As a busy mom, I am going to share 5 ways to boost your energy with Ayurveda. My days start at 5:00 am with diaper changes, breastfeeding, breakfast making and fishing out clothes for the day. The multi-tasking continues all day long until my head hits the pillow around 9:30 pm. I have four young children between the ages of seven years and four months old, and one of them always seems to need something at every moment.
This is the life of a mother. This is the exhausting, and beautiful, life of a mother.
We are busy, the demands are constant, but often our energy can’t quite keep up. At least that was the case for me. I birthed three kids in four years, which left me exhausted and drowning in motherhood. Coffee flowed endlessly in an effort to keep up.
It was after the birth of my fourth child that I realized I needed to find a way to get more energy so that I could keep up with the bubble blowing, snack making and diaper changing that consumed my days.
So, I did the thing I don’t always do: I asked for help, and it was life-changing.
I’m going to share with you how Ayurveda changed my life, and how it has given me the energy I need to keep up with the chaotic pace of motherhood.
But first of all, what is Ayurveda?
It’s an alternative approach to medicine that originated in India thousands of years ago. It uses a balanced approach to wellness, focusing on lifestyle to achieve optimal health. I was particularly drawn to it because of its heavy emphasis on what we put in our bodies and how this affects the way our bodies function.
So I met with Colleen Soisson , an Ayurvedic Practitioner from Carmel Valley. She started by going through a detailed assessment of my diet, lifestyle and daily habits. We talked about everything from the color of my tongue to the way I prepare my eggs.
Next, she created a detailed plan for me. This plan highlighted five amazing Ayurvedic essentials for me to implement in the kitchen that, with Colleen’s blessing, I’m going to pass on to you.
5 ways to boost your energy with Ayurveda
1. Eat a nutrient dense, well-rounded breakfast.
I realize mornings are wild. Getting kids out the door to school, or wherever they’re going, can be complete insanity. It’s hard enough to get everyone to eat their pancakes, let alone feed ourselves a healthy meal. But it’s so important. Starting out the day with the right combination of nutrients will give you sustained energy so you avoid those extreme highs and lows.
Start with PROTEIN. Cereal or toast won’t cut it. Reach for some eggs, chicken, turkey or even lentils if you’re a vegetarian. Then, add in fat and vegetables. It’s the protein combined with fats and vegetables that gets you through the morning feeling amazing. This is no joke. On mornings when I skip this combo, I definitely notice it.
My Ayurvedic Practitioner recommends steamed broccoli with ghee and sea salt paired with eggs. If broccoli isn’t your favorite, you can try arugula or spinach. If you love oatmeal in the morning, that’s perfectly ok. Try adding some seeds and coconut oil to give it the nutrients you need. Remember: protein + healthy fats + vegetables!
2. Eat BEFORE you feel hungry.
If you wait until you’re hungry (or starving) to eat, you’re going to go with whatever is quick and easy. You might find yourself polishing off the kids’ frozen pizza or settling for some chips and an energy bar. But that’s not going to give you the energy you need to keep up with those kids.
This is where meal preparation can really come in handy. It’s important to have some good protein options available and ready to go. Maybe bake some chicken thighs or a pot of lentil soup on Monday and keep it in the fridge for a quick meal during the week. This protein in the middle of the day will give you the energy boost you need to power through that afternoon.
Remember: eat BEFORE you’re hangry (hungry+ angry), and having healthy options ready in the fridge makes this possible.
3. Eat healthy fats with every meal.
When my Ayurvedic Practitioner told me this one, I thought she was a little nuts. Fats with EVERY meal? I was ready to dish up the ice cream, but that’s not what she meant. The key here is HEALTHY fats. Here are a few of the options she recommended to me:
- Coconut of any sort, like oil, butter, shreds, flakes
- Ghee (clarified butter, used a lot in Ayurveda recipes)
- Avocado
- Seeds (chia, hemp, pumpkin, flax, sesame, sunflower)
- Olives and olive oil
Here’s why fats are so important—they slow down the process of metabolism. Yes, when it comes to energy, that’s a good thing! This helps to sustain you instead of giving you a quick burst of energy that fades in a flash.
Fats also help the nutrients in your food assimilate in your body, and they keep your cells hydrated. Oils are really amazing in that they add lubrication where it’s needed in our bodies. Remember: enjoy those fats. Just make sure they’re the healthy kind.
4. Keep the right snacks on hand.
You still get to snack, you just have to choose the right snacks. Keep hard boiled eggs in the refrigerator. Toast a piece of bread and put some almond butter on it. Spread some peanut butter on apple slices. Nuts are great options, too! Here are some other snack ideas.
One of my absolute favorite snacks is Chia Pudding. It’s delicious and my kids love it. There’s just enough sweetness and plenty of healthy fats, so it knocks out my craving while also giving me energy for the rest of the day. Chia seeds are a fabulous source of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, iron and calcium.
Chia Pudding
Ingredients
- 1/2 can coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 dates (pitted)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp cacao powder (optional)
- 4 Tbsp chia seeds
Instructions
- First blend the dates, coconut milk and water.
- Then add the vanilla, cinnamon and cacao powder.
- Pour liquid into a jar or container with a lid.
- Add in the chia seeds.
- Cover and shake.
- Allow to sit in the refigerator for at least 30 minutes, but overnight is best!
- Serve with nut butter, fresh fruit, nuts/seeds and a dash of maple syrup.
5. Drink hot water.
That’s right, drink HOT water. Drink it first thing in the morning when you wake up (before coffee). Drink it with your meals. Sip on a cup of hot water in the evening before bed. Hot water helps to improve digestion, promote relaxation and keeps your hydrated.
Give these suggestions a try! I hope you find these 5 ways to boost your energy with Ayurveda useful.
Written by Melissa Kushnaryov
Melissa Kushnaryov lives in Carlsbad, CA with her husband and four young children. She is the author of Treading Water, Holding Weights: Tackling and Embracing the Chaos of Motherhood. Melissa is the Co-founder of Seed & Song, a yoga, music and mindfulness company for moms and babies. She writes daily about the hilarity, beauty and craziness of motherhood. The best way to read more from her is to connect with her on Instagram (@melissakushnaryov) or her website.
