Brews, Concoctions and Spells that are energy boosters

[Petra]

I need to increase my energy levels to cope with an ever increasing and demanding workload. I work to deadlines and each week there seems to be more to do and less time to do it all in. By Thursday afternoon, I'm feeling mentally and physically fatigued and have little energy left to get out and play come the weekend.

So, what should I eat, drink or do to raise my physical energy levels and combat mental fatigue.

[viscousmemories]

Ginko Biloba.*





* Okay so I have no idea what that is and I'm pretty sure I've misspelled it, but still.

[Petra]

Ginko stuff, eh? Sounds reptilian - like those V drinks full of bull's piss, ginseng and sugar.

I'll look into it. Thanks!

[Petra]

Hmmm. This link has some promising info on Ginkgo Biloba (http://www.consumerlab.com/results/ginkgobiloba.asp).

Nice.

[Ymir's blood]

Coffee! :insomnia:

[Petra]

Coffee! :insomnia:

Nah, too obvious. Never mind the insomnia! :insomnia:


Amphetamines are out, too. I'm too old for that nonsense. Gotta do this the healthy way. High tech, super nutritious food energy for mind and body. Like, you know, Heineken an' stuff. :cool:

[Petra]

Crikey - it's only 10.45 Friday morning and I'm already ready to crawl under my desk and go to sleep for the rest of the day.

:yawning: :needvac:

[HighOnHotSauce]

You might also consider taking a B vitamin supplement. You can find a supplement with the right combination to work for you as far as energy goes. If you can find one with Vitamin C and Iron, which work together (Iron is not easily absorbed without Vitamin C) helping to oxygenate the blood and is crucial for healthy red blood cells. This of course will aid in giving you energy. Back to the B vitamins, they help metabolize food into energy as well as playing an important role neurochemical processes in which they are involved along with niacin. So, you can find a supplement with Iron Vitamin C and B vitamins (which usually aid niacin and folic acid) and take that along with the e earlier suggestion about Ginkgo. There is some solid research which supports Ginkgo’s role in memory and mental alertness.

[livius drusus]

How about getting a juicer, luna? Carrot and fennel, or carrot, orange and ginger make great pick me ups. Juicing is also a good way to ensure you get a decent amount of fruit and veggie nutrients just in case you happen to find yourself eating weird shit at weird times when you're under the gun.

[Petra]

The vitamin thing is great information, HighOnHotSauce. Thanks. I often find myself looking at the rows and rows of vitamins at the supermarket, finding myself unable to make a decision on which one to get, and then walking away without any. Now I know what to look for. Cheers!


Liv, I had a juicer awhile back, but sold it 'cos it was so big and unweidly and I only used it for about a month after buying it. I might see if I can pick up a cheap secondhand one, or something. I love fresh fruit and vegetable juices - actually I love fresh, raw fruit and vegetables just as they are! - but am not eating enough of those things at the moment. A juicer I could use here at work for lunch would be perfect.

Mmmm, I got a fresh fruit/vege juice lust feeling coming over me - orange, carrot and ginger would go down a treat right about now. :homdrool:

[JoeP]

Definite yes on the vitamins.

Unfortunately, I have to indicate exercise as well. And enough sleep. Are you able to sleep well, if you get to bed early enough?

[Stormlight]

Raw egg. Add a bit of Guinness stout and a spoon of sugar. Stir (slowly, otherwise it foams like a mf ...). Drink. Go.

:kickasssign:

[Petra]

Definite yes on the vitamins.

Unfortunately, I have to indicate exercise as well. And enough sleep. Are you able to sleep well, if you get to bed early enough?

Sleep and exercise, eh...

...never heard of 'em!



Actually, I've signed up at the gym, and I'm riding my bike to work when the weather allows, so I'm trying to get some exercise.

I definitely buying some vitamins after work today, too.

:yup:

[Petra]

Raw egg. Add a bit of Guinness stout and a spoon of sugar. Stir (slowly, otherwise it foams like a mf ...). Drink. Go.

:kickasssign:


Oh, good lord! I felt hairs grow on my chest just reading that!

:eek:

[Ari]

Vitamins work well, just watch what you take, some of these "supplements" can quickly get you to dangerous levels of heavy metal and fat soluble vitamins especially if you have a good diet.
Most women should get more iron than the daily recommended value, apparently monthly blood lose isn't very good on the iron level.
Stupid exercise is also very good.
You might also want to check the quality of sleep you are getting. Do you wake up a bunch in the night? Are there noises or bright lights in the room? Even small constant noises can mess up a night of sleep for me.

For me it's caffeine and/or energy drinks.
Coffee in the morning is the best. :)

[pescifish]

If you decide to get back into juicing, I recommend cataloupe for high energy. Make sure you juice it with the rind on as I read that many of the vitamins are concentrated right at the edge of the rind/skin.

The juice of half a cantaloupe will fire me up for hours without the jitters of caffeine.

[Ari]

That sound yummy.
I wonder how cantaloupe flavored coffee would taste. :D

[Farren]

I've been trying juicing lately and the goddamn juicer is so hard to clean that I've more or less stopped. Vegetable and fruit pulp sets like concrete if you leave it for a day and the juicer has lots of odd spaces in it which is a real fukken mission to clean, even if you clean it immediately.

[Farren]

Petra, Gingko and all that other crap is just wussy placebo stuff. If you want a serious overall energy boost without side effects start taking Spirulina on a regular basis.

I've tried a lot of shit and although some of them (Vitamin B Complex is one that comes to mind) have marginally noticeable effects, most of them only have the short term placebo effect of making you imagine you're boosting your energy levels. I heard a nutritionist on the radio the other day saying most of the vitamins you take in tablet form get pissed straight out.

Spirulina is made from blue green algae and contains cell food in a most useful and easy to absorb form. Everyone I know who takes the shit gets a very measureable boost from it.

The other stuff that works for me in the specific circumstance where I've got that cloudy head at lunchtime christ I wish I could sleep feeling is freshly made carrot juice, preferably made with baby carrots. Apparently there's a vast difference between freshly made and bottled because of different amounts of fibre offsetting the effects of the sugar in carrot juice differently when your body is processing it. Anyway, it sometimes has a huge effect on me, even when my major problem is a lack of sleep. Not sure if it'll work for everyone though.

[Stormlight]

Raw egg. Add a bit of Guinness stout and a spoon of sugar. Stir (slowly, otherwise it foams like a mf ...). Drink. Go.

:kickasssign:


Oh, good lord! I felt hairs grow on my chest just reading that!

:eek:

See, it's working! :mvp:

[Petra]

Cool. I'm just ducking out to watch Zoe play netball, and then I'm off to the supermarket to buy some spirulina, some b vits with iron, and a cantaloupe (which will be eaten fresh, no juicing - I agree with Farren about what a pain in the arse juicers are to clean).

Cheers, folks. Y'all rock an' I luv ya to bits! :cool: