Extra stress around the holidays taxes the physiological system and exhausts the adrenal glands. Exhausted adrenal glands compromise your ability to sleep, think clearly and can even spiral into a state of depression.
If we use typical substances to restore energy, like caffeine or sugar, we create excessive stress on the system. In essence we are robbing Peter to pay Paul and eventually the bank becomes bankrupt.
Good news is, there are natural and easy ways to restore energy, which are essential to long-term health.
The “Quick Energy” Shake
- One scoop of vanilla protein powder (get it here)
- Half cup of frozen berries
- Half cup of almond milk/cashew milk
- 1 scoop of greens vital nutrients powder (get it here)
- 1 scoop of reds vital nutrients powder (get it here)
- 1 scoop of Maca root
- Ice
- 2 to 3 drops of flavored Stevia (use a different flavor each time to give taste buds a nice variety)
The ingredients in The “Quick Energy” Shake provide energy in the following ways:
Protein are the building blocks of life, improving muscle function and providing energy for the metabolic pathways.
The greens and reds provide a complete vitamin and mineral profile that allows for replenishing vital nutrients that aid in energy production at a cellular level. Every cell in your body requires a complete vitamin and mineral profile in order to function at its maximum.
Maca root is an ancient herb that has been used for centuries to improve adrenal function. The stress hormones are produced by the adrenal gland. If we give the adrenals nutrition to improve their function they are less likely to run out of gas and become bankrupt.
Practice one-minute of complete silence daily.
Make it a practice to spend one minute in complete silence at least once a day and maybe even more frequently. This technique balances the autonomic nervous system with the parasympathetic rest and relax.
Turn off all the noise (even the phone) and sit in silence for one minute. Energy can be born out of silence. It is not always necessary to stimulate in order to be regenerated; sometimes the best thing to do is just turn everything off. This allows the brain to rest and re-organize and become immediately more engaged in the task at hand.
Learn more about this technique →
Use a homemade body scrub.
Create a body scrub by mixing 1 teaspoon of an unscented body soap and two drops of an invigorating essential oil (eucalyptus, peppermint, grapefruit). Use the soap in a shower with a loofah scrub brush.
This mixture has energizing properties as it opens skin pores, improved respiratory function, dilates respiratory bronchioles and improves breathing. When respiration is improved that body gets better oxygen supply. This in and of itself increases energy and vigor.
The scents of the oils also work on the olfactory centers of the brain and improves alertness. Using a loofah exfoliates dry, dead skin, and leaves me again feeling vital, clean, and rejuvenated. Additionally, experimenting with water temperature during your shower can be invigorating, as temperature changes going from cool to warm you can improve blood flow.
The essential oils are safe when utilized in the ratio described. They can be used daily, but not more then twice a day to avoid irritating and over drying of the skin. The loofah, if the brush is soft, can be used daily to exfoliate and stimulate the skin. If the bristles of the loofah are more firm in nature, consider using them every other day or just a couple times a week to avoid skin irritation.
What about other “outside the box” ideas?
How about routine sports massage, trigger point acupressure, reflexology, or a session of acupuncture? These can also be ways to nurture oneself. Take yourself on an energy date to an appointment where someone pours into you!
Let’s not forget using music as an energizing tool can be a great way to boost your energy. Picking up the tempo and even singing along can be fun (yes, even if you cannot sing a lick). This is called a “joyful noise” by the way.
Sometimes using classical music engages the brain in an energizing way. When the evening comes to a close and the sun starts to go down, start to slow the beat down with a more gentle melody. Using ocean waves, soft hearts, or other mood music helps to calm the system before bed and aids in good deep sleep lending an invigorating rise the next day.
Relax over the holiday season and learn to thrive instead of only surviving.
When we make unhealthy choices such as excessive use of coffee, tea and other stimulants to provide a quick energy hit, these will leave a bodily system in a hole. Doing this day after day, the hole can get so deep, and eventually you cannot dig yourself out.
Using remedies that encourage healthy forms of energy gives the body a boost with good nutrition, oxygen improvement, circulatory improvement by affecting lymphatic and blood flow.
