– Ann Wigmore, Holistic Health Practitioner & Author We start to feel the afternoon energy dip as blood sugar levels go down. The yawning starts and the brain fog sets in. So what do you do? Do you reach for another energy drink or cup of coffee? Although that might provide a brief jolt, it’s not as sustainable as other options. Energy drinks have been known to increase blood pressure and heart rate. Too much caffeine can make you jittery and cause you to become dehydrated (which comes with its own set of energy problems). So what can you do for a quick energy boost to fight fatigue? And what can you do to ensure you have steady energy levels throughout the day?
What Yogis Eat For Sustained Energy (Prana):
The food we eat can increase prana (vital energy) in the body or it can drain prana from the body. Each bite contains the life of the sun and the earth.” – Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhist monk and mindfulness teacher Yogis believe everything is made of prana – the universal vital energy. Your cells, nerves, glands, tissues, and organs contain prana. The sun and atmosphere produce prana. The more prana can flow freely through your body’s channels the more vibrant, resilient, and conscious you’ll be. Dis-ease, dis-comfort, and physical symptoms arise when prana is either blocked or suppressed in the body.
You can think of foods as being part of two groups: 1 – Living foods that are infused with the sun and earth’s prana (energy-giving foods) 2 – Non-living foods that dim your inner prana Energy giving foods are whole, unprocessed foods that have been touched by sunlight and the ground. (As above, so below.) Think of seasonal, organic veggies like kale, arugula, and asparagus, fresh fruits like berries, pineapple, and avocados. Energy zapping foods are highly processed and far removed from their natural form. Think of packaged potato chips, cookies, ice cream, frozen foods, and fried foods.
Why Food Is Fuel:
Our bodies convert food into energy by breaking down the nutrients in the digestive process. Furthermore, most health complaints and diseases result from energy deficiency. Poor food selection and dehydration comprise the number one reason why people have low energy levels during the day. Low energy production is one of the first warning signs that you’re slipping down the vitality scale.” – Dave Hompes Functional Nutrition & Medicine Practitioner & Researcher The food you eat is a major energy source for your cell’s mitochondria (the cell’s powerhouse engine). You need fuel to have the energy to function properly, perform well at work, walk 5,000 steps a day, enjoy sex, laugh with your loved ones, take the trash out, digest your food, fight off infections, etc. The body’s main source of energy comes from macronutrients: proteins, fats, and carbs. We get these macronutrients from the mixture of all the foods we eat. That’s why it’s so important to eat an abundance of whole foods that contain ample amounts of these macronutrients.
Your body will break down the protein and use the amino acids for energy. Your body will break down the fat and use fatty acids for energy. Upping the amount of healthy fat you eat helps increase the intake of omega-3 fatty acids and this helps boost energy in your cells and offers other health benefits like helping to reduce inflammation. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids are:
salmon avocado chia seeds hemp seeds flax seeds
The body uses B Vitamins (like vitamin B6 and vitamin B12) to help convert the food you eat into glucose which energizes you. Vitamin C is also known to have an energizing effect on the cells. More energy-boosting foods:
dark chocolate complex carbohydrates like sweet potatoes and squash blueberries
Energy Booster Recipe – Creamy Cucumber Smoothie:
This creamy smoothie is chock full of powerful superfoods that provide you with the perfect anytime pick-me-up. Recipe: (Makes 2 servings) Mix everything in the blender and enjoy:
4oo ml of water 1 large cucumber 1-2 cups frozen spinach, kale, or any other leafy greens 1 handful raw macadamia nuts 2 tbsp hemp seeds 1 tsp tahini 1 tsp wheatgrass powder 1 tsp barley grass powder 1 tsp spirulina powder 1-2 droppers of liquid stevia 2 tbsp flax seeds 2 scoops collagen protein 2 tbsp of MCT oil
*everything organic *put the collagen peptides in last and blend on low speed.
