Being tired in fast becoming the new 20th century disease. According to the book 'The 28Day Plan' lack of energy can be attributed to: a bad diet, overindulgence in alcohol, lack of sleep and smoking. Plus we know that stress can zap our energy and leave us feeling tired. So how can we get more energy into our life?

One of the best ways to increase your energy is to eat energy producing foods such as porridge, muesli, fish, poultry, lean lamb, bananas, dried fruit, fresh fruit, fresh vegies, baked potatoes, wholemeal foods, fresh juices, water, Soya milk, seeds and nuts. Foods to limit are coffee, tea, cows cheese, beef/pork, sugary foods, pastries, biscuits, chips, white flour foods, fizzy drinks and chocolate (oh no!).

Other tips in the 28-Day Plan book to raise and restore energy are:

(1). Hibernation-take 20 minutes a day for quiet time. Think about no one and nothing. Lie down, listen to some favourite music or close your eyes and drift off to a beautiful island.

(2). Breath-Spend 5 minutes doing some deep breathing. Sit on the floor in comfortable clothes. Close your eyes and slowly breathe in through your nose, hold for a count of five and slowly exhale to a count of 5.

(3). Laugh-Have a good belly laugh. Watch a funny video or tell a funny joke. Refer back to my last newsletter for more tips.

(4). Sleep-Most of us realise we need 8 hours of sleep for the most benefit. Some other tips are to sleep with the window slightly open (be security conscious too). Have a firm supportive mattress and sufficient pillows. Eat at least 5 hours before going to bed. Go to bed the same time each night. Relax before bed.

(5). Pamper yourself-Go out and treat yourself to a beautiful bunch of flowers (or pick some from your garden). Have a massage, give yourself a facial or bubble bath, and go out for herbal tea with a friend.

(6). Do some stretching and flexing of your body at the start of each day.

(7). Exercise for 30 minutes each day. Some exercise ideas are: walking, jogging, cycling, skipping, bouncing (trampoline), swimming, cleaning and gardening. Have a health check before starting any exercise program.

(8). Eat breakfast.

So get to it. Use this information and tips to begin putting more energy back into your day!