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7 Simple Ways To Improve Your Energy Starting Today
My guess if you’re here reading this right now, my guess is that you, like so many others that suffer from fibromyalgia, are struggling to find more energy…
That was me…
At my worst, I ended up out of work because I couldn’t overcome the severe fatigue and I had zero energy…
Sound familiar?
I had tried taking a really good Vitamin B Complex, I used caffeine, I was filling up on water… and the list of tried and failed treatments continued…
So over time, I have learned what really does work...
You are not what you eat, you are what you digest and absorb.
• Your total nutrition needs to give your body what it needs to run better.
• Your digestion can’t handle getting too much at one time.
• Stress turns your body’s attention from digestion to focus on addressing or escaping the stress. That means stress prevents better energy.
Stimulants are not energy providers.
• Coffee, tea, “energy” promising herbs, etc stimulate the body via their stimulant agents (like caffeine) but that is NOT the same as providing energy. In fact, they can be your worst energy drainers – think of a car with almost no gas and you put the pedal to the metal asking it to go and go fast… you will hear an awful sound, and while you might get one burst of movement it won’t last. That’s what happens when we use stimulants alone to provide us with energy. Furthermore, our body can become dependent on them to do that work and as such doesn’t motivate itself.
Energy comes from calories. Better energy comes from Better calories.
• Quick energy comes from carbs. We need these to give us that burst so skip the black coffee or calorie-free energy shot – you can get creative and combo the two so you get a little more energy boost, and a little more lasting energy (with the addition of protein and healthy fats too).
• Lasting energy and communication support for how to use that energy comes from proteins, fats, and plant nutrients found in non-starchy vegetables
Not So Sweet energy: Just as carbs give us energy they also take it away.
• Ever had a cup of coffee and a doughnut or muffin or a puffed cereal with fruit in milk and an hour later felt like you needed it all over again just to keep going? Too many carbs at one time AND highly refined (think white flour, white sugar, fruit juice, milk) carbs give us a jolt of energy — but that energy won’t last, and the excess of carbs can be readily stored as fat.
• Artificial sweeteners give you no energy so you are more likely to still crave energy – like sugar or other carbs – after having artificial sweeteners without any calories
Better energy begins the night before.
• Avoid stimulants in the late afternoon/early evening. This includes dark chocolate (>60% cacao), B vitamins (likely in your multi-vitamin), teas, and supplements that contain energy-boosting herbs.
• Food gives us energy. Avoid eating to keep yourself awake in the evening, because it can also keep you from falling asleep when you’re ready. Try to stop eating about 2-3 hours before bed and keep your evening meal lighter – which is easier if you have a mid-afternoon nutrition pit stop.
• Our brains can be as potent stimulants like caffeine and sugar so work to clear your mind before you head to bed. More and more we learn about the benefits of not having our electronic devices in bed so that’s one place to start. Another is to make a to-do list of what you want and need to accomplish tomorrow so that you clear that from your mind. Before I get into bed, I write one of my favorite moments from the day on a piece of scrap paper and collect it in a large jar. This reminds me to clear through what might not have been my favorites and get to bed with a happy brain.
• Magnesium is Mother Nature’s muscle relaxant so it helps the body physically get ready for great sleep but it does more. Magnesium resides in our cells to kick out calcium that enters when we experience stress – real or perceived – and that helps us get better sleep as well. Because we don’t want or need energy before bed, a quality supplement of magnesium helps prep the body for better sleep
Better energy comes from fewer decisions.
• Decision fatigue. While we have the ability to make decisions about almost everything, doing so is exhausting, and often results in making less good choices because we are so tired of making choices.
• The antidote to decision fatigue is a routine. I can’t stress this enough – create your routine and stick with it (personally) as well as establish routines for your family. It can seem fun to say “What should we have for breakfast?” but there’s an energy requirement for asking, for receiving yours / their answers, and then developing those breakfast choices. It may seem boring to have a menu but there’s a huge energy saving by eliminating some of our daily decisions.
Better energy may come from a supplement.
• Caffeine pills, Cordyceps, green tea, B vitamins, Ashwagandha, Rhodiola….Yes, there are supplements that help promote better energy. Depending on your health and the quality of the product, they could be unhelpful or harmful. Discuss any supplements, doses, timing as part of your better nutrition plan development with your provider.
So all of these tips are good. Pick one that you can start on and begin to improve your energy.
You can kick the fatigue to the curb!
If you’d like to learn more about my programs and how I help my clients regain their energy and reclaim their lives Click Here to schedule a 15-minute call to discuss your goals.
All of my programs are customized to the clients' needs, goals, and lifestyles so that we can find the winning path to fibromyalgia relief that is going to work for you!
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Amy
