If you’re looking for some natural energy boosters here are some of my favorite tips and pick-me-up recipes. Hopefully you’ll find something that makes a difference for you.
When people ask where I get my energy my answer is three fold:
- 1. I tank up on High Test Fuel.
- 2. I exercise.
- 3. I have replaced the term “Hang in there” by “Let go!”
1. Proper Nutrition – Eat Nutrient Dense Foods
I previously addressed the High Test Fuel issue on this blog as it relates to overall health and you can find that info in the article I wrote called Eat Yourself Healthy. In a nutshell that article explained that eating nutrient-dense foods gives us energy while eating processed foods zaps our energy. So choosing nutrient-dense foods is key.
2. Stay Active – Exercise Regularly
Combine good fuel with a good exercise regimen and you’ll be on your way to the energy and stamina you desire. However, do one without the other and you’ve got an engine that isn’t operating on all cylinders and you’ll never have the energy you are looking for. It’s as simple as that.
3. Develop A Positive Mindset & Let Go!
Which brings me to #3. Don’t “Hang in there!” If you do, things won’t get better. “Let go!”
Harsh words? Perhaps. But I’ll come back to that in a moment.
So let’s say you’ve done your homework. You’re eating nutrient-dense foods, avoiding energy-zapping foods and you’re exercising regularly. Congratulations! You’re off to a great start! But now you want something extra. Some natural energy boosters.
Natural Energy Boosters
You’re in luck! Here are 3 tips I try to follow which were part of a group compiled by Jessica Smith who posted some expert tips on Shape.com.
For a morning boost, drink a Green Monster!
I’m not telling you this because I’m a Red Sox Fan and my favorite monster is the Green Monster in the outfield at Fenway Park. No! This Green Monster is a juice drink full of energizing nutrients. It WILL perk you up!
Here is what Jessica says about it:
“I usually have [this] for breakfast and then don’t need to have coffee” says Joanna Chodorowska, a nutrition and triathlon coach in North Whales, Pennsylvania.
Here’s how to make it: In a juicer, combine 2-4 leaves of kale, 2-4 leaves of romaine lettuce 1 inch ginger root, half a lemon with seeds removed, one apple (cored) and a clove of garlic (optional for cleansing and boosting the immune system).
Chodorowska says you can use this as a base and add other dark greens, carrots, celery, beets, or even an orange or pear instead of the apple to make your own signature energy drink.
If juicing isn’t your thing you can make a high energy smoothie with these ingredients. Use the Purple Power Smoothie recipe on my Blog as a base and you’ll have a great smoothie alternative! Yum
Eat An Apple
“A simple apple is a great energy-boosting, mid afternoon snack. Full of vitamin C, fiber, and complex carbohydrates, an apple can deliver a boost of energy and stabilize blood sugar.” Says Peggy Kotsopoulos, a registered holistic nutritionist and author of Must Have Been Something I Ate.
Hang Out With High Energy People
A third tip from the Shape.com post comes from Dr. Douglas N. Graham, author of the Raw Food 80-10-10 diet. He suggests we socialize with high energy friends because “their energy and enthusiasm will soon enough rub off on you.”
All right! That’s what I’m talking about!
Let me add here that finding energizing friends may be difficult, but don’t let that dissuade you. I recently turned 65 and in all honesty I find it difficult to find many friends my age who like to do the things I want to do. But I do them anyway and make younger friends in the process. Many of my mushing friends are much younger than I am. Some are my children’s age! But our sport and our love of dogs links us and I have stronger bonds with them as a result. Want to know how it feels to be on the back of a sled pulled by a team of sled dogs? Stick around!
Here is where I address #3 mentioned above. You’ve heard the term “Hang in there!” Well I used to use it a lot. Now I think I could be doing the person a disservice if I tell them to “Hang in there!” I’ve come to realize that whether it’s adopting a healthy way of living, starting an exercise regimen, or eating better, most of us keep hanging on to old habits, to other people’s expectations, or to the status quo. Well here’s the thing – if we are in a rut or if we need to make a change then keeping on keeping on isn’t going to change anything! What we need to do is “Let go!”
Letting Go: A 65 Year Old at Surf Camp
Two years ago I signed up for a Women’s Surf Camp in Ocean City, MD. I was 63 and I wanted to know if I could get up on a surfboard. Here is a photo of how I did. I managed to catch a few waves but I never let go of the board! So I couldn’t stand up and ride one in properly.
I told myself “Oh well…I guess I’ll never be able to surf.” This year a friend of mine talked me into going back to Surf Camp. She wanted to go and wanted me to go along. I wasn’t too keen on the idea because I’d “been there and done that” and I hadn’t been able to stand up. But I’d been exercising more and watching my fuel for the past 2 years and I felt great! Maybe even better than I did 2 years before. So why not give it a try.
So the day after my 65th birthday, I headed for the beach. Lo and behold I let go of the board! Granted the waves were small and forgiving but the breakthrough was that I had the courage to “let go!” I can’t tell you what that did for my psyche. I realized that even though I’m 65, I can still do just about anything I set my mind to. It made so many more things possible for me. Not to mention that it was a thrill! The term “Awesome Dude!” took on new meaning for me!
Letting Go with Some High Energy Friends
Now as I promised, if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to stand on a dog sled pulled by a team of sled dogs well here is your chance. Mushing is my passion! My 4 sled dogs are my best buddies and they are FULL of energy! I love working with them as a team and started mushing when I retired at the age of 58. Now I run a small recreational 4-dog team. Keep in mind that when dogs are hooked up they are excited and eager to run. My small team is manageable for me and in this video the snow is fresh and not hard packed so that slows down the dogs as well. But before we start up the trail, the sled has to be anchored by a snow hook and/or a snub line. A snub line is a line that runs from the sled and attaches to a tree, car or truck to prevent the dogs from taking off before it’s time. In my case I use a snub line attached to my car, and a snow hook which also holds the sled in place. When the dogs are hooked up, I release the snub line, I pull my snow hook and I take my 2 feet off my bar brake. In other words I “let go”! Then I give the command and I hold on for the joyride.
Get Out There And Do It!
So if you’re looking for a natural energy boost, drink a Green Monster to complement your High Test Fuel. Exercise daily and don’t forget that surrounding yourself with high energy buddies, even if they are canines, will not only rub off on you but could open up a whole new world for you. Let go of the ties that are holding you hostage and take that step toward good health. Look where it led me. Going on a trail run with my Pack and my good mushing friend Ruth not only energizes me but provides me with memories I won’t soon forget.
I hope you find your addiction and that you feed it well!
Happy Trails!
It must be the anti-bacterial properties of turmeric at work When applied,
it stings a little bit, and it is probably the active
ingredients working. Cinnamon – helps reduce blood sugar and “bad” cholesterol.
Since it functions as an active form, SAMe is naturally transformed to cysteine within your body.