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Written by: Maria Noël Mandile
Pep up for work and play with these 12
natural energy boosters.
Is low
energy causing you to drag all day
and retire to the couch after 5
p.m.? Feeling peppy takes less
effort than you may think. "We don't
have to quit our jobs or put our
kids up for adoption to get the
energy that we need," says Pamela
Smith, R.D., a registered dietitian
in Orlando, Fla., and author of
The Energy Edge (Harper
Resource, 2000). Any of the
following changes should make you
feel more energized in just one day.
The more you do, the more you'll
notice the lift. Make them into
habits and we promise that you'll
cruise through your workday and stay
off that sofa.
Get Your Bs
A minor deficiency in B vitamins is
a common cause of sluggishness, says
Smith. So take a B-50 complex daily
with breakfast. You should notice a
subtle increase in energy that lasts
throughout the day. B vitamins
enhance the activity of
neurotransmitters, brain chemicals
that help you stay relaxed and think
clearly when work demands pile up,
says Smith. B vitamins also help you
metabolize carbohydrates, your
brain's main source of energy, says
Paul Saunders, N.D., Ph.D.,
naturopath, herbalist, and chair of Materia Medica at the Canadian
College of Naturopathic Medicine in
Toronto.
Work Smart at Your
Desk
If you work at a desk all day, make
sure you're not sitting improperly
or straining to read. Both can drain
your energy, says Marvin Dainoff,
Ph.D., director of the Center for
Ergonomic Research at Miami
University in Oxford, Ohio. When at
the computer, check that your feet
are flat on the floor, your back is
straight, and you don't have to tilt
your head to look at your monitor.
If you need to, adjust your chair
and the angle of your monitor.
Additionally, you shouldn't have to
reach down or up to type or use your
mouse. Rather, your hands should
rest comfortably on the keyboard
with your elbows bent at 90 degrees.
To prevent eyestrain, increase your
computer's font size and prop up
books or other reading material so
that you can read while looking
straight ahead.
Try This Energy Herb
from Russia
Russians have relied on rhodiola
root (Rhodiola rosea) to
reduce fatigue and manage stress for
more than 200 years. Research on the
herb, which grows in Siberia, is
promising, says Mark Blumenthal,
founder and executive director of
the American Botanical Council in
Austin, Texas. In one double-blind,
placebo-controlled study,
night-shift physicians who took
rhodiola for two weeks felt 50
percent less fatigued than those who
took a placebo. The study was
published in 2000 in
Phytomedicine. For same-day
relief of acute stress or fatigue,
take 600 mg of root extract
capsules, divided into three doses,
with meals. To continue the boost,
take 200 mg a day on a cycle of four
months on, two weeks off. Rhodiola
has few side effects; however, it
may raise blood pressure and could
interact with blood thinning
medications like Coumadin (warfarin).
Do not take it if you're pregnant or
nursing.
Green Your Office
Feng shui, the ancient Chinese
art of placement, holds that
living plants have an energy
that can invigorate people, says
David Kennedy, a feng shui
practitioner in Berkeley,
Calif., and author of Feng
Shui for Dummies (John Wiley
& Sons, 2000). In just one day,
office plants helped people
working at computers feel 10
percent more attentive than
people working in a plant-free
office (it also helped them work
12 percent faster on their
computers), according to
research done at Washington
State University in Pullman in
1996. Plants that thrive indoors
include Boston ferns, Chinese
evergreens, and peace lilies.
Vibrant, hardy cut flowers like
gerber daisies and tulips also
perk up office workers,
according to studies.
Take a Whiff
Studies show that inhaling
peppermint essential oil (Mentha
piperita) throughout the day
whenever your energy flags
clears thinking and boosts
productivity. Other revitalizing
essential oils include lemon
(Citrus limon), lemon balm
(Melissa officinalis),
juniper (Juniperus communis),
orange (Citrus sinensis),
and spearmint (Mentha spicata),
says Kennedy. Keep a bottle by
your desk, uncap, and sniff as
needed. To sustain your energy
after work, plug a car diffuser
sprinkled with an essential oil
into your car's cigarette
lighter, or place a few drops on
your defrost vents and turn on
the fan.
Eat to Your
Advantage
Your body needs more than just
calories to keep going.
Nutrients like fiber, vitamins,
minerals, and essential fats
help provide energy over the
course of a day, says Nelda
Mercer, R.D., registered
dietitian in Ann Arbor, Mich.,
and spokeswoman for the American
Dietetic Association.
At all meals, divide your plate
into imaginary thirds, and fill
each third with one of the
following nutrient-rich foods:
(1) whole grains like brown
rice, oats, and whole-wheat
bread; (2) colorful fruits and
vegetables like berries,
cantaloupe, leafy greens, and
red peppers; and (3) proteins
like chicken, cottage cheese,
eggs, tofu, or tuna. (To make
sure you don't overeat, which
can cause drowsiness, Mercer
recommends using an 8-inch plate
or limiting your grain portion
to the size of a balled fist and
your protein portion to that of
a deck of cards.) Then add some
healthy fats by drizzling about
a tablespoon of flaxseed oil or
olive oil on your food or
choosing a fatty fish like
salmon as your protein.
The fiber in grains, fruits, and
vegetables helps ensure a steady
supply of energy because it
slows your body's absorption of
carbohydrates, a key energy
source. Colorful fruits and
vegetables provide
energy-producing vitamins and
minerals. Lean protein and
healthy fats satiate you so
you're not weak with hunger, and
the omega-3 fats found in
flaxseed oil and fatty fish help
keep your brain humming. All
these foods work together to
give you pep, adds dietitian
Smith, so don't ditch any of
them.
Move Yourself
Exercise energizes you, says
Smith. And you don't need to do
much to reap the benefits. In a
2001 study in Health
Psychology, people who
pedaled a stationary bike for 10
minutes felt more clear-headed,
less fatigued, and in a better
mood than those who did nothing.
If you're a morning person,
waking up an extra 15 minutes
early to exercise can help you
power through your day. Or, if
you prefer, be active when you
get home from work: Bike, dance
like mad to a few songs on the
radio, in-line skate, jump rope,
or walk around the block.
Plan for Fun
Work can make you forget some of
life's joys, and feeling down
can drain your energy. To remind
yourself that there really is
fun to be had, create and keep
handy a list of 20 pleasurable
activities you could do in less
than 15 minutes, recommends Ann
McGee-Cooper, Ed.D., a
Dallas-based corporate
consultant and author of You
Don't Have to Go Home from Work
Exhausted (Bantam, 1992).
Whenever you feel run-down, do
something from your list. For
example, walk through a park,
write a letter, or simply step
out to feel sunlight on your
skin. Or ask a friend to dinner
or register for a fun class at
your gym or local community
college. Looking forward to
pleasure boosts your energy,
says McGee-Cooper, because
anticipation can be as much fun
as reality.
Catch Some Zs
In just a short time, you
can be refreshed by a
healthy snooze, says Michael
Smolensky, Ph.D., professor
of environmental physiology
at the University of Texas
at Houston School of Public
Health and co-author of
The Body Clock Guide to
Better Health (Henry
Holt, 2000). A 10-minute nap
erased fatigue and increased
productivity for 12 healthy
young adults, according to a
study published in Sleep
in 2001. You can nod off
during the workday--and not
risk getting in trouble--if
you choose the right time
and place. Snooze during
your lunch break in your car
or at your desk. If you use
your desk, tell a supervisor
and officemates what you're
doing. For an evening lift,
nap on the train or bus home
or right after you walk in
the door. Just make sure not
to oversleep--set an alarm
to wake you--because more
than 20 minutes of napping
can induce grogginess.
Drink Wisely
Slight dehydration will tire
you and cloud your
concentration, says a 1999
study published in the
Journal of the American
Dietetic Association.
When you're thirsty, reach
for hydrating, sugar-free
beverages like water and
herbal tea, recommends
Mercer. (Sugary beverages
can cause your blood sugar
to spike and then dip, which
will deplete your energy.)
Aim for six to eight 8-ounce
glasses a day, she says.
Avoid drinking coffee or tea
in the afternoon, because
the caffeine can disrupt
sleep, which will make you
feel tired the following
day.
Don't Forget
to Stretch
Sitting in the same position
all day tires muscles and
saps energy. Every hour, get
up and stretch for one
minute, recommends Dainoff.
It doesn't matter what you
do--just move. Reach to the
ceiling, turn your head from
side to side, roll your
shoulders, arch your back,
stand on tiptoe, or touch
your toes. If stretching at
your desk might raise a few
eyebrows, retreat to a
bathroom stall. If you can't
remember to stretch
regularly, set a timer.
Let Music
Revive Your Mood
On the way home from work,
don't tune in to the news.
Instead, move that dial to
your favorite music station,
or pop a CD into your
Walkman or car stereo.
Listening to music rebuilds
your energy instantly, says
McGee-Cooper, because it's
pleasurable. It can be any
type of music, from
classical to jazz to
rock-and-roll, as long as
you enjoy it, she says.
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