|  | | | | | 
BOOSTING ENERGY & VITALITY THRU HERBS AND DIET Stacey Pribanic, Lic. Acupuncturist & Herbalist 1787 Mesa Verde Ave. Suite 140 Ventura, CA 93003 (805) 644-0461 DIET: DIET IS THE FOUNDATION OF GOOD HEALTH & BOUNDLESS ENERGY Food choices have a huge effect on energy and vitality. Making the right food choices is a simple and easy thing that anyone can do to feel their best. There is a lot of information on diet out there, and it can be confusing. In addition, there is no one way of eating that works for everyone. Learn what is right for your body and pay attention to how you feel after each meal….. you should feel energized, not drowsy and lethargic. If you feel tired after eating, then most likely you are eating the wrong types of food for your body. - A great place to start is by eating only 100% real food, ex. fruits, veggies, fish, nuts, eggs, cheese, unprocessed meats, grains, etc. If it has additives or preservatives in it…. Run the other direction!
- A common irritant and energy drainer is wheat and gluten. It can be found in breads, pastas, oats, cookies, noodles, etc. Many people find that their energy greatly increases when they give up wheat and gluten. A great alternative is coconut flour, it is higher in protein and very easy to digest. Rice and rice flour is also a good alternative, as long as the user doesn’t have blood sugar issues, insulin resistance, leptin resistance, or metabolic issues.
- Too much sugar in the diet can send one on a sugar roller coaster of energy that goes up and then crashes. Prevent this type of energy dip, by eating fruit instead, or having what Kat James calls “smartly sweetened” desserts using xylitol or erythritol.
- Excess caffeine, especially in the form of coffee, soda, or energy drinks leaves one feeling drained after the initial high has worn off. These place extra stress on the adrenals leading to adrenal exhaustion and burnout! (One of the best ways to recover from adrenal exhaustion is with herbs)
- Eating processed food, junk food, food with additives, excess sweets, etc. – these place extra stress on the digestive system and the liver as your body tries to assimilate these inflammatory and foreign foods. If you have a problem sticking to a healthy diet, there are many ways to make it easier, including acup., herbs, and supplements.
- Skipping meals – this one catches up with you! It can cause a drop in blood sugar, leading to fatigue, foggy thinking, and difficulty concentrating. Try to keep fruit, veggies, nuts and/or other simple and healthy snacks on hand to keep blood sugar stable.
- Studies show that junk food is addictive, and some even say it is as addictive as heroin! One more reason to eat healthy, because, who wants to be addicted to anything?
Steps to take to improve your diet and increase your energy levels: #1 Commit to a diet of 100% real food. No additives, no preservatives, no MSG, no hydrogenated fats, no white flour/sugar, etc. Limit food that comes in “packages”. Focus on fruits, veggies, nuts, eggs, cheese, meats, (and certain whole grains if you can tolerate them). Organic is best. #2 Eliminate sugar. Once sugar has been eliminated from the diet, cravings either drastically decrease or go away completely, (this includes alcohol cravings). Supplements can be really helpful for decreasing cravings – ex. Chromium, L-glutamine, 5-HTP (can lower appetite), Acetyl L Carnitine, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Nature’s plus Sugar Control (not their Ultra sugar control), Rainbow Light Multivitamin Systems such as Advanced Nutritional System, etc. For times, when you do want a sweet treat, substitute erythritol or xylitol and nobody can tell the difference. If you have an excessive sweet tooth, it can be an indication of an underlying blood sugar/metabolic issue, which is easily treated with diet changes, herbs, and supplements. #3 Eliminate caffeine…. Especially coffee, energy drinks, and soda. Tea is ok in small amounts, but try not to make it a daily habit. If you are relying on excess caffeine to make it through the day, then there are probably some underlying health issues which need to be addressed, ex. hypothyroidism, adrenal exhaustion #4 Eliminate wheat and gluten. This is especially true for anyone with fatigue issues. Wheat and other forms of gluten can leave a heavy feeling in the body… we call this dampness in Chinese Medicine. Dampness has a heavy, descending energy, leading to exhaustion, fatigue, heavy legs, achey legs, etc. #5 Moderate grains. This may not be necessary for everyone, but it will be very helpful for most people. Moderating grains has many benefits including increased energy, weight loss, and reduction in sugar and alcohol cravings. #6 Limit chocolate. This one is important for anyone with adrenal issues…. and if you have fatigue, then most likely your adrenal glands are taxed. Chocolate overstimulates the adrenals, leading to further adrenal fatigue. Always craving chocolate can be a sign of adrenal burnout. #7 Add in blue-green algae or green powder mixes. Greens powders provide long lasting energy. Add them to water or herbal tea for an all day energy boost. #8 Limit alcohol. Alcohol is a stress on the liver, and therefore a stress on the whole body. It contributes to inflammation and emotional imbalance if used in excess. Save it for only special occasions. Stacey Pribanic, L.Ac. 805-644-0461 SOMETIMES, DIET CHANGES ALONE AREN’T ENOUGH AND HERBS/SUPPLEMENTS ARE NEEDED HERBS: Herbs are one of the best ways to boost energy and vitality. When matched correctly with each individual, they will: - enhance overall health
- boost the immune system
- fight stress
- nourish deficiencies
- correct imbalances
- provide a sense of happiness and wellbeing
- prevent fatigue
- provide strength, stamina, energy, and vitality
Some of the top herbs for increasing energy come from a category of herbs called adaptogens. Adaptogenic herbs are plants that have a normalizing and balancing effect on the body. They are gentle and safe for long term use, yet have a powerful influence on strengthening the body as a whole. They boost the adrenals, boost the immune system, boost the bodies ability to handle stress, increase energy and concentration, etc…… They are one of our most powerful allies to health and wellbeing! - Eleuthero – neutral in temperature. Boosts immunity and stamina
- American ginseng – cooling in temperature. Boosts immunity, stamina. Better for those with a warmer constitution
- Red ginseng – warming and very stimulating. Boosts immunity, stamina, energy, and sexual health. Must be careful with this one as it needs to be combined with other herbs or else it can cause an imbalance due to its strong nature…. But with certain people, this herb can work magic. Only use in cases of extreme cold and deficient fatigue. Not for use with those with high blood pressure, caution if tend to get headaches or migraines.
- Rhodiola – cooling. Great for mental concentration, stamina, and immunity
- Reishi – neutral. A powerful immune booster and cancer fighter.
- He shou wu / Fo ti – boosts adrenals and kidneys. Long used by the Chinese to prevent grey hair and baldness.
- Schizandra – warming. boosts memory and adrenals, sexual tonic, and skin moistener.
- Astragalus – powerful immune booster, tonifies qi and energy, great for patients who are either weak in strength or weak in immune function. Great for kids to boost immunity throughout the school year. Caution with those who tend to get headaches as astragalus has a powerful “qi-lifting” quality that can exacerbate certain types of headaches. That being said, it is great for those with any type of prolapse (uterine, rectal, bladder, and certain hernias)
- *Ginseng Master* a tincture by Lassens is a great, well-rounded and balanced adaptogenic formula…. Take 2 squirts in the morning and at lunch.
Stacey Pribanic, L.Ac. 805-644-0461 OTHER GREAT HERBAL AND SUPPLEMENT ADDITIONS: - Ginkgo – stimulates blood circulation in general, and also stimulates blood circulation to the brain. Great for concentration and memory. Don’t use with anti-coagulant pharmaceuticals.
- Green tea – Use in limited quantity as needed. high in antioxidants, boosts energy and mood, anti-inflammatory. Great to mix with other herbs in tea to get multiple benefits.
- Spirulina, blue-green algae, greens powders - Take in capsule form or add powders to water or avocado smoothie (see recipe above)
- L-tyrosine – amino acid that boosts a sluggish thyroid
- A high quality mulit-vitamin….. I prefer the Rainbow Light line of “nutritional systems” They have different ones that are tailored towards men, women, menopause, aging, etc. They provide a strong foundation for health!
- Digestive enzymes – These help to digest food and therefore place less of a strain on the body. The body uses a lot of energy to digest food, and can be especially draining on someone with fatigue issues. Digestive enzymes help to make it easier, therefore reducing bloating, fatigue, and acne.
- Various Chinese herbal formulas – The Chinese are master herbalists and they have so many great formulas. It is important to consult an acupuncturist/herbalist on these as it is necessary to correctly match the formula to the patient. In both my personal and clinical experience, these formulas are the most important factor for energy and vitality besides a healthy diet.
- bu zhong yi qi wan – not for use if prone to headaches - sheng mai san – best for warm constitutions - shi xuan da bu wan – great for recovering from long illness - jia wei xiao yao wan – “moves energy and prevents stagnation”. use in addition to above formulas for proper results. The 3 formulas above have tonifying/nourishing actions. Too much tonifying causes stagnation. When tonifying, it is necessary in most cases to add in a “moving” formula as well so as to eliminate any side effects of too much tonifying. Adding in this formula prevents any stagnation & leads to enhanced feelings of happiness & well-being. As both a practitioner and user of herbs myself, I find it most effective to use an adaptogen (or an adaptogenic formula ex. New Chapter Stress take Care, Lassens Ginseng Master) as a baseline and then add in one or two more targeting formulas for each individual. Please feel free to call me with herbal questions. Herbs are so powerful and profound for enhancing energy and vitality, especially when diet alone isn’t working… but choosing the correct ones to use can be a little overwhelming! I am happy to answer any questions and try to guide you to the right formulas. Stacey Pribanic, L.Ac. 805-644-0461
ACUPUNCTURE: Acupuncture is a great way to get an immediate energy boost. It is balancing to the body and the many wonderful side effects include: decreased cravings, stress relief, feeling of well-being, better sleep, better digestion, reduction in headaches, etc. Another great benefit of acupuncture is that it acts as a catalyst towards healthy change. Because of its many other benefits, acupuncture makes it easier to make diet and lifestyle changes. I use it often with patients who are wanting to eat healthier, reduce cravings, increase energy, relieve stress, and improve happiness. Conditions to consider if the above suggestions aren’t bringing the results that you would like. If one (or more) of these is present, then through working closely with a natural health care practitioner (ex. acupuncturist, naturopath, chiropractor), you can easily come to a state of health, wellness, energy, and vitality - Metabolic syndrome/insulin resistance/hypoglycemia/syndrome X / other blood sugar issues – Symptoms of blood sugar imbalance include sugar cravings, foggy thinking, mood swings, depression, anxiety, pms, fatigue, dizziness, heart palpitations, trembling, sweating, hunger, clammy-ness, confusion, difficult to think, headache, hard to lose weight, inflammation, high blood pressure, etc
- Adrenal fatigue/adrenal exhaustion – Symptoms include excessive fatigue, waking without feeling refreshed, easily overwhelmed, craving salty or sweet foods, craving chocolate, slow recovery from illness or injury, low immune function, food or environmental allergies, inability to handle stress, back pain
(esp. over the kidney area) - Hypothyroidism – Symptoms include dry skin, thinning hair, inability to lose weight, fatigue, brittle nails, intolerance to cold, cold feet and hands, depression, constipation, edema, muscle aches and cramps
Stacey Pribanic, Lic. Acupuncturist & Herbalist 1787 Mesa Verde Ave. Suite 140 Ventura, CA 93003 (805) 644-0461 |
| | | | | |
