Nutri-Jyoti News article archive
May 2008 - 10 key ingredients to enhance your energy levels

This weekend I was catching up with an old friend (we've known each other since secondary school). She told me that's she's feeling completely drained at the moment because of how hard she's working for her business and also at home. Her immediate response has been to turn to food for comfort – sound familiar?

So I decided to share with you 10 of my “key ingredients” to help you enhance your energy levels using nutrition.

Note: I've classed them into essential and optional but highly advised so you know which are the most important.

1. Chewing your food properly - essential
2. Eating your food calmly and spending a few moments relaxing before getting up - essential
3. A healthy diet, rich in freshly prepared whole grains, fresh, organic and seasonal fruit and vegetables - essential
4. Limiting alcohol, caffeine and sugar consumption – essential
5. Hot ginger tea – optional but highly advised
6. Nourishing warming foods (even in summer) - optional but highly advised
7. Drinking sufficient water away from meals and avoiding very cold drinks- essential
8. Reducing your intake of dairy products - essential
9. Learning more about nutrition to help yourself and applying this information - essential
10. Using herbs and spices, e.g. ginger, parsley, basil, to season well – optional but highly advised

Are you wondering why they are useful?

Reason 1 – to enhance the digestive process
In Ayurvedic nutrition, our digestive ability or “agni” is important for our immune system and to nourish us. If it is low, toxins or “ama” can accumulate in the body. In both nutrition systems of Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine cooked food is preferred because it reduces the chances of contracting disease. It also is considered to strengthen the body's resistance to disease since the nutrients are more easily absorbed through the digestive tract.

Reason 2 – to limit toxins in and remove them from the body.
Toxins or “ama” that accumulate in the body mean it has difficulty to digest food properly. Toxins from this undigested food are stored in the tissues. There are also toxins that form in the mind from our not being able to process our experiences. Toxins result in blockages within the body.

Exercise to start you using the "ingredients"

1. Think about which ingredient would you use to achieve each reason.
2. Sort the “ingredients” into two lists according to this criteria.
3. Now prioritize - which 2 ingredients do you feel you can use today? Which 3 by the end of the week? What resources do you need to use the rest?

Share your thoughts on this article with me on my blog.

Copyright © 2008 All rights reserved Janet Gomez

Want to publish this article on your site? Feel free, but please include the following resource information with the article : Janet Gomez, nutritional consultant, produces the "Nutri-Jyoti News", a free bi-monthly e-newsletter for busy professionals. If you feel ready to learn how to use nutritional strategies to manage your energy levels? Sign up for her FREE e-course "5 Nutritional Keys to Vitality in your Life" on the Nutri-Jyoti home page