We’ve all been there...the afternoon slump where you feel like you’re just not going to make it! Maybe the baby kept you up all night or your toddler just simply won't settle down and go to bed. No matter what the reason is, you're tired! Time for some coffee, soda, anything! Typically, we reach for some type of caffeine boost, whether it be coffee or pills, maybe even (YIKES) 5-hour energy shot. (I’ve personally heard of people having to go to the ER due to the side effects of this product!) Energy drinks are not the answer! Honestly, have you ever stopped to consider why this might be happening? Yes, we’re busy with the craziness of life. We have kids and work and activities and more. We have so much on our mind that we have a hard time getting to sleep and staying asleep, only to wake up tired the next morning to do it again!
Why is this happening, you might wonder. Recent research has shown that we simply aren’t getting the nutrients our bodies need to keep going! According to The Journal of the American Medical Association, “doctors recommend that EVERY adult regardless of age or health status NEEDS a daily multivitamin to fill the nutritional gap in his or her diet.” Why do you think that is?
What many people don’t realize is that our food today is not the same as it were 50 years ago. Not only has modern day science redeveloped how we grow food using synthetic ingredients, and GMO’s, but the soil is not the same as it used to be, either! Unfortunately, industrial agriculture practices continue to damage and deplete the valuable natural resource. While intensive plowing and mono-crop agriculture systems have caused nutrient depletion and wide-scale soil erosion, over-application of fertilizers and pesticides has contaminated our soils and polluted our waterways.
This was no surprise to Dr. Walter Mertz, who worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and in 1977, warned Congress that it had already started, stating that “in the future, we will not be able to rely anymore on our premise that the consumption of a varied balanced diet will provide all the essential trace elements, because such a diet will be difficult to obtain for millions of people.” (For more on Dr. Mertz and his research you can go here: http://jn.nutrition.org/content/138/2/247.long)
Now, I’m sure you’re wanting to run down to the nearest grocer and grab a bottle of vitamins so you can get the nutrients you need, start feeling better and have more energy, but the fact is, not all supplements are created equal. As a matter of fact, many popular vitamin brands are not absorbable and do more harm than good. In some instances, in order to truly get the recommended daily allowances listed on the product label, you would have to take two to three times the number of vitamins suggested each day! Having heard of instances where these types of vitamins clump together in the stomach and surgery is necessary to remove the ball of undigested pills to prevent further damage, please do your research, as you want to take supplements that work. Otherwise, instead of helping your health, you could be making it worse. Make sure to look for whole foods vitamins that can pre-bind minerals to organic protein and fiber, which mirrors the process of how they exist in fruits, vegetables and other whole foods. This process ensures that you are getting the highest absorption rate of the vitamins into your bloodstream and body.
Here are 5 quick tips you can implement right away for natural energy boosts:
Take high quality supplements to fill the gaps in your diet.
Eat organic and local as much as possible. You will notice a huge difference in just a couple of weeks!
Drink plenty of water - half your body weight in ounces daily
Exercise on a regular basis, by walking, biking, doing yoga, stretching, or going to the gym
Get a good night’s sleep. Shut off all electronics an hour before bed and rest in a dark, quiet room.
Take these few steps and in just a couple weeks you will be feeling like a whole new person, plus you’ll be healthier and have the energy to get a lot more accomplished. The extra bonus for all of us Moms and parents is that we will sleep better, feel better, and this all will help us to be a happier, more patient Moms. After all, what greater goal is there than that?
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/138/2/247.long