“There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.”
Alan Cohen
Nourishing the Mind and Body, Creating More Energy:
When you do not have enough energy your body has to start sacrificing health in some areas to compensate for others.
There is a 3 step process the body uses to create more Qi:
- Step 1: It takes the food you eat and digests it
- Step 2: It combines it with oxygen from breathing and exercise
- Step 3: It mixes this together with the “cultured” energy you already have to create more
These 3 steps point to 3 major things you can do to increase energy production:
- Improve your relationship with food. (This is a huge topic you can learn about on the “My Relationship With Food” page. You will also find amazing information from various specialists on the relevant “Pick Your Struggle”)
- The healthier the food you eat the more energy the body can “squeeze” out of it.
- How you eat is as important as what you eat. It is important to enjoy mealtimes.
- Improve your digestion. No matter how healthy you eat if you are not able to digest it, it goes to waste.
- Breathe
- Your body cannot turn food into energy without oxygen. Exercise, Meditation, and Qigong/Tai-Chi/Yoga are all great ways to improve your breathing. Most of us also hold our breath when we are stressed out, teaching yourself to breath freely provides amazing benefit!
- Reserve your “Cultured” Energy.
- If you have ever fermented or “aged” anything you know it can take quite a long time to let nature take it’s course the first time. Once you have something fermented however you can add it to a new batch and quickly make more.
- “Cultured” energy takes a long time for your body to create and it stores it deep inside your body (In TCM they say it is stored in your Kidneys). If you keep this store from running dry it can quickly help you create more energy but if you use up your stored energy by working to hard it takes much more effort to create new energy.
- How do you concerve it? Take regular mini-vacations, mid-day naps, take time to rest and enjoy your friends and family. If you force yourself to “push through” on a regular basis you rob yourself of future success and thriving.
Up Next: How To Keep Your Energy Moving!