Today’s lifestyles demand more yet give us less time leading to stress and our running ourselves down. As the commitments keep coming, we find ourselves with less energy to meet them and get caught in a cycle of diminishing returns. This is why it is essential that we take care of ourselves and commit to do the important things to keep ups healthy and energized. On the surface ti seems complicated, but actually it is a simple as taking your M.E.D.S.
Meditation
Calming the mind and understanding yourself, your needs, desires and emotions is the key to happiness and increased energy. Meditation allows us to find moments to release stress and disappear from the world. It is helpful for the body as it halts anxiety and increases our awareness and wisdom. Meditation also can bring emotional problems to the surface and truly aid in clearing the mind. With this accomplished, your energy increases and you feel refreshed.
Exercise
Everyone knows that exercise is a really good thing. But even with this full buy-in, most people do not exercise regularly. Many, conclude that they just don’t have time to work out. The reality is that we all need to exercise in at least moderate amounts. Recommendations vary from 20 minutes of medium-intensity exercise (enough to raise your heart rate 50%) per day, up to three longer sessions of high-intensity activity per week. If you cannot do even these modest amounts do smaller amounts because any exercise is better than none.
Your muscles are dense in mitochondria that are little engines in your cells. When you work out, these engines become more powerful and provide you with more energy. This energy is useful for physical activity, and it helps your body and brain function better. You mind gets clearer and you become sharper. Additionally, exercise helps move things through your body, aiding in digestion and excretion of toxins. Finally, exercising regularly will boost your energy levels tremendously and improve your mood.
Diet
We all know that what we eat determines who we are. Therefore it is paramount that we maintain a good diet. Modern diets can contain too many processed foods that are high in fats, sugar and salt causing obesity, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and Type II diabetes. So it is important for us to eat as natural as possible. Eating organic and growing our own food can help. If you cut the garbage calories (junk and fast foods) out of your life you will have extra energy.
In terms of losing weight, the math is simple: If the number of calories that you take in is greater than the number used, you will gain weight. If the number of calories that you use is more than you consume you’ll lose weight. So count your calorie intake and calculate your calorie output during each day and you will better understand what you need to do to lose weight. And losing weight will mean a net gain in energy to you.
Sleep
The benefits of sleep impact nearly every area of daily life. Your body manages and requires sleep in much the same way that it regulates the need for eating, drinking, and breathing. Sleep plays a vital role in promoting physical health, longevity, and emotional well-being. Your body’s detox pathways get to work when you’re sleeping. Your brain closes stress neurons and makes everything alright. You produce growth hormone which helps repair and rejuvenate. After a good night’s sleep, you feel better, your thoughts are clearer, and your emotions are less fragile. Your judgment, mood, and ability to learn and retain information are heightened and of course you have more energy. Never cheat yourself on sleep.
As a final note, we all need creative outlets to distress and a perfect way I find, is writing. The Internet offers the opportunity to create blogs to place your writings. There are many great examples of this on all subjects, and many like the Hello World blog of Ines Cano Uribe where she writes thoughts about her life, gives others a change to open express themselves as well. I highly recommend you consider this form of expression as a way to get your thoughts out and let more good energy in. Have a great life!