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Increasing energy levels on a budget
I am the 44-year-old mother of three children under the age of five. I am still breastfeeding my youngest child and since my husband works long hours away from home, I am permanently exhausted. I suffer from insomnia too. I don’t have the time or money for exercise, relaxation, or expensive supplements. What five things can I do to improve my energy levels? I want maximum results for minimum input.
If you don’t slow down, your body will do it for you by packing in, the first chance it gets. The root of your problems - the exhaustion and the insomnia - is prolonged stress, coupled with, I suspect, resentment over living with the relentless demands of small children and the pressure of being the only one at home. This makes you a perfect candidate for the powerful Australian Bush remedies which at £6.95 a bottle, will not break the bank. You need to take two remedies; Black-eyed Susan, which is for stress and women who juggle too many responsibilities; and Dagger Hakea, which will address the resentment you feel.
Breathing is free and deep breathing techniques help relax the body faster than any other method. If you cannot afford a ready-made relaxation tape, play some soothing classical music, lie down on the floor, close your eyes and start to concentrate on the breath. If you start to fall asleep, remind yourself you are not sleeping, you are relaxing. Twenty minutes of this will do you more good than an episode of your favourite soap or catching the news bulletin once the kids are in bed, and if you write in again with your address this time, I will forward you one of the deep relaxation tapes I have made for my own Yoga students.
You’re never going to recover your energy levels until you re-establish a sensible sleeping pattern. A glass of warm milk at bedtime is rich in calcium - which is a potent sleep-inducer - and tryptophan, one of the amino acids the body uses to make serotonin, the brain chemical which controls sleep patterns so this will help set the mood for sleep. The omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which you can only get from the diet play a key role in energy production so make sure your diet includes fatty fish twice a week and lots of dark green vegetables.
Finally, it sounds too good to be true but there really is a quick fix Energy Gel that can will give you a much-needed energy boost. With pure extracts of immune-boosting Echinacea, Yarrow, Horsetail, Lemon Balm and Ginger, for the best results, use it after a refreshing shower. Said to work in conjunction with lymphatic drainage, it promises to clear energy blocks and rejuvenate tissues leaving you full of beans and raring to go. Energy Gel costs £11.90 for a 30ml tube and is available from Higher Nature on 01435-882880.