How to Increase Energy in the Human Body

“Every cell in my body vibrates with positive energy.”—OutOfStress.com

Physically, humans are frail.

A dwarf, he is in muscular power when compared to gorillas, bears, elephants, whales, and a host of other creatures.

The ‘strength of a bull’ is proverbial.

For example, lowly insects, spiders, and ants can lift fantastic loads in ratio to their own body weights.

For instance, environmental scientists observed that an ant suspended by its hind feet could hold in its jaws a dead weight measuring 1,100 times the weight of its own body.

For a 150-pound man to equal this phenomenal feat, he would, while hanging high in the air by his feet, must hold more than eighty-two tons in his teeth!

Thus, humans have no reason to boast about their limited physical strength.

Men from the earliest times in history have sought to harness and use outside energy sources to compensate for this shortage of muscular power.

Men have depended very heavily on such creatures as horses, oxen, camels, yaks, buffaloes, dogs, elephants, llamas, donkeys, and other beasts of burden.

To increase and multiply the loads they can move, men have, in countless ways, applied the principles of the lever and fulcrum, pully, and wheel.

The invisible forces of the wind, the power of rivers and waterfalls, and the surging strength of the tireless tides men have utilized.

Energy is essential for all life: people, animals, plants, and microorganisms.

Energy fuels our body’s internal functions, and repairs, builds, and maintains cells and body tissue.

Energy is a basic human need.

So, what can we do today, as humans, to develop and increase the energy and strength in our bodies, not just to stay alive but to thrive?

This article will discuss the following:

1. What is energy?
2. The four elements of energy?
3. How do you increase power in your body?
4. How to keep your energy as you age.

What Is Energy?

Energy is the ability to do work.

All forms of energy are associated with motion.

We can break energy down into four different elements:

• Physical energy
• Emotional energy
• Mental energy
• Spiritual energy

Physical Energy: Three Keys

Fuel your body’s internal functions.

How healthy are you?

Key #1: Good nutrition

“Good nutrition means your body gets all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals it needs to work its best.”—TuftsHealthPlan.org

Many nutritionists recommend that you pay attention to your catabolic and anabolic cycles to keep the energy in your body running strong.

Catabolism means breaking down muscle (glycogen) and fat that releases energy.

Anabolism means building and maintaining muscle and requires energy.

Bodybuilders seek to maximize anabolic muscle building and minimize muscle loss through catabolism.

In other words, anabolic means “building up,” and catabolic means “breaking down.”

Like a bodybuilder, you want to give your body carbohydrates (= energy) in the morning to get you moving.

Rachel MacPherson, a Canadian-based personal trainer, and exercise nutritionist says “Carbs fuel your workout and also stimulates insulin—a hormone that helps build muscle.”

MacPherson recommends carbohydrates from:

• Chicken breast
• Eggs
• Tofu
• Skim milk
• Tuna

More on nutrition:

Drink water—your life depends on it!

Did you know that two-thirds of your total weight is water, while as much as three-fourths of your brain and muscles are?

Consider these benefits.

Water helps you to:

• Regulate your body temperature.
• Protect your tissues, spinal cord, and joints.
• Have higher levels of brain function.
• Have higher energy levels.
• Get rid of waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements.
• Improve your mood.
• Lose weight.

Eat small, frequent meals to increase energy in your body.

Always eat a healthy breakfast and include protein-rich foods.

Best foods for energy:

• Eggs
• Beans
• Chicken
• Sardines
• Beef liver
• Berries
• Walnuts
• Coffee
• Water—drink plenty of water! Dehydration saps your energy.

(Source: WebMD.com)

 Tip:

The latest research reveals that multitasking is bad for your digestion. You don’t want to eat and watch TV at the same time. Solely focusing on eating helps you to digest your food better and thus makes you a more efficient worker as you complete other tasks.

Key #2 Fitness:

What is “fitness”?

Fitness means how well you transport oxygen through your body.

According to FitDay.com: “The components of physical fitness: cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition.”

Fitness involves the performance and endurance of your body’s heart, lungs, and muscles.

Can you execute daily activities with optimal performance, endurance, and strength?

Should you work on your fitness level?

Are you sitting too much?

Signs that you are not active enough and the risks, could include:

• Constantly fatigued
• Suffer stiff joints
• Obesity
• High blood cholesterol and blood pressure
• Increased feelings of depression and anxiety
• Early death

What is your excuse for not getting enough exercise to stay fit?

1. You’re too tired.
2. You’re too busy.
3. You feel embarrassed.
4. You’re too old.
5. It’s too hard.
6. It’s too painful.
7. You hate exercising!

It is relatively easy to remain active through vigorous exercise.

How?

Ideas include:

1. Brisk walking
2. Jogging
3. Bicycling
4. Swimming
5. Rounding
6. Weight training

And don’t forget that even moderate exercise can trigger your brain to release the “happiness drug”—endorphins.

Key #3: Rest

Another way to maintain our physical energy is through sleep.

Not getting enough sleep and rest harms the body.

On this website, I discuss the importance of getting enough sleep.

Insomnia is a common complaint, and there are several reasons why people do not get enough sleep.

Sleep is how we renew our body and our energy.

Regarding lack of sleep, according to Dr. Michael Twery, a sleep expert at the National Institutes of Health (NIH):

“It affects growth and stress hormones, our immune system, appetite, breathing, blood pressure and cardiovascular health. Your body releases hormones during sleep that help repair cells and control the body’s use of energy.”

Sleep renews your energy levels.

Better sleep, better health.

Tip:

Develop a meditation habit to improve your sleep.

Don’t know how to meditate?

Try a fantastic app called HeadSpace to get started.

Your body is a gift from God—cherish it.

Take care of your physical energy and remain solid and fit by using the abovementioned ideas.

Remember the three keys to physical energy: nutrition, exercise, and rest.

Emotional Energy

As noted above, “energy” is the ability to do work.

Energy comes in many forms.

I have discussed “physical energy,” I will now discuss why we need emotional energy.

“Just as physical energy comes from diet, exercise and rest, emotional energy comes from the ways you take care of yourself emotionally—living in a way that makes you feel inspired, hopeful, self-confident, playful, loving and in touch with what you care about most.”—Mira Kirshenbaum, American therapist, speaker, and author.

According to the researcher Barbara Frederickson:

“In itself, emotional energy is neutral. It is the feeling sensation and physiological reaction that makes a specific emotion positive or negative. Feeling is what you label as anger, sadness, joy, or fear. It is then your interpretations or thoughts about emotional energy that give it meaning.”

Frederickson further explains that we must understand that our emotions are fluid; therefore, energy, like waves, we can feel release, suppress and ignore.

If we tend to suppress or ignore our emotions, this leads to low emotional intelligence and, eventually, stress burnout.

Thus, emotional energy not only exists but is one of the most basic forms of human energy.

Do you have mastery over your emotional energy?

Imagine how productive and successful you would be if you could control your emotional energy.

Unlike physical energy, where you invest in the most nutritious meals and often spend loads of money to stay fit, boosting your emotional energy is free!

But unfortunately, it is not easy to control your emotional energy.

We feel negative emotions several times a day, and it can be challenging to manage our feelings and increase our emotional energy.

Why?

Emotional energy triggers.

You dwell on minor issues with a coworker that may quickly become major issues, with each of you attacking the other rather than the problem at hand.

In contrast, when you and your coworker are a team, you become like a pilot and copilot with the same flight plan rather than two pilots on a collision course.

When you disagree on a strategy, you work out practical solutions instead of wasting time and emotional energy blaming and accusing.

You might need a break for a few hours, which is good for our minds and bodies.

It can help restore vital emotional energy.

When our emotional energy weakens, we can feel drained, which can affect our body; we feel tired.

You will find an interesting emotional energy framework here.

Listen to your genuine emotions and your body.

Try this advice from Nathalie Sommer, a certified relationship and intimacy coach:

“Close your eyes, connect to your body by taking a deep breath and feel your emotions, rather than think about them. See what feelings come up when you ask yourself: ‘What do I need to give myself? Self-love? Self-care? Acceptance? Safety?’ Then allow yourself to feel that emotion to rewire and replenish your brain, emotions, and nervous system.”

We are emotional creatures.

Emotions have energy.

Would you like to know how to manage your emotional energy?

Check out this article for excellent ideas.

We have discussed how to manage our physical energy and emotional energy.

Next up

How to Manage Mental Energy

“Lack of mental energy is one of the leading reasons adults turn to dietary supplements, with three out of ten supplement users hoping to improve their energy level; even more consume caffeine-containing products for the same reason.”—PubMed.gov

We know that physical energy is required to complete a task.

We can observe physical energy because someone can objectively specify a task.

Mental energy could be more well-defined.

When we think about “mental energy,” the words that come to mind are mood, vigor, and fatigue.

So, what do we do when we feel drained?

We grab a cup of coffee or tea.

Why?

If we need a boost mentally, the effects of caffeine will do the trick.

Research explores caffeine’s effects on cognition and shows that in small doses, caffeine might help improve judgment and decision-making abilities.

However, drinking too much caffeine can cause you to feel anxious and jittery.

But drinking a plain glass of water also impacts mental energy.

Get Moving!

Physical activity will also help your mood and overall mental and emotional well-being.

“Physical activity can improve your cognitive health—helping you think, learn, problem-solve, and enjoy and emotional balance. It can improve memory and reduce anxiety or depression no matter your age or fitness level.”—CDC.gov

Mental processes require physical energy, and the body is limited in supplying the brain with sufficient energy to fuel cognitive processes.

Yes, mental work requires physical power.

What About Supplements?

For brain health, many believe supplements improve memory and brain function.

www.healthline.com recommends the following supplements:

1. Fish Oils
2. Resveratrol
3. Creatine
4. Phosphatidylserine
5. Acetyl-L-Ca
6. Ginkgo Biloba
7. Bacopa Monnier
8. Rho Diola Rosea
9. S-Adenosyl Methionine

And as with all things, getting enough quality sleep is critical to your overall health, including optimal brain function.

Adding regular meditation to your daily routine is also excellent for your mental energy.

Spiritual Energy

“Spiritual: having to do with the human spirit as opposed to physical things.”—Oxford English Dictionary

We need food to regulate the health of the body and prevent disease.

The benefits of good food take time to become obvious.

When we finish a delicious meal, we seldom think about what it has done to our heart, kidneys, or muscles.

Spiritual energy refers to what many believe is the non-physical force within a person and is often linked to Christianity and religion.

Therefore, while many believe this energy comes from a higher power, others believe spiritual energy originates within ourselves.

I believe the latter; is the interpersonal essence or force within a person that drives an individual to want to realize their full potential and to make a positive difference in the world around them.

A person with good spiritual energy would not be selfish but generous.

An individual with good spiritual energy would:

• Follow the Golden Rule.
• Value all life.
• Be kind to others.
• Avoid harmful speech.
• Pursue peace.
• Forgive

Do you disagree?

Thus far, I have shared what physical energy, emotional energy, mental energy, and spiritual energy are.

Next up and Finally

How to Keep Energy as You Age

Here are a few tips to stay strong and fit as you age:

1. Ensure proper nutrition.
2. Eat breakfast.
3. Take vitamin supplements (B-6, B-12).
4. Drink green tea.
5. Drink plenty of water.
6. Exercise daily (walking in the morning sunshine will give you an extra boost) and maintain muscle mass.
7. Get enough sleep.

(Source: www.sunhealthcommunities.org)

So, there you have it.

Key Takeaways

1. Energy is the ability to do work and is a basic human need. All parts of the body (muscles, brain, heart, and liver) need the energy to work. This energy comes from the food we eat.
2. The four elements of energy are:

• Physical energy
• Emotional energy
• Mental energy
• Spiritual energy

3. We can increase energy in our bodies through good nutrition (water is the body’s most crucial nutrient), physical fitness, and getting plenty of rest.
4. We can keep our energy as we age through exercise to improve heart health, regular strength training to maintain muscle mass, and, most importantly, getting enough sleep.

You might think only a little about energy and what it means for the human body.

But we cannot live and thrive without it.

When we deplete our energy, it isn’t easy to stay focused and complete essential tasks.

According to MayoClinic.org:

“Most of the time fatigue can be traced to one or more lifestyle issues, such as sleep habits, or lack of exercise. Fatigue can be caused by a medicine or linked to depression. Sometimes fatigue is a symptom of an illness that needs treatment.”

If your fatigue persists, work with your doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

Take your time.

Understand how to increase energy in your body.

Why?

You will handle stress better.

You will have the ability to get more things done.

You will have the fortitude to cope with whatever life throws at you.

Bonus: With increased energy in your body, you will experience greater happiness and well-being.

Why not work to increase energy in your body now!!

 

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