Five Natural Supplements to Reduce Stress and Boost Your Energy

Are you tired of feeling tired? Tired of waking up tired? Tired of slogging it out all day at work and tired when you go to bed?

Lack of energy and vitality lowers your ability to cope with the many demands on your time. When you are stressed, your body has to work extra hard to maintain balance and keep your body functioning at an optimum level.

Stress depletes your natural reserves. Have you noticed that when you are tired and low, you tend to snack and binge on fast foods, drink copious cups of coffee and lack the motivation to exercise? Negative, self talk rules your life and no matter how hard you try, you find it hard to motivate yourself to do something positive.

You just feel totally zapped and struggle to make it through the day.

When you feel like this, what can you do to boost your energy and make you feel alive and connected again?

One way to get into the groove and get your mojo back is eating well.

If you wish to improve your energy, then you need to include certain foods in your diet, especially those that boost your metabolism and give you a steady flow of energy throughout your day.

A diet rich in raw and whole foods, fruits, vegetables, herbal teas, grains, nuts and sprouts provides your body with the range of nutrients, minerals and vitamins it needs to sustain you throughout your day.

However, the pace of life and/or poor dietary habits means it is hard for you to eat healthily and well.

Natural supplements offer you a chance to enhance the quality of your diet and can help you manage your stress levels as well as boost your energy levels. Combined with a healthy diet, lots of regular exercise and a supportive relationship, natural supplements offer you a natural and gentle energy boost.

The seven natural supplements listed below have a beneficial effect on brain function and boost physical energy. If you are new to herbal supplements, always seek the advice of a qualified herbalist or naturopath to ensure you use supplements that are ideal for your particular constitution.

1. Evening Primrose Oil – this is helpful for a range of inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and eczema, but its greatest benefit is in the relief of premenstrual syndrome. Evening primrose oil is a rich source of gamma linolenic acid (GLA) or as it is more commonly known as, fatty acid. As such it is able to be converted by the body into prostaglandin. Prostaglandins are powerful natural anti-inflammatories which also improve blood flow through the smallest capillaries.

2. Spirulina – Spirulina can be cultivated or farmed micro-algae. It has one of the highest protein contents of all natural foods. It contains 60 percent complete protein (meat consists of only about 20 – 25 percent complete protein). Spirulina is packed with iron, calcium, fibre, vitamin C and amino acids. Spirulina helps to manage blood sugar levels and cravings. It helps the body to detox and as it is so nutritious gives you a natural energy boost.

3. Echinacea – Echinacea contains elements (polysaccharides, betaine, alkalides and echinolone) that stimulates and supports your immune system by activating the white blood cells to fight infection and trigger the use of natural killer cells and anti-bodies. Echinacea gives your immune system a natural energy boost. It is anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial and can be used to treat colds, tonsillitis and skin ulcers.

4. Guarana – Traditionally used by the Brazilian rain forest Indians; this plant has been used for thousands of years as a tonic, stimulant and as an aid to boost vitality. Guarana increases energy, reduces stress and improves mood and performance. Critics claim this is due to the small caffeine content in guarana. However, the type of caffeine present is approximately 35 mg. and has a totally different effect on the body. Guarana is rich in natural fats, which means it gives a slow-release of energy, its slow absorption rate is ideal to boost and maintain vitality throughout the day.

5. Cat’s Claw – is one of the best immune boosters. It is a powerful antiviral antioxidant.

As you can see, under the guidance of either a herbal specialist or naturopath, nature offers you a selection of easy to use herbal supplements to give your body a gentle energy boost and to reduce and manage stress.

Five Natural Supplements to Reduce Stress and Boost Your Energy by Ntathu Allen