Your alarm buzzes and you drag yourself out of bed. You immediately go to the coffee room, otherwise known as the kitchen, to take a hit of that wonderful little perk-me-up, maybe grabbing a quick bite to accompany the liquid down your throat.
After more morning rituals, you dash out the door, ready to conquer the world. A few hours later, your energy wanes, so you snack on something that has a little too much sugar in it. Hey, it gets you by, right?
Lunchtime rolls around and that familiar growling reminds you to stop what you’re doing and eat, so you obey this powerful message by feeding yourself a hearty, carb-filled lunch. You justify the portion size with the fact that you won’t get a chance to eat again for at least five hours.
It sounded like a good plan until the afternoon yawns hit you. You slump in your chair, wondering if anyone has noticed that your movement has become sloth-like. You think to yourself, “Where did all that energy go? Why am I so tired?”
This scene plays out daily across the country, in millions of homes and offices, which is why PlumbTalk Women sought the expert advice of Dr. Randy Laurich, owner of Wellness Experience located in Wellington, Florida. Dr. Laurich is a licensed chiropractor who takes a whole body approach to his practice. He looks for the underlying causes of the problems that his patients face, and he works to solve them through lifestyle adjustments that work hand-in-hand with advanced technology.
When you’re not taking good care of yourself, invisible thieves will steal your body’s energy supply. We’ll get into the details of what “taking good care of yourself” actually means, but for now, let’s focus on some of the common problems we face that contribute to a lack of energy.
It’s important to not allow stress to get to you. I asked Dr. Laurich why stress plays such a large part in the way our bodies work. To translate his answer into layman’s terms, it’s because stress bums you out. You go to a dark, negative place, and when your mind is affected in this way, your body suffers the consequences.
Exercise plays a huge role in maintaining energy levels because it helps oxygenate the blood. Oxygen is the star of the body. Every metabolic process depends on it. Cells will die without it. When you don’t take part in a daily routine, you’re not doing any wonders for your body’s oxygen flow.
As hard as we may try, convenience trumps proper decision-making when it comes to meals. We eat too many processed foods and foods with a lot of sugar. Darn it, why do they taste so good?! Those tasty treats will surely zap your energy.
We’re aware that to be at our best, we need adequate sleep each and every night. But we don’t heed our own body’s advice because of work, or because stress keeps our brains awake, or simply because we feel like we can catch up on sleep when we’re not so busy. There’s no such thing as “catching up” on sleep. Once you lose it, it’s gone.
So how do we keep those devilish energy thieves from breaking into our bodies? Dr. Laurich has an outline he calls his five-step philosophy that has worked exceptionally well for his patients, and he detailed it for PlumbTalk Women.
Dr. Laurich puts so much emphasis on this that he has a nutritionist on staff. Eating properly means getting enough nutrition through the foods you eat. You can’t go wrong with fruit and veggies. Avoid sugary drinks and foods. Dr. Laurich also said to eat your last meal by 6:00 pm. After his patients are evaluated from a nutritional standpoint, they proceed to the second step.
Dr. Laurich evaluates his patients carefully and recommends programs that are suitable for their lifestyle and health concerns. How much exercise and what type of exercise we get is a daily topic of discussion for nearly every media outlet. To wade through the clutter, I asked Dr. Laurich what the average individual should do. He got right to the heart of the matter. Figure out your maximum heart rate (220 minus your age) and multiple it by 50%. This is the lowest number of your target heart rate range.
For example, if you’re 45 years old, your max heart rate is 175, and the lowest target to hit while exercising is 87 beats per minute. Very active people can aim for 85% of their max heart rate. If you hit your target range while exercising, then you’re doing your heart good. As far as regularity is concerned, try to work out five days a week for thirty minutes at a time. Women should strength train as well, at least with lighter weights. You can always seek guidance from your doctor if you’re unsure about your exercise routine.
Next, Dr. Laurich evaluates a patient’s sleeping habits. Even if we train like an Olympian and eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, we could still be missing crucial components provided by a restful night’s sleep. According to Dr. Laurich, it’s essential that we sleep well and that means comfortable, uninterrupted sleep. Most adults need seven to nine hours of good sleep each and every night to function well. Research has proven that continually sleeping less than seven hours can lead to many health problems.
This fourth crucial component should not be ignored. Dr. Laurich evaluates and treats the nervous system at his center, and he says,
This rounds out Dr. Laurich’s five-step philosophy to good health. Dr. Laurich told PlumbTalk that the patients who best respond to his treatment are the ones who believe in the system. Just thinking positively can improve your health! At the risk of sounding negative, our brains are not hard-wired to see only sunshine, lollipops and rainbows. It takes effort to maintain a positive outlook, but the results are indisputable.
Dr. Laurich said that stress has an impact on your mental attitude, but there are ways to mitigate the affects. He suggests regular exercise, massage therapy, yoga, and even meditation. Chiropractic care plays a part in reducing stress levels as well because it helps the body heal naturally. “You can better deal with physical, chemical and emotional stress,” says Dr. Laurich.
Avoiding those pesky energy thieves takes commitment and a positive attitude, but when we reach that optimum level where all five steps are taken, week in and week out, our hearts will sing, our brains will smile, and our ambitions will be realized. And if we start to rely more on healthy food and less on caffeine hits in the morning, we’ll be moving like a cheetah after lunch instead of a sloth.
