How to Boost Your Energy

photo by matt_cinque

We could all use more energy in our lives. I know there have been many times in I’ve felt drained and sluggish. I’ve realized that there are habits that can either increase or drain our energy. We can gain more energy by doing things that motivate and inspire us or we can lose energy by negative self-talk and developing poor lifestyle habits. I’ve put together a list of practical tips for increasing your energy that you can start implementing now. All of these suggestions I’ve personally tried and can attest to the difference they’ve made in my life.

1. Breathe. One of the most important ways we generate energy is through our breath. If we have poor posture, too much stress or have developed bad breathing habits, our breath won’t reach the bottom of our lungs. Practice better posture and deeper breathing and you will see an immediate positive effect in your energy level. Yoga, healthy posture, and proper exercise can help us increase our deepness of breath.
2. Release stress. Whatever helps you relax, try to do more of it. Whether it be reading a book, meditating, cooking or journaling. Stress is one of the biggest energy-zappers. Make daily relaxation a habit.
3. Meditation. You knew I was going to say this one right? Meditation can be a great stress reliever because we naturally let go of everything when we settle into the meditative state. You can also practice visualization techniques in meditation. Close your eyes and imagine a ball of energy moving up your spine and into your heart. Watch the energy grow, focus on the expansion and growth of this energy, really feel it in vibrating within you. Now as the energy grows in your heart, imagine it moving through your torso and into your legs and arms. Imagine this energy moving up through your neck and into your head, calming and energizing every cell in your body. Now open your eyes and simply breathe. The more you practice this the better you’ll become at it.
4. Take a walk around the block. You might think that walking or exercise would decrease your energy, but it’s exactly the opposite. By walking regularly, you’ll increase the amount of energy your muscles can expend.
5. Drink more water. We’ve all heard this before, but it’s important to add. If we’re dehydrated, our bodies won’t have the energy needed to get through the day. Remember, our bodies are 90% water. Think about that.
6. Limit your fat intake. Too much fat in your diet wears down your digestive system. Fat is calorically dense so it naturally takes more energy and longer to break down. As an added benefit, reducing your fat intake means less weight gain and the slimmer you are the less you’ll have to carry around, increasing your energy.
7. Get more fresh air. Whatever you have to do, take a break at least three or four times a day, even for just a few minutes and go outside and get some fresh air.
8. Go on a fast. You might think I sound crazy with this one, many people do when I first introduce them to it. But going on a juice fast can be one of the fastest ways to boost your energy and revitalize your body. I’ve done two 10-day juice fasts (and plan on doing more) and the results have been incredible each time. Fasting gives you digestive system a much needed rest, allows itself to heal and restore. Fasting also allows your body to spend it’s energy on detoxifying and repairing your body, energy that before was being expended on digestion. As always, consult your physician and make sure you do your research. I recommend the Master Cleanse by Stanley Burroughs.
9. Boost your energy with feng shui. Keep fresh flowers (I prefer potted) and fruits in your house. Keep new photos of you and your loved ones framed around your desk and living room.

Here are some natural herbs for increasing your energy. These should be used as a transition to creating energy naturally through your lifestyle.

1. Ginseng – One of the most popular energy boosters which originates in ancient Chinese medicine. A great natural alternative to coffee and caffeine.
2. Yerbe Matte – Straight from the rain forest, this plant has been used for thousand of years to naturally boost energy and focus.
3. Gingko Biloba – Used to improve memory and poor blood circulation.
4. St. John’s Wort – A natural mood stabilizer, helps combat depression, also known as an anti-viral agent.

Be aware of the many ways we lose energy throughout the day. We each have a certain amount of energy for each day. We can either spend our time depleting and draining our energy or by sustaining it and adding to it. If you look in the mirror in the morning and talk negatively to yourself, you immediately lose some of your energy for the day. If you start out you day at work stressing about everything you need to get done, some more of that energy leaves. If our work area, our homes and our lives are cluttered, we lose energy by becoming distracted by all the imbalance. The more we develop an awareness of where our energy is being spent, the more we can re-direct it into sustaining and increasing our energy.

Want more tips on how to increase and improve you energy? Here are some sites I found valuable:

• How to Attract Positive Energy
• 10 Ways to Improve Your Energy
  
• Improve your energy with the Art of Smiling
• Stay Alert Without Caffeine
• Money As Energy

I hope you enjoyed this article, if you have any other ideas of how to boost your energy, please share them with us in the comments below.

If you enjoyed this article, please digg, stumble or sharing with one of the other links below. Thank you for your support, it is truly appreciated. =)

Sharing is caring!