"5
Secrets for Higher Energy"
by Frederic Patenaude
All right. Today we're going to talk
about energy. Are there any of my readers
who do NOT want more energy? Please
raise your hand... no takers? Okay,
let's keep going then.
My “secrets” for higher
energy are actually key concepts to
understand about energy. Those concepts
are really obvious but often not understood
by those who try to sell us their latest
gimmick on how to get more energy.
Here they are...
Secret #1 - Energy Comes From Sleep,
Not Food
Every day we go to bed with less energy
than we woke up with, and we lay down
for 6,7, 8 or more hours to recharge
our batteries. Ideally, this is how
our body is supposed to function.
Although there are different scientific
theories on the function of sleep, we
all agree that it is essential to our
well-being. Sleep is a time for repairing
and restoring and it is the true source
of our energy.
Food doesn't give us energy. Food provides
fuel and other raw materials that the
body uses to function. We require energy
just to digest that food, and this is
why when someone is sleep-deprived her
digestion is greatly disturbed.
Your car may have a full tank of gasoline,
but if the battery is dead it won't
start. The same is true for you. You
may eat all you want but in the end
if you don't sleep enough to recharge
your batteries you won't have energy.
So how much sleep do we need? There
is no set number of hours, as each person's
requirements are individual. What you
need is *enough* sleep.
The likelihood that you're not getting
enough sleep is very high. 56% of the
adult population reports that drowsiness
in the daytime is a problem.
If you experience daytime sleepiness
or drowsiness, or if you need an alarm
clock to wake up in the morning, you
are sleep deprived. If this has been
going on for a long time, then you may
have accumulated a large “sleep
debt.”
The solution? Pay off your debt. Sleep
more.
Secret #2 - A Low-Fat, Raw Diet Gives
You More Energy
Did you know that not all of the food
that you eat becomes available to you
as food, since digestion itself requires
work and therefore fuel (calories)?
Is it any wonder that after a big traditional
meal people literally fall asleep? The
digestion of their meal took so much
energy that they had to “sleep
it off” in a comatose state!
On the other hand, the digestion of
fruit takes literally no energy. Fruit
contains simple sugars that require
no digestion. The water it contains
also requires no digestion, as well
as the fiber, which is evacuated.
In fact, the sugars in fruit start being
absorbed under the tongue as soon as
you take that first bite of peach or
melon. It is the ultimate “high-energy
food”: no digestion required,
plenty of fuel available.
Raw vegetables also require very little
digestion, but what they give us are
mostly vitamins and minerals, as well
as water, but very few calories.
Fatty foods as well as starchy foods
require more energy to digest. They
require more digestive enzymes, they
stay longer in the stomach, and they
require more energy to be available
to you as fuel.
It has been my experience that eating
a low fat diet composed essentially
of fruits and vegetables gives you more
energy, as long as you eat enough fruit
to meet your caloric (fuel) needs.
Secret #3 - Exercise Takes Energy,
But You Need It Anyway
We often hear that exercise gives energy.
“Exercise more,” they say,
“you'll have more energy.”
Right there, there's a big misunderstanding.
How could physical exertion give you
energy? It *takes* energy!
After a long day of physical labor,
you are more tired than when you just
woke up. All that work took energy to
do. And it will take the body a good
night of sleep to recover.
People who are physically active, as
well as athletes, need more sleep. Sleep
requirements increase as training intensity
increases.
However, the good thing is that by being
physically active you increase your
levels of fitness, which will make an
impact on your capacity to handle your
daily chores.
In other words, you will have greater
physical abilities to go through your
day without getting tired as easily
as a sedentary person. The quality of
your sleep will also improve, although
you might need more of it.
A fit person will enjoy better digestion,
improved sleep, and will feel more awake
during the day, as long as they get
enough sleep to recover from their physical
activities.
Secret #4 - Energy Is Not Stimulation
Chronically-tired and low-energy people
are always looking for something that
will “give them energy.”
They confuse energy with stimulation,
and want a quick fix to feel better
now, without thinking about the long-term
consequences.
Let's take caffeine for example, keeping
in mind that the same principles apply
for other stimulants such as those foods
in chocolate or raw cacao, recreational
drugs, Chinese herbs and mushrooms,
and any other product that is sold for
the purpose of giving you “a quick
boost of energy.”
Caffeine does not give you energy. It
is not possible to scientifically measure
any increase in energy when caffeine
is consumed. What can be measured are
higher levels of stress. This means
that there is an increased production
of stress hormones (such as adrenaline)
and there is an increase in blood pressure
and heart rate.
This is because caffeine “stimulates”
you. It does not give you energy. You
could say that caffeine “lends”
you energy, which you must eventually
pay back at a high price in health.
Let's add to that that caffeine and
other stimulants are powerful addictive
drugs. They do not give you any energy
at all.
Secret #5 - You Need to Avoid Energy
Drainers
If you want more energy, you must avoid
the numerous energy drainers: all of
those things that tend to drain your
physical and emotional energy, as well
as the things that decrease your motivation
to take care of yourself.
Of course, sometimes stuff happens that
isn't under your control, such as the
death of a relative, but since your
energy is limited it should be your
goal to get rid of as many energy drainers
as possible.
Energy drainers include: negative relationships,
stressful jobs, pessimistic or cynical
friends and relatives, the news on television,
debt or other financial concerns that
cause stress, living in a polluted environment,
and many more.
Motivation drainers include: a messy
office where you can't find anything,
a long list of to-do's you've been trying
to maintain in your head without success,
lack of purpose in life, lack of self-esteem,
being unfit and fat without any desire
to exercise, living a life that is incongruent
with your innermost values, and so on.
Actions Steps You Can Take Now to
Get More Energy
Go to bed an hour earlier - You might
not realize how much sleep debt you've
accumulated. Start paying it off by
allowing you an extra hour in bed everyday.
And no guilt please! You're doing this
for your health. If necessary, get a
night mask that blocks light in order
to fall asleep more easily.
Start a fitness program - Being
unfit decreases your motivation and
your ability to perform everyday tasks
with ease. In addition to that, you
can't be healthy if you're not fit.
The best way to start a fitness program
is to start now. Find something you
can do and do it every day. Please stay
in tune for more articles on the topic
in future issues of Pure Health &
Nutrition.
Discard the use of stimulants -
What stimulants do you use to fake energy?
Choose the best for yourself and get
in touch with the real source of energy,
not the illusion of stimulation.
Lower the fat content of your diet and
eat more fruit - By lowering the
fat content of your diet and increasing
your fruit consumption you will have
more energy available. To learn how
to do that, please refer to my book
“The Raw Secrets.” (http://www.therawsecrets.com)
Identify one energy drainer and get
rid of it - The energy drainers
are almost too numerous to tackle all
at once. Instead, identify one energy
drainer, such as perhaps a negative
relationship, and take the necessary
step to get rid of it. You will feel
much better for it.
A final quote to inspire you: "Love
the moment, and the energy of that moment
will spread beyond all boundaries."
-- Corita Kent, American Muralist and
Printmaker (1874 - 1963)
Want to Use This Article In Your Website or E-Zine? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it: “Frederic Patenaude, is the author of the best-selling e-book "The Raw Secrets". He is currently giving away free access to his private library of over 100 exclusive articles along with a subscription to his newsletter Pure Health & Nutrition. Visit http://www.fredericpatenaude.com while charter subscriptions last.”