3 Keys to more energy now!

Your phone has been ringing off the hook and your desk is piled with work demanding your attention. It's only noon and you're already on your third cup of coffee. Sound familiar? At one time or another, most of us have hit the wall with days like this.

As Donna Eden wrote in her 1998 book, Energy Medicine, "While our culture does little to help us look more closely, energy really is all there is [...] To this day, my appraisals of people are based on the subtle energies I feel and see emanating from them [...] Matter follows energy. That is the fundamental law of energy medicine. When your energies are-vibrant, so is your body."

According to Andrew Weil, MD, integrative medicine expert and author of Eating Well For Optimum Health (Alfred A. Knopf, 2000), bouts of low energy most commonly occur due to poor diet, lack of exercise and sleep, dependency on caffeine, and depression. We can also run out of steam due to overwork and stress as well as illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome, low thyroid or anemia. If you're suffering from persistent fatigue, it may be due to illness and you should consult with your health care practitioner for appropriate treatment.

If your fatigue isn't due to illness, then renew your vitality with (key 1) food, (key 2) exercise and (key 3) supplements to gain more energy now.

1. Food for fuel

The typical American diet contains too many refined carbohydrates such as white pasta, white breads and sugars, which have a high-glycemic index (the measure of how quickly carbohydrates raise blood sugar levels), causing erratic blood sugar levels. Refined carbs stress the body's insulin levels, which may result in fatigue and promote obesity, diabetes and coronary heart disease. For optimum energy, try eating less protein and fat, fewer high-glycemic index carbohydrates, and more fruits and vegetables, advises Weil. He also advocates the Mediterranean diet, with its emphasis on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat protein and olive oil.

Too much caffeine can also be "bad news" for your diet. It can overwork adrenal glands and exacerbate insomnia or stress. Caffeine is also a diuretic and may cause dehydration, which can also cause fatigue. So although your caffeine fix will give you a quick boost, your energy levels will crash later. To avoid dehydration, experts recommend consuming at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, and more if you're active or drinking caffeinated beverages.

2. Exercise for energy

The key to energy building is regular exercise. Just a brisk 30-minute walk a day can boost energy, zap worries and elevate mood. Numerous studies, including a 1999 British study, show that a daily walking program or regular aerobic exercise is a preventive as well as a treatment for depression.

Yoga stretches are also a sure way to fire up your energy. A 1993 study found that yoga increases physical and mental energy, alertness and positive state of mind. Classic yoga postures that arch and open the chest area energize the mind and body, says yoga expert, Lilias Folan, at her yoga workshop in San Francisco, Calif. Some energizing postures given at Folan's workshop included the cobra, locust, bow postures and chest expander.

Another way to increase and circulate the body's energy, while soothing mind and spirit is by practicing an ancient Chinese healing art, qi gong or its offshoot, tai chi. Qi gong loosely translates to "enhance your energy." Through subtle yet powerful movements, breathing and self-massage, qi gong and tai chi maintain, increase, and circulate the body's life force energy.

3. Energy enhancers

Vitamins, herbs and nutrients can enhance your energy by optimizing many of the biochemical reactions involved in energy production. To prevent nutritional deficiencies, which can cause fatigue, enjoy a healthy, well-rounded diet and take a high-quality multivitamin and mineral supplements daily. Be sure your multivitamin includes the B-complex vitamins B-1 (thiamine), B-2 (riboflavin), B-6, B-12 and folic acid, essential to the body's energy transfer processes.

Tonic herbs, or adaptogens, help the body resist and recover from stress and can increase energy, vitality and sexual vigor. Asian, American and Siberian ginsengs are the most renowned herbal tonics in Chinese medicine. Other useful herbal adaptogens include schisandra and ashwaganda. Supplements such as coenzyme Q10, carnitine and NADH are also energy boosters that naturally occur in the body and are essential for cellular energy production.

A balanced energy enhancement program including healthy diet, exercise and supplements, will surely put the bounce back in your step.

REFERENCES

Balsch, James, M.D., and Phyllis A. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Garden City Park, NY: Avery, 1997.

Chang, SK, et al. "Ginseng: is there a use in clinical medicine?" Postgrad Med J 64:841-846, 1988.

Cohen, Kenneth S. The Way of Qi Gong: The Art & Science of Chinese Energy Healing. New York: Ballantine Books, 1997.