Be Bouncy and Energetic through the Winter Months

As the weather gets a little bit cold and the days get shorter, some people tend to find they just don’t have the same get up and go as they do in the summer. Modern life does mean that we no-longer follow our natural body clock of sleeping when it’s dark and waking when it is light. Unfortunately, this situation is unavoidable for most of us, but there is help at hand. Today we have a bit of advice on how to keep you bouncy and energetic throughout the winter months.

Keep your protein balanced

You want to support your chemical messengers to keep them in balance. Remember them a bit like the seven dwarfs that make up your personality:

·         GABA is a bit like dopey, very relaxed and can handle stressful situations without getting into a panic

·         Adrenaline is like doc, your motivational speaker to help you get everything done.

·         Dopamine is like bashful, rewarding you by making you feel good about yourself

·         Noradrenaline is sneezy, the fight and flight response giving you the power and strength to blow away anything and anyone in your path.

·         Serotonin is like happy making you smile

·         Melatonin is your sleepy one that when it gets dark makes you tired

·         Acetylcholine is similar to grumpy in intelligence and mental alertness but without the moodiness

Examples of how to support your dwarfs for a healthy energy level

GABA

·         An amino acid called taurine can be added to the diet from eating meat and seafood. Beneficial bacteria including the strain L.Rhamnosis may support the release of GABA keeping you calm and focussed and support B vitamin synthesis for energy 

Serotonin and Melatonin

·         Amino acids 5-HTP (found in Griffonia simplicifolia) and tryptophan (found in bananas, turkey and chicken) act as precursors to these chemicals being produced.

Acetylcholine

·         Choline is the precursor to this chemical and also it beneficial in the diet by aiding fat digestion, food sources would be avocados, meat eggs and fish.

Dopamine

·         Is made from an amino acid call tyrosine which can be found in bananas, this can be an option when you are feeling stressed and burning yourself out

Having a healthy balancing effect on adrenaline and noradrenaline 

Chemical messengers are made from amino acids which are the building blocks of protein.

·         Foods that contain complete proteins (all essential amino acids) are animal produce

·         Vegan diets; you just have to be a bit cleverer about food choices as most vegan foods are not complete proteins, therefore food combining is important. An example would be beans and sweetcorn in a meal. There are a couple of vegan foods that are complete proteins which are your sea greens such as algae and phytoplankton.

Now we have these in check what else can you do to support energy:

·         Liquorice first thing in the morning gives your energy levels a bit of a spike and may support a healthy balance in your energy gland response

·         Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a low energy level, at a potent dosage of 1000iu per day may support mood and focus, therefore it may be worthwhile having your levels checked.