There are “energy centers” in your body that
need to be fueled with the right key vitamins, in order for you to feel your
most energized and vibrant. A lack of proper vitamins and nutrition can lead to
you feeling run down and depleted. While taking a high quality multi-vitamin
can be good nutritional insurance, it is better to focus on creating a
lifestyle of eating vitamin-filled, whole foods in a complete nutritional
package, rather than taking dozens of different individual vitamin supplements.
I designed this Miracle Vitamin Plan to
include vitamins to jumpstart your energy in five different key “energy
centers” which will benefit you the most. Focus on getting these vitamins into
your body every day, via these and other supercharged foods, and you’ll start
to notice a big difference in your energy levels in just five days.
DAY #1: Lungs
Lungs are a key organ for boosting and
maintaining your energy, as they are responsible for taking in oxygen required
for all aerobic metabolism in the body. Even a slight change in lung function
can lower oxygen levels, which can cause severe fatigue. To boost lung energy
get an infusion of vitamin E, which some research suggests may improve or
support lung function.
A great way to reach the daily recommendation
of vitamin E is to combine: ½ cup sunflower seeds, ¾ cup dried apricots and ½
cup hazelnuts. These are easy food to pack in your purse for on the go, or to
store at work when you feel like a snack. Sunflower seeds are delicious on
green salads, and add a nice crunch.
I recommend storing your sunflower seeds and
hazelnuts in the fridge, which will help keep their natural oils fresh, prevent
rancidity and ensure you are getting the maximum amount of nutrition from them.
DAY #2: Brain
Your brain is the ultimate energy center,
since it drives all bodily functions related to energy, including your
respiratory rate, heart functions, hormones, and sleep.
Vitamin D (which is actually truly a hormone)
is key for helping your brain function at its peak. You can obtain vitamin D
from sun exposure and certain foods. One of the best super
food sourcesfor vitamin D is mushrooms. Like humans, mushrooms
produce vitamin D when exposed to light.
Portobello mushrooms are an excellent source
of vitamin D. Look out for the brand Dole at the grocery store, which sells
Portobellos grown under UV light. Just one cup, or about two of them meet the
government’s daily recommendation of 400 IUs. Maitake and shitake mushrooms
also contain vitamin D, and to a much lesser extent, white button mushrooms do
as well.
For an easy dinner, try marinating Portobello
mushroom caps in a mixture of 1/3 cup low-sodium tamari, 2 cloves of minced
garlic and ¼ cup cooking wine for at least an hour, spooning the mixture over
the mushrooms so it really soaks in, then baking covered in a baking dish for
35-40 minutes at 375 degrees. Pair with salad and veggies or a starch as a meat
replacement. Besides being high in Vitamin D, Portobello mushrooms are also a
great source of protein.
DAY #3:
Intestines
Though you may not think of your intestines
when you’re thinking of energy, but they are an absolutely key “energy center”.
If your intestines and digestive tract are sluggish or backed up, you are not
going to feel energized. The intestines are the front line in getting energy
from your food into your cells, which supply your body with energy. To promote
the health of your intestines, you need a sufficient amount of the B vitamins.
It is important to note that B vitamins are water-soluble
rather than fat-soluble, which means you can’t store them in your fat cells to
use later; you need to include them in your diet regularly.
A super source of B vitamins is nutritional
yeast, which is an inexpensive primary product that you can
find at health food stores. It is different than the yeast for baking you might
be familiar with, and find in packets. Nutritional yeast has a cheesy nut-like
taste & is rich in the B-complex vitamins, and supplies a complete protein
source. 1 ½ Tbs. has 40 calories and supplies over 100% of your daily value of
most types of B vitamins. Sprinkle it on salads, or directly on veggies raw or
after cooking. It works particularly great on steamed broccoli as a cheese
replacement. Store your nutritional yeast in the cupboard.
DAY #4: Liver
The liver is key for detoxifying the body.
This contributes to energy, for if your body isn’t properly detoxing itself and
ridding itself of toxins, you can start to feel run down. The liver is where
most vitamin K is stored and it needs vitamin K to function optimally.
The best way to infuse your body with vitamin
K is through the leafy green, kale. One cup kale has an incredible almost 700%
of the daily recommendation. There are different kale types you can explore,
including Lacinato/Tuscan kale and curly kale.
Try making kale salad as
a different kind of salad from a traditional mixed green or romaine salad.
Strip the kale leaves off the dense middle stalk, tearing them into small
pieces (which makes for easier digestion). For one head of kale, use a dressing
of 2 Tbs. of nutritional yeast (see Day #3), fresh lemon juice and ½ of an
avocado mashed up (which also contains potassium and fiber), to serve as the
fat in lieu of oil. Mix these three ingredients together then work through the
kale- clean hands work best!
DAY #5: Thyroid
The thyroid is a gland that part of the endocrine
system that controls your metabolism. Having a boosted metabolism contributes
to energy, as well as weight loss.
The best booster for the thyroid is actually
not a vitamin, it is a chemical element called iodine, which helps your thyroid
functioning at optimum levels. A fantastic source of iodine are sea vegetables,
including kombu or kelp. Only 1 gram contains three times the daily recommended
intake of iodine, which is 150 mcg. You might not be familiar with these
vegetables from the sea, but you can find them in the Asian section of health
stores. Another great quality about these vegetables is that they not only high
in iodine, but also trace minerals, and are fairly low in sodium, so they won’t
contribute to bloat while adding a salty taste to dishes.
The best way to work with them is to soak them
in water first, to reconstitute them. Then you can cut them into pieces and add
them to soups or salads. You can even “hide” them by pureeing them directly
into soups if the sight of them is off-putting to you or your family. You’ll
get the benefit, and remember a little bit goes a long way. The iodine won’t be
destroyed by heat, so don’t be afraid to cook it.
