How I Got My Energy Back - Elisabeth's Story

In this post, Elisabeth, co-founder of Aarja Health and Brand Manager, tells her personal story and explains how she got her energy back and found a balance for her well-being.

I can easily remember how frustrated and hopeless I felt when I was in my 20s, because my health wasn't working well. This was the period in my life when I should be at my best, at least I thought so! After three heart operations almost in a row, I felt this fatigue come on that I had never felt before. Just taking a shower or going to the store felt like an insurmountable obstacle. I mustered up enough energy to get through the work, but after work I couldn't do anything. My free time was spent on the sofa, and I was ashamed because no one understood that there was anything wrong with me, I just looked lazy to the world around me.

For me it almost felt like lying in an open coffin, because in my head I wanted to move and do things, but my body didn't listen. At the time, I didn't know what to do, and all I knew was that my health was only getting worse. I remember the time when I thought I couldn't do this anymore and I kept asking myself: Is this really how my health is going to be for the rest of my life? I had no answer. Finding the right solution for the situation is not easy when you do not understand how the body works or what is the cause of the illness. If I had known all that I know today, my life between the ages of 20 and 30 would have been completely different, I'm sure of that.

I met my fiancé during this dark period in my life, and he introduced me to running. He was an athletic and active person and he had great patience with me. We started running slowly, but already after a few times I felt that I got more energy back into my life! I still remember how amazing and surprising it felt. Was that all I needed?

I could start doing more things after work and had enough energy to do small things, like cleaning a wardrobe. It was so rewarding. The more I invested in my running, the more I got out of it. I have to say that I wasn't particularly happy about it before, and I'm still not super happy. But with all the fantastic health benefits, I motivate myself to get myself out the door. The best medicine for me today is still running outside in nature. It lifts my mood, gives me a boost of energy, I feel strong and clears my anger. I have learned that all movements are important - no matter how small they are.

It turned out that my fiance also had serious health problems. Health is a matter of course until you lose it. We started a health journey together and wanted to learn more about how to improve health even in alternative ways. We traveled to meet various experts and health gurus around the world who specialized in nutritional treatments. What surprised us was how many people we met who had it in common with us. That the answer to good health does not lie in prescribed manufactured medicines, but in how you live your life. This means that it is better to prevent the cause of the disease than to get it and then treat the symptoms with medicine. We discovered a whole new world of alternative health and ways to take care of yourself. We gathered a lot of information from different sources and even during the trip we made changes in our lifestyle - what we eat, how we take care of ourselves and simply that we prioritize our own well-being. And a few years later we both healed.

What is important to us today?

We want to be sure that we get all the vitamins and minerals through our diet or through dietary supplements, since a poor diet leads to a lack of important nutrients that our bodies need every day. A bad diet causes illness and suppresses our energy. It took me several years to understand what proper and sufficient nutrition means. I had always thought that supplements were unnecessary because I thought that if you eat a varied diet that should be enough. But the food we buy today is not as nutritious as you might think, and you have to plan your diet very carefully if you want to get all the nutrients through your diet.

Especially up here in the north where we don't have any sun for two months, it couldn't be more important to take extra vitamin D. My winters were so much better than before thanks to my running routine and supplements. Knock on wood, but I rarely suffer from any seasonal illnesses anymore, compared to before. I really believe in the power of strengthening the immune system naturally. I think it's about the right diet, exercise and rest. When everything is in balance, you then have the energy to enjoy life to the fullest!

Here are Elisabeth's best tips that she uses in her everyday life to increase and maintain energy, especially during the darkest winter period:

1. Exercise - it gives you energy and endorphins, which raises your mood!

2. Get fresh air - it's easy to stay inside when it gets dark, but fresh air makes the brain work better, but it can give you more energy and help you focus.

3. Stay hydrated - drink enough water! Dehydration causes fatigue because it affects the flow of oxygen to the brain and makes your heart work harder to pump oxygen to all your organs - and that makes you tired and less alert. By staying hydrated, you stay energetic.

4. Vitamin C and D - I make sure I get enough vitamin C to strengthen my immune system and reduce fatigue. Vitamin D is most essential during the dark days!

5. I also use B vitamins, magnesium and iron to support my energy and health.

6. Sleep - now during the polar night we need more sleep. So take care of good sleep, it is one of the best investments for yourself!

7. Eat healthy - a varied diet with plenty of vegetables and berries and good sources of fat, protein and carbohydrates will definitely support your energy levels.

8. Pay attention to your thoughts - feed your mind with positive thoughts and try to release stress. Your anger affects your energy more than we realize!

9. During this period we use a daylight lamp to add a little "sunlight". Lack of light affects mood and energy, so this does little to help in this darkness.

Shop now for your vitamins and supplements to support your daily energy.