Energy Check

To get an idea of how depleted your energy might be and how dependent you are on stimulants, check yourself out in the following questionnaire. Give yourself one point for each "yes" answer.

• Do you have trouble getting up in the morning?
• Do you rely on a cup of coffee to get you going in the morning?
• Do you feel tired all the time?
• Do you often feel foggy, fuzzy, or dull?
• Do you have trouble concentrating?
• Do you use sugar, caffeine (tea, coffee, caffeinated soft drinks), or a cigarette as a pick-me-up throughout the day?
• Are you often irritable or angry for no apparent reason?
• Do your moods seem to go up and down for no apparent reason?
• Are your mood swings often relieved by food, especially sweets?
• Do you have trouble falling asleep at night?
• Do you have headaches or shaky feelings that are relieved by sugar, caffeine, or cigarettes?
• Do you suspect you're addicted to coffee, caffeinated soft drinks, or cigarettes?
• Do you find yourself constantly in crisis?
• Are you drawn to thrills, danger, and drama in your life?

1-5: We all have our moments – bad moods, feeling tired or foggy, and in need of a pick-me-up, but there may be some warning signs for you here.

6-10: You are showing signs of depleted energy and may even be overly dependent on stimulants to keep you going.

11-14: You are quite depleted and at risk for becoming hooked on stimulants. It is affecting your mental and physical health. You can get off them with the right diet, supplement, and lifestyle changes.

Learn about Natural Energizers: A Better Boost.

More on: Feeling Good Naturally

Excerpted from:

From NATURAL HIGHS: Supplements, Nutrition, and Mind/Body Techniques to Help You Feel Good by Hyla Cass and Patrick Holford. Copyright © Hyla Cass, M.D., and Patrick Holford. Used by arrangement with Avery, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

To order this book visit www.penguin.com. Get a 15% discount with the coupon code FENPARENT.