Do you struggle to maintain your energy levels throughout the day? Do you experience the dreaded afternoon crash? Do you find yourself feeling sluggish and exhausted most of the time?
I struggled with energy issues for years. I sat all day at a desk for work and all I wanted to do after work was sit on the couch. I remember one beautiful summer day about 4 years ago, my daughter wanted to go to the pool to play. She was 3 and walked into the room with her bathing suit on backwards. She asked if we could go swimming. I had to tell her no. And I hated to do it. But I couldn’t move. I was stuck on the couch. I had zero energy. I was sluggish and exhausted.
Then I found a solution!
Now, I have more energy than I did in my early 30’s and I am happy to report that last summer, I played in the pool with my daughter several times a week.
Today, we are going to chat about 3 ways to increase your energy naturally. We are going to focus on the basics. Eating better, getting more sleep and taking high quality supplements.
Eat Better
Many people feel tired or rundown at some point during the day. A lack of energy could affect your daily activities and make you less productive. The type and quantity of food you eat plays an essential role in determining your energy levels during the day. While all foods give you energy, not all foods are created equally. Some foods contain nutrients that could help increase your energy levels and maintain your alertness and focus throughout the day, while others will cause your energy to skyrocket and crash. Our focus is on the healthy foods that will keep your body fueled evenly all day.
When I started thinking about food as fuel for my body, I began to change my relationship with food. It’s like putting gas in your car. If your car calls for high octane and you add regular gas to the tank, your car will not run how it is supposed to. It might make strange noises and run funny, damaging the engine in the process. Our bodies are the same way. We were all created with bodies that require premium fuel and when we eat processed foods and junk, it causes low energy, obesity, health problems etc.
According to Harvard Medical School, to keep energy levels high we should eat a balanced diet that includes a variety of unrefined carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, with an emphasis on vegetables, whole grains, and healthy oils. Unrefined Carbohydrates are considered “good carbs” and consist of foods like wholegrain breads, brown rice, barley, quinoa (keen-wah- technically a seed), bran cereal and oatmeal. Non-starchy veggies are also included like spinach, green beans, brussel sprouts, celery and tomatoes.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. I am simply going to focus on 10 foods that you can begin incorporating today to get more energy naturally.
- Eggs: Eggs are not only a tremendously satisfying food but also full of energy that can help fuel your day. Eggs are a complete protein, (containing all the essential amino acids), B-vitamins, healthy fats, and even some vitamin D.
- Fruits: Fruits provide natural sugars, which are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream for an instant pick me up but without the ‘sugar crash’ you get after eating refined sugars. Fruits are also high in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Fruit makes an excellent snack because it gives you a healthy energy boost.
- Green Tea: Green tea is famous for its long list of health benefits. It has a high concentration of powerful antioxidants that can help prevent oxidative stress and inflammation. According to Healthline, It has been shown to increase brain function, assist with fat loss, protect against cancer and lower the risk of heart disease. It can also be a good energy booster.
- Nuts: Nuts are energy dense due to their high content of healthy fats. They are also high in vitamins and minerals. Most nuts, including almonds, walnuts, and cashews, are known for their high calorie density and abundance of proteins, carbs, and healthy fats. They include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, as well as antioxidants that can increase energy levels and help with inflammation and antioxidant protection. Additionally, these nuts provide decent amounts of carbs and fiber for a steady and sustained energy boost. Nuts also contain other vitamins and minerals, such as manganese, iron, B vitamins, and vitamin E. These can help increase energy production and decrease tiredness.
- Fish: Fatty Fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel are an excellent source of complete protein, B vitamins, essential fats, and vitamin D. Fatty fish contain 2 of the 3 Omega-3s, EPA and DHA. Lean fish, like cod, catfish and mahi mahi have less fat in their tissues, so they have less fatty acids. A lack of vitamin D can cause low energy, muscle fatigue, and low mood. The Vitamin B12 found in tuna works with folate to produce red blood cells and help iron work better in your body. Optimal levels of red blood cells and iron can reduce fatigue and increase energy.
- Coffee: Coffee can help people feel less tired and increase energy levels that’s because it contains a stimulant called caffeine. Many controlled studies in humans show that coffee improves various aspects of brain function — including memory, mood, vigilance, energy levels, reaction times and general mental function.
- Hummus: Hummus is made with chickpeas, sesame seed paste (tahini), oil, and lemon. The combination of these ingredients makes hummus a good source of energy. The chickpeas in hummus are a good source of complex carbs and fiber, which your body can use for steady energy. In addition, the sesame seed paste and oil in hummus contains healthy fats. These ingredients are also helpful at slowing the absorption of carbs, which helps you avoid blood sugar spikes.
- Popcorn: If you can control yourself and not load it up with delicious hot butter, air popped Popcorn can be an excellent low calorie, energizing snack. It’s high in carbs and fiber, which can make it very satisfying and a good option for a filling and energy-boosting snack.
- Seeds: Seeds are an excellent source of protein, healthy fats and minerals involved in energy production – including manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc. Zinc is needed for the production of hormones in the body that affect energy and mood.
- Lentils: Lentils are a great and inexpensive source of protein, they are a good source of nutrients and help boost energy levels. Lentils are legumes that are rich in carbs and fiber. Additionally, lentils can increase your energy levels by replenishing your stores of folate, manganese, zinc, and iron. These nutrients assist in cellular energy production and the breakdown of nutrients for the release of energy.
Lots of foods can help boost your energy. Look for foods that are packed with nutrients. Avoid the processed foods found in the middle aisles in the grocery store. Stick to the perimeter.
Get More Sleep
Sleep plays an essential role in good health and well-being during the course of your life. Getting enough quality sleep can help protect your mental health, physical health and quality of life.
During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. Your body works to repair muscle, organs, and other cells. Chemicals that strengthen your immune system start to circulate in your blood. You spend about a fifth of your night’s sleep in deep sleep when you’re young and healthy — more if you haven’t slept enough. The older you get, the less time you spend in deep sleep.
During REM sleep, scientists believe that your brain clears out information that it doesn’t need– think emptying the trash bin on your PC– deleting the trash helps our brains function better, improving problem solving, fact recall and task completion.
Ongoing sleep deficiency can raise your risk for some chronic health problems. It also can affect how well you think, react, work, learn, and get along with others.
This seems like a no-brainer, but one of the first things that can help with exhaustion & low-energy is making sure you are getting quality sleep. You should aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night for optimal health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 35% of American adults don’t get the recommended 7 hours of sleep each night. Here are some healthy sleep tips to help you catch some shut eye:
- Go to bed roughly the same time each night; wake up roughly the same time every morning.
- Create an ideal sleep space that is cool and dark.
- Reduce stimuli in your room: turn off technology.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol around bedtime.
- Take a bath or read a book
- Drink Chamomile Tea before bed
- Diffuse high quality essential oils or apply topically (4 drops of Serenity and 2 drops of Cedarwood is my favorite night-time blend)
Take High-Quality Supplements
Based on dietary reference intakes, it has been discovered that 92% of the US population is suffering from at least one mineral or vitamin deficiency. Unfortunately, the soil our food is grown in is no longer nutrient-dense and most people’s diets aren’t as healthy or diverse as they should be due to our heavily processed food supply. Most people need help bridging the nutritional gap and high quality supplements can do that for you.
While each nutrient can have their own distinct set of symptoms, there are some that carry across almost all deficiencies. These include:
- General lethargy, tiredness, aches, and pains
- Increased anxiety and restlessness
- Brittle hair and nails
- Irritability
- Depression
- Brain fog
- Acne
The top 6 nutrients that we are lacking are as follows:
- Vitamin D
- Magnesium
- Iodine
- Vitamin B12
- Iron
- Calcium
Choosing a supplement can be tricky! From totally misleading claims to potentially harmful additives, you really have to do your research. Here are 5 things that you should consider when shopping for quality supplements.
Cost matters: Remember, you get what you pay for. Supplements can be found in the grocery store, drug store, convenience store, and the big box stores. High quality supplements will likely cost a little more and the best ones may not be found in those places.
Check dosage: Make sure it falls within the recommended daily amount. For example, the recommended amount of Vitamin D to take per day is 400-800IU. Anything below 400 may not be helpful and anything above 800 could potentially be harmful.
A University of Minnesota analysis found that for six types of herbal products, the more expensive the supplement was, the more likely it was that the recommended dosage would be consistent with established standards.
Read Ingredients: Low quality supplements can be full of additives which block your body from absorbing the active ingredient. If you see ingredients in the supplement that you do not recognize, look it up.
Check Bioavailability: Bioavailability is the amount of nutrient that your body is able to absorb. The higher quality the supplement the more your body will absorb.
Also, you can look for specific pairings. Some pairings can actually help you absorb more of the nutrient. This works in supplement form and in the foods you eat. For example, If a supplement or food has both Vitamin C and plant based iron, the vitamin C helps break the iron down into a form that the body can more easily absorb. Vitamin D and Calcium is another helpful pairing. The two work together because the active vitamin D form causes a cascade of effects that increases the absorption of dietary calcium in the intestines.
Read Reviews: And it probably goes without saying but do some research on the brand and check out reviews.
I take a few supplements. One provides cellular energy, another has 22 vitamins & minerals and another has powerful Omega fatty acids. My supplements include Vitamin D, Magnesium, Iodine, B12, Iron and Calcium. They also include the healthy combos of Vitamin D and Calcium as well as Vitamin C and iron. My energy levels are off the hook!!
If you want to learn more I would love to set up a time to chat. Click to email me and I will be in touch.
If you want to increase your energy quickly and naturally, in a healthy way, remember the 3 things we covered. Make more intentional food choices and shop the perimeter of the grocery store. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night in a technology free environment. Lastly, take high quality supplements that are natural and free of additives. Remember, you get what you pay for.
Remember that 3 year old in the backwards bathing suit? She is 7 now with a 4 year old brother. They are full on 24/7/365. I am so thankful to have the energy to keep up with my kids. I am optimistic about my long term health and vitality and I look forward to being active with my family for many years to come.
