It’s 2:30 p.m. and you’re crashing – hard. What’s your plan? Do you reach for the candy bowl? Hit the soda machine? Run out for a sugary beverage from the local coffee shop? Stop right there. While these quick fixes do the trick for a little while, the after effects may leave you even more lethargic than you were before. Sound familiar?
An article in the July/August issue of “Healthy Living Made Simple” (a publication for Sam’s Club® members) titled “Get Energized” by Dr. Andrew Myers points to several great naturally occurring nutrients that can help boost your energy level, rev your metabolism and increase your output well into the 4 o’clock hour.
According to Dr. Myers’ article, energy is the ability to perform a task, and in order to have an adequate amount of energy, the body requires both macronutrients (food) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). While it’s probably no surprise that most Americans get too many macronutrients in the form of calories, most don’t get enough nutrients, and you need the right balance in order to keep your body healthy, energized and functioning properly.
So besides food and nutrients, exercise, sleep and plenty of water, how else can you boost your energy levels, especially when that 3 o’clock slump hits? Dr. Myers points to caffeine sources such as coffee, tea, kola nuts, chocolate, green coffee and green tea as natural ways to stimulate your central nervous system and even aid your metabolism.
If you’re already getting enough caffeine and are looking for something else, why not try B-complex or a multivitamin? Cheese, eggs, lamb, fish, fortified cereals and soy products are all great sources of vitamin B. Some multivitamins are specially formulated to perk you up, so check out one that might work for you.
Other natural energy boosters include chromium, which is found in whole grains, green beans, broccoli and bran cereals; ginseng; guarana, a highly caffeinated South African fruit; and taurine, which can be found in fish and meat proteins or taken as a supplement. Each of these is also available as an extra which can be taken as a supplement.
Hopefully you’re feeling more alert just reading about these energy boosters, but if not, don’t take our word for it – try it yourself! You’ll be glad you did, and so will your over-sugared body! Let us know what you think works best in the “Comments” section below.
