By: Maria Martin
Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach Sign up here and never miss a post
Energy ..... That thing we all want and it seems so hard to get .
The good news is that it's up to you to create our own energy ! Your diet, mindset and lifestyle determine your energy level so you my friend are in the drivers seat !
What zaps your energy ?
Sugar
Sugar Substitutes
Caffeine
Alcohol ( even in small amounts)
Processed chemical filled Foods
Dairy
To many animal foods
Gluten
MSG
GMO'S
Pesticides
An inflammatory diet
Chemicals in your beauty care products such as soaps, shampoos, makeup, lotions etc.
Lack of sleep
Not eating often enough
Lack of hydration
Blood sugar imbalance
Spending to much time with negative people and/or in negative environments
Being pessimistic, angry or agitated often
Lack of exercise
Gut issues
Stress
Anxiety
and more .........
Whoa !! it seems like you have so much stacked against you right ? Holy Moly Oly !
So what can you do to create more energy ?
#1 Get out there and move your fanny !
Simple exercise like walking or hiking is wonderful for you ! We love to hike at the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton Massachusetts as a family . It's fun to find different places to walk and hike . I also run a couple times a week and do strength training exercises . I have found 4-5 days a week of exercise works best for my energy levels and especially my mood . When I run I go 45-60 min , and when I walk I go about 75 min . Sometimes I go more often and less time 20-30 min .
There is no perfect way to do it and everyone's body is different so you just have to find your own groove that works for your schedule, mind, and body . A workout schedule never worked for me because I would be really hard on myself if I didn't complete exactly what I wrote down . I just go with the flow and my schedule so it's completely stress free and try to never miss more than a day in between .
Exercising too much can be just as devastating to the body as not working out is so be very careful becuase it will burn you and your adrenals right out and may cause inflammation in the body . *always consult a physician before beginning ant type of work out routine .
Tip : Breath in a little Peppermint Essential Oil before starting your workout to get a little energy support and of course even when your not working out and need a little boost throughout the day
#2 Stay Hydrated !!
The very first signs of dehydration are fatigue and hunger ( dehydration can be disguised as hunger) . These two things are not a very useful combination if you ask me .
Eating lots of raw fruits, vegies and juices will keep you hydrated too ! There is nothing like actual living hydration for the body !
Avoid caffeinated beverages and pasteurized juices (also contains MSG which is used in the pasteurization process and you won't find it on the label) because they dehydrate you .
You may also want to avoid using bottled water as it's acidic to the body . In an emergency such as being at the airport I go for FIJI or Evian as they are slightly alkaline due to their mineral content . Its best to use filtered tap water . I personally use a Britta water filter pitcher but there are so many out there to choose from . Tap water unfiltered contains chlorine which is very destructive to the good bacteria in your gut so it's crucial to drink it filtered .
If you get sick of plain water try adding some Vitality oils such as Lemon, Jade Lemon, Lime, Tangerine, Orange, or Citrus Fresh ( my fave). You can also try fruit infused waters or one of my summertime favorites is Cucumber , lemon and mint. You can just pop it all in a pitcher and let it sit overnight . I also love making pitchers of iced herbal teas that not only hydrate you deliciously but you amazing nutritional benefits as well !
#3 Reduce Stress
We all know how much stress can way us down and wreak havoc in our bodies . It's definitely not an easy one to combat and can suck the living life right out of us . Following the other four steps in this blog is crucial to stress reduction .
You can add things in like, yoga, reiki, tapping, earthing, deep breathing, mediation , being in nature, living your purpose and of course utilizing your favorite essential oils by diffusing them , breathing them in and applying them . A few of my favorites are Awaken, Envision, Joy, Frankincense , Ylang Ylang , SENSATION, Orange, Jade lemon, Tangerine and Lime.
# 4 Eat an anti-inflammatory diet avoiding toxins
When it comes to energy our diet is EVERYTHING . If you are not eating real whole foods you cannot possibly expect to have the energy you need or to feel good . Your body is actually designed to feel amazing all the time . If you aren't feeling amazing all the time you aren't putting the right fuel into your body. ( it's that simple )
Eating real organic ( as much as possible) food without the chemicals like GMO's ,MSG , pesticides , artificial sweeteners and colors, SUGAR , additives and yup especially Natural Flavors , inflammatory oils such as canola and so many more ! They all lead to so many diseases , cause inflammation in your body and destroys your gut health which is the heart of your immune system . The toxins you put on you are just as important or even more important . ( Young Living is your one stop shop to a chemical free life from makeup, skin care , shampoos, soaps, household cleaners and of course Essential Oils . Lucky Us ! )
You will want to avoid highly inflammatory foods such as all dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese) and conventional meat as well .
# 5 Sleep
The obvious one , right ? If you're not doing steps 1-4 you cannot expect to have a goods night sleep . Everything works together and your body is actually a truly amazing machine that fights to work for you as long as your working for it and not against it .
Tips:
Try to create a sleep routine if you can
. Don't eat for 2-3 hours prior to bed . If you need something before bed eat something small and raw ( your body doesn't have to do as much work to digest it) . I typically eat a banana in this case because it's satiating and contains a lot of magnesium which helps you sleep .
No technology an hour before bed ( a hard one) .
EXERCISE
Go caffeine free . When I gave up caffeine it took MONTHS to come out of my body and then I finally started to sleep like I never imagined a person could sleep . Don't think if you drink it in the A.M. it will be out of your system by evening . It also causes inflammation in the body and destroys your healthy gut bacteria .
DIFFUSE DIFFUSE DIFFUSE !
My absolute favorite way to get a good nights sleep is to diffuse my Young Living therapeutic grade essential oils . My favorite oils for nighttime are Lavender, Frankincense , Cedarwood ( and the combo of the three ) . I also love Northern Lights Black Spruce , Idaho Blue Spruce , RC, Eucalyptus Globulus , Eucalyptus Radiata, Envision, Awaken , and Stress Away . I try to switch it up as much as I can to keep it super effective . There are so many more to support sleep but these are my personal favorites !
You can also have a cup of Lavender or Chamomile tea before bed to promote relaxation.
I hope you enjoyed reading this , I love feedback so feel free to comment below or email me . What would you like to see more of ? Did you find this helpful ? Just let me know ! I work super hard trying to provide you with the best tools to create a healthy life .
Ready to get started NOW with a healthy new life ? Check out my amazing virtual coaching program ! There is an option for every budget and you never have to leave your house . I created this with super busy women in mind ! Compiled everything that got me where I am into one 12 week program that you can do on your own time !
Your Body Your Soul Your Purpose
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Maria Martin
Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach
Young Living Independent Executive Level Leader & Educator
