If you have every marvelled at the bounce of a child, their shiny hair and eyes, soft smooth skin and enormous capacity for learning and problem solving, then you have witnessed vital energy in action. We are conditioned to expect such vitality to decline with age, but there is much you can do to slow that decline by preserving your vital energy reserves.

Your body possesses a vital energy that takes care of repair and restoration, that energy is challenged by stress, tension, adrenal strain and lack of quality rest. In Chinese medicine this vitality is referred to as latency. Latency is your personal quota of energy and vitality, it's your constitutional 'starter pack.' Some of us are gifted with a stronger constitution than others, and some of us spend it faster than others.

We are all very individual in our expression and usage of our vital energy, but one fact holds true for us all - once you start running low, your immunity is challenged and you can find yourself at tipping point with your health.

CFS - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - is a typical example of a low latency situation, Chinese Medicine considers it a condition where the energy balance dips into the red and the body suffers the final straw that takes it off-line.

Ayurveda (India's ancient science of natural health care) regards CFS, ME, and other exhaustion states in a very similar way. The challenge to us all in maintaining health and vitality is to preserve what vitality we have and be sure that it isn't squandered by situations and behaviors that will ultimately present a challenge to our functionality.

Vital energy is burned by:

anxiety
anger
frustration
long-term stress
excessive alcohol consumption
smoking and recreational drugs
promiscuous relationships
poor sleep

Vital energy is nourished by:

a peaceful lifestyle
meditation
milk, almonds, dates, honey and ghee (clarified butter)
devotional practices
qigong
yoga and pranayama (breathing exercises designed to calm the mind and nourish the nervous system)

Beware Energy Draining Foods
To feel Energized you need to eat energy, i.e. foods rich in vital energy (prana) that nourish the mind and body. Good examples of high energy, living foods are nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables and grains. Anything fresh and colorful is good for building energy. Anything dead, stale, old or preserved, depletes energy and leaves you feeling sluggish and sleepy. That's because these foods possess no vital energy and while they might fill you up, the contribute little else to your body than low quality bulk. They're hard work to digest and contain little nutritional value.

Almonds = Energy Sweet almonds are nourishing to the nervous system and support energy and vitality in the body. Ayurveda (India's ancient science of health and longevity) considers almonds to be beneficial to all bodily tissues especially the reproductive tissues.

Massaging the body with sweet almond oil is a wonderful and relaxing way to nourish the tissues from the outside in.

For an energy boosting drink, try almond milk - available in all natural health stores.

Bedtime Energy Booster
Boil a cup of whole organic milk, then let it cool to drinking temperature. Put in a blender with a pinch of cinnamon powder and 5 dates (with the stone removed), blend thoroughly and drink before settling down for the night.

Managing Your Energy Budget
When you take the time to consciously rest, relax, meditate, and eat well, you are preserving what vital energy you already have and also taking the opportunity to cultivate more. This is of paramount importance to your quality of life, level of immunity and your physical and mental stamina.

Ananga Sivyer is an author, personal development coach and Energy Healing researcher of 20 years experience, specialising in Meridian Energy Therapies, Energy Psychology and Personal Development. Treat yourself to some rest and restoration with our free Moments of Tranquility Relaxation MP3s, and see my Living by Design Blog.

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