Do you ever sit at your desk during early mornings when it seems that your bed is literally beckoning you back to the warmth and comfort of its billowy sheets. Yet, you know that you have work to do, deadlines to meet, and plenty of people depending on you. Do you ever wish that you had more energy and vitality? What are some ways that you can increase your energy naturally?
Something that you may not readily think about is the importance of exercising in the outdoors. Why outdoors? Exercising in the outdoors will expose you to not only sunshine, which helps us with generating Vitamin D in our bodies, but also for the fresh air, which is a great source for healthy oxygen.
Now this may sound rather basic to you, but just think how many people spend the majority of their days in enclosed offices or in their homes. While this may be the norm, this is not ideal for health, especially if you are dealing with a chronic health issue.
Something you may not be aware of is that indoor air becomes toxic from all the appliances and electronics that we use. Everything from the air-conditioning system to our computers, to the fibers in our carpets generate lots ions that are positively charged, which damages not only our environment, but our health over long-term exposure.
So, to counteract this effect, it is critically important to spend time daily outdoors in order to be able to breathe in fresh air, where the sun’s radiation, the moving air, and water help to create a negative charge, which is very beneficial for our health. That’s why people tend to feel better when they are breathing in fresh ocean air.
With this negative charge, through static electricity, these negative ions attract airborne particles like dust, mold, and other pollutants, which causes them to fall to the ground instead of floating int air. This same process affects airborne bacteria and viruses
Now, most people can live without food for about 40 days and without water for about 4 days, but did you know that we can’t live without oxygen for even 4 minutes?
Dr. Otto Warburg was a physiologist and medical doctor in Germany won the Nobel Prize in 1931 for discovering that it was a deficiency in oxygen that was considered to be the cause of cancer. Now, cancer has countless secondary causes, but he considered that the prime cause of cancer was the replacement of the respiration of oxygen in normal body cells by a fermentation of sugar. All normal body cells meet their energy needs by respiration of oxygen, while cancer cells meet their energy needs in great part by fermentation. So, it’s really a survival mechanism for our cells, which have an oxygen deficit to switch over to the fermentation of sugar to survive.
What are some of the factors that contribute to creating this oxygen deficit? One obvious one that comes to mind is smoking. Another one is not having access to quality fresh air, so staying inside without open windows. However, another reason is the lack of exercise. Exercising is one of the easiest ways to bring oxygen back down into the cellular level.
So, to sum it all up, when we do not have access to fresh air with plenty of oxygen, and we’re not exercising, that can lead to an energy deficit within the cells of our bodies. In order for those cells to survive this lack of oxygen and lack of energy, the cells survive in an environment of oxygen deficit through the fermentation sugar. That is why it’s important for those who have cancer to not only cut back on sugar consumption, but to get outside daily to breathe in oxygen.
What’s the bottom line take-away from all this? Do yourself and your body a big favor today by spending time outdoors, even if it is just taking a lunch break in the middle of your workday to go for a walk!
Easy Energy-Boosting Tips When You’re Outdoors:
- Deep breathing. Oxygen is a natural energy booster. When your body takes on additional oxygen, the oxygen gets into your blood stream where the oxygen is able to flow to all of your vital organs, allowing them to improve performance, reduce fatigue, and boost brain function.To practice deep breathing, you want to make sure that your back is straight, either sitting or, even laying down on your back. Through your nose, breathe in for a count of four, then breathe out for a count of eight through your mouth. Repeat this exercise five (or more) times and you should start to feel a boost in your energy. Your heart rate will increase and you will also notice that your mind will clear.
- Stretch. The act of stretching helps to relieve muscle fatigue. Stretching out will pump blood and oxygen into your muscles which will give them an instant boost of energy. It relieves muscle tension, relaxing your body as it rejuvenates your brain.One of my favorite stretches simply involves standing up and extending my hands to the sky. I will extend my hands up as high as I possibly can, while pushing my heels toward the ground – kind of like a personal tug-of-war with my hands and legs. I’ll hold this stretch for ten seconds, then will allow my body to relax. This is a way to stretch out the entire body at once. You’ll feel the stretch in your arms, your abdomen, and your legs. You’ll also notice an increase in your heart rate.
- Take a brisk walk. Get some blood pumping through your body by getting a few extra steps in your day. Make it a goal to reach 10,000 steps each day. By making this a goal, you’ll be motivated to get up and go throughout the day. By simply making this a goal, your brain will be more engaged as you have a goal to reach, and you’ll be oxygenating your blood and increasing your heart rate each time you get up to take a walk.
Taking a few minutes each day to do these natural energy boosters will not only keep you alert throughout the day, but if you are dealing with a chronic health issue, like obesity, diabetes, or cancer, spending time exercising in the outdoors in even that much more critically important.
If you have tried these tips, but still continue to have low levels of energy, please feel free to reach out to me. Perhaps there is another reason for your chronic low energy that may need more attention. Together, we can discover what your body needs to lead a healthier, happier life.
Ready to make your health a priority? Contact me here to schedule your consultation.
