How to stay energized all year round

Summer holidays are great, that’s a fact. You feel rested, relaxed and you may even have the odd idea or two that you would like to try out when you return to the classroom at some point, but of course that’s in a distant future very far away? Suddenly the new term is upon you and by the beginning of the second week you have forgotten all about the cold drinks in the shade of the garden. Everyone knows that it is important to eat well, drink lots of water and exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle. All teachers exercise 3-4 times a week, never order take-aways – especially not new teachers (oh no) – and never drink wine in the evening, didn’t you know? There are of course some pedagogues that have the odd glass of red wine on Wednesdays, go for long walks on weekends and enjoy a well-deserved curry on Fridays… The key to staying energized even until the last day of term, yes really, is to follow a few basic ideas which I always stick to and suddenly you feel reinvigorated and ready for more!

You are what you drink

Well, that depends what you put in the glass… Make yourself a fresh juice every morning. It takes ten minutes including clearing away and the benefits are immense both on your immune system which will take a severe hammering particularly towards the end of term, and on your general well-being as you instantly feel more alert. I have been making my own juices for the past five years and they work.

Get yourself a decent juicing book like Michael Van Straten’s SuperJuice: Juicing for Health and Healing (which is about 7-8 pounds) as these authors really know what they are talking about. Straten’s book is very good as it’s divided into sections according what you feel you need e.g. energy boost, as well as explain what each juice will do for your immune system. My absolute favourite and one I drink most of the time is one which contains:

• 2 apples
• 3 carrots
• 1 raw beetroot (although I only use this 2-3 times a week)

Some of the recipes sound odd at times but when you drink them you change your mind quickly like with the one mentioned above. When I met my wife, within two weeks both her mother and two sisters had bought a juicing machine!

So which juicing machine should you invest in? When I started juicing a few years back I bought a cheap one for around 30-40 quid. It was difficult to clean and the blade became dull very quickly. I then came across a review of another juicer called L’Equipe, it was a bit dearer (about 90 quid) but it has lasted for more than 4 years and it only takes 2-3 minutes to clean it. I spend no longer than 10 minutes every morning cutting the fruit and veg, juicing them and cleaning the juicer.

To sum up:

• Drink your own home made juice it works wonders for your immune system – better than what you get in a glass of orange juice as super juices contain more than vitamin C!
• Buy a good book: I recommend SuperJuice: Juicing for Health and Healing
• Buy a good juicer that’s easy to use and clean: I recommend L’Equipe Mini Pulp Ejector Juicer

Eat your way to success

The secret to feeling energized is to eat well whilst treating yourself every once in a while. Let’s face it, a ‘fish supper’ is rather nice on the odd occasion. The problem with working hard is that it’s very easy to pick up the phone and order food, or pick up a quick micro-meal from the local super market because you’re tired after work. That’s where the vicious circle kicks in: you’re working hard which means you get even more worn out due to lack of vitamins and the correct carbohydrates, which in turn might lead to you buying more fast-food since that’s quicker than slaving over the oven all night. There are solutions to this problem of course. When you cook make sure that you double if not treble the meal so you can put a few meals in the freezer. Keep doing this and you’ll have decent food on those particularly hard days. We all crave comfort food once in a while, but instead of nipping into Iceland for scampi and chips try these easy recipes instead, they are quick to cook, nutritious and lovely:

• Salmon fillet with cous-cous and cherry tomato salad: Steam salmon in micro together with lemon and dill (or your fav herbs) for 4 minutes or until it’s cooked through. Prepare the cous-cous by following the instructions on the packet but add a stock cube of your liking in the water. Break up the salmon and add the cherry tomatoes. Simple, quick and lovely.
• Penne Pasta with pesto and pepper: Boil the pasta, stir fry the pepper (choose your preferred colour). Mix pasta and vegetables together with the pesto, then add cheese.
• Jacket potato with baked beans + a side plate of salad. The old classic.

Top up!

I have always been good at eating fruit and vegetables (or drinking!) but it is easy to miss out on some of the vitamins and minerals you need on a daily basis. This is why supplements are useful to make sure you do get what you need every day. I take the following additions every morning and they do make a difference particularly during those heavy report-writing weeks or mock-exam periods:

• For the mind: Ginkgo Biloba & Omega 3 Fish Oil. Ginkgo Biloba gives the memory a great boost according to research conducted by the International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology. Omega 3 Fish Oil has been recognized for many years as a tremendous addition to your diet as it can decrease cardiovascular related problems significantly. More recently some research has shown that taking Omega 3 fish oil tablets can improve performance and achievement in school as this type of oil can increase concentration levels.
  
• For the body: Multi-Vitamins & Minerals. It’s important to take additional supplements like these as it’s difficult to eat and drink so that you get all the necessary vitamins and minerals needed to maintain your energy levels. There are so many different varieties to choose from but most are good.

To sum up:

• Double cook to make sure you have good food for those difficult, busy evenings
• Instead of fast-food try a simple, easy-to-cook recipes – save money and your health!
• Try a supplement and see what it can do for your energy, memory and concentration levels. Why not try these two: Ginkgo Biloba & Omega 3 Fish Oil + Multi-Vitamins & Minerals.