When I say the word “energy”, what comes to mind? How can I increase my energy level? The main objective of the majority of the people that come see me is to increase their energy level, but they don’t know how to go about doing that.
I am not only talking about my clients in there forties or fifties, more and more, young adults in their early twenties come and see me for that problem. I think it’s the world up side down, I am only 27 years old but I can tell you that when I was 20 years old my energy level was extremely high. What happened in the past seven years? We must ask ourselves serious questions regarding that situation. In the following column I will discuss the number one cause of this epidemic.
In my opinion, this easily explicable issue is caused by the following 5 reasons:
1) A nutrition low in vitamins and minerals
2) A lack of physical activity or over training
3) A bad posture and a weak muscular efficiency
4) Environmental toxins
5) Lack of sleep
1- A nutrition low in vitamins and minerals
Most people mainly consume complex carbohydrates such as bread, cereals, pasta, muffins, bars, etc…In the long run, these foods are low energy. In the short-term, they provide you with a certain level of energy, but depending on your genetics to metabolize these foods, the opposite effect could happen, meaning that your body will need to spend a lot of energy to absorb them. Approximately 75% of the population have trouble metabolizing insulin, which is the hormone released by the pancreas when the body ingest carbohydrates.
Not only does it decrease your energy level, but this food group is also very low in vitamins and minerals, which are essential to maintain de equilibrium of your physiological systems (digestive system, nervous system, etc). From now on, you should always ask yourself if the food you are about to put in your mouth is high or low in long-term energy. Certain people claim that they need carbohydrates in order to have energy, but the reality is that they are so used to consuming those foods that when that person stops eating them, their body ask for them because it is the only source of fuel that the body knows how to use. If your body fat is not below 10% for a man and 12% for a woman, your body does not really need carbohydrates in order for you to have energy.
JFT INTL solution:
A balanced nutrition include proteins, good fats, and carbohydrates low in sugar, which will not cause a sudden lost of energy. On the contrary, your level of energy will increase and any aches and pains will decrease. Fats are essential for your brain and should not be eliminated completely from your diet. Implementing a sufficient amount of protein is imperative if your want to maintain your muscle mass, have a good liver function, and healthy organs (which are also muscles). I recommend 1g of protein per pound of weight for active person and 0.7g for someone who does not train.
Don’t forget that only 25% of the population is able to properly metabolize carbohydrates. How do you know what is your genetic?
Take action now!
Jean-François Thibault