5 Ways to Increase Your Energy During the Winter
Here is Day 6 of ‘The 14 Days of Simplicity’!
We are that point of the Winter where we have had enough, it’s almost coming to an end but is still packing a punch with cold, windy days and not as much sunshine as we would like. So what can you do to keep your energy and your mood up for the last month before Spring begins?
1. Super Nourish Your Body
For many, especially with dark mornings and longer feeling days, we start off with a “cup of joe”, but relying on coffee to wake you up and keep you up isn’t a habit you want forever. Coffee and other drinks containing caffeine will definitely give you a short-term boost, but not too long after you will feel even more tired, craving another coffee and probably something sweet this time to go along with it, creating a vicious cycle for the rest of your day. A better solution is starting your day off with either organic Green tea or warm water with fresh lemon juice and a touch of raw honey along with a balanced source of blood sugar stabilizing protein and a slow-release carbohydrate source. Two great examples would be either; a small bowl of slow cook oats with 1/4 cup fresh blueberries, 2 tbsp of raw walnuts and a dash of cinnamon or a smoothie with 1 cup almond milk, 1/2 fresh banana, 1/2 cup frozen raspberries, tbsp flax oil, 1/4 cup raw cashews and 2 dates, plus lots of ice.
2. Exercise! Everyone knows that exercise is good for us, but are you making it a priority in your life and in your week? It will help to boost your brains levels of endorphins, the feel good chemicals that improve our mood and attitude, plus moving your body regularly will increase your natural production of adrenaline, serotonin and dopamine for a natural energy jumpstart. Aim for 4-6 days per week for 20-45 minutes, don’t stress over what you are doing JUST DO IT!
3. Get Some Fresh Air! Even if you only go outside for a 10 minute walk a few days per week, being in the sun and fresh air will do wonders for your mood and body. Find a buddy, grab your dog and get moving!
4. Keep Hydrated – Even the smallest levels of dehydration can leave us feeling tired, sluggish, produce cravings and increase our levels of acidity. Aim to drink 2-3 litters of water daily with added fresh lemon juice, aloe vera pieces, frozen organic fruit, chlorophyll, spirulina and fresh squeezed oranges. Amp up your hydrating and alkalizing ways by having a daily or even every other day green juice made from 2-4 organic dark leafy greens like kale, collards, dandelion greens, chard, cucumbers, celery and fresh herbs. Adding more greens to your fluid will also help to increase the amount of oxygen you are able to great in and therefore increase your energy levels beyond what water can do it by itself.
5. Make Sure to Supplement Daily with B12 and Vitamin D – Your B12 is essential for proper red blood cell production, nerve and muscle function and DNA creation. It also helps to produce your hormones, your lipids and proteins. By increasing your levels of B12 you can see a dramatic shift in your energy levels, endurance to get through the day and mental capacity. I recommend supplementing with a sublingual tablet of 2000mcg 1-2 times daily. Vitamin D is essential to protect our bodies from disease and to maintain proper mood and bone health. Living in North America we are not exposed to enough daily sunlight to help our bodies product enough Vitamin D on its own. I recommend a liquid or emulsified type of D, for kids in the winter 1,000IU and for adults 3,000-5,000IU.
Don’t let the cooler, darker months of the year leaving you feeling cold and drab for life. Provide yourself with great nutrition and regular exercise and you will be surprised at how much better you feel and how much more quickly these last few weeks of Winter pass by
Prepare your BEST body this year by attending SHIFT Ur Life Express with myself and Dr Laura Foster Saturday March 9th 12-4pm ~ 4 Hours ~ 4 Topics ~ Massive Impact!
www.shifturlifeexpress/eventbrite.ca
Jenn