Written by Mariesette Zeyl, ND
Do you remember your childhood days – waking up in the morning full of vibrant energy, ready to take on the world? Wouldn’t it be nice to feel this way again? As adults, it is all too common to get up out of bed feeling groggy and just plain crummy. You head straight to a coffee shop then spend the rest of the day at the office, sitting down. After a full day at work, you return home and eat a not-so-healthy dinner while watching TV, sitting on the couch, and probably feeling just as tired as you did in the morning. Wouldn’t it be nice to consistently have energy, once and for all? Here’s how to energize your body, the natural way.
What does having Low Energy/Fatigue really mean?
Low energy or fatigue is not considered a condition in itself, but a symptom associated with a number of health conditions such diabetes, hypothyroidism, poor circulation, anemia/iron deficiency, allergies, depression, stress and even poor dietary habits. Ultimately, what is responsible for how much energy your body produces is your metabolism. As we age, our daily lifestyle activities do not tend to promote a healthy metabolism. Cellular metabolism is controlled by the powerhouses of the trillions of cells in your body, also known as the mitochondria. The main fuel source for energy production are fatty acids, but they are only able to cross the mitochondrial membrane with help from certain nutrients.
Critical Nutrients to Energize Your Body and Metabolism
When used in combination with proper nutrition and exercise, the right energy supplements can help maintain efficient energy processes in the body and boost overall energy levels in healthy adults.
A superior mineral multivitamin can help to energize your body, providing you with a base of nutrients and minerals to combat nutrient depletions that can cause gaps in both your diet and energy levels. A non-GMO multivitamin designed around a core of energy-producing nutrients, along with powerfully protective food-derived antioxidants can help to support physical activity and the increased need for particular nutrients during the aging process.
Acetyl-l-Carnitine (ALCAR) plays an important role in transporting energy by shuttling fatty acids directly across into the mitochondria to be burned as energy. Supplementation of ALCAR has a powerful antioxidative ability to improve energy metabolism and reduce both mental and physical fatigue.
A vitamin B-Complex is a combination of all of the B vitamins, needed to fight off fatigue and for normal brain function, hormone production and conversion of fats, carbohydrates and protein into energy. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) is a powerful antioxidant and is essential to any living cell’s energy production. NADH is directly responsible for the release of energy within the mitochondria. During exercise, NADH was shown to improve endurance and showed lower oxidative stress.
CoenzymeQ10 (CoQ10, in the active form of Ubiquinol) is an essential nutrient for cellular metabolism and is essential to creating the spark that ignites the creation of energy. Ubiquinol also acts as a powerful antioxidant as it neutralizes free radicals inside the cell.
For Energy On-The-Go!
If you’re looking for a delicious (and nutritious) snack, try our Energy Smoothie – packed with antioxidants and important minerals to give you the fuel you need to energize your body.
Energy Smoothie
- 2 scoops of Cocoa Hx®
- 1 scoop of Barrel of Health
- 1 scoop D-Ribose Powder
- ¼ cup of coconut milk or unsweetened organic soy milk
- ¾ cup of frozen banana
- 10 drops of vanilla extract
- ¼ cup of fresh-squeezed orange juice
- 12 fl oz. (1 ½ cups) of ice
Supplementing daily with ALCAR, CoQ10 as Ubiquinol, ALA, a B-complex and NADH are your keys to energize your body at the cellular level. Other important things to consider when it comes to achieving optimal energy and banishing fatigue are to increase your water intake; even when you are a little bit dehydrated, that can result in feeling tired. Avoid sugar, caffeine, alcohol, white flour products and processed foods – these are known as energy robbers. Include more nuts, seeds, and fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet, especially green leafy vegetables or a greens powder, which can increase vitality and energy. Last but not least, get regular exercise and adequate rest.
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