia,
MS and obesity are on the front pages far more often than should be acceptable.
In my honest opinion; diet, nutrition and our daily environment play a critical
role in the development of such disorders.
As
a Holistic Heath Practitioner I will
help you embark on a journey of wellness. I will work with you to
develop a program that can fit your needs to help you achieve your goals of
exceptional nutrition and wellness. I am a graduate of The Global Institute for
Alternative Medicine and hold a certification in Nutritional Consulting. I am
the founder of Wellness Within Nutritional Consulting in
Cheers,
Raná D. Manzi, CNC
