Building Your Energy: 5 Ways To Instant Gratification

I'm a huge fan of instant gratification. As an acupuncturist, I both promote and believe in the power of small and gradual changes, yet I still yearn for great change in minimal time. It's our nature to want a quick-fix..that's why there's such a huge market for weight-loss aids and lotto tickets. Whatever we want, we want it NOW, and we want a lot of it. During the course of my practice, I have noticed that this particularly applies to energy levels. No one seems to have enough energy. Everyone wants a boost, they want a HUGE boost, and they want it yesterday.

Many years ago, when I first started graduate school, I was exhausted all the time. I was used to restaurant hours: staying up all night, sleeping late into the day. My body just couldn't get used to my new schedule, and I was dragging through my classes. One day before a big exam, I caved and went to GNC to request the strongest energy drink I could find. I drank it the next day before class. I don't know what was in that drink, but within an hour of drinking it I started sweating profusely, my heart actually hurt from pounding so hard, and I became intensely nauseous. I also started salivating profusely. I felt like I could have easily run the 30 miles to the emergency room, though. Soon after that experience I joined a gym, and after about two weeks of working out, I was sleepy no more.

Point being, I knew that exercise would increase my energy levels. And I knew it wouldn't even take very long. But it would still take longer than swallowing that horribly dangerous drink, so I based my decision on that. I know, I know....live and learn!

The path to long-term changes takes time, but that is not to say that there aren't some quick-fixes available to start us off. So, today, I'm going to discuss a few ways to make an immediate difference in your energy levels.

1. I know it's been said time and time again, but eat breakfast! And eat something with lots of protein and some fat-it will keep you going MUCH longer than carbs. I can't tell you how many times I hear patients complain that they crash by noon. When I ask them what they are eating for breakfast, it is often either nothing, or something high-carb such as oatmeal or toast. Simply adding an egg into the mix creates instant surges in their energy levels.

2. Even if you're not thirsty, have a big glass of water when you wake up. Warm water with lemon is optimal. Most of us are dehydrated, even though we don't realize it. The symptoms of dehydration begin with fatigue.

3. Take a multivitamin. Yes, the best way to get your nutrients is through food. But let's be realistic: even if your diet is almost perfect, it is difficult to get everything you need, every day. The vast majority of New Englanders are deficient in Vitamin D. When you take a multivitamin, make sure to combine it with a little bit of fat. Some of the vitamins we need cannot be processed in our bodies without fat.

4. Get your heart racing. You don't have to go to the gym for an hour to do this. In fact, if you're slowly paddling away on the elliptical machine for an hour, you may not be doing much. If you aren't planning on a gym visit, run up the stairs quickly, or do a few minutes of jumping jacks. If you ARE at the gym, make sure you're actually showing signs of exertion. You should be at least slightly short of breath, sweating, feeling your heart beat faster. It should be a bit difficult to carry on a conversation. If you aren't breaking a sweat, you're probably not working hard enough to build your energy levels.

5. In the world of acupuncture, fatigue stems from one of two causes: deficiency or stagnation. If you are stagnant, your energy is blocked and not flowing smoothly. It's just sitting there...and so are you. If deficiency is the problem, you simply don't have enough energy there to access. Acupuncture is a great way to both build and move the energy. Don't have time to get to your acupuncturist? Here are a few points that will stimulate your energy and get you going.

One point is at the very top of the head. If you create a line from the top of the ears to the top of the head, there is a point called GV20. Stimulating this point causes energy to rise to the head, bringing a sense of clearheadedness. When you look for this point, you may have to feel around a bit-you should feel a little sensation when you hit the right spot. Sometimes the spot is a little squishy to the touch, and it will feel more sensitive than the surrounding area. When you hit the point, press and massage it for a few minutes.

Another point to boost energy is located on the legs. Rest your hand slightly below your knee, with your index finger resting at the bottom of your kneecap. In this position, your pinky should be positioned about three inches down from the knee. At the level of the pinky, there will be a spot about 1/2 inch lateral to the bone. Palpate around until you feel it-it will be sensitive. This is Stomach 36, one of the most powerful acupuncture points of the body. Massage this point for a few minutes to get that energy flowing.