Note from Connie: Today, it’s my pleasuret to present a guest post from my colleague Yuri Elkaim, author of the new book, The All-Day Energy Diet.
Join Yuri and me tomorrow, when he joins my Gab with the Gurus Show to tell you how to get more consistent, steady energy. Remember, as with all of my shows, you can listen live or later.
How to Reverse Fatigue by Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, RHN
If you’re tired most of the time, then it means your body is crying for help. Low energy is a warning sign that something inside your body isn’t quite right.
Considering the amount of sickness and “overweightness” that has now engulfed our world, it’s no surprise that more and more, people are feeling exhausted.
What’s important for you to know is that when you improve your energy, you improve your health.
The most common question I get asked is, “Yuri, what’s the #1 thing I can do have more energy?”
Thankfully, the answer to that question is easy to answer. And it has nothing to do with shots of espresso or sugar-filled treats.
The secret to fatigue-proofing your body (and raising your overall level of health) boils down to optimizing what’s going on inside your body.
Let me explain…
Each of us is at war, and we don’t even know it. The private war we each wage is a daily assault on our body by acid-forming foods such as alcohol, animal products, and refined sugars, as well as by bacteria, virus, fungus, yeasts, and molds.
We have entered what might be referred to as critical mass when it comes to this onslaught being waged against us by stronger and stronger killer bugs and poorer and poorer food choices.
Our immune systems are becoming weaker and over-taxed in this war. Even the medical profession’s first line of defense, the antibiotic, is becoming less and less effective against resistant new strains being created daily as the bacteria mutate.
Since Louis Pasteur discovered the germ theory of disease stating that germs are the cause of disease, time has corrected him. Even Dr. Pasteur himself noted in his dying words: “The germ is nothing, the environment is everything.”
The environment referred to in Dr. Pasteur’s statement is known as our biological terrain and refers to the health of our “internal” environment.
A major determinant of our internal health is the acid-alkaline balance within many of our body’s fluids, namely our blood.
Our blood is alkaline by design and acid by function – meaning that it produces acid as a function of metabolism. Maintaining proper alkalinity is therefore essential for life, health, and vitality.
Under ideal alkaline conditions, the red blood cells (RBCs) within our blood are able to deliver energy-producing oxygen to our cells. However, an imbalance of alkalinity creates a condition whereby our RBCs begin to clump together, making it more difficult for them to reach their ultimate destination and drop off that much needed oxygen to our cells.
And if your blood is sluggish, you will be, too.
Leading biochemists and medical physiologists have recognized pH (or the acid-alkaline balance) as the most important aspect of a healthy (and energized) body. They have long known that the maintenance of an alkaline pH in the tissues and cells is critical to our health.
For instance, Dr. Linus Pauling, two-time Nobel Prize recipient, was the first to show that cancer cells cannot grow in alkaline environments.
Unfortunately, for most people, current lifestyle habits have created highly acidic bodies. The standard western diet is characterized by an overindulgence of all types of foods and drinks that disrupt our blood’s ideal pH balance. As a result, we feel less than ideal as we go through our days.
So how can you make your body (your blood really) more alkaline to stay healthy and energetic? Here are a few simple steps you can take immediately:
- Eat and drink more greens. Green vegetables are the greatest source of alkaline minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium, and they deposit a large alkaline load in the body. They are pure energy, and they also give your body tremendous amounts of vital nutrients. The easiest way to benefit from their powers is to enjoy a fresh-pressed green juice or homemade smoothie at least once per day.
- Limit your caffeine consumption. I know this might be tough, but caffeine is a huge contributor of acid and provides unnecessary stimulation in your body. Other than the quick “artificial jolt” that it produces, chronic reliance on this stimulant taxes your adrenal glands (which are needed to help you cope with stress) and wreaks havoc on your blood sugar levels, both of which affect how you feel throughout the day.
- Start your day with a glass of freshly squeezed lemon water. Lemon, although acid in nature, is alkaline-forming inside the body. It is also highly beneficial for cleansing your liver, the organ responsible for filtering toxins that circulate in the body. Happy liver, happy body.
Apply these simple steps and you’ll be well on your way to having more energy from the time you wake up until you call it a day.
Here’a one quick recipe to help you on your way:
Sprout Salad
Makes 2 servings
3 cups sprouts (broccoli sprouts, alfalfa, lentils, etc.) 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Splash of lemon juice
Pinch of sea salt
Fresh ground black pepperCombine sprouts and tomatoes in a bowl.
Whisk all other ingredients together. Combine vinaigrette with sprout mixture and serve.
Yuri Elkaim is a holistic nutritionist, fitness expert, and author of The All-Day Energy Diet. He is known for helping people enjoy all-day energy and amazing health in a very short period of time without radical diets or gimmicks. He’s on a mission to transform the lives of more than 10 million people by 2018. For more visit http://www.alldayenergydiet.com
Note from Connie: Remember to catch Yuri this week when he comes on my Gab with the Gurus Show to tell you how to get more consistent, steady energy. (As with all my Gab with the Gurus Shows, you can listen live or later.