There’s nothing wrong with a cup of coffee or Red Bull from time to time, BUT… if you’re using these more often that once or twice a week (or once or twice a day!), there’s probably a deeper issue going on that no energy drink is going to fix - Adrenal Exhaustion. These are the little glands that sit on top of the kidneys and produce adrenaline and a lot of other hormones (like testosterone!) in the body that keep you going. If you’re stressed out all the time, these little guys (or gals, ladies!) are not working very well anymore and you have no energy left to get you up and out. Too much caffeine, too little sleep, too many tense, grumpy people making you jumpy constantly and they’ll just give up. Which is why you feel tired all the time.
Getting better and more frequent sleep is the number one step to take to heal this very important part of your body. Herbs like Ashwaganda, Rhodiola and Siberian Ginseng/Eleuthero are tops for nourishing these glands, but repair can take six months or more, if you’ve been really, really bad. So you have to take them every day for quite a while. As your adrenals heal, you’ll start to have more normal energy levels, but in the meantime, you can use some of these superfoods, vitamins and amino acids to boost your energy levels without damaging your adrenals.
Also, make an effort to wean yourself off of coffee and colas while you’re getting better. A great product called Teeccino, which brews like coffee (and can also be used in a cappuccino machine, if you like that morning ritual), can be very helpful for this purpose. You can mix it with coffee and gradually reduce the proportions. It’s rich in minerals that boost your energy levels naturally. There are some other similar products in health food stores that are also good if you look around. Try them until you find one that suits your taste.
In addition, a high-potency B vitamin supplement should be part of your healing regimen. B-12 helps the body convert carbs to energy. Folic Acid, B-6 and Niacin help the nervous system, improve focus and boost circulation. If you’re sensitive to Niacin, you’ll feel flushed, and possibly a little itchy. It’s not serious and it wears off fairly quickly. Most people don’t notice anything except improved energy levels. B’s also improve red blood cell production and keep your mood positive. B’s are water-soluble, so they won’t build up in the body. You can take more at first, if you need energy. If you’re peeing bright yellow, you can cut down a bit, because your body is excreting what it can’t use.
My other fave to boost energy quickly without jitters are green superfoods, particularly blue-green algae. The best quality brands like E-3 Live, Green Manna etc. minimize the ‘fish tank-y’ taste and really bump up your energy. They mix well with juices, where you’ll never notice the funny taste. Goji berries are another great food that can help with energy as well as Acai, which is kind of like a tropical blueberry. Yummy!
