“When we “feel” tired in our brain, we must remember that all of our organs, tissues and cells are experiencing this exact level of fatigue.” Lindsey Duncan
We all want and need more of it. We’ll eat anything, drink anything or take anything that promises to give us more of it. We are talking about energy. In today’s demanding, depleting and fast paced world, we’re busier than ever and are being pulled a million different directions each day. It really doesn’t matter what you do for a living, where you live or if you’re male or female, chances are, you feel drained from time to time and struggle to get the things done you need and want to do. Maybe you feel sluggish just every once in awhile or maybe it’s a daily battle. More and more people today are dealing with chronic fatigue issues and are just plain tired. When this happens it’s hard to feel motivated to do anything. We know- we’ve felt it too. That’s why we’ve put together a list of daily tips that we believe will promote more energy.
YOU FEEL TIRED AS SOON AS YOU WAKE UP:
A lot of people struggle with this on a daily basis. They wake up and feel no more rested than when they went to sleep. One reason for this may be because they are not getting quality, restful sleep at night. Even if you go to bed at a decent time and get 6-8 hours of sleep, you may still feel exhausted if it’s not quality sleep. One issue with this may be watching TV or logging onto social media right before sleep. When we do this our brains remain active and it’s hard to relax and fall into that deep REM sleep. We recommend logging off all electronic devices, including TV one hour before you plan to be asleep. Also, make sure to put all electronics, including your phone, away from your because these devices not only disrupt your body’s energy, but also disrupt your sleep. Try reading, meditating or listening to soft calming music instead. This will prepare your body for a restful night’s sleep.
Another reason for feeling tired as soon as you wake up may be dehydration. You go straight to the coffee pot each morning and depend on the caffeine to wake you up and get you going and perhaps, another cup later in the day to do the same thing all over again. We recommend starting each day with not a cup of joe, but a big glass of H2O with some type of trace minerals and electrolyte added to it. Each morning we drink at least 8 ounces of purified water upon waking, followed by a green juice and then have our coffee, which is decaf. We used to drink regular coffee, but have eliminated caffeine from our diet, which wasn’t the easiest thing to do, especially for Molly, but it’s been well worth it. We both feel SO much better! For coffee drinkers, you can add a high quality liquid fat supplement such as MCT oil. This calms the irritating effect of coffee while also increasing energy. Finally, remember to get more water in on a daily basis and especially first thing in the morning. This will feed and hydrate your cells and blood and will help to promote more energy.
WHAT CAN I EAT TO FEEL MORE ENERGY?
Here’s a list of our go to foods we love to grab that can help counter the sluggish feeling:
Eggs-They’re a great choice because they are a complete protein containing 30% of your recommended daily dosage. If you do eat eggs, you just want to make 100% sure you do not have an intolerance to them. You can do this by taking a food sensitivity test.
Quinoa-This is a great carb choice as it’s high in folate, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese..all essential nutrients to help you feel energized.
Chia Seeds-We have this superfood everyday whether it’s sprinkled on our salad, eggs or in a smoothie. It’s the perfect ratio of vegetarian, high quality protein, fat and fiber.
Green Tea or Yerba Mate-They both have natural caffeine so you won’t get the jitters and both have great health benefits.
Nuts, Seeds and/or homemade Trail Mix-We love nuts and seeds and make our own trail mix. We find that a lot of the premixed trail mixes have too much sugar in them or ingredients we don’t want such as peanut oil, M&M’s or sugar so we make our own by just purchasing organic nuts and seeds at the grocery store and then adding dried fruits such as Goji Berries, Golden Berries and Mulberry Berries. We always try and find organic, raw nuts and seeds and organic berries. This is a great energizer because of the ratio of healthy proteins, fats and carbs. A couple of handfuls before or after a workout is perfect.
Apple Cider Vinegar-When our bodies get too much lactic acid which can be caused from stress or exercise, we can feel zapped. ACV can counter this because of its amino acids and detoxification abilities, so try a teaspoon or two in a glass of water after your workout.
Honey- This is our sweetener of choice, although we don’t overdo anything sweet. We add it to our coffee in the morning and also take it sometimes before sleep at night (we’ll talk about this later:) Because of its low glycemic index it won’t give you that crash that you feel from eating other sweet foods. Just taking a teaspoon mid afternoon can be a great energy booster.
Coconut Oil-We love this food for so many reasons, but it’s definitely a great choice for promoting energy. You can cook with it, add to a smoothie or coffee or just take a teaspoon of it, which is what we do and prefer. We take a teaspoon in the morning and then usually mid afternoon. It’s a great source of healthy fats and fat is what your body and brain need for energy.
Primal Kitchen Bars- We love these bars because they are super low in sugar (3g) and packed with protein (15g), are paleo and have an added bonus of containing grass fed collagen. These are our go to when we’re out and on the go. They are also delicious….our favorite flavor is the Coconut Cashew.
Vitamins, Minerals and other Nutrients- If we had to choose the top nutrients for energy production we would have to choose the B-complex family of vitamins, iron and specific amino acids such as Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine. These are all critical for muscle growth and energy; also Glutamine and Citrulline. Foods that are great iron sources are kidney beans, spinach, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, red meat, and broccoli.
EXERCISE:
So we know it can be hard to get things done when you’re feeling tired, let alone exercise, but working out on a regular basis can make all the difference in the world. There’s a ton of research out there to support this, so if you don’t want to take our word for it, just do some research on the web and you’ll see what we are talking about. Exercise promotes more blood flow to your body, oxygenates your brain and body, releases endorphins and also helps to reduce stress and promote better sleep. And chances are, if you’re exercising on a regular basis you’re going to make better food choices and stay away from all of the processed and sugary foods (which make you feel tired), so as Lindsey would say this is a 1-2 punch for having more energy. Try to work out 3-5 times a week for 30-60 minutes. We lean towards five times a week for an hour or a little more each time. Finding the right kind of exercise is also important. If you’re working out and feeling worse or more depleted at the end of your workout than you did before you started, you may be choosing the wrong type of exercise. So start slow, try lots of different types of exercise and see what works best for your body. The bottom line is just to get moving consistently, so find out what your body responds best to.
SUPPLEMENTS
Supplements are also a crucial part of the equation when it comes to have good energy levels. Below are ones that will support your natural energy levels.
A high quality, potent B-Complex vitamim-
Adding one of these into your daily regimen is important because B-complex helps break down your food and convert it into energy and it also helps promote healthy hormones which play a big part in our energy levels. B-complex vitamins also help promote healthy metabolism.
Vitamin B-12-
We suggest an additional B-12 supplement on top of the B- Complex because B-12 helps to keep the body’s nerve and blood cells healthy and can prevent anemia which makes you feel sluggish. Our bodies get depleted of B-12 due to aging and not getting enough through our diet in foods such as animal protein and fish. We prefer methylcobalamin over cyanocobalamin.
Rhodiola Rosea-
This herb can help support the body in it’s fight against fatigue associated with mental and physical stress and even fatigue linked to depression.
Ashwagandha-
This herb also is said to support your body’s resilience to stress, both physical and mental and even from exercise. It can support us in alleviating fatigue and therefore, increase energy.
American and Asian Ginseng- These herb can support a myriad of things including increased energy levels, reduced stress, relaxation, healthy blood sugar levels and even aid in libido.
Melatonin-
This hormone can be especially helpful if you’re waking up exhausted as we discussed earlier. You may not be getting quality sleep, which melatonin can help improve. Getting better sleep should result in more energy and increased alertness.
Tyrosine-
This amino acid is found naturally in foods such as chicken, eggs and dairy. It helps produce neurotransmitters, chemicals that transmit messages to your brain. Often people complain of mental fog, especially during times of increased stress and/or fatigue. Tyrosine can help decrease this and promote healthier levels of energy.
CoQ10-CoQ10 occurs naturally in the body, but as we age and experience things such as stress or illness, our CoQ10 levels decrease. When this happens the cells in the body cannot produce the energy they need to, which makes us feel tired. CoQ10 can be found in some foods, but it’s hard to get in the recommended amount that will actually make you feel a difference, so a good CoQ10 supplement can help support healthy energy, plus is great for the heart.
Iron-
Iron is crucial for the blood and healthy red blood cells. The red blood cells need iron in order to carry oxygen throughout your body. If you are low in iron, your blood cells simply will not have what they need to do their job, which can make you feel very tired. Be especially aware of iron levels if you’re pregnant, are vegetarian, have a low iron diet or have had significant blood loss.
Creatine-
Many athletes supplement with this compound as it helps them perform harder and longer. Creatine is naturally found in food such as red meat, fish and pork. By supplementing with Creatine you may improve and increase your body’s energy stores.
CBD (Cannabidiol) oil tincture-
This oil strengthens the body’s cells that cause you to feel tired and sluggish and can help you feel more focused and mentally clear.
MCT (medium-chain triglycerides) oil-This is commonly known as “fuel for your brain”. MCT absorbs more quickly than long chain triglycerides. It’s an awesome source of fat that creates energy in the form of keytones. You can add this oil in things like coffee, a recovery shake or on top of a salad as part of your dressing.
We know this is a lot of information and a lot to digest, but if you do just a few things from this comprehensive list, we believe you’ll start to feel more energized. It’s also good to point out that many people think and assume that in order to have more energy they need to take something. Yes, there are supplements and healthy foods to eat that will support more energy, but you also need to look at what should be elminated from your diet. Find out what the antagonists are that are causing you issues. As we said in one of our videos, these can be food items and non food items such as negative emotions. Either way, eliminating antagonists are equally as important as adding the right foods and supplements into your daily program. As you do all of this which is a process and will not happen overnight, you’ll begin to notice an increase in energy and you’ll probably want to do more. The key is trying and experimenting with many of these strategies and figuring out what works best for you because everyone is different. Enjoy the JOURNEY to more energy!!
