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ENERGY + VITALITY DAY 8

WELCOME TO DAY 8

ENERGY + VITALITY

Women at every age and stage of life can experience low energy, fatigue, and exhaustion. The naturopathic approach to restoring vital energy is to use strategies that address low function in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis is a major part of the neuroendocrine system, which controls reactions to stress and regulates many body processes, including mood and emotions, sexuality, and energy storage and expenditure.

The holistic approach to dealing with low energy and fatigue is to tackle it by natural and wholesome ways to increase not only energy and vitality but to decrease stress and fatigue. Lets look into more detail at what can be done to increase your energy levels, and avoid the mid afternoon slump, adrenal fatigue or just that exhaustion that hits you out of nowhere and fast!

VEGETABLE JUICE

Drinking fresh vegetable juice is a shock to your body — in a good way! Losing the vegetable fiber during juicing makes them easier for your body to absorb and digest. And because less work is required for your body to reap the nutritional benefits, you’ll notice an increase in energy levels. Additionally, drinking your veggies helps provide important vitamins and minerals while also supplying energy to your cells.

If you feel an illness coming on, vegetable juice is also a good way to stop it in its tracks and keep energy up before it dips. Skip store-bought juices, which are often loaded with sugar, preservatives and other unpronounceable ingredients — they’ll leave you feeling worse and even more exhausted!

SLEEP

Spending your nights tossing and turning can definitely make you feel exhausted the next day. While you sleep, your body is restoring and repairing the day’s damage. Squeezing in more sleep is one of the easiest methods for how to get energy in the morning. If you’re having trouble sleeping, here are some of my favorite tips:

Keep a consistent sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same times each day, including weekends. This will help regulate your internal body clock.

Eliminate caffeine after 3 p.m. because the effects can last up to 12 hours.

Write out what’s stressing you out or keeping you up at night before heading to bed.

CARBOHYDRATES

While they do provide your body with energy, foods heavy in carbohydrates can leave you feeling sluggish. The main culprit? Simple carbs, like those found in sugary drinks, cookies and processed foods (think white bread and pasta), which burn through your body quickly. Though they provide a fast boost of energy, it’s quickly followed by a crash as your blood sugar spikes and then drops.

The solution for how to boost energy when tired and keep blood sugar levels steady? Stick to whole-grain, low-glycemic carbohydrates that take the body longer to digest and avoid the crash and burn effect. Nuts, legumes, sweet potatoes, oats and brown rice are all low-glycemic carbohydrates that will provide the body with a steady stream of energy.

CHIA SEEDS

These magic little natural energy foods will boost energy levels and provide your body with a lot of nutritional bang for the buck. The ancient Mayans and Aztecs ingested chia seeds to keep up energy and alertness among warriors during war. For us mere mortals, the essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) found in chia seeds have been shown to enhance sleep quality, boost brain power and combat inflammation, which keeps your body feeling fresh. Coupled with high levels of protein and fiber, which keep blood sugar stable (no afternoon sugar crashes!), it’s no wonder chia seeds are being heralded as a superfood and natural energy boost supplement.

HYDRATION

Did you know that one of the first signs of dehydration is feeling tired or exhausted? That’s right — not drinking enough water could be the reason your energy levels are lacking and you feel exhausted. Because our bodies are made up of mostly water, even small dips in hydration are enough to affect your metabolism. Stay hydrated by making sure you’re drinking enough water and other fluids throughout the day. The National Academy of Medicine suggests about 9 cups of fluids a day for women

Remember that many foods, like fruits and vegetables, contain water as well, so you can also boost your hydration level by upping your intake. If you have an intense workout, you might want to supplement water with a drink that helps replace the electrolytes your body is sweating out. Forget sports drinks loaded with high fructose corn syrup and additives and opt for coconut water or water naturally flavored with lemon and honey instead.

B VITAMINS

Also known as the “energy vitamin,” B12 is the most complex of all vitamins and is one of the best vitamins to boost energy. It supports energy production and keeps blood cells happy and healthy. In fact, if you’re vitamin B12 deficient, one of the first signs can be lower energy levels. Because it’s a water-soluble vitamin, your body cannot store extra amounts of B12 and relies on getting the vitamin from the foods you eat or supplements.

HERBAL TEA

Coffee isn’t the only option when you need a pick-me-up. Sipping on an herbal tea can provide an all-natural temporary boost in energy levels without the risk of scary stimulants or processed ingredients. Two wonderful options are green tea and rooibos tea. Green tea has many benefits for your body, such as anti-aging and free radical-fighting properties. It is loaded with catechin, an antioxidant that helps fight damage in the body’s cells.

PEPPERMINT ESSENTIAL OILS

If you need an easy way to stimulate your mind and increase focus, peppermint oil might be what you’re looking for. Commonly used in aromatherapy, animal studies have found that this refreshing essential oil may have a stimulating effect on the brain and is even powerful enough to treat tension headaches. Try dabbing a few drops on your wrists when you find your energy lagging; add some to your shower to get an early morning energy boost; or add several drops to a steam diffuser to breathe in the benefits throughout the day.

EXERCISE

Does a tough workout wipe you out? Take solace in the fact that incorporating regular exercise into your routine will actually boost energy levels and is one of the best methods for how to increase energy and motivation while also enhancing overall health. Torching calories and engaging in physical activity sends oxygen and nutrients to your body’s cells, helping your heart and lungs work more efficiently and boosting energy levels. And remember, you don’t need to run a marathon to get the exercise benefits — moderate levels of your favorite fitness activity will reap plenty of energy benefits, too.

DETOX YOUR HOME

All the chemicals we’re exposed to inside our own home can become a major drain on our energy. Our detox organs, especially the liver and kidneys, have to work so hard to process all these chemicals that they become overburdened—then we’re exhausted. Toxic chemicals can be found in household cleaning products, personal care products, cosmetics, nonstick cookware, plastic food-storage containers, and manufactured foods. Replace all of these items throughout your home with healthy, natural alternatives.

SEX

Getting your sex life up and running is essential for vital energy flow. What’s more, it creates a virtuous cycle–the healthier and more energetic you feel, the stronger your libido gets. The stronger your sex drive, the more often you’ll enjoy lovemaking. Recharging your sexual energy is good for overall health. All of the energy-boosting strategies here will help to revitalize your libido as well.

Credits:

Created with images by rawpixel - "untitled image" • stevepb - "apple juice sweet fruit juice" • Claudio_Scott - "woman asleep girl" • PublicDomainPictures - "chia seeds foods" • PhotoMIX-Company - "strawberry drink fruit tea ice tea" • rawpixel - "untitled image" • silviarita - "leaf mint herb" • bruce mars - "dumbbell" • rawpixel - "untitled image"

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