The last few days I have been so exhausted. A few years ago, I was in a car accident (a very minor one, but still managed to do some damage), and herniated three discs in my lower back. I had surgery three years ago to remove the damaged part of the top one (a Lumbar Laminectomy where they remove not just the herniation of the disc, but also part of the vertebrae). It was so badly herniated that the disc was fused to the nerves, causing me to have permanent numbness in part of my left leg and foot. My surgeon at the time was very conservative, and was hoping that by removing the top, worst, one, the others would correct themselves. Well, almost exactly 3 years later I found myself having the same pain symptoms as I had the first time, with the added red flag symptom of bladder control issues. I ended up having two more emergency surgeries on my spine, resulting in all three hernias being removed, as well as part of the other two vertebrae. Long story short, I have back issues.
When I moved back home from California in January, I started sleeping on my parents' old mattress, which is sagging in some places. For the last few weeks, my back has been absolutely killing me when I wake up, and it has resulted in me being exhausted all day long from not sleeping. Well, I still have to get through the day. This has left me looking for healthy ways to boost my energy, without going for the quad shot caramel Frappuccino from Starbucks.
As I mentioned in one of my first posts, I am a coffee fiend, but I am also not a huge fan of the taste. I used to get a venti iced mint mocha from my local coffee stand every morning. After a suggestion from my nutritionist, I switched to ordering 4 shots of espresso over ice, and adding a protein shake to it. I like to add chocolate protein shakes, so it tastes like a regular mocha. Not only is this low calorie, but it has a ton of protein in it.
Some other healthy energy boosters are:
1) Bananas. I'm not a huge banana fan (it's a texture thing), but they are loaded with anti-oxidants and tons of vitamins that boost energy naturally.
2) Chia seeds. Chia seeds are tiny little wonder seeds full of omega-3 fatty acids, phosphorous, manganese, and protein. I like to add them to juices and smoothies, but you can sprinkle them on salads as well. They are not only great energy boosters, but also keep you satisfied.
3) Pomegranates. Now, pomegranates aren't in season right now, but pomegranate juice is a great alternative. Add some Chia seeds to it and look out!
Now, you may have noticed that I have not included any Red Bull or Monster type energy drink on this list. I am not a fan of those. They have so many chemicals in them, and often times do more harm to your body than good.
I would love to hear from my readers! Post any comments or post suggestions either here, or you can email me directly at jenellesjourney@gmail.com
Have a great day!
Jenelle
No comments:
Post a Comment