High on Energy

by Deborah English — December 27, 2007

Human [hyoo-m u hn] n 1. Highly sensitive being from planet Earth attacked daily by trillions of (mostly) invisible forces, causing a multitude of physical chain reactions within the body - potentially causing a tremendous impact on the way the human feels and sees the world.

It's true; the world is jam-packed with human-affecting stuff that we cannot control. However, as bleak as this may sound, the reality is that we DO have the ability to manage our mental state-of-being, simply by increasing our physical energy. Functioning on an abundance of physical and mental energy is literally like having a huge weight lifted from our psyches - automatically making us happier because we are free to act and operate decisively.

The way to achieve and maintain this steady energy is to eat a wholesome, whole-food, low glycemic index diet, with the right balance of vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients.

Here are some great tips to get you high on energy:

• Try your best to source organically grown food. Organic food is free from nasty additives that put extra strain on your liver, making you feel sluggish and fuzzy headed. The basic premise here is that when your body isn't happy, neither are YOU.
• Eat lean protein-rich foods; optimally, a little at every meal. Protein digests slowly, steadying your blood glucose levels, resulting in sustained physical energy and mental alertness. Many foods rich in protein also contain tryptophan, which is linked to relaxation. Excellent lean protein sources are; fish, turkey, lean beef, soy nuts, tofu, tempeh, and eggs.
• Eat some "good fat" protein-rich foods; such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, nuts, and seeds. The Omega3 fatty acids contained in these foods help your body absorb nutrients, lowers cholesterol, and increases circulation.
• Eat nutrient-rich, high-fiber complex carbohydrates. That means carbohydrate foods that are as close to their original form as possible. Include on your list of slow-release, high-energy foods oats, rye, barley, buckwheat, cornmeal, brown rice, beans, lentils, peas, sweet potatoes, fresh vegetables, and fruits.
• Drink plenty of pure water. Water purifies your body of toxic gunk that slows you down.

To further increase your "happiness stakes," accompany healthy eating habits with regular cardiovascular, strengthening, and stretching exercise. Exercise helps your body rid itself of the negative forces of toxins, and stimulates the production of "feel-good" endorphins.