7 Ways to Boost Your Energy

By Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS

Fatigue is one of the biggest problems of modern life, but we're trying to fix that problem in all the wrong ways.

Trying to "get" or "find" energy is like trying to grab a fistful of water. If you want water (energy) to sit in your hand, you have to first create the conditions under which it's possible -- in the case of water, keeping your fingers tightly together and your hand cupped while open will do the trick -- but trying to grab the water will not. It's the same thing with energy.

Energy isn't something you get or grab, but rather the by-product of certain conditions that allow it to show up in your life. If your health and attitude and body and mind are all aligned in the right way, there's nothing else for you to do but to feel energized. It's the natural "side-effect" of a healthy life -- it just comes with the territory.

Let's say you were a swimmer wearing a weight belt and you wanted to increase your time in the 50-yard freestyle. You could spend a lot of effort researching the latest titanium high-tech bathing suit -- which might add a second or two to your time -- but wouldn't it be a lot more effective to simply drop the weight belt?

Most of us are carrying around weight belts and looking to increase our energy with coffee and stimulants when in fact if we just dropped the weight belt we'd automatically go faster.

Some of the items on our weight belt are: too little sleep, disorganization, toxic relationships, high-carb diets, undetected food sensitivities, and all sorts of other facts of modern life that I discuss in detail in my book, The 150 Most Effective Ways to Boost Your Energy. In this article I'm going to suggest seven ways to help drop the weight belt from your energy tank. Do them and you may be surprised at what a boost in energy they give you.

1. Support your liver. You can help your liver do its job more effectively -- and boost your energy in the bargain -- by taking a daily dose of an herb called milk thistle. I consider the liver to be the most misunderstood and under-appreciated organ in the human body, because when it's not working right, the first thing to suffer is your energy. Giving the liver all the nutrients it needs to perform its daily tasks is one of the most important things you can do to boost your energy.

2. Get ten minutes of sun every day. "The sun gives you strength, lifts your spirits and is a source of energy", says my friend Al Sears, MD, author of Your Best Health Under the Sun. Like a growing body of health experts, Sears thinks we've become so sun phobic that we're missing out on the myriad mood-boosting and energy-enhancing benefits that vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin has to offer.

3. Disconnect for a day. One of the great energy drainers of the 21st century is information overload. We're deluged with stuff coming at us from emails, RSS feeds, blogs, social networking sites, TV, magazines, radio, fax machines, Blackberries... you get the picture. Knowledge may be power, but information overload is just... well, noise. Try a media-free day and feel your own energy accumulate -- rather than dissipate as you attend to millions of distractions.   Most of the chatter, when you think about it, won't make much difference in the long run anyway. (If you find the idea of disconnecting for a day a frightening thought, you are exactly the person who needs to do it the most!)

4. Try the "No-Frills, No-Excuses, Anytime-Anywhere" workout.  We all know that exercise helps with energy -- at least I hope we do -- but when it comes to working out,  time remains a big obstacle for many people. Here's my own "no excuses" lo-tech workout that you can do just about anywhere in as little as 15 or 20 minutes for an amazing boost in energy: 1) run a mile, 2) do some squats, 3) do some push-ups, 4) do some crunches. Stretch and go about your business refreshed and energized.  And if you can't go out and run the mile, do some jumping jacks in your office, or run the stairs.

5. Revive your "qi". Acupuncture is based on the precepts of traditional Chinese Medicine that says the body and mind are inextricably linked; that vital energy, or qi, regulates a person's spiritual, mental and physical health; that each of us is a delicate balance of opposing and inseparable forces called yin and yang -- and when that balance is disrupted, vital energy becomes blocked or weakened. When our qi (energy) is at optimal levels and flowing smoothly, we're ready to take on the world.  Spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically we're strong, healthy and energized. One terrific way to balance that energy is through acupuncture.

6. De-clutter and deep-six the energy drain. Here's a rule I've found to be a universal truth: your energy has a perfect inverse relationship to the accumulation of stuff you don't need. The more unwanted, unused, unneeded stuff you have cluttering up your life, the less energy you have. Believe it or not, the condition of your desk (and desktop) and office and living space actually reflects a lot of what's going on in your head.  If you take time to organize and de-clutter, you'll actually be freeing up a lot of psychic space, and that can really turbo-charge your energy.

7. Take the right supplements. While supplements don't really "give" you energy, they can correct metabolic issues that are draining it. They can also speed along certain pathways that are nutrient-dependent and that get sluggish (and energy draining) when those nutrients are in short supply. One terrific energizing nutrient is coenzyme Q10.  It helps transform fats and sugars into energy and is a potent antioxidant.

[Ed. note: Dr. Bowden is a nationally known expert on weight loss, nutrition and health. His new book, The 150 Most Effective Ways to Boost Energy Naturally is available now.]

Cutting Edge Fitness:
How to Train Like a Modern Gladiator
By Vince Palko

Rocky Marciano did it. Muhammad Ali did it. And many, many other old-time boxers (and old time wrestlers for that matter) did it too.

But maybe the most unique and unusual group to use this exercise -- that you never heard of -- were the Roman legions.

How do you train hundreds upon hundreds of men to be in tip-top physical shape to go into battle?

Good question.

History reveals these men twisted thin green grape vines together and used them as jump ropes.

Picture this... an aerial camera shot looking down on northern Rome and off in the distance are hundreds of men spinning twisted vines. The only noise you hear are twirling rope vines and thumping feet hitting the dirt.

Now why would these men use jump ropes to prepare for hand-to-hand or sword-to-sword combat?

Well, the jump rope is a fierce strength and wind-building mechanism. Back in ancient Roman times, running long distance was unheard of... and sliding metal weights on long bars for lifting didn't exist. So this unique exercise trained these fierce warriors to be in the best shape possible.

And today, many modern-day athletes have the Roman armies to thank for their little invention... because many top athletes use rope skipping to whip them into shape quickly.

Have you ever seen a boxer preparing for a fight where he might have to drop 20 lbs to reach his fighting weight? Chances are great you'll see a video clip of him spinning the rope. This will make him light on his feet, reduce his weight, and build endurance better than any treadmill or exercise bike.

Many other high-level athletes like pro football and basketball players use this exercise to get fit the quickest way possible. And be at the top of their game. The reason is that hopping is one of the best plyometric exercises you can do to build lung, leg and upper body strength and power.

How You Can Get Started
So you may be wondering, what's a good inexpensive jump rope for adults? Well, one idea is to grab the rope hanging in your mudroom or on your cellar stair case hook. You know the beaded one that has been in the family ever since you were a little kid. That's the cheapest one of all.

However, that short rope that worked when you were little might not fit your height nowadays. If so, no problem. You can find a good quality rope at the local sporting goods store ranging from $15 to $30 depending on certain features. Some ropes are just that, ropes with handles. Others are hard plastic ropes with ball bearings in the handles, called ‘speed ropes.' Still other ropes have small metal rods (or weights) inside the handles to tone your arms and shoulders while you skip. I prefer the speed ropes because of the easy spinning action that allows you to jump as fast as you can twirl the rope.

Okay, now that we have covered what kind of rope you need to get started, let's talk about how much time is required for a good sweat-building exercise. For someone just starting out, who's not physically fit, I'd suggest just a few minutes a day before or after some brisk walking. If you walk every day, only skip rope 3 times a week (3-5 minutes per session). That's right, only 3-5 minutes! You'll discover that it only takes a few minutes to hear yourself huffing and puffing and to feel the fat burners kicking in. Gradually add more time as you experience less and less fatigue from practice.

For advanced exercise enthusiasts, consider skipping for 15-20 minutes. Add more time as the hopping and spinning becomes effortless. You can also mix circuit drills into your jump rope routine. Do this by incorporating body weight exercises in between sets of 100 skips. When you string 10 sets of 100 skips with body weight, push-ups, squats, and abdominal exercises -- you have one phenomenal fat-melting workout.

Now let's go have some fun and skip away that unwanted belly fat and cellulite.

Healthy Recipes:
Nutty No-Grain Granola
Laura LaValle, RD, LD

With only 9 net carbs per serving, this nut-based granola is a tasty substitute for conventional oatmeal-based sweetened granolas.  Soaking the nuts prior to eating them makes the nuts more digestible and helps break down phytic acid, a substance that binds and prevents absorption of important minerals in the gut.

Time to table:  Up to one day for soaking, then 30 minutes to prepare.
Serves: 4

Healing Nutrient Spotlight
Excellent source of vitamin E, magnesium, selenium, copper, manganese
Good source of iron, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, folate, pantothenic acid, zinc

Ingredients*
1/2 cup soaked raw almonds
1/2 cup soaked raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup soaked raw walnuts
4 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped (or substitute 1/4 cup other dried fruit like raisins or figs if desired)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt

*Use organic ingredients for optimal nutrition.

Preparation
To soak nuts, place them in jars or small bowls and cover with purified water and add a little sea salt (optional).  Cover container with lid or plastic wrap and let sit at room temp for the following time periods:

• Almonds, 8 to 12 hours
• Sunflower seeds, 6 to 8 hours
• Walnuts, 4 to 6 hours

Drain nuts and air dry before using.  Measure nuts after they have soaked as they expand somewhat during soaking. Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until the mixture is the texture of granola.  Serve in a bowl with rice milk or other non-dairy milk and sliced fresh fruit. Very yummy!!

You can store any extra nuts in the refrigerator. Almonds and walnuts keep for 5 days and sunflower seeds for 3 days.  You can re-crisp the nuts by placing them on a cookie sheet in the oven with just the oven light on or at a "warm" setting.

Nutrition
312 calories, 9 g protein, 14 g carbohydrates, 27 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 9 g monounsaturated fat, 14 g polyunsaturated fat, 7 g sugars, 5 g fiber, 1.8 mg niacin, 1.4 mg pantothenic acid,  58 mcg folate, 20 IU vitamin E, 2.4 mg iron, 93 mg magnesium, 1.3 mg manganese, 320 mg potassium, 15 mcg selenium,  72 mg sodium, 2 mg zinc

[Ed. Note: Laura B. LaValle, RD, LD is presently the director of dietetics nutrition at LaValle Metabolic Institute.   Laura and her husband, Jim LaValle, R.Ph, CCN, ND have developed the powerful and life-changing Metabolic Code Diet - containing step-by-step, easy to follow recommendations for harnessing optimal metabolic energy and turning your body's chemical make up into a fat-burning furnace.] 

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 03-31-09] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/.