Health Notes, January 17th 2010, by Sarah Stacey

Create your own source of energy

Unless you’re superwoman, you’re liable to be feeling a bit short on energy just now.  I’m very impressed by a new book called The Source, subtitled Unlock your natural energy, revitalize your health and change your life.  The author is Dr Woodson Merrell, chairman of the Department of Integrative Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center, whose celebrity patients include Cindy Crawford, Donna Karan and Richard Gere.  Since we can’t all rush to his door, this is his way of offering his wisdom and expertise to everyone. 'The book includes a 21-Day Plan for optimum energy and you‘ll be able to follow the key elements, including daily menu ideas, in an exclusive two-week serialisation in YOU magazine beginning next Sunday.

For now, I asked Dr Merrell to give me his top tips to start you off:

Breath in energy: Practice this energy-generating deep breathing exercise at least twice a day.  Remember: breathe in positive thoughts, breathe out negative ones.  

Inhale slowly and deeply, right down into your abdomen to a count of four.

Pause, holding in this fresh oxygen, for one count.

Exhale slowly (allow your abdomen to contract) to the count of six.

Pause for one count and repeat three more times.  

Sleep more: Aim for seven hours’ restful sleep nightly.  If you wake and can’t get back to sleep, latch on to any image or feeling from the dream you were just having so your mind can drift back into the dream rather than conscious thinking (worrying) mode.  If you can’t remember anything, try the breathing exercise above. 
  
Take social exercise:  Walk briskly with a friend for 30 minutes – and practise conversational aerobics!  When you’re breathing faster from the exertion and you can still converse with your friend, you’re likely to be within your energy-creating heart rate. 
  
Meditate: Start your day with a morning mantra. Before you get out of bed, take two minutes to calm your mind. Sit up straight, do the deep breathing exercise above, focussing either on the sound of your breath or an affirmative word or image. When thoughts of your day come into your consciousness, acknowledge them and invite them to leave so you can enjoy this peaceful state.   
  
Reach out to others: Plan a communal meal for friends, family and neighbours; you’re putting your positive energy into making others feel part of a greater collective energy. 
  
Cultivate forgiveness: Holding inner resentment creates a negative energy cycle. The act of forgiving, either silently or openly and directly, can be incredibly liberating and energising. 
   
Start a stress log and a happy diary: every evening write down the three most stressful moments of your day - eg a difficult encounter, upsetting thoughts, horrendous traffic. Note time and place and what happened. Rate the stress on a scale of 1-6, and give yourself a grade for how you coped. Now let it go. Then list three things that have made you happy during the day, rating them for how joyful and/or positive they made you feel. 

Manage stress: try a biofeedback device (such as HeartMath emWave PC Stress Relief System from relax-uk.com, or Resp-e-rate, from resperate.co.uk), which employs sensors usually attached to your fingertips that check your stress and relaxation responses. [This may sound complicated for the non-techies, but it’s really simple and fascinating.] 
 
Supplement your diet: Ayurvedic ashwaganda is a powerful balancing tonic, which reduces the effects of stress while stimulating the processes that enhance energy production. (Try Ashwagandha by Pukka Herbs, two capsules up to three times daily, £15.35 for 90 capsules from Victoria Health, see below.)  Convincing studies suggest that resveratrol (a compound extracted from grape skins and found in wine) can increase the production of mitochondrial energy factories in your cells - and even help with weight management.  (Try Resveratrol Life Tonic by Lifetime Vitamins, 30-90 ml daily, £19.95 for 960ml, from Victoria Health.) 
 

To order a copy of The Source by Dr Woodson Merrell and Kathy Merrell, for £10.79, from Amazon, click here.

Pamper your paws! 

Testers for Jo Fairley and my new book Beauty Bible Beauty Steals raved about Yes To Carrots Pampering Hand & Nail Spa, which features dead sea salt and almond oil and is brilliant for parched winter hands.  Recently, a friend emailed me saying: ‘my hands were unbelievably soft afterwards -  they looked ten years younger, and my boyfriend couldn't stop stroking them!’.  So you need to know! £9.99 for 250ml from www.victoriahealth.com and remember your exclusive 5% discount. 
 

Website of the week: www.macmillan.org.uk 
Macmillan Cancer Support’s Cancertalk week from tomorrow, January 18th to January 24th,  is encouraging men to talk about cancer and any symptoms they are worried about.   For help and advice, visit this website, or freephone 0808 808 00 00.