You know how it goes. That
mid-afternoon slump that turns up right on time; just when you need to muster some
energy to finish the day’s work. You can rely on that demotivating fog to come
down around 3pm, and you just feel like reaching for yet another coffee to get
you through it. Maybe you’re even throwing in sugar or chemical sweeteners. It’s
not a healthy solution but it’s a common one - and a self-perpetuating one.
Even if your lifestyle
doesn’t mean being a 3pm keyboard nose-diver, you may still be a victim of
brain-fog, lethargy and lack of motivation at any time. Nobody needs that in
their lives, but knowing how to combat it in a healthy, lasting and effective
way is another matter; one we’re here to help you with. Why not try one of
these energy-boosting, lethargy-busting super-products to reset your system?
1. Raw, unprocessed cacao: a natural energizer
Cacao is nature’s wonder food.
That's cacao not cocoa - there is a difference. Cacao is in its raw, natural
form, whereas cocoa is the heat-treated, nutritionally-devoid commercial
version. There is a world of difference. If you've ever heard that chocolate is
good for you, there is some truth in it. However, that isn’t referring to the
abundance of processed, dairy and refined sugar-filled chocolate bars on the
market. These may taste great, but they're actually just toxic and you'll never
get any real energy from them – except for the short-term sugar hit.
Cacao before processing is a
true health product; it is nutritionally complete. You can get
it in the form of nibs or powder, but it does taste bitter compared to commercial
chocolate. You can munch on the nibs for a natural and tangible energy boost,
or make your own chocolate or drinks with the powder. Try mixing the latter
with nut milk and if you need to sweeten it, a natural sweetener like stevia or
xylitol will sort it. Goodbye afternoon energy crash, hello nutrition!
2. Binaural beats: brainwave entertainment for energy
Binaural beats refer to what
is known as brainwave entertainment. Simply put, binaural beats promote changes
in brain activity. A stereo sound is channeled into both ears via headphones,
with two slightly different tones going into each ear. The brain then produces
a response to this difference; dependent on the tones used, this can lead to a
change in frequencies. Gamma, alpha, beta,
delta and theta are the names used to describe the
range of states. Triggering beta waves through binaural beats is a good way to
wake yourself up, boosting your mental clarity and energy.
3. Delicious, organic coffee
Americans drink about 400 million cups of
coffee every day, but how many are paying attention to the
hidden nasties? All coffee is not created equal. Sure, we love the boost to our
mental functions that coffee promises: alertness, better memory, improved drive
and motivation, etc. Along with the unique and compelling taste that coffee is
famous for, it’s one of America’s
most popular products thanks to the feeling it
gives you.
What’s not so great about it is the
pesticide content. Coffee is actually one of the most pesticide-laden products
on the planet, with 250 lbs per acre of chemical fertilizers soaking their way
into conventional coffee beans. Pesticides are linked to cancer and
miscarriages, among many other things, so clearly they’re best avoided. The
only way to be sure you’re getting your caffeine hit the healthy way is to
drink organic coffee. As organic coffee means a marked improvement in taste, why
not?
4. Green tea: go green with this drink
Green tea has a wide range of
health benefits, but the one we are most interested in right now is its ability
to improve brain function, mood and energy levels.
Amino acid L-theanine is a
natural constituent in green tea and is the reason (as well as the caffeine
content) for the mental alertness you’ll get from it. Green tea is considered
to provide you with a more ‘stable’ energy and is famed for being anti-anxiety.
Like coffee, it promotes the firing of neurons as well as the
concentration of neurotransmitters dopamine and nor-epinephrine; it is said make
you smarter! What’s not to like?
5. Nootropics
Nootropics is the name for substances that improve cognitive
function. They have a positive effect on mental functions, motivation, memory
and creativity. Because we don't all want to consume countless cups of coffee
or tea (which have diuretic effects), and for busy people time is of the
essence, it's tempting to look for shortcuts to the heightened energy levels we
seek.
Fortunately, such products do exist. NeuroGum Caffeine Gum is a healthy alternative and a
quick and effective energy boost. What's more, it contains no sugar or chemical
sweeteners like aspartame. Attaining the positive effects of nootropics in a
natural way is the name of the game; that means enhanced cognition,
concentration, mental alertness and memory functions. As it comes in the form
of a gum, the natural, active ingredients within it are quickly absorbed
through the mouth; this means you'll notice your energy levels rising much more
quickly than they would via a drink or other form of supplementation. The caffeine,
L-theanine (found in green tea), vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 in NeuroGum
all have scientifically proven positive effects on cognitive functions.
Be productive sooner rather than later…
So if organic coffee, cacao,
green tea, binaural beats, and NeuroGum are all effective, healthy ways to
boost your energy, surely these products are the sensible ones to take to establish
healthy long-term habits. Why not alternate them to mix things up a bit?
Ultimately, if you want to be
productive and quick-thinking, rather than a lethargic, unmotivated
procrastination king or queen, isn’t now as good a time as any to make a
promise to yourself to beat that brain-fog once and for all?
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