ADVERTISING: Advertorial — Top three energy zappers

Do you feel exhausted before the day even starts? The following daily habits may be draining your energy reserves. In today’s society we are told to rest, relax and do the best we can, yet we are constantly being reminded on social media of what others are accomplishing. So what do we do? We try to cram more and more into our life.

There are three energy zappers that are often made on a daily basis. The first energy zapper is the lack of movement each day. For many people their job requires that they sit between eight and ten hours per day. It is time to get moving. One way to motivate yourself is with the help of a device to track your activity. In my household, we use the Fitbit or a health app. This keeps track of daily steps and distance. The best feature is that it allows you to set a goal and work on achieving the goal each day. Some days it is easy to reach the goal and other days it may not be as easy but remember it is important to remember the reason for the goal.

The benefits of physical activity are many, but one benefit is that it triggers your brain to release endorphins which are “feel good” chemicals and this will help boost your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Any time you start to feel sluggish, this is a great time to get up and move. It is important to find activities you enjoy whether it is walking, hiking, kayaking, weight training, boxing or yoga. I encourage you to take time this week to create a list of things you enjoy doing or maybe try something new. My wife recently started kickboxing and this activity is challenging her both physically and mentally in new ways.

The second energy zapper is SUGAR. We usually fall victim to the call for sugar when our energy level is low or we haven’t eaten in several hours. In those situations, it is not about lack of willpower but about not being prepared. When we need to stabilize low blood sugar, it is important to have healthy choices on hand in our refrigerator or at work in our desk which can save us from making poor choices.

Another great way to boost your energy is the addition of herbal supplements like Ashwagandha and Rhodiola. These clinically studied botanicals are adaptogens and they have a unique ability to increase alertness and focus without side effects like the jitters. Ashwagandha can help relieve fatigue or exhaustion and Rhodiola can be both mentally stimulating and emotionally calming. I highly recommended the MediHerb line for both of these products based on quality and value of the product line.

The third energy zapper is the constant connection to our devices. You are not alone, but it doesn’t mean that it is harmless to your well-being. Research is showing that staring at the glow of our phones lowers the body’s production of melatonin, a sleep regulating hormone. This is why it is recommended that you turn off your device at least 30-60 minutes before you want to go to sleep at night. You need to prepare for a good night sleep by creating rituals just like many of us had when we were kids. You can read before bed but choose a paperback versus a tablet, try deep breathing for 5 minutes or listening to soft, relaxing music that will help your unwind from a busy day.

I recommend that you focus on one of these energy zappers for the next 30 days and please share with our office, Natural Spine Solutions, how it helped improve your overall health and wellbeing.

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Dr. Wayne M. Fichter Jr. is a chiropractor at Natural Spine Solutions. The business is located at 3913 Schreiber Way in Coeur d’Alene. For more information, please contact us at 208-966-4425.