4 Things You Should Know About Supporting Your Energy, According to a Functional Doctor
Whether you're heading out to work or WFH, your body doesn't know the difference—so creating a plan to provide you with energy (and not feel the need to nap on your laptop) is a necessity.
According to Bindiya Gandhi, MD, medical director of Revive Atlanta MD, when you experience that afternoon slump it could be due to a medley of potential reasons like eating a large lunch or not spending enough time in the fresh air.
"Get some sunlight daily for a few minutes and express gratitude—that will instantly change your outlook," Dr. Gandhi says. Creating a combo of mindfulness and some natural vitamin D will help you get some pep for your afternoon. (All for turning lunch breaks into picnics, say "aye".)
In addition to incorporating the outdoors and being mindful at mealtime, Dr. Gandhi has several actionable tips you can integrate into your daily routine to help increase energy levels all-around—so that you can stop feeling tempted to nestle into your "home office" and more inclined to put real clothes on.
Keep scrolling to learn how you can support your energy levels, according to this functional doctor.
1. Supercharge your breakfast
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and while we aren't picking favorites, Dr. Gandhi suggests to start your day off with some greens. "Get your juicing on in the morning," she says. It's as simple as throwing a handful of spinach or kale into your smoothie.
Dr. Gandhi also suggests incorporating healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, avocados, and chia seeds into your meal prep. Instead of sitting front row on your energy-dipping roller coaster, adding these veggies and fats will help you feel more satisfied and full, she says.
To further add some brain and body fuel to your meals, add three tablespoons of Nature's Way® MCT Oil to your morning smoothie or yogurt.* Not only does it help you feel full, it's quickly digested and converted into energy.* (We see you, breakfast.)
2. Ease into your workouts
You might think the best solution for waking up your body is to drop and give yourself a thousand burpees, but Dr. Gandhi isn't buying it. "Your body may perceive [high intensity workouts] as stressful, which could be negative," she explains.
Instead, she suggests to start with walking, light jogs, or hiking. "Yoga, barre, and Pilates are my favorite, gentle but effective for every body," she says. And if you can do it outside, that's even better.
If you need a pick-me-up for your next sweat sesh, incorporate Nature's Way Rhodiola into the mix. With a history in both Siberian and Chinese cultures, Rhodiola is an adaptogenic herb that helps promote physical endurance (for those barre and yoga classes) and mental stamina, so it'll give you an assist when you want to break a sweat (or just when you're invited to that 5 p.m. meeting that could've been an email).*
3. Get down to the basics
Before you even jump into things, the quality of your sleep is already working to create an either I'm-not-doing-anything type of day or an I'm-doing-everything-on-my-list kind of day. (And we'd all love to be part of the latter.) "Listen to your body, and rest if you need to," Dr. Gandhi says. "If your sleep is off then you won’t feel energized, you'll feel sluggish and blah all day." Been there.
Even if you are prioritizing sleep, there are days where the "blah" feeling edges its way in—and that's when it's time to work on that shut-eye. Opt for Nature's Way Silent Night, which is an herbal blend of valerian, hops, and lemon balm designed as a traditional formula to help support sleep.*
4. Address your immune system
According to Dr. Gandhi, when your energy is low, your immune system can be impacted (everything is connected, y'all). "The healthier you are, the more energy you will exhibit and have," she says. However, if your body has multiple things going on, it has to work even harder to support your energy levels as well as your immune system.
To get ahead of that, Nature's Way Sambucus® Gummies—with zinc, vitamin C, and black elderberry extract—work to support immune function.* And now that you have these easy-to-implement tips, you can resume your post at your bed-desk—without the temptation of using your "desk" as it was originally intended.
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Top photo: Getty Images/Westend61
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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