Energy Blog Archive...
Energy maintenance. In many ways, we control our energy production. If our bodies are out of balance, the first thing that goes is our ability to sustain energy. We are like a battery wearing out. The list is too extensive to list all of the reasons that our bodies become depleted of energy. Illnesses cause energy depletion, as do toxins in the system. Illness and toxins aside, I am going to focus on how we can try to improve energy. A few things that we can try to do on a daily basis to maintain energy levels include exercise, socialize, be passionate about something, and of course, get the nutrients that our bodies need.
* Exercise - it may seem like this would deplete our energies, but as long as the thyroid and adrenal glands are not taxed (or you are not suffering from an illness), exercise will relieve stress and create more energy for the system.
* Socialize - we are social beings. Everyone needs time to recharge, but we gain energy from being with others. Sitting in front of the TV actually depletes energy. If you find yourself becoming more and more introverted, your hormones may be out of balance. Make an effort to connect with others, and see what that does to your energy level. (Sometimes large groups can be energy depleting, so start small if you haven't socialized in a while).
* Find a passion - it is proven that the longest living people have a passion that energizes them. Have you ever done something enjoyable that causes you to lose track of time and you don't tire from it? It doesn't have to be a "save the world" kind of passion. It could be gardening, walking, swimming, reading, babysitting - you name it. I heard the other day that if you don't know what your passion is, take a week and write down everything that you enjoy doing, and the things that you don't like doing and see where the patterns are. Do you love being in nature, being with others, cleaning - whatever it is, try to incorporate more of what you love into your day.
* Finally - Nutrition - if your blood sugars are off (eating to many empty carbs and sugars), you will have many energy ups and downs during the day. Caffeine will definitely give you an up, but then you need more to keep going. Caffeine will also stress the adrenals, leading to other health issues. If you are not giving your body the nutrients it needs to keep going (think of your car and its need for gas and oil) over time, your energy will begin to deplete.
One last tip - get your vitamin D from the sun. Get out in the sun each day for a while without sunscreen (avoid sunburn). Our bodies need vitamin D for health, and we are so depleted because we are afraid of the sun. My next topic is one that I talk about a lot - food intolerances.
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I am reading the book The 150 Most Effective Ways to Boost Your Energy by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D, C.N.S. This is the time of year when some of these tips can be very helpful. The days are getting shorter and the to do list is getting longer with the holidays. A side benefit of boosting energy during the day is that we tend to sleep better at night. Some of the following tips are obvious, but good reminders during the holiday season.
* Eat real food
* Cut back on sugar and high fructose corn syrup (I know this is a tough time of year, but not impossible).
* Don't add salt to your food - try new spices - hot peppers help to boost energy.
* Get a massage or go to the chiropractor to help balance the system
* Exercise
* Hang out with people you enjoy
* Take probiotics (this can help keep you healthy this season, also)
* Get organized - clutter and disorganization zaps energy
* Do what you love
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I heard on the news today that January 25th has been proven to be the most depressing day of the year - so the way I see it, we are on the upswing to feeling more positive, and with spring right around the corner our moods should improve! Last week I had listed some of the major stressors that are listed in the book "The Core Balance Diet" by Marcelle Pick, MSN. The author of this book also lists what she considers to be the "Truly Toxic Ten" - the things that weaken our systems and keep us from feeling our best. There are different versions of this list, and obviously there are more than ten things that can damage our health, but this is a good starting point:
* Recreation drugs/narcotics
* Tobacco/Nicotine
* Trans fats
* Artificial sugars/sweeteners- sucralose (Splenda), aspartame, acesulfame- K, sarrharine, mannitol, and sorbitol.
* Refined sugars - sucrose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, maltodextrin, polydextrose, corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup.
* Chemical additives- artificial coloring, emulsifiers, thickeners, nitrates, monosdium glutamate (MSG), and preservatives.
* Alcohol
* Over-the-counter medications= pain relievers, antihistamines, cough syrups, cold remedies and so on.
* Caffeine
* Too many prescription medications (never go off prescription medications unless advised by your physician)
This is a list that is not easy to change overnight, but it is worth taking steps to make small changes over time. It is important to read ingredient lists to fully understand how many of the above items (plus salt) that we are getting in our diet. The more whole foods that we eat, the easier it is on our bodies to digest and process.
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I have been scanning through numerous diet books lately. The conflicting information is amazing. There are recommendations for no protein, all meat, no legumes, no grains, no fruit...the list goes on. The real problem is that we are all from different cultures and backgrounds, and what might work for one person, is not necessarily ideal for someone else. I was reading the book Younger (Thinner) You Diet by Eric Braverman, MD. He spent time talking about neurotransmitters and their affect on our ability to lose and maintain weight. The first neurotransmitter he discusses is dopamine. He ties rapid or significant weight gain to a dopamine deficiency. Dopamine is important because it effects or physical and mental energy. This also has an affect on on metabolism - slowing it down, also. If you are someone who always gains weight, even when you haven't changed your eating habits, it may be due to a dopamine deficiency. According to Dr. Braverman, "Without the right amount of dopamine, the circuits in our brains do not relay the message that we feel satisfied and full. Instead of walking away from the table, we'll just keep eating and eating and eating: We are never emotionally or physically fulfilled by food, no matter how much we've eaten." The following is a list of indicators from the author which point to low dopamine in the system:
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I am back to neurotransmitters. I am currently reading a couple of books that focus on this topic - both for mood and for weight loss. Acetylcholine is not a neurotransmitter that we hear a lot about. More familiar ones are serotonin and dopamine. Interestingly, a lack of acetylcholine in the system can lead to a person isolating him or herself from human interaction. According to Eric Braverman in his book "The Edge Effect", a person with balanced acetylcholine has the following attributes: hardworking, detail-oriented, devoted and exacting. He also states that perfectionism and self-discipline are the hallmarks of this personality type - qualities that can be pluses or minuses depending on the extent of brain imbalance. It is interesting to me to see this profile. More and more people that I know are perfectionistic. This is positive for some, but almost debilitating for others. Life can be very difficult if we perceive that everything has to be perfect. The author also states that the perfectionist is a person who maintains self-control at the expense of relaxation, enjoyment, and warmth. This can affect the work environment in in ways such as having difficulty transitioning from one task to another, or accepting that something is done "good enough". It this tends to be your nature, and you feel out of balance, some foods with choline that may be helpful in restoring balance are almonds, broccoli, eggs, peanut butter, and many kinds of fish. Another indicator that you need more choline may be a craving for fatty foods. More on neurotransmitters next week.
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I am still reading the book "The Edge Effect" by Eric Braverman, MD. This book focuses on the brain to improve health and longevity. GABA is a neurotransmitter that helps to calm the brain. According to the author, if you are experiencing a GABA deficiency, you may begin to feel anxious, nervous, or irritable. Many of us experience these symptoms regularly due to stress, so of course, GABA would not be the only deficiency we may be experiencing. Other indicators of a GABA deficiency from the book "The Edge Effect" are as follows: Feelings of dread, blurred vision, protein cravings, cold or clammy hands, feeling of a lump in the throat, dizziness, TMJ, phobias, PMS, mood swings and more. A lack of GABA can lead to numerous physical and mental health concerns. If you find that you are struggling with personality, memory or attention issues, it may be worth checking out your GABA levels. The author recommends adding foods with glutamine, which is a precursor of GABA to balance a GABA deficiency. The following is the list of foods recommended: Almonds, bananas, broccoli, brown rice, halibut, lentils, oats, oranges, potatoes, spinach, walnuts and whole wheat and whole grains. Many times, if one neurotransmitter is deficient, others may also be deficient. Many times, it is necessary to look at imbalances in the entire system in order to feel better, and improving our diets is a great place to start.
*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Serotonin is probably the neurotransmitter that most of us are most familiar with. Serotonin affects our mood, sleep cycles and anxiety levels. The most familiar medications for depression (Prozac, Wellbutrin, etc.) are designed to increase serotonin levels in the system. According to the book "5-HTP" by Michael Murray, N.D., if serotonin levels are low, the following symptoms may be apparent: Depressed, anxious, irritable, impatient, impulsive, abusive, short attention span, scattered, flying off the handle, reactive, craves sweets and high carb foods, insomnia and poor dream recall. Along with the above symptoms, according to the author, the following conditions are also associated with low serotonin levels: Aggression alcoholism, attention deficit disorder, bulimia, chronic pain disorders, epilepsy, headaches, hyperactivity, muscle twitching, obesity obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorders, premenstrual syndrome, schizophrenia, seasonal affective disorder and suicidal thoughts and behavior. This long list makes it apparent as to why so many people are turning to medication to feel better. When the above issues become chronic, they affect daily life and the quality of that life. Many times, low serotonin levels can be hard to determine, because each person displays different symptoms and concerns. Fortunately, we don't have to suffer with the above issues. I would recommend seeing a natural health practitioner or your regular doctor to determine what the best solution is for you.
Energy maintenance. In many ways, we control our energy production. If our bodies are out of balance, the first thing that goes is our ability to sustain energy. We are like a battery wearing out. The list is too extensive to list all of the reasons that our bodies become depleted of energy. Illnesses cause energy depletion, as do toxins in the system. Illness and toxins aside, I am going to focus on how we can try to improve energy. A few things that we can try to do on a daily basis to maintain energy levels include exercise, socialize, be passionate about something, and of course, get the nutrients that our bodies need.
* Exercise - it may seem like this would deplete our energies, but as long as the thyroid and adrenal glands are not taxed (or you are not suffering from an illness), exercise will relieve stress and create more energy for the system.
* Socialize - we are social beings. Everyone needs time to recharge, but we gain energy from being with others. Sitting in front of the TV actually depletes energy. If you find yourself becoming more and more introverted, your hormones may be out of balance. Make an effort to connect with others, and see what that does to your energy level. (Sometimes large groups can be energy depleting, so start small if you haven't socialized in a while).
* Find a passion - it is proven that the longest living people have a passion that energizes them. Have you ever done something enjoyable that causes you to lose track of time and you don't tire from it? It doesn't have to be a "save the world" kind of passion. It could be gardening, walking, swimming, reading, babysitting - you name it. I heard the other day that if you don't know what your passion is, take a week and write down everything that you enjoy doing, and the things that you don't like doing and see where the patterns are. Do you love being in nature, being with others, cleaning - whatever it is, try to incorporate more of what you love into your day.
* Finally - Nutrition - if your blood sugars are off (eating to many empty carbs and sugars), you will have many energy ups and downs during the day. Caffeine will definitely give you an up, but then you need more to keep going. Caffeine will also stress the adrenals, leading to other health issues. If you are not giving your body the nutrients it needs to keep going (think of your car and its need for gas and oil) over time, your energy will begin to deplete.
One last tip - get your vitamin D from the sun. Get out in the sun each day for a while without sunscreen (avoid sunburn). Our bodies need vitamin D for health, and we are so depleted because we are afraid of the sun. My next topic is one that I talk about a lot - food intolerances.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am reading the book The 150 Most Effective Ways to Boost Your Energy by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D, C.N.S. This is the time of year when some of these tips can be very helpful. The days are getting shorter and the to do list is getting longer with the holidays. A side benefit of boosting energy during the day is that we tend to sleep better at night. Some of the following tips are obvious, but good reminders during the holiday season.
* Eat real food
* Cut back on sugar and high fructose corn syrup (I know this is a tough time of year, but not impossible).
* Don't add salt to your food - try new spices - hot peppers help to boost energy.
* Get a massage or go to the chiropractor to help balance the system
* Exercise
* Hang out with people you enjoy
* Take probiotics (this can help keep you healthy this season, also)
* Get organized - clutter and disorganization zaps energy
* Do what you love
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I heard on the news today that January 25th has been proven to be the most depressing day of the year - so the way I see it, we are on the upswing to feeling more positive, and with spring right around the corner our moods should improve! Last week I had listed some of the major stressors that are listed in the book "The Core Balance Diet" by Marcelle Pick, MSN. The author of this book also lists what she considers to be the "Truly Toxic Ten" - the things that weaken our systems and keep us from feeling our best. There are different versions of this list, and obviously there are more than ten things that can damage our health, but this is a good starting point:
* Recreation drugs/narcotics
* Tobacco/Nicotine
* Trans fats
* Artificial sugars/sweeteners- sucralose (Splenda), aspartame, acesulfame- K, sarrharine, mannitol, and sorbitol.
* Refined sugars - sucrose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, maltodextrin, polydextrose, corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup.
* Chemical additives- artificial coloring, emulsifiers, thickeners, nitrates, monosdium glutamate (MSG), and preservatives.
* Alcohol
* Over-the-counter medications= pain relievers, antihistamines, cough syrups, cold remedies and so on.
* Caffeine
* Too many prescription medications (never go off prescription medications unless advised by your physician)
This is a list that is not easy to change overnight, but it is worth taking steps to make small changes over time. It is important to read ingredient lists to fully understand how many of the above items (plus salt) that we are getting in our diet. The more whole foods that we eat, the easier it is on our bodies to digest and process.
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
I have been scanning through numerous diet books lately. The conflicting information is amazing. There are recommendations for no protein, all meat, no legumes, no grains, no fruit...the list goes on. The real problem is that we are all from different cultures and backgrounds, and what might work for one person, is not necessarily ideal for someone else. I was reading the book Younger (Thinner) You Diet by Eric Braverman, MD. He spent time talking about neurotransmitters and their affect on our ability to lose and maintain weight. The first neurotransmitter he discusses is dopamine. He ties rapid or significant weight gain to a dopamine deficiency. Dopamine is important because it effects or physical and mental energy. This also has an affect on on metabolism - slowing it down, also. If you are someone who always gains weight, even when you haven't changed your eating habits, it may be due to a dopamine deficiency. According to Dr. Braverman, "Without the right amount of dopamine, the circuits in our brains do not relay the message that we feel satisfied and full. Instead of walking away from the table, we'll just keep eating and eating and eating: We are never emotionally or physically fulfilled by food, no matter how much we've eaten." The following is a list of indicators from the author which point to low dopamine in the system:
- Do you recognize when you are full?
- Do you feel happy after eating?
- Can a small snack like a piece of fresh fruit tide you over until the next meal?
- When following other diets, have you found that you were always hungry, even after you finished a meal?
- Do you drink copious amounts of liquid with your meal?
====================================================================================================================
I am back to neurotransmitters. I am currently reading a couple of books that focus on this topic - both for mood and for weight loss. Acetylcholine is not a neurotransmitter that we hear a lot about. More familiar ones are serotonin and dopamine. Interestingly, a lack of acetylcholine in the system can lead to a person isolating him or herself from human interaction. According to Eric Braverman in his book "The Edge Effect", a person with balanced acetylcholine has the following attributes: hardworking, detail-oriented, devoted and exacting. He also states that perfectionism and self-discipline are the hallmarks of this personality type - qualities that can be pluses or minuses depending on the extent of brain imbalance. It is interesting to me to see this profile. More and more people that I know are perfectionistic. This is positive for some, but almost debilitating for others. Life can be very difficult if we perceive that everything has to be perfect. The author also states that the perfectionist is a person who maintains self-control at the expense of relaxation, enjoyment, and warmth. This can affect the work environment in in ways such as having difficulty transitioning from one task to another, or accepting that something is done "good enough". It this tends to be your nature, and you feel out of balance, some foods with choline that may be helpful in restoring balance are almonds, broccoli, eggs, peanut butter, and many kinds of fish. Another indicator that you need more choline may be a craving for fatty foods. More on neurotransmitters next week.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am still reading the book "The Edge Effect" by Eric Braverman, MD. This book focuses on the brain to improve health and longevity. GABA is a neurotransmitter that helps to calm the brain. According to the author, if you are experiencing a GABA deficiency, you may begin to feel anxious, nervous, or irritable. Many of us experience these symptoms regularly due to stress, so of course, GABA would not be the only deficiency we may be experiencing. Other indicators of a GABA deficiency from the book "The Edge Effect" are as follows: Feelings of dread, blurred vision, protein cravings, cold or clammy hands, feeling of a lump in the throat, dizziness, TMJ, phobias, PMS, mood swings and more. A lack of GABA can lead to numerous physical and mental health concerns. If you find that you are struggling with personality, memory or attention issues, it may be worth checking out your GABA levels. The author recommends adding foods with glutamine, which is a precursor of GABA to balance a GABA deficiency. The following is the list of foods recommended: Almonds, bananas, broccoli, brown rice, halibut, lentils, oats, oranges, potatoes, spinach, walnuts and whole wheat and whole grains. Many times, if one neurotransmitter is deficient, others may also be deficient. Many times, it is necessary to look at imbalances in the entire system in order to feel better, and improving our diets is a great place to start.
*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Serotonin is probably the neurotransmitter that most of us are most familiar with. Serotonin affects our mood, sleep cycles and anxiety levels. The most familiar medications for depression (Prozac, Wellbutrin, etc.) are designed to increase serotonin levels in the system. According to the book "5-HTP" by Michael Murray, N.D., if serotonin levels are low, the following symptoms may be apparent: Depressed, anxious, irritable, impatient, impulsive, abusive, short attention span, scattered, flying off the handle, reactive, craves sweets and high carb foods, insomnia and poor dream recall. Along with the above symptoms, according to the author, the following conditions are also associated with low serotonin levels: Aggression alcoholism, attention deficit disorder, bulimia, chronic pain disorders, epilepsy, headaches, hyperactivity, muscle twitching, obesity obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorders, premenstrual syndrome, schizophrenia, seasonal affective disorder and suicidal thoughts and behavior. This long list makes it apparent as to why so many people are turning to medication to feel better. When the above issues become chronic, they affect daily life and the quality of that life. Many times, low serotonin levels can be hard to determine, because each person displays different symptoms and concerns. Fortunately, we don't have to suffer with the above issues. I would recommend seeing a natural health practitioner or your regular doctor to determine what the best solution is for you.
