Look for These Natural Energy Enhancers

Let’s start with the least amount of effort and work our way up. When you’re shopping for food, be sure to add items that are high in magnesium. These include:

• Avocados       
• Leafy greens     
• Tofu
• Legumes
• Bananas
• Whole Grains 
• Almonds

The reason magnesium is so beneficial is that not having enough of it in your body can prevent nutrients from metabolizing into energy. Further, your body’s energy stores can be disrupted, meaning your heart can work harder during exercise than it would if you have had enough magnesium. And since your body needs to get magnesium by consuming it, be sure to stock up on the above.

Keep Hydrated & Sleep Well

If you’re not staying hydrated or getting enough sleep, you’re going to be fatigued. The human body needs both, and depriving it of either will be a drain. In fact, dehydration’s most prominent symptom (aside from thirst) is tiredness.

After you get the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep, wake up and immediately drink one to two glasses of water. You’ll feel an immediate boost in energy that jumpstarts your hydration for the rest of the day. The more hydrated you stay, the more likely you’ll stay feeling energized.

And if you love your morning coffee, try heating some water and adding a wedge of lemon instead. It has the same feeling but with the refreshing benefits of pure hydration. (But if you do have a caffeinated beverage, drink an extra glass of water for each one!)

Get Heart Healthy

The harder your heart is working, the less you’ll feel like working. So, pay attention to your Big Three numbers: blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. The typical US diet has made one in every four Americans prediabetic, which underscores how active we need to be about keeping our heart at its healthiest. Proper nutrition and exercise are the best ways to do that! Also, be sure to get a physical once a year. Your doctor can help track your numbers and figure out the best ways to keep them great or make them better.

Increase Your Flexibility

The older we get, the less elasticity our muscles have. This decline in flexibility affects our energy because tense muscles are more likely to ache or feel pained, which is a draining experience. But when you focus on flexibility stretches and commit yourself to a yoga routine, you can combat these potential complications.

Further, the pursuit of becoming more flexible is an exercise in and of itself. Just be sure to warm up before starting! Even if it’s called a stretch, you should still have some blood flowing before going at it. In fact, why not seek out professional guidance? There’s sure to be a yoga studio nearby that’s accepting new members.

Grow Your Muscles

The stronger your muscles, the better their endurance. And depending on how muscular you already are, you could either want to work at maintaining your current strength or building it up. It’s dependent on the individual; but no matter who you are, your muscles make a big difference in energy as we age.

The best thing would be to speak with a certified trainer for personalized advice on the areas of strength training that you should focus on. While there are plenty of instructional videos online for yoga and stretching, strength training can be particularly injurious without proper guidance. Be safe, be smart, and enjoy the ongoing results!