Energy at an all time low? Too pooped to pop? Sick of being sick and tired?
The answer to more energy may lie in a few things. Consider the following questions for yourself?
Are you drinking half your bodyweight in ounces of pure water each day? Unintentional Chronic Dehydration can cause cell’s mitochondria (energy factories in the cell) to not have the water they need to function optimally and therefore energy lulls. And sorry, coffee can’t count towards your water!
Are you eating palm-sized portions of protein at each sitting? Low protein intake can cause cell turnover to happen improperly, leaving cells a little lack-luster and leaving you with low energy output.
Are you consuming more processed, refined, and convenient (gas station peanuts anyone?) foods more than you know you should? Refined and processed foods have been shown to cause “insulin resistance”, where the cells of the body become inflamed and unable to get the glucose they need to function. Your body will scream for sugar to get energy if this is the case for you.
Are you eliminating and having at least one bowel movement everyday? The elimination of waste is vastly important to energy. If you are not properly moving waste out, it starts to accumulate in the body and creates a toxic environment, whereby the cells’ enzymatic functions are stalled and energy is lost.
Are you more stressed than normal? The stress response in the body (hormones, neurotransmitters, etc) requires a ton of energy, and will rob energy from the rest of the cells of your body in order to make cortisol (your stress hormone) and keep you in survival mode. Generally in this case, the person will feel wired but tired, require lots of caffeine, and suffer from some anxiety and overwhelm at times. Getting out of bed will be difficult, and yet they have the most energy at night before bed. This is a classic case of cortisol-imbalance.
Have you had your thyroid tested with a complete thyroid panel? Sub-clinical low thyroid function (or when the doctor tells you your thyroid is fine, but you clearly know it is not) Is all too common today and actually is experienced by over 60% of Americans.
If you resonate with any or all of these, you will enjoy the quick easy tips to help you gain more energy once again:
Take your inner bath before your outer bath. A great tip to start the day with more hydration, and end up with more energy, is to consume 8-16oz of pure water upon rising. This is your inner bath, that will cleanse you even more than your outer bath will.
Aim for half your bodyweight in grams of protein each day. Animal protein is best, but those who are vegan and vegetarian can still benefit from sources of protein such as pea protein, dairy, and certain plant proteins such as macadamias. Protein speeds metabolic function every time it is consumed.
Try nature's fast food for life-on the go: fruits in palm-sized portions, avocados cut open and sprinkled with sea salt, hard-boiled eggs, beef jerky and pemmican, packets of coconut butter or macadamia nut butter, olives, cheese, and even pork rinds!
Eat when the sun is up, and wind down after the sun goes down. Avoid eating a large meal too late in the evening which can cause you to wake suddenly in the night due a blood sugar crash. This will cause a loss of sleep which will certainly cause an energy loss the next day.
Dial in your circadian rhythm, blocking out bright artificial light at night, and increasing red light which matches the red light you see at sunset and as fire-light or candlelight. Dimming house lights after the sun goes down, dimming devices or eliminating them after dark altogether will allow you to fall asleep sooner and get more restful sleep, as more melatonin will naturally be released. Artificial light at night (aka ALAN) surpasses melatonin leaving your sleep disturbed and yourself fatigued.
Avoid too much intense exercise. The last thing you need to do if your energy is lacking, is kill yourself with an 8 mile run, or a hard workout in the gym. Instead, focus on calming exercises like Natural movement videos, or a stretch class at the gym, or take a walk instead of a run.
Spend some time in the sun. Low Vitamin D can cause a lull in energy, and has even been associating for chronic fatigue. Aim to spend at least 20 minutes a day in bright AM sunlight and even perhaps some bright afternoon sunlight to increase Vitamin D naturally.
Consider a thyroid glandular. More than half the population is suffering from low thyroid function due to chronic radiation from devices, processed foods, and stress. Taking a simple thyroid/liver glandular that has worked wonders for many. Low thyroid is one of the leading causes of low energy and we recommend the following glandular for help with the thyroid production of thyroid hormone and energy! Beef Thyroid/Liver Glandular - Ancestral Supplements.
Let go of Toxic relationships. Toxic people in our lives deprive us and even rob us of energy. Even inspired scriptures mention how bad association spoils useful habits. (1 Cor 15:33). While it’s not always easy to remove all the exposure to toxic individuals, doing what you can to avoid those who rob of you of precious energy can be way to calm the underlying stress response your body undergoes when around them.
Avoid C.O.S. (Chronic Over-Stimulation). The go-go-go, hurry-to-this-errand, and hurry-to-that-place lifestyle where you cram as much into one day only to crash into bed at night is actually too much for the human body. Humans were designed to be outside, to cultivate the earth with their hands, to care for loved ones, and to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Sadly many, are totally missing out on that “enjoying the fruits of your labor” part. If you want to gain energy, you have to lose some irons in the fire, and find time to rest. Not just sleeping well at night, but daily enjoyment, or “Vitamin P” (aka pleasure, passion, purpose). It’s not about being selfish, it’s about self-care so that you have the energy to better care for others.
Our world is crazier than ever, and we need to maintain all the energy we can to withstand the pressures. So remember, take control where you can make the changes that you can - however small they may be - and wash your hands of what you can cannot control.