Your Brain’s Best Natural Energy Boosts to Beat Tiredness and to Stay Awake and Alert

What are the best foods and energy drinks to stay alert and focused on the job? Are others’ lives affected by your performance – and your staying awake? Can you take chances? Are you always as sharp as you need to be?

Consider food, herbs or an energy vitamin supplement rather than sugar drinks for quick energy. Why?

Research reports that to stay alert and smart, your brain needs the following:

1) How Glucose Works For Energy And Focus

The immediate fuel for the brain is glucose. If you tend to grab a candy bar for a quick mental energy boost, you might do this occasionally, but here’s why the candy bar does not work in the long run.

Researchers do report that eating candy or a candy bar improves mental performance, for instance, before an exam, because of the quick spike of glucose. We all know that this “quick fix,” works, but we don’t always grasp why it does not work in the long run. Why?

• Unfortunately, when glucose levels drop dramatically, we are unable to focus!

• Now researchers are finding that a drop in glucose also stops us from being able to exert will power! This often leads to grabbing another candy bar, creating a cycle.

Dr. Matthew Gailliot of Florida State University found that people who were able to do one act of focus and self control did badly in subsequent tests, as if their will power and concentration had been sapped.

For example, Gailliot had people do several tasks requiring self-control and focus.

One task involved them watching a video of a woman talking while words popped up in the corner of the screen. They were asked to ignore the words and just stare at the woman’s face, which is hard, because people automatically want to read the words. The researchers found that most people were fine with the first test, but they did poorly in subsequent tests.

Gailliot discovered that their drop in will power coincided with a drop in their glucose levels, impairing their attempts at self control.

AVOIDING SUGAR UPS AND DOWNS

• Slow-release glucose does not set us up for an eventual roller coaster of highs and lows. Why is slow-and-steady glucose better than a quick up and down spike?

Starting by eating a fibre-rich breakfast e.g. oatmeal or bran, will deliver glucose over a longer period of time without the “energy spike” and eventual “downer” of a candy bar.

• Simply eating a morning meal rich in fiber can make you more alert during the day. A study done at Cardiff University in Wales found that people who munched on cereal packed with 6 to 12 grams of fiber in the morning showed a 10% reduction in fatigue.

• "They also had fewer memory problems, fell asleep faster and were less depressed," says researcher Andrew Smith, a professor of psychology

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Glycemic Index Weight Loss Simple Guide To Prevent Blood Sugar Ups and Downs The New Glucose Revolution Life Plan: Discover How to Make the Glycemic Index the Foundation for a Lifetime of Healthy Eating (Glucose Revolution) Driver Fatigue May Not Be What You Think It Is: Learn The Signals!

2) Best Stimulants for Energy and Focus

The most common stay-awake stimulant is coffee, to improve alertness and performance – at least for up to 2 to 3 cups a day. If you drink more than that, the effect levels off, and even reverses.

• Large doses of caffeine can cause the jitters, insomnia and anxiety. In a Harvard Medical School study, a gradual intake of caffeine helped sleep-deprived men perform better on mental calculations and reaction-time tests.

GUARANA FOR A MORE SUSTAINED PICK-UP THAN COFFEE.

Guarana is now being used in energy drinks because it has distinct advantages over coffee.

Guarana, the legendary herb of the Amazon, has a broad spectrum effect that ranges from its use as a builder of stamina and staying power, to its value in calming and soothing the whole body and relieving physical and mental stress. It is thought to stimulate brain function and aids concentration and alertness. (Hildreth, B., BA New Zealand, Survival in the Concrete Jungle, pp 38, 37, 39.)

• The boost from energy drinks with Guaraná is not like that of coffee (with a sudden rush and quick drop-off), but continues over hours.

• Guarana has been reported to relieve stress, improve alertness and concentration, fight fatigue and nervous exhaustion.

• Guarana has been used without harm for thousands of years in the Amazon region. More recently it has become the subject of much clinical and laboratory investigation by the government and universities of Brazil.

• Guarana has been found to be safe and effective in recommended doses without harmful side-effects. Also important is the finding that Guarana is non-habit forming and will not interfere with sound sleep.

NO caffeine, NO sugar PICK-ME-UP formula with GUARANA fights fatigue in minutes!

3) Fast Energy That's Good For You

Unlike convenience store drinks that typically contain 8 teaspoons of sugar giving you an “up” but also a “down,” you can instead, try a herbal-mineral tonic.

A good tonic invigorates, refreshes and restores you physically and mentally by revitalizing a number of the body’s systems.

Energy supplements with both herbs and minerals will deliver a boost with, for example, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, and an energizing assortment of herbs. Some are safe even if you are diabetic, especially if you use a formula that has NO SUGAR. Herbal tonics have been used traditionally in Europe to increase stamina, reaction speed, concentration and mental alertness.

Particularly good are formulas that use both minerals and small amounts of herbs that are beneficial to the brain, such as:

• Ginkgo Biloba to improve your memory

• Ginseng for performance optimization

WHAT TRUCKERS, NURSES, DOCTORS AND SHIFT WORKERS SAY:

“Using convenience store caffeine energy drinks I had to stop more to visit the men's room. Now, with a shot of a herbal tonic I can do better at planning my breaks! It sure helps me focus and stay alert.” Jim C, Missouri, long-haul trucker.

“As a nurse I do long shifts, and this herbal-mineral energy drink helps me take care of my patients better because I stay focused, alert, and I am less tired.” Jane S., Oregon, Registered Nurse.

“I treat many people in our clinic, and the days are long. Adjusting people is manual work, so that my energy boost supplement with ginkgo guarana helps me give my best and to get through the day.” Stuart S, Washington, Chiropractor

"A herbal energy drink just gives me the energy to start my day and get on with life – I have more concentration – the tonic with guarana is the best pick-me-up I have ever taken." Karla G., Florida, shift worker.

• Energy Drinks for Performance: Athletes, Students, Shift Work and Driving * Why Shift Workers and Nurses Have Higher Breast Cancer Rates * Why 8 Hours Of Sleep Makes You Smart and Stay Focused *

4) Some Fats and even Cholesterol makes You Smarter

Eating fish oils and the essential fatty acids (EFA’S) in nuts and avocados has been shown to be crucial for concentration and focus, especially for children and people with attention deficit, ADD or ADHD problems.

Cholesterol is also important because it is needed for the brain to function properly. According to a team of Boston University professors:

“High cholesterol brings modestly better mental function in areas such as visual coordination, memory, attention and concentration.”

Furthermore, a study published in “Psychosomatic Medicine,” by Elias and Elias, reported that as peoples’ cholesterol levels rose, so did their ability to learn, pay attention, remember and speak fluently.

For energy and focus, keep your “good” cholesterol levels up by eating fish, nuts and avocados. So have a bag of nuts on hand for a quick snack for long-term performance and alertness!

Bananas, Peppermint, Green Tea and Peanut Butter

Bananas pack potassium, a mineral your body needs to convert sugar in your blood into energy, says energy expert Susan Lark, M.D., author of The Chemistry of Success: Six Secrets of Peak Performance

WHY PEPPERMINT IS A FAST PICK-ME UP

With PEPPERMINT, not only will you freshen your breath, you'll perk up your brain.

In a NASA-funded study, scientists from Wheeling (W.Va.) Jesuit University monitored the emotional responses of 25 people during simulated driving scenarios. The volunteers reported that the smell of peppermint lowered fatigue by 15%, increased alertness by 30% and decreased frustration by 25%.

Oils in the peppermint plant increase alertness by stimulating your trigeminal nerve, "the same nerve that's activated when you revive someone with smelling salts," says Alan Hirsch, M.D., director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago.

For a quick pick-me-up, take a long whiff from your mint case, or stash a bottle of peppermint oil in your desk or purse. Or make yourself a cup of peppermint tea!

GREEN TEA AS PICK-ME UP

Green tea is also a pick-me-up, although for some of us it is hard to substitute for our regular latte. Green tea does have some energizing caffeine, but it also contains theanine, a compound that has a stress-reducing effect on your brain.

"It calms you while giving you mental clarity," says Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., author of From Fatigued to Fantastic!

6) Drink More Water for Better Memory

"A significant number of the people who come to me complaining of fatigue are actually dehydrated," says Woodson Merrell, M.D., executive director of the Continuum Center for Health and Healing at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City.

One study found just a 2% dip in hydration levels -- the point where you start to feel a little thirsty -- decreased short-term memory as well as the ability to add and subtract.

Another study found that dehydrated exercisers tired out 25% sooner than those who sipped water during workouts.

7) Go Outside Into the Sunshine

Research suggests that exposure to bright light in the morning can boost energy throughout the day.

One theory: Light stimulates neurotransmitters in your brain, such as serotonin and dopamine, which improve your mood and increase motivation.

Exposure to any sunlight can provide a little boost, but Terman says that "the dawn signal has a particularly strong therapeutic effect."

So take a morning walk or quick stroll during your coffee break; even a cloudy day offers enough light to have a stimulating effect on the brain.

IF YOU ARE A SHIFT WORKER, avoid sunshine in the morning before going to sleep. Staying in the dark stimulates your body to make melatonin, the hormone that signals the body to go to sleep.

New Discoveries for Better Sleep

8) Refresh with a Mini Work-Out

Try this simple three-move “pump iron” mini-workout from Michele Stanten, "Prevention Magazine's" fitness director and co-creator of the "3, 2, 1 Workout" DVD. When men and women did each of these moves in one study, they felt up to 45% more energetic and refreshed after the workout, compared with a group who did not exercise.

Note that you don't need to pump serious iron; the group that lifted lighter weights actually reported more energy than did those who lifted heavier weights. MINI WORK-OUT INSTRUCTIONS:

Do five repetitions of each of the following exercises. Women should use 5- to 10-pound dumbbells; men should lift 15- to 20-pound weights.

1. Bench press. Lying on your back on a bench, hold dumbbells at chest height, palms facing toward feet. Press them straight up, then lower.

2. Overhead press. Stand upright, and hold dumbbells to sides at shoulder height. Raise them straight up over your head, then lower. 3. Bent-over row. Bend at the waist, keeping your back flat. With your arm hanging down, bend your elbow and pull dumbbell toward your rib cage. Slowly lower, then switch arms.

Firm Up in 3 Weeks: Trim and Tone Your Trouble Zones for Your Best Body Ever BANISH YOUR BELLY, BUTT AND THIGHS (FOREVER!) The Real Woman's Guide to Permanent Weight Loss

Links

Prevention magazine, America's Most-read Health Publication From Fatigued to Fantastic! A Proven Program to Regain Vibrant Health, Based on a New Scientific Study Showing Effective Treatment for Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia How High Blood Pressure Can Make You Fat and How High Blood Pressure Can Prevent Weight loss

Your Brain’s Best Energy Boost Energy Drinks and Energy Vitamin Supplement

GO to Health Discoveries HOME PAGE from herbal energy drinks