This article was originally published on Clean Eating Mag.com.
If there’s one thing we wish we all had more of, it’s energy. It’s hard to start your day without a cuppa joe, and you likely need a few cups to make it through the day. That’s why it’s easy to be a little jealous of naturally energetic people. No doubt you know at least one: The coworker who never needs caffeine to start or sustain their day or the friend who’s never been low in energy, not once.
Good news, though: You can soon be one of those endlessly energetic people. Here’s what you need to know about energy and how to increase it naturally, with tips from eight high-energy individuals.
Lifestyle can influence energy levels
Energy isn’t something you’re either born with or not; it’s a product of your lifestyle. Andrea Nazarenko, Ph.D., South Carolina-based psychologist, researcher, public speaker, and best-selling author of When Food Hurts compares energy conversion to an ATM machine.
“You get out what you put in,” Nazarenko says. “You can’t take out more than what you put in.”
Trouble is, life is innately energy-draining One major reason? The adrenal glands are fatigued. These glands are meant to help you cope with stress, but when your lifestyle is filled with chemical, physical, or emotional stress, the adrenal becomes fatigued.
“While not recognized as a diagnosed disease, suboptimal adrenal functioning can lead to a range of signs that the body needs support with sluggishness and fatigue being the characteristic signs,” Nazarenko says.
Other signs that you may be dealing with fatigued adrenal glands include cravings for salty foods, trouble sleeping, low libido, brain fog, and energy crashes in the middle of the day.
What causes those adrenals to function sub-optimally?
“Easy answer: It’s lifestyle,” Nazarenko says. “Factors that may play a role include your diet, sleep habits, emotional stress, chemical stress, trauma, toxic exposure (to things like personal care products, cleaning products, pesticides, unnecessary antibiotics, toxins in food and more), and chronic disease.”
That’s why the best energy booster isn’t at Starbucks, but in your lifestyle choices.
“You can’t create energy,” Nazarenko says. “We’re all naturally energetic, so going back to the basics and supporting a healthy lifestyle is the best energy booster.”
