A.Vogel Herbal Remedies

Do you ever feel so drained that you can hardly move? Does getting up in the morning sometimes feel like a major effort?  If so, you’re not alone.  Lack of energy us currently one of the top complaints seen by health practitioners.  Too many of us right now are trying to do too much – working long hours, juggling family, friends and generally trying to keep a grip on life.  So, what can you do?  Here are some simple energy boosting tips to try…

1. Start your day with a glass of hot water with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Lemon stimulates the liver to work properly.  When your liver is working well, you have more energy.  Or, take a milk thistle supplement to support your liver.  Try A.Vogel Milk Thistle Complex (also contains dandelion, artichoke, peppermint and dried boldo leaves).

2. Boost your buzz factor with bee pollen.  This natural superfood is packed with health enhancing and energy boosting nutrients including vitamins and minerals B, C, E and betacarotene, selenium and lycopene.  It also contains enzymes, flavonoids, proteins and essential fatty acids.  As honeybees move from flower to flower they collect a fine dusting of pollen on their legs.  They then secrete nectar and special enzymes into the flower pollen to create bee pollen.  For bee pollen supplements visit www.comvita.co.uk

3. Increase your energy levels with wheatgrass.  This power packed natural energy drink (made from a plant, grown from a special strain of wheat) is exceptionally high in nutrients including high concentrations of chlorophyll, active enzymes, anti-oxidant vitamins A, C and E, and minerals calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.  Wheatgrass nourishes and purifies the blood, boosts the immune system, enhances wellbeing and increases energy levels.

• Just 30ml (1 fluid ounce) of wheatgrass juice is equivalent to eating two and half pounds of fresh, leafy green vegetables.  For variety, you can blend it with carrot, celery, parsley and spinach juices.

4.   Take a herbal tonic.  Here are some energizing herbs to try:

• Gotu Kola – a great herbal tonic of you feel physically and mentally ‘burnt out’.  Helps alleviate fatigue.
• Ginseng – a renowned energiser.  Rich in B vitamins.  Supports the adrenals and helps restore energy levels.  Try Ginsavena (siberian ginseng combined with avena sativa)
• Schizandra – enhances liver function, is detoxifying and has an energy boosting effect.
• Ashwaganda – take for low energy due to stress.
• Olive Leaf - Take to give energy a lift.  Contains health enhancing antioxidants. 

5.  Top up with vitamins and minerals for energy.  Stress, poor diet and erratic eating habits – all of these can leave you depleted of essential vitamins and minerals needed to maintain good energy.   To boost energy levels, top up on:

• Co-enzyme Q 10 is a co-enzyme that occurs naturally in the body’s cells. It is essential for producing energy, because without it cells cannot process oxygen. It improves stamina, endurance, muscle strength and acts as an anti-oxidant.  Take 30 mg daily.
• B and C vitamins – are essential for energy production in the body.   These are also water soluble, which means they are easily depleted.  So, make sure you keep levels topped up. Take a B complex vitamin and 1000 mg vitamin C.
• Calcium and magnesium – important for energy metabolism (magnesium) and healthy bones, muscles, heart and nervous system (calcium).  The two minerals work together.  Take 1000 mg calcium and 500 mg magnesium.

6.  Meditate for energy. Meditation induces relaxation and calms the mind – yet, it also has an overall feel good, energising effect.  Here’s a simple meditation to try.

• Find a comfortable place to sit.  Think of a word – eg: energy, zest, vital – and focus on this for 5 minutes.  Breathe slowly and deeply and keep eyes closed.  Afterwards, you should feel mentally refreshed and energized.  This becomes easier with practice.

7.  Focus on your breathing

You may not think it, but the way you breathe can have a huge impact on energy levels. Feeling stressed, for example, causes breathing to become quicker and more shallow.  This means you are not taking in as much oxygen, making you feel more sluggish and tired.  Ideally, try to breathe more slowly and deeply.   Slow, regulated breathing also induces calming alpha waves.  So, breathing deeply will also help you to feel less stressed.  Try this simple breathing exercise:

• Take a long, slow breath through the nose.  Hold and count to 4.  Then exhale slowly but strongly through the mouth, so that you really empty your lungs.  This helps expel any stale air in the lungs and encourages you to take in more oxygen on the next breath. Repeat five to six times.