RA Draining Your Vitality: Try These 7 Steps To Better Energy

INTRODUCTION

Desperately seeking better energy? Out of desperation, many people grab vitality band-aids. That’s not bad, it just isn’t better for your long-term health or even for your vibrancy a few hours later. To get better energy, you need a plan. But, hey sometimes life gets in the way and your plan flies out the window! Believe me, I know how this is. No worries, I got you covered. Read on to learn what affects your vigor and learn 7 tips to help you choose better band-aids and make better choices to get a longer-lasting boost.

4 THINGS THAT IMPACT BETTER ENERGY

1. Digestion — Your total nutrition needs to give your body what it needs to run better. Your digestion can’t handle getting too much at one time. Stress turns your body’s attention from digestion to concentrate on addressing or escaping the stress. That means stress prevents better energy.
2. Stimulants — Coffee, tea, “energy” promising herbs, etc stimulate the body via their stimulant agents (like caffeine) but that is NOT the same as providing energy. In fact, they can be your worst energy drainers – think of a car with almost no gas and you put the pedal to the metal asking it to go and go fast…boom, you will hear an awful sound, and while you might get one burst of movement it won’t last. That’s what happens when we use stimulants alone to provide us better energy. Furthermore, our body can become dependent on them to do that work and as such doesn’t motivate itself.
3. Excess Carbs — Quick energy comes from carbs. We need these to give us that burst so skip the black coffee or calorie-free energy shot – you can get creative and combo the two so you get a little more energy boost, and a little more lasting energy (with the addition of protein and healthy fats too). Lasting energy and communication support for how to use that energy comes from proteins, fats, and plant nutrients found in non-starchy vegetables.
4. Artificial Sweeteners — Artificial sweeteners give you no energy so you are more likely to still crave energy – like sugar or other carbs – after having artificial sweeteners without any calories.

7 TIPS FOR BETTER ENERGY

1. Better Stimulants — Avoid stimulants in the late afternoon/early evening. This includes dark chocolate (>60% cacao), B vitamins (likely in your multi-vitamin), teas, and supplements that contain energy-boosting herbs.
2. Better Food — Food gives us energy. Avoid eating to keep yourself awake in the evening, because it can also keep you from falling asleep when you’re ready. Try to stop eating about 2-3 hours before bed and keep your evening meal lighter – which is easier if you have a mid-afternoon snack.
3. Journaling — Our brains can be as potent stimulants as caffeine and sugar so work to clear your mind before you head to bed. One thing you can try is create a to-do list of what you want and need to accomplish tomorrow so that you clear that from your mind. Before I get into bed, I write one of my favorite moments from the day on a piece of scrap paper and collect it in a large jar. This reminds me to clear through what might not have been my favorites and go to bed with a happy brain.
4. Put Your Phone Away — More and more we learn about the benefits of not having our electronic devices in bed so turn those off before bedtime.
5. Get Some Sleep — Magnesium is Mother Nature’s muscle relaxant so it helps the body physically get ready for great sleep but it does more. Magnesium resides in our cells to kick out calcium that enters when we experience stress – real or perceived – and that helps us get better sleep as well. Because we don’t want or need energy before bed, a quality supplement of magnesium helps prep the body for better sleep.
6. Create A Routine — Decision fatigue. While we have the ability to make decisions about almost everything, doing so is exhausting, and often results in making less good choices because we are so tired of making choices. The antidote to decision fatigue is a practice. I can’t stress this enough – create your routine and stick with it (personally) as well as establish routines for your family. It can seem fun to say “What should we have for breakfast?” but there’s an energy requirement for asking, receiving yours / their answers, and then developing those breakfast choices. It may seem boring to have a menu but there’s a huge energy saving by eliminating some of our daily decisions.
7. Better Supplement Choices — Caffeine pills, Cordyceps, green tea, B vitamins, Ashwagandha, Rhodiola….Yes, there are supplements that help promote better energy. Depending on your health and product quality, they could be unhelpful or harmful. Discuss any supplements, dose, and timing with your healthcare practitioner.

RECIPE FOR BETTER ENERGY

Since it’s finally fall, give this autumn-inspired recipe a try for an energy boost.

Print

EVERGREEN AUTUMN ROASTED GREENS AND SWEET POTATOES

Recipe by c/o The Better Nutrition ProgramDifficulty: Easy

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Try this fall recipe for a better energy boost!

Ingredients:

• 2 sweet potatoes, rough cut
  2 cups organic kale
  1 cup Brussels sprouts, halved
  1/2 cup pecans chopped & toasted
  1/2 cup dried cranberries
  1/2 cup goat cheese crumbled
  (or swap for a cup hemp seeds)

• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  1 Tbsp spicy mustard
  1 tsp dijon mustard
  1 tsp champagne vinegar
  1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  kosher salt
  freshly ground black pepper

• Preheat over to 400 degrees F. Bring a small pot of water to boil.
• 
  In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup, two
  mustards, vinegar, and olive oil until well blended.
  Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper.
  Set aside
• 
  On a cookie sheet, add the brussels sprouts and kale.
  Roast for 10-15 minutes or until they begin to char.
• 
  Meanwhile, boil the sweet potato chunks for 10-12
  minutes or until fork tender. Drain and set aside.
• 
  To assemble the dish, place the roasted greens on the
  plate then dot with the sweet potato. Add the toasted
  pecans, dried cranberries, and goat cheese.
  Drizzle with the maple and spicy mustard vinaigrette.

CONCLUSION

From personal experience, I know what an energy zapper RA can be . However, it is possible to get your energy and your Mojo back! If I can do it, so can you — never give up! Give these tips a try — if you need more 1:1 help, I’d be honored to work with you to develop a personalized plan to help get you back on track and achieve your goals. To learn more about my offers, check out my services and group programs.

***Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice***