Balance & Restore: Energy

ENERGY

Our energy normally fluctuates according to daily rhythms that vary from one person to the next but most of us have more energy in the morning and wind down as the evening approaches. Some unfortunate people suffer from chronic low energy—they start the day and end the day feeling tired. Stress is one cause of a lack of energy, and poor diet is another. Sleep is a factor, and so is a lack of exercise. Interestingly, a decline in energy does not usually happen overnight; it sneaks up on us over time.

Doctors of Chinese medicine say that our store of qi or energy determines our quality of life. Chinese medicine has produced many effective ways to boost energy including acupressure, exercise, superfoods, herbal teas, and dietary supplements that we can access in order to bring more life force energy into our lives.

NEW HABITS FOR ENERGY

The human body follows circadian rhythms; foods eaten early in the day are processed differently than the same foods eaten at night. Most of us are interested in what we plan to eat for dinner, but we ignore the importance of our choices at breakfast. You may not have known this, but a high-protein breakfast generates energy and is our most important meal of the day.

High-protein breakfasts:

scrambled eggs with turkey or chicken sausage; egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches; tofu scramble; baked sweet potato with nut butter; oatmeal with milk or protein powder; cottage cheese with berries; breakfast quinoa topped with nuts, seeds, and soy milk; millet with berries, chia seeds, and sliced almonds; breakfast burrito with beans and whatever veggies you have on hand; egg and avocado toast; plant-based yogurt with fruit and flax, chia, or hemp seeds; salmon hash with sunny-side-up eggs… the possibilities are endless!

We can also energize with movement and exercise. Take stairs; walk, run, or bike when doing errands; vacuum, rake, and sweep; dance, jump rope, practice yoga, tai chi, or qi gong. Breathe deeply. Exercise guarantees that we’ll sleep more soundly; it also gives our cells more energy to burn, circulates oxygen, and elevates our mood. If we are able to pick up the pace periodically as we exercise, we will build stamina and generate even more energy.

Scents are energizing, so we can burn incense, indulge in aromatherapy, take a fragrant bubble bath, or brew a cup of fragrant herbal tea. Studies show that citrus scents like grapefruit, lemon, lime, and orange can lift our mood and increase our energy. Other energizing scents include bergamot, basil and rosemary, lemon balm, sandalwood, and peppermint.

In the west, we normally eat three meals a day but if we add a small mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack, our body receives a steady stream of nutrients and our blood sugar remains steady. Eating this way is also less taxing on our digestive and metabolic systems and reduces the risk of heart disease. Of course, we need to choose healthy snacks and avoid sweets like cookies and pastries that deliver a rapid shot of energy but burn out quickly.

Healthful snack ideas:

a small handful of trail mix, nuts or seeds; celery with a dab of peanut butter; kale chips; a square of dark chocolate and a few almonds; cucumber slices with hummus; fresh fruit; cherry tomatoes with mozzarella; chia pudding; a hard-boiled egg; baby carrots with blue cheese dip; a cheese stick; beef or turkey jerky; canned salmon or sardines on crackers; edamame; olives or … last night’s leftovers!

What lifestyle and environmental factors do you think are affecting your energy level?

Which aspects of energy-boosting are you going to work on this week?