How Juicing for Energy Can Help You Live a Better Life

 

If you believe your alarm clock is basically the devil and you struggle to understand how anyone can get by with less than eight hours of sleep, then you should read on to find out how to get rid of fatigue and live a better life by juicing for energy…

Most of us use coffee and outright determination to deal with our busy lives. We struggle all day to keep going before falling onto the sofa at the end of the day, utterly exhausted. Whether we are trying to advance our career, are running after the kids, or keeping up with household demands, sometimes we work too hard for our body to cope.

Experts say that 1 in 4 of us struggle with energy issues. However, a lack of energy and general fatigue is usually never only connected to one factor. There are millions around the world who suffer from stress, depression, weight gain, chronic fatigue and hormone imbalances and all are related. When we suffer from fatigue, it is often not just general tiredness. Our bodies are more prone to infections, and we tend to suffer from forgetfulness and concentration problems.

Luckily, there is a way of overcoming this issue…

For most of us, our lack of energy is directly related to our lifestyle and a poor diet.

There is a direct relationship between what you eat and our level of physical activity. It affects our mental health, our general fitness and whether we suffer from hormone imbalances. By changing our diet we can combat a lot of issues, or at least give ourselves the best opportunity to fight them with additional help from professionals.

Food is the energy source our body needs to function properly. However, snacking on a muffin or candy bar won’t give your body what it needs. The energy we get from sugary foods and drinks only last about 30 minutes, not nearly enough to get us through the day and most certainly a recipe for a crash!

Most of us are starved of nutrients; we are simply “filling a hole” instead of feeding our body what it needs.

Foods high in nutrients is what the body really needs. Juicing for energy works because it helps us make our calories work for us. There are numerous vegetables and fruits that contain everything we need for energy and it’s up to us to use nature’s natural cure for fighting tiredness.

How Our Body Creates and Uses Energy

Glucose is produced in our body through the breakdown of food and is the main source of our energy. Our pancreas is the organ in our body responsible for producing insulin and regulating glucose levels in our blood. Glucose is a type of sugar that breaks down in our body and gets transported throughout for energy. If we are low on glucose we tend to suffer from low blood sugar levels, headaches and of course fatigue. Eating the right kind of food is essential in helping us maintain our energy throughout the day.

Our bodies are also programmed to produce high levels of certain hormones to help us get moving and keep our body functioning the way it should. These hormones are known as cortisol, melatonin and testosterone and each have a different function.

Cortisol is released from our adrenal glands and has a profound influence on our energy levels as it controls how the body makes and uses energy. Studies show that cortisol increases up to 50% after awakening, and slowly declines throughout the day. No one no knows for sure why cortisol levels spike in the morning, but researchers suggest that it provides a type of activation of our prospective memory. This activation enables us to orientate ourselves and to meet the demands of the day ahead.

Cortisol levels are lower when we are stressed. Being stressed means our bodies have to use a lot more energy to deal with the demands stress can put on our body. Without cortisol helping us control our energy, the body starts using it “irresponsibly” causing the adrenal glands to become chronically fatigued. Juicing for stress allows us to consume the right nutrients that help improve our energy levels.

Low levels of cortisol caused by stress is one of the most common reasons people suffer from fatigue.

Melatonin is another hormone that effects our energy levels. It is a light sensitive hormone that allows us to awake and fall sleep depending on the time of day by the change in light. It is this hormone that has given us our “biological clock”. Once again stress can cause this hormone to malfunction.

Testosterone isn’t just a puberty hormone that separates the boys from the men and allows body builders to get pumped out. It is a hormone present on both men and woman and plays an important role in our health. Men have a lot more testosterone than woman, however, when our testosterone levels are low both genders can suffer from fatigue and low energy levels.

All of these hormones along with glucose play a direct role in energy production. It’s pretty clear that stress and diet is a major contributor for those who suffer from fatigue. Our diet can also play a big role in reducing our stress levels, making the end all quite obvious; we are what we eat.

Top Nutrients to Boost Energy

Juicing is a great way to boost your energy levels. By juicing certain ingredients you can give your body the right nutrients. Blending fruits and vegetables together in the right way can go a long way in fighting fatigue, stress and increasing energy levels.

Iron: Beets, collard greens, spinach

Iron is an essential mineral needed in haemoglobin, a type of protein responsible for transportation in our red blood cells. It is a vital mineral and is responsible for transporting oxygen from our lungs to the rest of the body. A deficiency in iron means that the body cannot take enough oxygen carrying blood cells to the rest of the body.

Without healthy blood cells carrying enough oxygen to the body, it can become fatigued.

Iron found in fruits and vegetables are not as easily absorbed as in meat. Juicing allows us to absorb iron a lot easier if consumed alongside fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C.

Complex carbohydrates: Fruits, vegetables

Complex carbs are a wonderful source of slow releasing energy. Athletes have long known the benefits of eating certain carbs and the energy they produce to fuel muscles. Complex carbohydrates break down into sugars that are absorbed and converted into energy over a slow period of time.

Beta-carotene: Sweet potatoes, carrots

Chronic fatigue is usually a sign of a low immune system. A deficiency in beta carotene weakens the immune system and is usually caused by either a bad diet or stress. Studies have shown that a low immune system will drain the body of its resources causing us to suffer from chronic fatigue.

Potassium: Spinach, squash

Although potassium itself doesn’t directly give you energy, it can give your body building blocks to help you become more active. Potassium will help you fight physical weakness you may feel during exercise. It helps you develop stronger muscles for physical exercise and day to day movement. It also improves nerve signal and muscle contraction, both which are essential for leading an active lifestyle.

Vitamin C: Citrus fruits, peppers, broccoli

Along with beta carotene, vitamin c boosts the immune system and plays a critical role in adrenal function. Furthermore, when we are stressed our body uses up vitamin C very quickly causing us to become deficient quite quickly.

Magnesium: Spinach

A study performed by a psychologist and nutritionist from the ARS found that magnesium played a vital role in our energy levels. It is found that a deficiency in magnesium can cause the body to use more energy than those who aren’t, therefore causing fatigue quicker. This is because the lack of magnesium levels caused a need for increased oxygen within the body at even light to moderate exercise levels.

Fatigue Fighting Juicing Ingredients for Energy

• Beets
• Collard Greens
• Spinach
• Sweet Potatoes
• Carrots
• Spinach
• Squash
• Citrus Fruits
• Peppers
• Broccoli

Top 5 Juicing Recipes for Energy

Here are a few of the best juicing recipes for energy. They contain essential ingredients that have helped athletes stay energised and ready for action!

1# Beets Apple & Carrot

Ingredients:

• 2 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed
• 1 granny Smith apple, peeled and cored
• 3 medium carrots, peeled

2# Popeye’s Green Juice

Ingredients:

• 2 granny Smith Apples, peeled and cored
• ½ cucumber
• 2 cups Spinach

3# Orange Delight

Ingredients:

• 3 medium carrots, peeled
• ½ red bell pepper
• 2 granny smith apples, peeled and cored

4# Carrot, Orange & Cucumber

Ingredients:

• 3 medium carrots, peeled
• 2 oranges, peeled
• ½ cucumber

5# Super Energy Juice

Ingredients:

• 3 medium carrots, peeled
• 1 medium beet, trimmed and scrubbed
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 knob ginger

Other ways of fighting fatigue include eating little but often, and encouraging yourself to do light exercise such as going for walks. Also finding ways to reduce stress in your life and to continue eating healthy will play a big role in getting your energy back.