We're all pressed for time and need efficient, quick tools to increase energy and help us optimize our busy days. Here are two simple techniques that can provide rapid but effective ways of giving you a "wake up call." One will give your brain a boost and the other will support your core for stability and injury prevention. Let's engage your mind and energize your body whether it be for your next Spartan Sprint or Super!

WHAT WE TALK ABOUT:

a. Today's world is more and more demanding. Some of us have two jobs, or maybe you're taking night classes after work, starting families and raising children the list goes on and on…

b. In this podcast I'm going to talk about what can aid in increasing our energy and helping us fight fatigue. I'll discuss two different sensory stimuli: one olfactory (your sense of smell) and the other is a stretch which is physical but also engages your sense of sight.

- First, your sense of smell: it's a fruit, an essential oil, herbal tea: That is Grapefruit:
it's a juicy, bittersweet citrus fruit that's a hybrid fruit created from the pomelo and the orange. It's a good source of Vit C, lots of other vitamins and minerals but important for our chat right now…it energizes the senses!
Grapefruit oil or its essence upregulates the CNS and stimulates the brain. Wakes us up!

c. Second quick energy boost: Stretch Your Hip Flexors

- This often forgot about muscle group will not only energize the body but it's one of the most important muscle groups to help prevent falls and injury and improve balance. Helps ensure stability of the lower body, allows you to bend at the waist and bring your knee toward your chest
-Sitting for extended periods shortens and tightens them. You should stand from your chair every hour to stretch them.
- Simple stretches: lunges, if you have more space you can do a bridge (laying down, feet flat on the floor, arms flat at sides, push up using your glutes, thighs, and back.

KEY TERMS & IDEAS:
Combat low energy and fatigue with quick, simple tools that you can use anytime by engaging your mind and body for an effective result.
Engage your sense of smell: use Grapefruit essential oil to stimulate and "wake up" when you feel sluggish. It can give your brain a boost and provide rapid but natural energy
Engage your body and sense of sight: your hip flexors are one of the most important muscle groups to provide stability and a solid core. A hip flexor stretch improves circulation, helps prevent injury, and focuses your sense of sight while holding the pose and balancing the body for this important stretch.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

Follow Nada on LInkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/nada-milosavljevic-35b502b9/
Sage Tonic www.sagetonic.com
Sage Tonic on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sagetonic/

"Actions of essential oils on the central nervous system: an updated review" Dobetsberger, C. and Buchbauer, G. Flavour and Fragrance Journal, Feb 18, 2011.
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/fc4d/01f20b689f5f3c19d747c2bda4f256865b81.pdf
"Nonvolatiles of commercial lime and grapefruit oils separated by high-speed countercurrent chromatography" Feger, W. Journal of Agricultural of Food Chemistry, 2006; 54: 2242-2252.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16536603
"Current concepts in muscle stretching for exercise and rehabilitation" Page, P. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2012 Feb; 7(1): 109–119.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3273886/

SUBSCRIBE:
Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow
YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT
Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay

FOLLOW SPARTAN UP:
Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/
Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod

CREDITS:
Producer: Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc.
Writer and Host: Nada Milosavljevic MD, JD

© 2018 Spartan