Increase Your Energy

Consistently I find that there are themes in my patient visits, and right now I'm hearing that a lot of you are tired and feeling the dark days.  Are you watching the clock from 7pm onwards, wondering if it's too early to go to bed?  Or are you finding yourself searching for an extra dose of caffeine or a sweet food in the middle of the afternoon for a boost?  Once the days get darker it's common for us to feel less energetic.  Less sunshine, less activity, a change in foods are all certainly part of it too.  So how do we get through the days when all we want to do is sleep?

First of all, consider what the message from your body might be right now.  We tend to need less sleep in the summer and more in the fall and winter, as our bodies run on circadian rhythms that are influenced by light cycles.  We actually have mechanisms for producing energy via the sun, which charges our internal batteries.  We are solar powered, after all.  Living in Canada we have seasonality to our cycles that call for more rest, reflection and rejuvenation in the cool and dark months, so that trying to maintain the same lifestyle patterns in the fall and winter that we do in the spring and summer is counter to our biology.

I believe that living out of alignment with our biology is a great stressor to our health.  Of course, there's always more to the story, and it's probably not practical to hibernate for the next 4 months!

There are ways to improve our energy levels, without leaning on extra caffeine and sugar.

• Protein early & often
  - Eating protein with your first meal of the day helps to keep energy and blood sugar regulated all day long.  The next question is always, how much do you need?  We each have different protein requirements depending on phase of life, activity levels, genetics and digestive capacity, but anywhere from 75-150 grams per day is needed.  You can be mindful of your fuel sources by including protein with each meal and snack.
  
  
• Movement
  - Moving our bodies actually generates energy, it increases our mitochondria (energy factories), feel good neurotransmitters, and improves lymph flow.  We may need to adjust our activities for the season -> more strength training and gentle/yin/nourishing movements like yoga and pilates.  With the weather, sometimes it takes a little more of a push to go outside, but I have never regretted a walk after the fact!
  
  
• Light
  - Driving to and from work in the dark, living under fluorescent or LED lights, and never seeing the sun take a huge toll on our energy pathways and reserves.  Even something as simple as opening the sunroof or a window in the car to allow light on your body is helpful at this time of year.  You can take a walk or step outside on your break or at lunchtime, even on cloudy days.  Some people find it beneficial to use a full spectrum lightbox or "happy light" on your desk or in your bathroom as you get ready in the morning.  It's also important to avoid screens first thing in the morning and right before bed, or at least use blue-blocking glasses also help to mitigate the effects of screens and artificial lights.  
  
  
• Hydration
  - We tend to drink less water when it's cooler out, but hydration is still important all year long.  I often suggest having a glass of water before coffee in the morning, and aiming to drink 1L of water by noon.  Herbal teas, soups, and juicy fruits & vegetables, like cucumber and aloe, all contribute to our hydration status, especially the formation of EZ water.  EZ water is structured, gel-like water that produces energy in our bodies.  Swirling, stirring, shaking or putting water in the sun also serves to structure water and improve cellular function.  Other ways to increase EZ water and thus energy in the body:  grounding, infrared saunas, heart coherence (heart-led meditations), breathing, cold exposure, and sunlight.  I know that some of this might sound a bit weird, but there is a lot of research to support the healing properties of water!  Just take the information that serves you right now.
  
  
• Be mindful of energy expenditure & leaks
  - For many of us, it's easy to give beyond our actual capacity.  Practicing boundaries, not over-committing, and avoiding people-pleasing are ways to move past others expectations of us and our learned beliefs.  I've taken issue with the "we can do hard things" mentality.  Almost all of us are doing hard things all the time.  I like saving the effort for the hard things that actually help our bodies thrive, like meal-prepping or going outside when it's cold out.  Our bodies are resisting hustle culture, our brains just haven't caught up yet.
  
  
• Rule-out other causes of low energy
  - Some blood or urine testing can help to get a snapshot of other possible causes of low energy:  Vitamin D, Iron, Thyroid function, Cortisol levels, Blood sugar and other nutrient and organ function tests.
  
  
• Sleep
  - You might need to sleep a little more in the fall and winter months.  Try going to bed a little bit earlier, turn off the TV or put down your phone, and see what happens.
  
  
• Adrenal Support
  - As the holidays approach, it can be a very busy time for shopping, baking, socializing, and complicated family dynamics. Our work lives can have seasonality as well, with the end of the calendar year fast approaching.  If you know that you have busy or stressful times of year you can anticipate the extra demands on your body by preparing with adrenal support, which is usually herbs and vitamins that help to bolster your system at these key times.  Likewise, if there's a time of year that you typically get sick, there are proactive strategies that you can use to support your body ahead of time.  Let's be honest, we almost always get sick when we are run down and out of our routines.
  
  
• Reduce "toxins"
  - I wish I had a better word to describe this one, but what I mean is that there are foods and chemicals that make us feel sluggish and burden our detoxification pathways.  Too much sugar, plastics, artificial scents, alcohol, and so many other compounds can keep our bodies busy and rob our energy stores.  While it's great to reduce our exposure to these things, we can also improve our ability to tolerate and remove them from our bodies as well.  In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the fall is associated with the lungs and large intestine, and the winter with the kidneys and urinary bladder.  Extra nourishment for these organs is especially nice right now.  I often use:  Lung and Kidney Cleanses by Alpha Science Labs and the R-DTX Dr Reckeweg or Pascoe detox kits.  Fresh air and houseplants that clean the air are also great to incorporate.  So many people report feeling more energetic after completing one of my detox programs or a cleanse.
  
  
• Breathing
  - The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs is vital to delivering energy around the body.  More advanced breathing techniques can improve the energy pathways, and regulate the nervous system to enhance overall vitality.  There are so many methods for improving our breathing techniques - just find the practice that resonates with you, and bonus points for grounding at the same time.
  
  
• Plan your breaks
  - Whether it's vacations, long weekends, a yoga class or time with friends or family, having things to look forward to and giving your body both small and large breaks throughout the year is important for creating joy in your life.

I'll be honest, this list for increasing your energy became much larger than I had intended!  Clearly there are an abundance of things to consider at the cellular level, for energy generation, energy demands, our inputs and our outputs.  I hope that I've given you lots to think about, and topics to address the next time we meet.

Since you made it this far, I'll share with you my favourite recipe right now (scroll down), borrowed from my mom.  It's a great one for the holidays or for meal-prepping because it holds up well if you make it ahead or have any leftovers.  Keep in mind, I'm not very good at measuring for recipes - I'm not a baker for this reason - so make adjustments to the ingredients and quantities to your preference.

We have a few appointments left before the end of the year, so it's a good time to come in to use up your benefits, discuss options for managing holiday stress or digestive and immune challenges, and to relax with acupuncture.  Click here to book now.

In gratitude for your support, I'm also continuing the promotion on clinic supplement purchases until the end of the year.  For every $100 before tax, you will receive $10 off as my thank you.  (There are a few exclusions).  

Wishing you a wonderful month full of permission to pause and sparkles,
Dr Christa

This article is intended for information purposes only and does not replace medical advice.  
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Nana's Kale Salad

• 1 bunch of kale, washed and torn
• 2-3 tbsp hemp hearts
• 1-2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds
• 2-4 tbsp olive oil
• splash of lemon juice
• splash of maple syrup

Mix all ingredients in bowl.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.