A list of natural energy boosters that just might change your life.

1. 25 Natural Energy
Boosters That Just
Might Change Your Life
Md. Osman Goni

2. Nurse a coffee throughout
the day
If you need a quadruple shot of espresso just
to bring your eyelids to half-mast in the
morning, you may be driving yourself deeper
and deeper into a low-energy rut.
Compelling research from Brigham and
Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School,
and other institutions finds that
frequent low doses of caffeine—the amount
in a quarter-cup of coffee—were more
effective than a few larger doses of caffeine
in keeping people alert

3. Lighten your glycemic load
Foods with a low glycemic load—like beans,
bran cereal, brown rice, whole wheat bread,
and nuts—have less impact on your blood
sugar than foods with a high glycemic load—
like white rice, spaghetti, potatoes,
cornflakes, and sugary juices and drinks.
Eating more low-glycemic-load foods will
help you keep your blood sugar steady and
avoid the lightheadedness and “shakes”
associated with blood sugar drops, which
usually follow spikes. Nutritionists want you
to eat these healthy carbs.

4. If you have dried rosemary in
your kitchen, crush a small
handful
Take a whiff or three. The herb’s
intense woody fragrance is known to
herbalists as an invigorating stimulant.
Here are other ways to use
aromatherapy to boost your energy
and mood.

5. Once a day, go for a 10-
minute “thank you” walk
As you walk, focus your thoughts on what you feel
most thankful for. After the walk, make a mental note
of how you feel. “This simple technique combines the
power of gratefulness with the positive effects of
walking and exercise, flooding your brain with happy
neurotransmitters and endorphins. It’s a simple yet
powerful exercise that energizes the mind and body
and builds mental and physical muscle,” says Jon
Gordon, a professional speaker, energy coach, and
author of Become an Energy Addict. These tricks
can make any walking routine healthier.

6. When you find yourself
thinking a negative thought,
picture a stop sign
Then either push the thought out of your
mind or replace it with a positive one.
“Negative feelings take a lot of mental
energy,” says Kathleen W. Wilson, MD, an
internal medicine specialist and author
of When You Think You Are Falling Apart.
“Whenever possible, avoid unnecessary self-
criticism. Stop blaming yourself for past
events that you cannot change, and know
that you deserve the same level of
consideration and mercy as others.”

7. Drink two glasses of icy
water
Fatigue is often one of the first
symptoms of dehydration, and if all
you’ve sipped all day is coffee and
soft drinks, it’s quite likely you’re
dehydrated. Plus, the refreshing
coldness will serve as a virtual slap in
the face. These signs could mean
you're dehydrated.

8. Soak a washcloth in icy water
and place it over your face
The icy coolness of the
washcloth will quickly
rejuvenate your facial
muscles and eyes. It likely
will lift your spirits as well.

9. Get enough iron
Constantly dragging yourself around? You
could have iron-deficiency anemia, a
common cause of fatigue. Iron is essential
for producing hemoglobin, which carries
oxygen to your body’s cells, where it is used
to produce energy. Good food sources of iron
are red meat, iron-fortified cereal, green
leafy vegetables, and dried beans. You may
also need a supplement; check with your
doctor.

10. When someone asks you to do
something, say, 'Let me check my
schedule and I’ll get back to you.'
This gives you time to think
about the request and decide
if it’s something
you really want to do, or
simply an energy-sucking
waste of your time.

11. Have your thyroid checked
If it’s not producing enough
thyroid hormone, it could be
making you feel tired and run-
down. A simple blood test will
tell. Other symptoms of low
thyroid are dry skin, weight gain,
constipation, and feeling cold.

12. List all the people you’re angry
with and write each a letter of
forgiveness
Stewing over past events
only drains your energy. “Try to
accept others for who they are
and don’t expend a lot of effort
on changing them,” says Dr.
Wilson. Oh, and you don’t have to
send the letter. Simply writing it
is enough.

13. Soak up a little sun in winter
Have all the energy of a hibernating
bear in the winter? Make a point of
getting outside for 30 minutes to an
hour during the day. The natural light
can improve your energy level and
help fight seasonal affective disorder—
also known as the winter blahs.

14. In the hour before bedtime,
turn off the TV and put away
your work
Relax with a good book, some needlepoint, a
crossword puzzle, or a coloring book. Take a
warm bath and listen to soothing music. This
ritual will help you fall asleep more quickly
and experience a more restful slumber,
resulting in more energy the following day.
These tricks can also help you sleep better
naturally.

15. Turn off the news for one
week
Depressing television news of politics,
murders, fires, and terrorism can quickly
drain your mental reserves. If you’re a news
junkie, try this experiment for one week:
Stop reading your newspaper and watch only
one television news program a day (or none
if you can stand it). Notice how you feel at
the end of the week. If you feel more
energetic and peaceful, stick to your new
habit.

16. Create a mail-sorting center
Clutter is not only distracting, it’s frustrating and
energy-wasting. (How many times have you scoured
the house for lost keys or bills that were right in front
of you?) To keep track of your bills and other mail,
buy an open file box or hanging files from an office
supply store. Place it in your kitchen and use it to sort
your mail into categories such as “bills,” “receipts,”
and “letters.” “When you know where your bills are,
you can pay them on time, thus reducing frustration
and stress,” says Audrey Thomas, an organizational
consultant and author of The Road Called Chaos. Try
these almost effortless ways to be more organized.

17. Breathe in new energy
Sit in a chair with a straight back. Place your hands over
your stomach and breathe into your tummy so that your
hands rise and fall with your breath. Imagine you are
inhaling a white light that fills your body with vital energy.
Do this for five full breaths. Then, as you inhale, tighten the
muscles that connect your shoulders and neck, pulling your
shoulders up toward your ears. “When you have inhaled all
you can and your shoulders are snug around your ears, hold
your breath for just a second,” says Karl D. La Rowe, a
licensed clinical social worker and mental health
investigator in Oregon. “Then exhale as you release the
tension and your breath in one big whoosh — as if you were
releasing the weight of the world from your shoulders.
Repeat until you feel clear, refreshed, and revitalized.”
These mini meditations can banish stress and anxiety.

18. Make a list of everything
you’re looking forward to
in the next month
Do this every month when you
pay your rent or mortgage.
Simply building more
anticipation into your life
helps stoke your energy.

19. Get your energy vitamins
Research at the University of California at
Berkeley found that the amino acid L-
carnitine and the antioxidant alpha-lipoic
acid can boost both memory and energy,
possibly by improving the way body cells
produce energy. Bruce Ames, PhD, one of the
study authors and a professor of
biochemistry and molecular biology at
Berkeley, says you can consume the right
amount of both nutrients by taking a daily
multivitamin and eating a well-balanced diet
rich in colorful fruits and vegetables.

20. Eat something crunchy
Pretzels, carrots, and other
crunchy foods make your jaw
work hard, which can wake
up your facial muscles,
helping you feel more alert.

21. Chew a piece of peppermint
or spearmint gum
You’ll get a burst of energy
from the invigorating
flavor and scent, not to
mention the physical act
of chewing (it’s hard to
chew if you’re asleep).

22. Eat every four hours
It’s much better to continually refuel
your body before it hits empty than to
wait until you’re in the danger zone
and then overdo it. So every four
hours (except, of course, when you’re
sleeping), have a mini-meal or snack.
A mini-meal might be a handful of
roasted peanuts, a hard-boiled egg or
slice of lean luncheon meat, and a
sliced apple. Nonfat yogurt sprinkled
with flaxseeds makes a great snack.

23. Stay still
You wouldn’t think stillness would lead
to energy, but often, that’s just what
you need to create your second wind.
Simply sit for 10 minutes in a
comfortable chair and stare out the
window. Let your mind drift wherever
it wants to go. Some might call this
meditation. We just call it “being,”
something we’re often too frenzied to
remember to do.

24. Or stretch
Stand up, get on your toes, and lift your
fingertips as close as you can to the ceiling.
Keep the stretch expanding for several
seconds, feeling it in your calves, your
abdomen, your shoulders, your arms, your
fingers. After a few seconds, relax, take a
few deep breaths, and do it again. By doing
this, you activate almost every muscle you
have, sending oxygen-rich blood throughout
your body. These energizing stretches you
can even do in your bed.

25. Eat a bowl of all-bran cereal
It contains 792 milligrams of
phosphorous, an important mineral
that the body needs to metabolize
carbohydrates, fat, and protein so
they can be used as energy, Heck, it
will do you a lot more good than those
greasy chips from the vending
machine! Nutritionists vouch for
these healthy cereals.

26. Make a list of every important
relationship in your life
Rank how those relationships
make you feel, from 1 (terrible)
to 5 (fabulous). Bad relationships
are known energy sappers. Take
note of the relationships that
don’t add any positive energy,
and develop plans to adroitly
remove yourself from them.

27. Md. Osman Goni
FROM THE BOOK STEALTH HEALTH
OSMANGONIBD.WEEBLY.COM
FACEBOOK.COM/OSMANGONIBD
TWITTER.COM/OSMANGONIBD
INSTAGRAM.COM/OSMANGONI.TK
INFO@OSMANGONI.TK

28. Thank you 