Improve Your Energy Naturally

In nature, winter is the season of rest and hibernation. However, people do not get the same rest each winter that other beings in nature do, so many people may find themselves feeling less energized during the winter months. It is important to be in tune with the seasons and the natural changes that each one can bring, but for some people that is not always possible. If you find yourself unable to slow down and rest, here are a few tips to give you an extra boost of energy and feel more energized this winter.

Make Time for Yourself
Spa treatments and yearly wellness retreats will leave you feeling refreshed and reinvigorated; however, their benefits can often be short-lived. Creating a daily activity that can give you the same feeling of renewal will give you a daily energy boost and help you to work more effectively.

Take time every day to do the one activity that always makes you feel good and feel more energized. It can be walking, doing Tai Chi, eating a bowl of fresh fruits and vegetables, soaking and massaging your feet, listening to classical music, or sitting and meditating. You will be rewarded with more energy and a better outlook.

Get to Sleep
Sleeping is very important to your health and your mental abilities, but most people live with much less sleep than their bodies need. It is important to give yourself permission to make extra time for sleep, either by going to bed earlier or by taking a nap during the day. At first, taking extra time for sleep may seem unimaginable due to your busy schedule. However, it is important to focus on your health and make it just as much of a priority as everything else on your to-do list. Put your sleeping times on your calendar and set an alarm to remind you when it’s time to get ready for bed.

Energy Points
In Chinese medicine, there is an acupuncture point called Foot Three Mile that can be stimulated to help strengthen the body’s resistance to stress, enhance immunity, and strengthen the vital organs. If you do not have access to a clinic, you can stimulate the same acupuncture point on yourself with a technique called "acupressure." AcuType equation here.pressure is a great way for you to activate specific energy points in your own body. This energy point is located four finger-widths below the kneecap on the right leg. To activate it, apply moderate pressure with your thumb until you feel soreness. Hold for 3-5 minutes. Repeat on the left leg.

Relax Your Brain
If you are the kind of sleeper who is constantly lying awake at night, unable to shut off your brain, try to write down all your thoughts and emotions each night before bed to help clear your mind. Write down any tasks, frustrations, or feelings, and when you’re done, tear up the paper and throw it away or burn it. If there are things you want to make sure to remember for the next day, write those down separately. Then you can head to bed with a clear and easy mind.

Protect Your Energy Bank
In Chinese Medicine, the abdomen is considered the storehouse of the body’s essence and energy. You are well advised to carefully guard your energy bank from potential robbers, which can include the weather, dietary abuses, insufficient sleep, and exhausting physical labor. Keeping the abdomen warm and protected is believed to have important health and longevity benefits. To replenish your energy bank, regularly apply warm and soothing treatments to your abdomen, such as hot water bottles, abdominal wraps soaked in rejuvenating herbal solutions, or pouches containing similar herbs. My Chinese formula, Abundant Energy, helps to support and stimulate your digestion to improve nutrient absorption and increase your energy and vitality through natural herbs, such as Japanese Apricot Fruit. Keeping your energy bank full will allow you to carry on every day with your busy schedule without suffering from exhaustion.

Energy Meals
Water is essential for properly flushing the system and hydrating the cells to prevent buildup of toxic waste products. Drink at least eight glasses of room-temperature filtered water every day. Remember your breakfast, and always make it a nutritious one including high-quality protein like eggs, fish or beans. Lunch is also important and should consist of vegetables and chicken or other protein, but stay away from starchy or fatty foods. These will only leave you feeling tired and groggy after you eat. Eat a light and dinner early in the evening to give your body time to digest the food before you head to bed.
Eating a snack at midmorning and another in the mid-afternoon will help you to sustain your energy and prevent low blood sugar from setting in. Nuts, seeds, fruits, or a healthy dip like hummus are good choices and will keep you from reaching for a bag of chips or a candy bar.

May you Live Long, Live Strong, and Live Happy!

--Dr. Mao Shing Ni, best known as Dr. Mao is a bestselling author, doctor of Oriental Medicine and board certified anti-aging expert. He has appeared regularly on Dr. Oz, the Doctors and EXTRA. Dr. Mao practices acupuncture, nutrition and Chinese medicine with his associates at the Tao of Wellness in Santa Monica and Newport Beach. Dr. Mao and his brother, Dr. Daoshing Ni founded Tao of Wellness over 25 years ago in addition to also founding Yo San University in Marina del Rey. To subscribe to his tip-filled newsletter please visit www.taoofwellness.com. To make an appointment for evaluation and treatment please call 310-917-2200 or you can email Dr. Mao at [email protected].