In my last post I told you I’d share a few nutritional tips I use to fight fatigue, gain energy and battle brain fog. I’ve experimented with lots of things (all legal, lol), and though simple, I’ve found these three to be valuable and soo effective.
The key is consistency. Remember this is a journey and a lifestyle not some one shot wonder. Done on a consistent basis, this’ll help increase your energy and help you fight the good fight against brain fog.
Many of us are often on one diet or the next in order to lose weight…fit into a special dress for a special occasion, or just cause we wanna look and feel better.
Yet during the process of dieting we’re often miserable and whatever short term gains we make are often soon gone because we can’t stand not having our favorite piece of cake or the glaze donuts sitting in the break room or the cheesy cheeseburger that your taste buds are demanding (my weakness by the way).
We sabotage ourselves. We give up and we’re left with a sense of frustration and “what the hell to do now” feeling.
We can create results by just cutting back and not totally giving up the foods we love
But what if instead of completely giving up everything we love, we cut back on those foods that don’t serve us while adding in significantly healthier foods that can really make a difference in not only how we feel, but in our actual health.
In some cases these nourishing foods have been responsible for dropping unhealthy cholesterol numbers, decreasing high blood pressure, cutting down blood sugar levels and even losing weight. Keep in mind that for me the goal is getting you to a state of energy and clarity.
But the side benefits of these foods is not to be ignored. And I’m not talking having to become a gourmet chef to do it. Instead I’m talking about simple methods and foods that pack powerful nutrients which in some cases can actually reverse many health issues. Let’s get to it shall we?
- Smoothies – Okay I’m not gonna pretend you’ve not heard this stuff before but I pledge on my girl scout cookies that if done right these things work. But before you get all giddy thinking you’re gonna be slurping down some sugar-laden delight, uh uh girlfriend, pump the brakes. Only nature’s ingredients are used here. I’m talking about blueberries, mixed berries, spinach and kale, raw beets, hemp seeds, chia seeds, carrots, pineapple, bananas, avocados, cucumber, cacao powder, and raw honey. And that’s just some of the options.
Now don’t go gettin’ freaked out on me. It may not sound like something tasty but smoothies are surprisingly refreshing and when you consider the huge payoff of adding these nutrients to your food fare in such a simple effortless way, well, I say it’s worth it.
None of us are getting any younger, I don’t care if you’re only sixteen. So start taking control of how your body feels? It’s your power so choose to wield it. If not today, when?
An investment in a good blender is an investment in you and your family’s health
All you need for a good smoothie is a blender. If you can invest in a NutriBullet that’s even better. It breaks down the contents of your smoothie into easily digestible components, ensuring your body gets a hold of the full benefit of the food. You can look into buying a NutriBullet here. And you can find easy delightfully delicious, powerful smoothie recipes here.
One thing that’s important that I do all the time with my smoothies and something I highly recommend is adding a protein powder. I also always add at least one cup of a leafy vegetable like spinach, kale, or arugula.
It helps me to get my daily recommended dose of veggies and the protein powder ensures my muscles get what they need in the form of amino acids. It also helps to keep me full without the fat. I use a vegan protein powder because I’ve found that whey protein makes me bloated. I also like to add organic coconut oil and powdered chlorella or spirulina. You can find various protein powders here and you can read more about the super nutrient chlorella here.
- Herbal Teas – I’ve come to love and appreciate herbal teas especially since I’ve significantly decreased my coffee consumption. I especially like green tea and am still amazed at how many options there are. Organic, green tea with mint, or with ginger, with lavender, I could go on and on. Some of my other favorite herbal teas for both energy and brain boosting power is ginger, gingko biloba (yes, it comes in a tea), and my all-time favorite, gotu-kola. Herbal teas can not only help you fight fatigue and boost your brain power, but they can assist in weight loss, lower blood pressure and fight free radicals. You can read more about these herbs here.
- Water – I’m sure you’ve heard this before – drink lots of water. I know I had but never really thought it was important enough to make a difference in my energy levels or help me combat brain fog. Boy was I wrong (one of the few times..kidding). I’ve increased my every day water intake by about six more servings a day, sometimes more. I use to mostly get my hydration from the water that was in my coffee, in my wine (ha! It’s true), and a couple of glasses of water a day but only when I was thirsty. That was far from enough.
At that time I found water to be boring and unsatisfying, you know, like ordering a cheeseburger but they forget the cheese. Even when I cut up lemon or cucumbers to put in it, just didn’t hit the spot.
But one day when I was doing a detox, my sister picked up some sparkling lemon water for me (she’s thoughtful like that). I fell in love with it. I can drink two bottles of that a day. I find it more effective for the “plumbing” than regular water also – if you know what I mean.
I like Arrowhead because it only has three ingredients (bubbles, water, and lemon) but they have other fruits as well and I’ve enjoyed most of them.
Be sure to buy only sparkling water that has no sodium so you can avoid the bloat. For more info on how dehydration can make you tired and foggy read this enlightening article here.
There you have it folks. I promise if you try these three things on a consistent basis you’ll begin to start feeling improvements in just a couple of weeks. Have fun with it, and stay tuned for more of my easy life-changing tips in my next post.
Until then, blessings!
