Vegetarian energy foods/ herbs/ drinks?

Question

I work full time. I go to school full time. I do homework when I am not working or at school.

It seems when I am not doing these things, I am sitting on the couch playing with my computer. I don’t have tons of energy to do other things these days.

I drink coffee, and I know that is bad for wanting more energy… but I like it very much.
And unfortunately, more sleep isn’t usually much of an option.

What foods do you eat, herbs do you use, drinks do you drink if you want to have more energy?

Please don’t give me rude meat-eating answers. Meat does not give you energy.

:)

P.S. The closer you can get to vegan options, the better. I do not eat eggs, and I eat little dairy.

And if I actually needed to say this, my fatigue/laziness is not a symptom of a vegetarian lifestyle, but a product of a very, very busy lifestyle.

:)

Thanks a lot. I actually wasn't referring to your answer but preparing for answers to come. I know it looked like I may have been saying something about your answer.

You have to be careful posting questions here. Meat eaters are so ready to scream *meat* and tell you God says vegetarians are going to H-E-Double hockey stick. It is silly really, but I was trying to save myself the hassle.

:)

Answer 1

Hi Lyllian.,

I'm sure you're familiar with the sight Vegan essentials.
Go there and you will find a product called Jouvo.
It's a raw meal made from veg tables in a pack.
This is great mixed with rice milk, juice, or with a
protein shake like some above have described.

Also try to get 5 servings of fruit a day and at least two
servings of green leafy vegetables while at home.

Some more energy boost options are:
Kombachu- the energy drink, Naked, Boathouse,
and Odwalla smoothies and " Emergency packs".
Emergency packs are little packets of powdered
concentrated b-12, c, and other vitamins that can
be found at Whole Foods or other Health Food
stores.

The vitamin supplement that I recommend is
by Naturemade. It's called Alive-Whole Food
energy booster. It's totally vegan. There's no
gelatin or any other type of animal by-products.
A bit of advice on these though. They are so
potent that I only take one a day instead of three
as the directions state. They are loaded with B.
and Iron. I find this supplement at Whole Foods
also.

Good luck to you.

Answer 2

Take a veg multivitamin, and make sure you take in extra iron. While it is true that vegetarianism doesn't make you anemic if you take in the right foods, there ARE nutrients in meat that the human body craves for energy. If you take in extra iron, it will help combat some of that. Unfortunately, I feel your pain on the no time to sleep issue, and other than taking extra vitamins, there is nothing that really will help. Don't listen to anyone who tells you that teas will give you energy, other than for certain vitamins they might contain. Unless the tea has caffeine in it(which it seems you are trying to lessen in your diet) any energy boost they receive from it is all in their heads.

By the way, I like the hair on your avatar. : D




I completely understood that your fatigue is simply from being overdrawn. That is the reason I have so few suggestions. If your body needs sleep, there really isn't much you can do but give it what it needs. I also do understand that you don't really have that option, since I also work full time and am a full time student.

By the way, my above mentioned suggestion was a vegan one. If you go to a natural foods store, or shop online, (I recommend veganstore.com; it's awesome!) you can find completely vegan nutritional supplements, and they do help as much as you can help your specific problem. Honestly, there's very little else you can do.

Good luck in your studies.

Answer 3

Hey Lillyian:

One of the best things you can do is lay on the floor. Flat. No pillow. And put your legs straight up the wall. This is a very relaxing pose. If you sit for 5 to 10 minutes it can really revive you.

Have you tried Mate? It's been said that mate is a caffiene free alternative to coffee. But recent studies show it does have caffiene. Some folks over do and basically walk around semi-high. It has a sort of uplifting quality to it. You just have to watch which mate you buy. Don't buy smoked. It leaves a HORRID after taste. UGH! If you've got a Teavana store near you, look for the Lemon Blast Mate. It's YUMMY. I don't use the gord thing. I just make little pots of tea now and then.

Like Beebs, I picked up a juicer at the thrift store. I liked out and got a massive $200 juicer brand new for $10. The thing's a serious jet engine. I can get extra nutrients in juice form. Sure, you miss out on the veggie fiber, but some times you're just too tired to chew. Juice is good.

Edit:

Mmmmm, mikie! Barley tea! Yum.

Answer 4

I do my best to have a healthy diet. I stick to whole grains, tofu, pulses, veggies, flax/hemp seed oil. I try to avoid sugar, starchy food (potatoes) and junk food as much as possible. Sugar makes me tired and sleepy. I rely on my Vitamin B complex 50 and B12 (start the day with 2000mg) to give me a boost. I try to snack on nuts when I feel low energy in the afternoon or grab a Luna Bar.
I think it is good to start the day with a nice protein smoothie. You can buy rice powder, mix it with soya milk and some fruits. That way you get at least about 14 g. protein and it really helps. Another thing that really helps me is the practice of Yoga. If practiced in the morning, I fell the difference throughout the day energy wise.
Hope this helps

Answer 5

I bought an inexpensive juice extractor at a thrift store, and use it to juice carrots, apples, spinach, celery, parsley, beets, etc. Its super simple and a great way to get all of the energy boosting enzymes my body craves. I always feel sluggish on days I dont juice. You can juice other fruits and veggies to alter the flavor. I love fresh juiced pinapple!

Answer 6

Hello Lillyian (:

I have a few suggestions for you!

This is something I have tried out for myself and it makes allot of sense and seems to work really well. Its mostly about understanding the way your body works and how to work with your body and not against it.

The Natural Body Cycles (lol not menstrual cycles)

These cycles are based on on rather obvious functions of the body. To put it in its simplest terms, on a daily basis we tak in food (appropriation), we absorbe and use some of theat food (assimilation), and we get rid of what we don't use (elimination). although each of these functions are going on to some extent, each is more intense during certain hourse of the day.

noon to 8 p.m. - Appropriation (eating and digestion)
8 p.m to 4 a.m. - Assimilation (absorption and use)
4 a.m. to noon - Elimination (of body wastes and food debris)

Our body cycles can become apparent to us if we simply witness our bodies in action. Obviously, during our waking hours we we eat, and if we put off eating, our hunger tends to to heighten as the day goes on. When we are sleeping and the body has no other noticeable work to do, it is assimilating what was taken in during the day. When we awaken in the morning, we have what is called "morning breath" and perhaps a coated tongue because our bodies are in the midst of eliminating that wich was not used-body wastes. Did you even notice what happens if you eat late at night? How do you feel the next morning? When you awaken, do you feel groggy or "drugged". The assimilation cycle that proceeds after food has left the stomach has beeb thwarted.

Physiologically our bodies want to eat the greater part of our daily food in the afternoon. And eat a smaller amount in the morning and evening. If we allow our bodies to do the 3 daily cycles it will free up more energy. You will sleep much better if you make sure to eat nothing at least 2 hours before you go to bed. A realy great and easy breakfast for your body to start the day with is eating only fruit! Eat fruit salid, or a fruit smoothie, or just eat fruit the way it is (keep in mind that cooked or canned fruit is not the same as fresh fruit). Fruit on average only sits in your stomach for 20 to 30 min and it digests very quickly. And eat as much fruit as you want!

Another thing to think about is "Food Combining"

Food combining teaches this: The human body is not designed to digest more than one concentrated food in the stomach at a time. Any food that is not a fruit and not a vegetable is concentrated (a cooked fruit or vegetable is considered concentrated). Every mammal has a specific type of digestive system biologicaly adapted to a particular type of food, There are carnivorous, herbivores, omnivores, and frugivorous animals on this planet. There is some argument as to what type of digestive system the human species possesses, but one thing is clear: Humans do not all these different digestive systems. And what is worse we eat so many different kinds of diets in one meal!

One example is the combonation of fruit with most other foods. Fruit digests very quick and easy if eaten by itself, but if eaten lets say with cereal or bread it is forced to digest longer than it should and can begin to ferment, this can cause to to feel more tired. Foods with whole proteins like nuts, some beans, most seeds, tofu or other soy meats, flesh foods, dairy, eggs etc require an acidic digestion. Starches on the other hand like grains, cooked potato, some beans, some seeds etc require an alkaline digestion.

When you eat starches and proteins together you can seed why this can be a problem and can be very hard on your system.

Here is a food combing chart to help you out http://www.internethealthlibrary.com/DietandLifestyle/food-combining-detailed-chart-b.htm

The worst food combonations are fruit with starch, fruit with protein (acidic fruits combine fair enough with nuts and avocados though), protein with starch.

Lots more great information can be found on food combining, learing to combine my food better was one of my new year resolutions. I don't do it at every meal but I do it as much as I can and I have noticed a difference in my energy lvl and my stomach feels better (less gas, no bloating even after a big but well combined meal, less burping, better sleeps only need 5 to 6 hours of sleep!) Give it a try for a week or 2 and it might help you as well.

Take care (=

Answer 7

There are soy bean drink, mung bean porridge (with coconut milk, palm sugar, and pandan leaf).

advised if you drink Coffee better take something to eat before drink Coffee cause coffee if you drink with empty stomach in long period would give you maag.

Answer 8

for energy drink tea
or homemade orange juice

barly tea and corn tea seems to make me want to do backflips, so try those too