Don’t sit through another meeting having your boss catch you yawning away.  We call upon nutrition and wellness expert Rachel Lerner ,owner of Personal Web Nutrition ,to give us an energy boost!

You are sitting in an afternoon meeting and find yourself struggling to stay awake. Your natural instinct is to reach for coffee or chocolate, right? Well the truth is caffeine (found in coffee, tea, soda, chocolate and energy drinks) and candy will actually exacerbate the situation. Instead, here are eleven natural energy boosters:

1) Stretch – gentle stretching can help revitalize your energy and ease tight muscles
2) Fresh air – grab 5-10 minutes of fresh air either at lunch or sometime in the mid-afternoon
3) Cacao nibs –try snacking on raw cacao (chocolate) nibs, which come from a fruit of the Amazonian tree. Cacao contains theobromine, a substance related to caffeine but with much milder effects. Not only is cacao high in antioxidants it also helps elevate our mood and energy.
4) Breathing break – close your eyes, take several deep breaths (inhale slowly, then exhale slowly) and meditate or just relax. Imagine yourself in a beautiful place or think of a happy memory.
5) Water can be a common cause of fatigue, so make sure you stay hydrated. Next time you need a quick burst of energy try grabbing for a glass of plain old water!
6) Exercise – believe it or not exercising in the morning will jumpstart your day and help keep you energized throughout the entire day. If you can’t exercise in the morning, incorporate it into your lunch hour if possible.
7) Incorporate foods that contain magnesium such as spinach, avocado or almonds
8) Iron deficiency can sometimes be a cause of fatigue so add some chicken, liver, dark green leafy vegetables, tofu or fresh beets into your diet
9) Eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and at least one healthy snack a day. This ensures your blood sugar levels remain stable throughout the day, lessening your chances of a dip in energy.
10) Eating an assortment of different fruits and vegetables is a great way to boost your mood and energy levels because they contain key nutrients and antioxidants and as a bonus, are lower in calories.
11) Eating foods rich in vitamin B12 and folic acid is another way to increase your energy. Vitamin B12 and folic acid can be found in beans greens, meats, fish, poultry and dairy.

So the next time you need an energy boost, go ahead and grab yourself one of these natural energy sources!

Thanks Rachel for this great advice!  You can read more great advice from Rachel on her blog: http://personalwebnutrition.com/health/blog/ and her Blog Talk radio show- http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rachel-lerner - Healthy Bits and Bites.