How To Boost Your Energy

When we get together with our friends, something we often hear is “...but I just didn't/don't have the energy to do it”.  Whatever we want more energy for, be it a fitness regime, a hobby, or even just the housework, as we get older it becomes harder to muster this up.  We cast our minds back to our twenties when we could survive (or even thrive) on 3 hours of sleep, and fit everything into a single day, and now we often end up feeling bad that we can't still do that.

We say: Don't feel bad about having less energy now than you did as a teenager - none of us do!  Sometimes we just have to accept that we're not as young as we used to be, and that we have to adjust our expectations of ourselves.  That's not the same as giving up though, because there are still lots of things that we can do to get a bit more energy every day.

Nutrition is vital for energy; our bodies run on an “energy in – energy out” model so the better we eat, the more energy we have (although it’s a bit more complex than just counting the calories).  Our general gut health is the foundation of this approach, so we should be ensuring that we're eating gut healthy foods which contain prebiotics and probiotics such as sauerkraut, which regulate our gut flora (that's the good bacteria and organisms that live inside us).  Eating lots of fresh vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds which provide good amounts of dietary fibre and you can further supplement this with things like psyllium husk and golden flaxseed to help support your gut health.  We have included both of these compounds in the MenoShake™, along with green tea extract and cinnamon bark extract which also help to maintain digestive health and even help to improve insulin sensitivity.

Certain foods help us to process and digest our nutrients better, and one of these important compounds is Vitamin C.  Especially important for those following a plant based or vegetarian diet, Vitamin C helps the body unlock and absorb the iron in our food – Iron is a cofactor in making energy in the body, so it is important to ensure that we are absorbing it efficiently.  As an antioxidant, Vitamin C can also play a cardioprotective role, ensuring optimum heart health. There’s even a study that indicates women with higher intakes of vitamin C have higher bone density and improved cognitive function over those that eat less of this super-vitamin!

Other vitamins that are probably a little more well-known for their role in helping us make energy are the B Vitamins. B Vitamins can be found in many foods such as meat, fish, dairy, legumes, nuts, greens and wholegrains. Other nutrients important for making energy include magnesium and zinc.

We include all these important nutrients in the MenoShake™ to make it easier for you to get your daily fix in an easy, convenient and delicious way, ensuring that your body has the tools it needs to create the energy that you want.

If you want to really shake up your diet, we’d recommend consulting a nutritionist who can work with you to create an eating plan which fits your budget, lifestyle and likes/dislikes.  Those of us with gut problems such as IBS, may also benefit from gut-specific yoga and other gentle exercises that help stimulate and regulate our digestive systems – ensuring that we absorb the most from our food thus ensuring we have a ready supply of co-factors to make energy.

Our MenoShake™ is part of a holistic approach to health before, during and after menopause, so naturally we are mindful of other things that we can do to boost our energy.  Here’s our top tip: Try replacing an afternoon sugary snack with the Menoshake™ and a 10 minute mindfulness session.  This could be a guided energy boosting meditation, a short walk where we pay particular attention to our surroundings, or even just a few minutes of deep breathing.

Exercise has also been shown to improve our energy levels.  It may seem counterintuitive – after all, if we're expending energy on working out, doesn't that leave us with less?  Regular exercise actually boosts our stamina, it's a case of “the more I do, the more I am able to do”.  If you've let your exercise regime slide lately, then start small with a few minutes of stretching and flexibility exercises every other day to warm your muscles, followed by 10-15 minutes of cardiovascular exercise and some weight training.  Gradually increase your activity levels as you feel able to and consult a doctor or physiotherapist if you have any long-term health conditions that may affect your ability to exercise safely.

Getting enough sleep is also an important factor in our energy levels, so check out our blog here on boosting your sleep for more tips to enhance your beauty and energy sleep. 

Next time you hear a friend complain that they don't have enough energy, steer them towards this article and the energy benefits of the MenoShake™.