Midwinter Energy Boosters

Now that the holidays with all their bright lights, glitter and sparkles are over, we can settle into January. Sometimes, once the tree is down, the decorations boxed away for another year, and all the parties and visits are over, it can get pretty boring and plain...

The sun isn't gracing us with noticeably longer days just yet, though we know it will. Winter storms, clouds and cold remind us that the land itself is sleeping. Resting.

All this can lead to some really long nights if you let it!

Winter itself is a time of rest. A time to reflect, organize, plan and simply savor the quiet. Its a time of rejuvenation, and as we move closer to spring, a time of inspiration and anticipation as well.

But, to truly savor the season, sometimes we need some energy boosters – you know – just to stay awake...

Here are a couple tips for those who don't have the luxury of hybernating with the bears!

Skip the Caffeine and Go for a Walk

I know... Its cold. But the fresh air is good for you! And getting your body moving – especially when its cold, sluggish and a little stiff – will boost both health and energy levels!

Indulge your senses while walking, too. Notice the scent of the brisk air, the warmth of the sun where it touches your face, even the flavor of the wind.

Notice the colors around you. Sitting in your chair, it looks all white outside – or worse – all gray. If you get up walking and start to really look at what's around you, you'll discover a fairy-tale landscape full of life and vigor!

Engage ALL of your senses, and soak up all you can – you'll be soaking up energy and a better outlook, too!

The brisk air will help clear all that “gunk” out, and you'll find yourself not only warmer when you return home (or to the office), but your head will be clear, too. And it will last the rest of the afternoon.

Get the blood flowing!

And, if its really harsh outside, do the same thing in the house or office. Just go for “the rounds” and notice things around you.

A caution here: don't notice things like that pile of unpaid bills, unfinished work or unwashed laundry. Notice instead the pictures on the wall, the pretty suit your co-worker is wearing – the good things.

Skip the Carbs at Snack Time and Lunch

Its not all that popular these days unless you're a big Atkins fan, but if you find you just can't keep your eyes open after about 2:00 in the afternoon, leggo the carbs.

Opt for salads or soup rather than a sandwich for lunch. Have fresh fruit and yogurt or cheese for a snack and leave the crackers.

Protein and veggies (and a little... dare I say it? FAT) will boost your energy without raising your blood sugar levels, and therefore there won't be a “crash” mid-afternoon just as the meeting starts or you have to pick the kids up from school.

And please.... stop buying the garbage the government and so-called “nutritionists” tell you about healthy eating. Sooner or later I'm gonna have a blog just on that....

In the meantime, if you are reasonably healthy (meaning no heart problems, no allergies, no diabetes, etc), grab a drumstick, a salad with lots of veggies and not-so-much iceberg (maybe toss on a handful of chopped nuts) and some full-fat cottage cheese with fruit for lunch. Yeah. I said it and I mean it!

Leave the lean skinless breast meat and the low-fat cheese for people that don't know any better. And leave the fake foods on the shelf.

Chocolate, of course (all things in moderation) is a food group all its own!

Stay Hydrated

Yes, with water. But... I'm not an advocate of “enhanced” water unless you need the extra nutrition. Most of us wouldn't know if we did or not, so skip the extra fees.

While we're at it, I'm not a fan of bottled water in any form – but that's a political and financial issue, so I'll leave it alone here. I realize that's probably the best and easiest for those who aren't at home and don't have a well.

Your body will not function if it is dehydrated. You'll feel dizzy, sluggish or sleepy. You'll probably feel stiff, and maybe even bloated. And chances are, you'll think you are hungry.

The only time you are hungry is when your body needs nutrients and fat. Period. Anything else is either actually thirst, or something in your psyche you need to work on. So drink first. And drink water.

Chemicals and sugar deplete water in your system... Caffeine might be a great pick-me-up in the present moment, but you're going to need more of it to get through the rest of the day. Sides... If you're anything like me, coffee after about 11:00 am will mess with my sleep that evening. Ick.

Good, high quality water, and at least a half gallon of it a day (preferably more) is the way to go. Soda, coffee, tea and all the rest might be made with water, but the other stuff in them makes it largely unusable to your body.

Fruit juices are largely sugar. Fructose is something else we need more of in our lives like we need more in-laws. (Actually, mine are pretty great folks, but you know what I mean!) Again, this isn't a food or health blog, but all sugars are not created equal, no matter what the television says. There are times when “natural” doesn't mean “better.”

Check In and Balance

Spend a few quiet moments checking in with your body and your energy system. Discomfort in your body usually associates with energy blocks, and it should be relatively easy to figure out if your Chakras need a little tuning.

If you are healthy to begin with, notice where in your body you feel fatigue. Then, you can simply breathe into those areas.

Because this has a particularly subtle effect – especially for those not used to working with energy – you probably won't notice any immediate change other than perhaps a gentle “easing” in the area.

However, you can try this:

Sit or stand with your feet flat on the floor, and nothing crossed. Put your hands on your legs, or let them simply hang down at your sides.

Tighten the muscles of your core above and below the diaphragm.

Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth, concentrate on the area of your belly button. Try to breath so that only that part of your body moves in and out with each breath – and breathe deeply and slowly.

Do this 5 or 10 times and then relax. See how you feel.

Don't work at this so hard you get cramps or become dizzy – its not that sort of exercise! But, it should make you feel energized and calm.

You have just energized your Solar Plexus Chakra, and helped to balance all the others. As you learn to work more with your personal energy centers, this will become second nature to you.

Garbage In, Garbage Out

While we are on the topic of chemicals and energy, you'd be surprised how much better you feel when you clean up your environment...

I'm not talking about dusting and ridding yourself of all that adorable clutter everywhere – though that will help in more ways than one.

I'm talking about the chemicals we ingest and inhale, and the energies we swim in that even our parents didn't have to deal with.

Cleanse your food before you eat or prepare it. If you stick with me long enough, you'll be doing this energetically as well as physically, just so you know.

I don't watch my diet, and I eat and drink a lot of things we just aren't meant to ingest (soda, coffee, cookies, fast foods etc). But I am healthy. Socially speaking, I guess I am a rare commodity...

I go to a survey site or something and have to wade through a thousand diseases as if everybody were supposed to have one or more of them, and I think how horrible living conditions must be that there are so many diseases – and that they are prevalent enough to warrant listing on a survey about, say, watching television!

Back to cleansing...

Washing your food... I have a rule...

If it comes from the store “fresh” it gets cleaned. I don't care if its green beans or an apple. If its going in my mouth its going under my faucet first. Goes a long way to getting rid of RoundUp and such like things.

Meats are a bit different, as you're not going to get rid of all the crap they feed the animals. Anyone who's allergic to soy (one of the top ten food allergens on the planet, mind you!) can tell you the difference between commercial and real old-fashioned, honest-to-goodness farm-raised meat. Some are sensitive enough that they even react to the anti-biotics and hormones most commercial meat is raised on.

While political pressures have greatly reduced its meaning, organic really is far better for you than most “regular” fare. I prefer labels with “Certified Naturally Grown,” but they are hard to find. I grow most of my own veggies, and intend to grow a lot more in the near future – including most of my meat.

Most can't do that, so my advice is to:

Wash what you can, and cook the hell out of what you can't.

Basically, eat as close to natural as you can while still being comfortable. You will notice that the better you eat, not only the better you will feel, but the less you will eat (and hence you will lose weight.)

Just getting the chemicals off will help you keep energy levels up and improve your health!

Clear the Air!!

Also in this section is pollution. Woodsy and Smokey aside (yea, we all ought to clean up our own messes), there is a form of pollution that most people won't even acknowledge yet. And that is electromagnetic pollution.

Cell phone companies and the military will tell you to buy stock in Reynolds before continuing to read my writings, but there is solid research out there that doesn't just suggest, but readily proves this is so.

It has been shown to affect the migration of birds, fish and other wildlife, is at least partially responsible for the disappearance and death of trillions of bees, and even has been proven to cause what are known as cancer clusters among humans.

Simple answer: EMF protection.

Easy things: use a head-set with your phone instead of holding against your head. Ground your computer, do not sit too close to the source box for wifi or other wireless technologies.

A bit harder: dump the damnable microwave and go back to a land-line. Protect your home (“Google it!). Yes, I'll provide resources for both checking out the science as well as where to get products elsewhere, but for now, we just wanna know (or not...).

(Nope... me neither, though the microwave has always functioned more as a cookie jar or bread box than an appliance for me – but I can't live without my cell phone, or my computer!)

Hardest: If you live within half a mile of a cell or microwave tower – move. Get educated and then get politically and socially active. If not us, then who?!

No matter which you choose, do educate yourself so that you can make the best possible decision for you and your family. When you work with energy consistently like I do, you'll notice more than just the politics.

WTH??

I know you were expecting magick and mystery here, but neither function well if you don't function well. We will get to that.

For right now, we need to start cleaning up our own energies, getting healthy, and with that, the magick comes almost as a by-product.

So – please excuse the multiple trips I made to the soap-box and remember to think of me the next time you need tinfoil!

Till next time – play with these tips and strategies, and see if they don't give you a solid, pleasing and steady boost in both health and energy levels!

All My Love and Blessings,

Selene