Determination

LIKE A DOG WITH A BONE

Determination can be a good thing. It can help us prevail against the odds to reach a goal. It can also motivate us to action and keep us going when others cannot go on. Focussed on the rights tasks, this positive character trait/emotion can be rewarding and bring about success outcomes.

My key characteristics from a child are; High energy, low fear, adventurous and determined. This remains true of my personality characteristics today. These qualities have helped me to rise above certain challenging situations but have also got me into and kept me in tricky situations for longer than should be experienced. I'm currently suffering low energy as a result of my strong determination which has arguably been channelled through other emotions like anger.

A key focus for next year will be on maintaining my strong determination, but will only directed on the tasks that are beneficial to me and all those around me. I've mostly had my energy tied up in having ongoing battles with large corporations and governing bodies this year. These 'battles; have taken a toll on my health and altered my mindset like ingesting a daily dose of poison would likely do to someone.

I have the energy, determination and will to succeed in something good and that's where the drive to achieve should be invested. It's time to let go of these heavy, tough bones, bury them for good and find something worth ploughing my energies into.

Chanting for health

THE POWER OF WORDS

Words have power. And certain types of words, spoken or sung in chants while meditating, have immense power for creating change. The sounds and vibrations emanated from chanting or listening to these mantras, can evoke strong feelings in us for positive change, plus promote greater health & harmony within the body and mind.

There are many mantras used by Yogis, spoken in the ancient dialect of Sanskrit. The special words selected for Sanskrit mantras, have a particular resonance that helps to target the points in the body relating to the chakras/energy centres and also have the power to balance the body, by bringing out the positive meanings of the mantra through sound.

Mantras
Mantras are words or phrases chanted in meditations, which promote feelings of harmony and well-being, which are derived from ancient Sanskrit texts passed on for millennia.

The following Mantras have been shown to me by The Radiant Hand. This was part of my Yoga 1 course. This link gives a further list of mantras to try, along with their meanings.

OM Nama Shivaya (Aum nah-mah Shee-vah-yah)
OM and salutations - May the elements of this creation abide in me in full manifestations
The Sidha Mantra above will help both males and females purify their masculine aspect. It is said that if one uses this as a main spiritual discipline for many years, one will eventually accumulate knowledge and spiritual clarity of the deepest type.

OM Shanti OM
OM is the seed sound for the brow centre, the third eye chakra, which is where the masculine and feminine energies meet. Shanti means in a dynamic sense: not just an empty shell, but also a powerful and active peace that radiates outwards.

OM Ram Ramaya Namaha (Aum rahm rahm-eye-yah nahm-ah-ha)
Ram has a two-fold meaning and application in Sanskrit. First, it is the seed sound for the solar plexus chakra. Tremendous healing energy lies dormant in this chakra. Mantra can and will give you the energy by awakening the chakra; it prepares the chakra to be able to handle the flow of Kundalini energy that gives the chakra its power.

The second application involves dividing the Rama into 2 syllables. Ra and Ma. Ra is associated with the solar current that runs down the left side of the body. By just repeating Rama Rama Rama over and over again, you begin balancing the two currents and their activity so that they can work with the higher stages of energy that will eventually come up the spine. This simple mantra, Rama, qualifies as a healing mantra in its own right.

Happy Dance

DANCING TO THE SAME DRUM

When we dance, we express ourselves, and when we dance with others, we connect with each other. Feeling the sounds & rhythm of music, channelled movement in our bodies, allows the release of endorphins that can make us happier and which also have been shown to have positive effects on our health. It can even keep us active into older age and promote longevity.

Stress affects our health and ability to enjoy life. So, socialising with friends, having a few drinks and a bit of a shake on the dance floor can work wonders for bringing back our joy. Hence why thousands flock to places like Ibiza for a bit of hedonistic cutting loose.

There's evidence to show that moving in crowds with synchronicity to a beat, can help us to form bonds with others and as this link suggests, dancing gives our bodies greater connections to the soul.

Good Vibrations

ENERGY FIELDS

We are all made up of energy. And depending on how we are feeling in regards to our physical, mental and spiritual health, our energy will be vibrating at different levels. 

Japanese scientists have recently proved the existence of an energy field around all living things. This field is called an Aura. We will all be giving off an 'aura' of energy which will be picked up subconsciously by others. 

Auras have been shown to exist through a type of photography that picks up these different coloured energy fields. How we are feeling, what our health status is and if we have blocks - will be not only felt in the body and mind but picked up by those sensitive enough to pick up on these things. 

We all give off this energy via vibrations - and these subtle frequencies can be affected by other frequencies around us. Hence we can pick up on another's good or bad 'vibes' and even sense when we're in a bad place or situation. Mobile phones and other electronic devices can also potentially interfere with our delicate energy systems, so we should aim to switch them off, disconnect and remove ourselves from the technologies that could likely interfere with brain waves and put our body's equilibrium out of balance. 

Shirking Responsibilities

HOT POTATO

In yoga they teach us how to avoid getting caught up in the emotions and sways of everyday life. It's difficult to remove ourselves from the day to day roller coaster, especially when we're caught up in the rush hour, stressed through delayed/cancelled public transport or crushed with someone's armpit in our faces - the things that are mostly out of our control. That's why it's important to practise methods for detaching ourselves to the negative things that potentially harm us and deplete our energy.

I get the impression that yogis don't negotiate their way on public transport in rush hour that much and I don't think they spend much time in office environments either. Maybe that's why they chose being a yoga instructor over an office based career, because they wanted to detach themselves from that daily assault that most of us have to put ourselves through...

So, if we can endure the daily commute during rush hour without getting affected, we are already using avoidance techniques. It's these methods that we can also employ for use in other situations too. One of the big stresses in our lives is work and that's where we need to find our best methods for detachment away from stress created and multiplied by others involved in the projects we collectively work on.

One of these techniques for detachment used by certain individuals in the work place, I call the hot potato. This is essentially where someone shirks their responsibilities by diverting the work onto their colleagues. This is not a helpful technique for those on the receiving end and arguably one of the greatest stresses we'll encounter - especially with those really hot potatoes!

It's a bit like the game of pass-the-parcel from nursery school. But instead of a toy in wrapping paper, imagine a hot ball of energy, that we all carefully take turns with. As we pass on hand to hand, each turn partially diffuses the heat as we all take our role holding it. Now picture when one person essentially bats it on to the next recipient without skimming some of the accumulated energy. Without energy being dissipated through the group's collective responsibilities, the energy ball grows hotter as it gains greater momentum. This creates an energy 'spike' and a potentially stressful situation for the following person/people to try and manage. More energy is used up and because the recipient wasn't prepared - their energy reserves are tapped into and depleted.

I witnessed this phenomena first hand in a group where I was working yesterday. One person's role was compromised, likely because they are now leaving their job for a new one. They had shirked their responsibilities and taken a day off without taking enough care to ensure their part within the team had been completed or covered with extra resources. This obviously affected the next two people further along in the chain. But everyone in this collective was affected to a degree as the stress-bomb hot potato takes it's toll on all that are close to it.

Some people can help avert a stress-bomb like this - whereas others will just pass on the potato making it even hotter. It's important to have advance awareness of these types of stress situations and know the people that potentially cause them. Because recognising when this situation arises and averting the damage caused well before the hot potato comes hurtling our way, will be one of the greatest stress avoidance techniques we'll master in life.

The Future Is Here

THE ENERGY RACE

Delving deeper into some of the discussions on 'conspiracy theories' has taken me even further into the rabbit hole over these last couple of days. Some of the finds - things I've stumbled on before, plus new discoveries that I hadn't, have thrown up some amazing examples of technology that we've been testing & developing over the last 50 years, some of which is (officially or unofficially) in active use today.

The Power Struggle
The research and race to find better, more powerful weapons has been going on since the beginning of civilisation. In warfare, the invention and use of tools & the technologies they draw from also
potentially benefit us as advances are made for improving quality of live. As we've gained more knowledge of how to harness the laws of the universe - particularly around the middle of the 20th century with the advent of atomic physics entering the war arena, powerful weapons that could easily destroy mankind have also lead to gains, ie. atomic energy.

From the end of the second world war, it's been a race for the world's controlling powers to find increasingly greater weapons to retain power. Thankfully, a gridlock during the cold war has kept the human race from wiping itself out. But as the race continues to uncover even greater weapons technology, the questions need to focus on how we can contain this power from bringing about armageddon.

Controversial Discoveries
It's pretty frightening if you believe the pessimistic view of what life could be like in just a few tears from now - with war and control at the focus of the world's leaders. After reading the many documents, watching countless videos, and delving deeper into discussions on some pretty fascinating topics around tests (that may or may not have been) carried out (especially those around directional frequency applications), I'm starting to believe that we are not fast approaching - we are already commencing a new dawn.

Don't Panic
What matters now, is that we all educate ourselves to try and understand what's really going on and the motives behind the people who appear to conceal the truth. That way, the more we all know, the more we can collectively direct the benefits of these phenomenal life-changing technological powers towards creating a positively better world for us to live in and away from those people and powers that could destroy it.

Further Discovery
It's the mavericks like John Hutchinson (featured above), that I find the most interesting. They choose to research for little monetary gain and it's home-scientists and free thinkers like him that we need more of if we are to survive beyond the next millennium. It's becoming clearer to me, after watching footage from a Dr Judy Wood seminar video, that we have some dark powers at work with some mysterious goings on in the world that we can't yet justify. And we can't just leave things to chance trusting that the balance of good outweighs bad. Rather than watch soap operas, I urge everyone to research a little instead and try to make up their own minds what could be the truth and disregard the nonsensical.

The very fact this information in all it's guises, exists - gives some hope and confidence that we have the ability to uncover corruption and lay down a stronger foundation for better keeping an open, harmonious and free way of life in a time which could likely be the most defining point in humanity.

Daily Intentions

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

Watching someone like Lee Holden, who has inspired me to practice Qi Gong every morning - I can clearly see someone who is truly happy with what they are doing in life. Success has followed happiness and Lee, it seems, is becoming the ambassador for an ancient eastern art form that brings health and vitality to himself and into the lives of millions. 

Having partners, family, friendships and work commitments to maintain/keep, means we're compromising ourselves a lot of the time. This means our fun, companionship and family/work relationships and all the responsibilities they entail, can temporarily detract us from where we are aiming to go in our lives. 

Everyone has intentions, but for most, they are not clearly defined. They are led by desires and easily changed through lack of focus, manipulation from others, or lost through intoxication. It takes extra effort to stop ourselves from being pulled off the day's intended path. It's that feeling, waking after an unplanned, late night of alcohol-fuelled shenanigans that the things you'd planned to do, got thrown out of the window. It's these situations in particular that we all wish to be more in control of – always seems like a good idea at the time...

Letting oneself down, feeling weak-willed and a failure - these are very negative thoughts that need to be avoided. Fun is an easy detractor from a path of intention, so there have to be pre-thoughts for the day to make allowances for these times when we're more susceptible to losing track of the day. A simple few minutes to think through possible scenarios and levels of flexibility for the day is all is needed to avoid having those dreaded feelings of self-loathing. There's always going to be other opportunities for fun.

Every evening, I will look at the following day's calendar of proposed events, my intentions and what I want to get out of the day. These intentions will then be discussed with my partner to better understand her intentions for the day too and we'll look at the possible factors that could scupper plans. This way, we will know what it means if we fall too far from our intended paths and already have a plan B to fall back on.  

Alcohol And Fitness

ALCOHOL AND WEIGHT GAIN

Alcohol consumption features prominently in the diet within western cultures. Taken at meal times or on it's own in social environments, it regularly forms a percentage of our daily calorie intake. The high calorie content of alcoholic beverages can add up - pushing our daily intake over the recommended daily amount which can contribute to weight gain.

It's a common misconception that drinking alcohol makes us fat. It certainly has contributing factors, but consuming alcohol on it's own, doesn't directly make us fatter. However, according to studies made on the effects from consuming alcohol, Dr Di Pasquale shows us that alcohol does affect our metabolism in ways that can contribute to changes in weight and body fat.

Learning how we process alcohol will help us to understand how these metabolism changes affect us and making a few adjustments to our diet etc. will mean we'll still have fun without experiencing the negative side effects. There's a lot of useful info out there on the internet. I've highlighted a few points from my learnings and included links below with some simple to follow tips at the end...

Rocket Fuel
Alcohol contains sugars that are broken down into acetate that are used for fuel in the body. Alcohol has the second highest energy per gram content (7kcal per gram - second only to pure fat at 9kcal per gram). It's quick for our body to use and this type of fast-access fuel that gets used up first. This is because the energy sources are quickly absorbed but as the body cannot store the energy that we take in from alcoholic drinks, it will exhaust the alcohol energy sources first before taking in fuel from other foods, including quality nutrient-rich sources.

"The bottom line is, the idea that alcohol just automatically turns into fat or gives you a beer belly is mistaken. It’s true that alcohol suppresses fat oxidation, but mainly, alcohol adds calories into your diet, messes with your hormones and can stimulate appetite, leading to even more calories consumed. That’s where the fat gain comes from."

Socialising Versus Fitness
Socialising and drinking is fun. It's boring having to nag and berate ourselves to stick within limits on the drinking but there has to be a clear objective when training for a particular goal. If the goal is to train the body and be trim for the summer, to fit in a wedding dress or if it's just to keep a basic level of maintenance, it's essential that all the hard work in the gym isn't in vein. So, maybe we just need to implement a few basic adjustments to our socialising and drinking habits to help avoid putting extra weight on.

– Eat Well: Simple one this - but how many times have we gone for drinks without eating first - only to grab a dirty burger or some greasy fast food as an after thought? Aim to eat a protein-rich, good fats, fresh veg and healthy fibre laden meal before going out. Something that isn't going to slow us down but will digest slowly, keeping blood sugar levels in check. We should avoid the temptation for eating greasy foods the following day too and opt for a healthy and nutritious breakfast instead.

– Hydrate: Drinking some water between every other alcoholic drink will slow down alcohol intoxication and will help flush the alcohol out at the end of the night, plus it might not leave us with a hangover in the morning.

– Choose Wisely: Some drinks are higher in calories than others. Mixers are a rich source of processed sugars and cocktails can contain up to twice as many calories as a light beer or wine spritzer.

– Move Around: Dancing after a few drinks will certainly help burn off the excess sugars but if we're not planning on strutting our stuff, it pays to be standing and animated rather than sedentary. Even, fitting in a brisk walk on route to the cab office/public transport etc. before returning home will speed the metabolism up enough to burn off some of the alcohol. And if it's possible to resist the temptation to lay around on the mornings after and take in some exercise instead to burn off excess sugars, there's a better chance of missing out on the hangover too.

At the end of the day - we all have to decide what we want from our dieting, exercising and socialising and find a balance. There's no point avoiding friends and fun for the sake of vanity - and likewise, we can't be beating ourselves up about over-indulging from time to time if it defeats the object of cutting loose & having a fun in the first place. It just helps us to have a better understanding of what it means to consume many extra calories in alcohol and fatty foods.

Understanding Body Energy Systems

FACTORS AFFECTING ENERGY USAGE

Energy. We need the best quality sources to perform well - just like we need good fuel in a sports car. Unlike a conventional car however, our body has more than just one energy type that it draws from. Depending on the activity, our body's energy regulation systems will switch over to the best energy source required for the task at hand.

A brief summary...

We take in fuel through food/drink in the form of carbohydrates, fat and protein. The sugars from these food sources are broken down into glucose, which in turn is stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen. Any extra intake of fuel is processed and deposited around the body as fat. Our bodies will then access the stored fuel for correct usage to regulate blood sugar levels - ensuring energy is deployed to brain, organs and limbs - prioritising fast-access energy sources for the vital functions of the body.

The fast access energy comes mostly from our glycogen stores of which we have a limited amount of. During exercise, our muscles adapt to using different energy sources and will break down fatty acids known as triglyceerides into energy for muscles as our bodies regulate the different energy processes depending on what we're doing and at what level. Certain energy breakdown and transformation processes are faster to access and deploy than others and it's how we train our bodies to use these energy sources that determines how well we perform and ultimately how good we will look in our beach attire.

Read on to better understand how we use energy in a workout or skip to the end for a few quick tips...

Sources
Our energy is metabolised into a form we can use after eating/drinking & digestion, sourced from three natural food components. Complex carbs like bread, pasta and rice being the easiest to draw energy from and those with high GI (High Glycemic Index) are the fastest to be absorbed into our bloodstream. They are prioritised for being metabolised by the body in this order:

- Carbohydrates

- Fats

- Proteins

During exercise
Three factors will determine how our body uses carbohydrates in relationship to fat: 

- Intensity levels

- Duration of exercise

- Fitness levels

Our body extracts the energy (calories) from digested food (macronutrients):

• Carbs (4kcal per gram). These should form 60% of our daily calories and are our staple for energy production. 

• Fats (9kcal per gram). 30% of daily calories. Also a major source of energy as well as providing insulation & protection. 

• Protein (4kcal per gram). Forming 10-15% of daily calories. Main role is for growth and repair. 

For us to actually use the three energy food sources, we use an energy transfer process called ATP (Adenosine Tri-phosphate) which calls on three energy systems:

- Creatine Phosphate (anaerobic)

- Anaerobic Glycolysis (anaerobic)

- Aerobic

Anaerobic & Aerobic

In essence - the first two, which are the fastest energy systems, do not require oxygen (anaerobic) - but there is only a finite amount of energy stored and will need constant replenishing after just a very short period when exercising at a peak level (from around 60-100% max output). 

The preferred energy source for operating at aerobic levels (up to around 60% max output) is taken from fat stores around the body and deployed through oxygenated blood. Our blood sugar levels will be regulated and fats converted into fuel, mobilised for use as we perform exercise and to replenish energy reserves in our muscles/liver, continuing to work long after we've finished activities.

By increasing our fitness levels - ie. raising our threshold for max output levels above 60% - our bodies will become more efficient at replenishing depleted muscles while we're undergoing intense periods of exercise. In turn, energy is taken from fat stores to be better used by the heart, lungs and limbs, leaving reserves of fast energy glucose back for brain function and intense bursts of activity. As we increase fitness levels, the body also starts to form more capillaries in order to better oxygenate the blood, thus aiding transfer of energy to the muscles and allowing quicker repair and recovery times as well. 

Using the right system

When starting to exercise, energy is produced without oxygen for at least the first few seconds before heart and lungs can catch up with the demands. For the following 5-15 minutes, muscles will use glycogen stores while the body mobilises fats to be broken down to fatty acids for use as energy in the muscles. It's key to have balanced levels of blood sugars at this point so the body is ready for drawing on fat stores as an energy source. If weight loss is the goal - this is why having a warm up before exercise if beneficial for optimising fat burning.

Tips on energy management for sports activities or weight control 
For optimising fat burning and greater performance in body and mind, consider the following:
- Only take on complex and processed carbohydrates with a high glycemic value (white bread, white rice, pasta, jacket/mashed potatoes) in smaller quantities and subsidise with unprocessed varieties, ie. whole grains or organic oats plus fresh fruit & vegetables where possible. Carbohydrates are a great source of energy but taking on extra carbs should be for when we really need them - ie. for playing sports and doing endurance activities. The body is good at breaking down the sugars from carbohydrates into an energy source for storage and as the liver only has room for a certain amount, once the muscles have been replenished - everything else will be stored as fat around the body. So it's good to be aware of this fact if weight-loss is your goal.
- Eat protein rich meals, fresh veg and fruit before resistance training - especially if it's the first meal of the day as the metabolism will be working hard to process proteins and will switch to fat stores on the body for it's energy sources. Alternatively, if the morning meal is made up of easy to absorb carbohydrates (ie. bread/toast, sugary cereals and fruit juices) it will be great for quick energy access but the fat stores will take second place as the body uses the newly taken on fast energy carbohydrates sources.
- Make sure to include a 5-10 minute warm-up before having intense workouts to activate the aerobic (ie. fat burning) energy system which helps burn fat while you work out.

Universal Energy

THE POWER WITHIN

There's some real-life X-Men/Women out there that have learned to harness the power of the universe to do great things. Through their focus and dedication to self mastery, they can use their body and minds to achieve seemingly supernatural feats. Monks practicing ancient energy harnessing techniques, appear to have these supernatural powers. They repeatedly train their minds and bodies to do some amazing physical acts through using Tummo breathing techniques and energy harnessing Qi Gong.

Meditation techniques have shown that we can raise our body temperature to withstand the cold. This isn't just exclusive to monks either. Anyone can do it through practice. Dutchman, Wim Hof has trained (and actually changed) his body over the last 20+ years to withstand extreme cold through using meditation. He's proven that we can obtain supper human powers through the practice & learning the techniques, focussed/applied training, and shown that we can even survive in extreme life-threatening temperatures, as his climbing mount Everest in just a pair of shorts and sandals shows!

These monks demonstrate the Tummo technique which is used to raise their core temperatures enough to dry a wet shirt - even in a cold environment:

Other masters have chosen different ways to harness and accomplish super-human feats. Take this real life ninja who can chop a pellet in half with his Samurai sword that's been fired from a gun:

There's many other examples of people with super powers out there - either inherited or developed through dedicated training. Some masters like Iron Shirt and other martial artists have closely studied different fighting styles to emulate the speed, balance and strength of animals like tigers, snakes, cranes and in this bizarre example, a praying mantis.

Whether it's in the realm of difficult to explain phenomena like telekinesis & echolocation, practiced feats of strength, endurance, speed, flexibility or just a dedication & focus for a longer life through eating/exercise for increased wellbeing, it's evidence that we all have the capabilities to learn how to absorb universal energy and potentially become super humans ourselves.

Solar And Lunar Energy

HARNESSING TEACHINGS FROM THE COSMOS

Cosmic energy and how it affects us. This is a subject I've never really given much thought to. I've tended to be a bit of a cynic when it comes to astrology. I also struggle with the concept of harnessing power from mystical energy sources like those emanating from energy lay-lines and precious stones.

However, the universe is made up of energy. It's all around us. Everything is connected with this energy, including ourselves. So it makes sense that everything happening in the cosmos will have a knock-on effect with us. These next couple of weeks will see two significant cosmic events. There's a solar eclipse on the 20th March (the last one we will see in our life time - next one 23rd September 2090) and a lunar eclipse on the 4th April.

Solar Eclipse
My yoga teacher explained on Friday that whether we wish to believe it or not, effects will be felt from the solar eclipse days before and for some time after. Coming round to the ideas of spirituality and energy flowing through our bodies taken through my yoga teachings, I decided to look up some information on a zodiac website about what a solar eclipse means.

Essentially, all good news as they symbolise change. They also mean beginning something new and committing to making efforts for greater challenges. I have to say, I felt a little anxious on Friday - likely a week of hanging out with a deer friend, drinking and late nights contributed to these feelings. But also, as I have some big commitments that need to be addressed, I felt a little overwhelmed and worried about delivering on these priorities over coming weeks. Interestingly, another zodiac website also mentions these factors including those about the build up of emotions, so maybe there is something in this theory.

Lunar Eclipse
There's also a lunar eclipse happening on the 4th of April. Traditionally these eclipses have been seen as a bad sign, but apparently, this one - a positive omen, signifies new birth. The horoscope talks of putting all unresolved issues to rest. Literally, this means letting them die and trying not to save them.

Well, if this eclipse also has something in it, I will indeed be putting one particularly troublesome episode to bed around this time and maybe another issue that has been hanging over me for some time too. One can only hope so. Here's a list of all the other eclipses happening for the next 50+ years so we can prepare for more changes coming up.

Peter Pan

TIME WITH KIDS

Being around kids - laughing & playing games is a really great way for us to stay young at heart. As we get older, we take on many of life's tough challenges which can have a negative impact on one's life force. Over time, these things can make us bitter and cynical if we're not mindful of it. Having to be a responsible adult needn't mean being serious and stern all the time. We can still be playful, energetic, play games and have fun in life just like a child does - while still getting the jobs done.

Embrace your inner child
If you're not a parent yourself, don't have a niece or nephew or any friends with kids - try and get back that inner child with some of these wikiHow techniques. Skipping down the street, clapping and cheering enthusiastically and generally being less reserved in public - you may get some funny looks or scorned - but that will only be from those who have forgotten how to be young - remember this quote: "You don't stop having fun when you get old, you get old when you stop having fun."

Geocaching

Find some fun things you'd like to do - here's ten more tips if you don't have any kids with you. I had my first Geocaching experience over the weekend. This is a really great idea! It's a kind of treasure hunt and often the geocaches are in places of interest, so really great way to inspire a walk, ride around town or fun reason to take the kids out for the day 

Safe Sanctuary

RETREAT, REGROUP & REWARD

It's been a tough start to the year and it's time to pull back the troops from the front line, dress the wounds, heal and recharge the energy levels. 

Self Assessment

The most important thing I've learned about making life changes since starting on this new lifestyle from 1st Jan this year: Self assessment - ie. taking daily checks on any progress....schedules, goals and energy levels for making these good things happen. Without maintaining good mental & physical health - none of these positive achievements would be possible. Checking the status quo every day means any deviations from sleep/diet can be corrected and the energy levels can be kept in the green/amber rather than red zones. It's amazing how seemingly small things like skipping a meal or having one hour less sleep, can affect our productivity. Without regular assessments, we don't really pay proper attention to these energy dips until they manifest in physical/mental drops in performance - ie. injury & illness. 

Know your limits

When you're young, you have an amazing capacity to heal/recover/adjust to deviations from any sleep and energy changes. Your body's natural ability for healing means even sustained periods of general abuse/mistreatment can be corrected easily. This ability to heal, although still possible over longer time periods is not as easy to do and may not be a full recovery as we get older. 

The painful truth

I can remember feeling invincible at 26. I used to push my physical limits, always working and playing hard. I would always bounce back from overdoing it. From the early to mid 30's, there's been a change in appearance - greying hair, lines around the eyes and ailments popping up 'seemingly from nowhere' but I've been living the same lifestyle in my mid to late 30's that I did in my 20's and still thought I was 'bouncing back'. I've repeatedly dropped my energy levels into the red zone and the last few years have thrown up some clear signals that the body isn't 26 anymore. We don't want to face up to the fact, but once we do accept ageing and hatch a plan to manage damage limitation, we can adjust our levels of input/output and allow ourselves more quality healing time. This is essential if we want to keep doing the things we enjoy and stay looking and feeling vital/younger through to old age. 

This is why - although I have some major responsibilities on at the moment, I'm taking time by myself to visit my safe sanctuary in order to get my energy levels back on track. This will see me return fresh and ready for the next battles ahead. 

Stay Energised

WAKE EARLY AND TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR MIND

Easy to read/say – but difficult to stick to. Waking at 5am every day - especially if you've had a hectic week and had less than your 8hrs sleep per night, can leave you feeling a bit low in energy. And no matter how good your diet has been, you need a little help sometimes. But rather than grabbing a caffeine fix, try some of these tried and tested alternatives.

Go for a walk: This one works wonders for me and deserves to be at the top of the list - but it's often the last method that I use in favour of a quick fix. The other morning, I had to unexpectedly leave the house to go collect something from a local shop. I was feeling a bit below par, a little tired and not very focussed - likely because I'd not eaten enough and gone to bed an hour later than intended. It was 6am and freezing outside. I didn't want to go. I put on my warm jacket and fast-walked the 10 minute journey. Being outside in the cold January air and looking around at the frost-covered cars - witnessing the serenity before dawn and catching a glimpse of the beginnings of a sunrise - got me back on track and the creative juices flowing.

Cold water: Splashing ice cold water in your face first thing in the morning - OR if you're really bold - jumping into a cold shower - will quickly jolt you to life. The cold will reduce swelling around the eyes and the shivers will help tone your muscles and pull your skin tight. I've made the face splach a regular edition to the routine....I'm yet to try the shower method though...

Give yourself an extra Boost
Try some of these energy boosting, brain enhancing products...

Matcha
Matcha is an organic powder ground down from green tea leaves. The Japanese have been drinking it for hundreds of years and it's been favoured by Buddhist monks and students to keep them focussed. Until recently, all matcha reserves had been exhausted in Japan, by a sudden revival in it's consumption. This revival is taking the UK by storm and as it's popularity grows, expect to see it more frequently in coffee shops. The low supply and new high demand mean it's expensive to buy, but Holland and Barrett are doing a pretty good deal at the moment.

Here's a list of it's potential benefits: 
1. High in Antioxidants
2. Also loaded super-antioxidants: Catechin, EGCg
3. Enhances Calm
4. Boosts Memory and Concentration
5. Increases Energy Levels and Endurance: energy boosting Matcha Green Tea Super Drink
6. Burns Calories
7. Detoxifies the Body
8. Fortifies the Immune System
9. Improves Cholesterol
10. Amazing Flavour (add some honey to sweeten)

If you wish to read a more extensive description on the benefits, click here for the full low-down on Matcha

Matcha v Coffee
We have an almond milk matcha latte instead of coffee some mornings. To see if swapping your Coffee for Matcha makes sense...read the verdict

Vitamin B12
If you're often feeling tired and low in energy, you may have a vitamin B deficiency. Vitamin B12 helps in the production of healthy red blood cells that carry oxygen around the body. It can typically be found in red meat, cheese and eggs and thus vegans tend to suffer from having a lack of B12 in their diet. For a full list of symptoms and remedies, click here. And here's another site that gives info on the how's and why's of B12.

I've found the B12 Spray is an easy way to get a fix - they also do a spray for vitamin D too.

Bee Pollen
The honey bees feed bee pollen to their young. It is a complete food source and rich is vitamins. Considered a 'super-food', it's been used by cultures around the world for a multitude of health applications. I've been taking a pill once a day in the morning with fruit - you can extend to 4 times a day. There's an extensive piece written on the bee pollen on this site and below, are 10 reasons to why adding bee pollen to your daily diet could benefit you.

1. Energy Enhancer
2. Skin Soother
3. Respiratory System Improvements
4. Treating of Allergies
5. Digestive System Benefits
6. Immune System Booster
7. Treats Addictions
8. Supports the Cardiovascular System
9. Prostate Aid
10. Aids with Infertility Problems

For a full description on the benefits of Bee Pollen, read more here.

Ginseng

I read about the benefits of Ginseng just this morning. Generally it has been linked to better blood flow to the brain, aided relief from stress symptoms and helped to improve memory functon. I've not tried it yet but copied from here and replicated below. Read on for more:

– Ginseng can be used to improve the health of people recovering from illness. It increases a sense of wellbeing and stamina, and improves both mental and physical performance. Ginseng can be used to help with erectile dysfunction, hepatitis C, and symptoms relating to menopause, and can also be used for lowering blood glucose levels and controlling blood pressure.

– Ginseng has been shown to reduce the levels of stress in both men and women. Those that take ginseng regularly are able to withstand higher amounts of physical and emotional stress.

– The root of Asian ginseng contains several active substances called ginsenosides or panaxosides that are thought to be responsible for the medicinal effects of the herb. Asian ginseng is “cooling” while American ginseng is “warming”.

– Because of its adaptogenic effects, it is widely used to lower cholesterol, increase energy and endurance, reduce fatigue and the effects of stress, and prevent infections. Ginseng is one of the most effective anti-aging supplements, with the capability of alleviating some major effects of aging such as degeneration of the blood system, and increasing mental and physical capacity.

Siberian ginseng is well known for its ability to fight fatigue and ward off colds and flu.

Please note - If you're feeling tired and low in energy a lot of the time, you should consult your doctor before trying any of the above remedies.