Want More Energy?

More Natural Energy

Top Tips for an All-Natural Energy Boost

Low energy is a common health concern. While it’s normal to feel tired occasionally, regularly feeling fatigued can have a significant impact on your ability to function and on your physical and mental health.

Almost half of all American adults report not getting enough sleep according to a survey by the nonprofit National Sleep Foundation. While insufficient shut eye can significantly affect your energy levels, it’s not the only reason you may be feeling tired.

If you’re ready to put the pep back into your step, here are some all-natural ways to increase your energy:

Move more

Though it may seem contradictory, moving improves energy levels. By increasing the oxygen circulation in the body, moving helps your systems function better and use energy more efficiently. Movement also boosts hormones that promote energy and well-being. And you don’t have to join a gym or run a marathon to get the benefits. A brisk daily walk will give you more energy. Plus, walking outside provides the added advantages of increased creativity and productivity, according to research from Stanford University.

Eat for energy

What you eat plays a big part in your energy levels. Foods with a low glycemic index such as whole grains, vegetables, nuts, and olive oil are good energy boosters because they are digested and absorbed slowly by the body, causing less of an increase in blood sugar levels. With these foods, your energy levels remain steady, rather than crashing as they do with highly processed, high glycemic index foods.

For more details on how to eat for your health, download our e-book, Food Is Figureoutable: An Essential Guide to Body Systems. It’s a handy tool for helping you eat for your health from Natural Health Practitioner and Board-certified Naturopathic Doctor Kristine Devillier. For more than 20 years, Dr. Devillier, founder of Nature’s Link Wellness, has been helping people improve their health the all-natural way!

Hydrate

Staying hydrated is a good way to keep energy levels up. When your cells are dehydrated, your body’s ability to produce energy is limited. Research shows that even mild dehydration can have an adverse impact on your energy levels, mood, and ability to think clearly. Although you can hydrate with a wide range of beverages, water is always the best option when it comes to staying hydrated.

Manage stress

Stress can cause a range of adverse health effects on the body and mind, including muscle tension, sluggish digestion, reduced sensitivity to pain, and elevated blood pressure. All of this can add up to a big drain on your energy levels. While some stress isn’t necessarily a bad thing, chronic stress can drain your resilience, over work your mind, and disrupt sleep, all of which will worsen fatigue. Yoga, meditation, and tai chi are excellent therapies for helping reduce stress, according to the Harvard Medical School.

Do less

If your to-do list is never ending, it’s time to give yourself a break. In our always-on world, you will never have enough time or energy to get everything done. Take a hard look at what you’re asking of yourself and scratch off any ‘to-dos’ that aren’t truly necessary. Your time and attention are precious resources and giving them away to everything that comes along will leave you feeling depleted. For example, reducing time on social media will help you conserve brain power for what’s important. Do something rejuvenating instead, such as taking a walk.

Practice mindfulness

Most of us are guilty of moving through our days without paying attention to the present moment. Bringing awareness to what you’re doing, thinking, and feeling, i.e., practicing mindfulness, can be an effective way to conserve energy. The next time you think of it, bring your attention to your breath as it enters your nostrils. Try to notice the exact moment when your inhalation begins. This brief pause will bring you into the present moment, helping you slow down and safeguard your energy.

Use herbal remedies

Many of us reach for stimulants when our energy levels feel low. Hello coffee! While some caffeine is fine and even has health benefits, large amounts can be addictive and cause some adverse side effects. Instead of another cup of coffee, try adaptogens to help boost energy. Adaptogens are a special group of plant-based ingredients used for centuries to help people cultivate resilience to the negative symptoms of stress and increase energy levels. They include traditional Chinese medicine herbs, Ayurvedic herbs, medicinal mushrooms, algae, and more. Each one provides a unique benefit, and they are easy to integrate into a healthy lifestyle as part of a meal, brewed into teas, or taken as a supplement.

Sleep

While sleeping more may seem an obvious answer to the question of how to get more energy, it’s often the solution we forgo the most. Rather than thinking of sleep as a luxury, treat it as the necessity it is for good health. Seven hours is a good average, though individual needs will vary. If you’re having trouble sleeping, here’s some of our favorite tips for improving your shut eye.

Talk to a health professional for some energy advice

While feeling tired is ok some of the time, it’s not ok all of the time. Chronic fatigue could be signaling other health concerns. If you’re tired on a regular basis, seek some advice from a health care professional.

At Nature’s Link Wellness our mission is to help you discover natural ways to protect and improve your health through a balance of proper diet, hydration, fresh air, sunlight, exercise, and rest.

If you’re looking for a customized plan to improve your health using a combination of traditional and alternative techniques, give us a call on 337-332-2705 or reach us online for more information. We offer natural health consultations in Breaux Bridge, Lafayette, and the entire Acadiana area.

We look forward to working with you!