Five ancient energy boosters revealed

Are you throwing back highly-caffeinated energy drinks or spending a huge portion of your paycheck on the Starbucks drive-through every morning just to get through the Monday-to-Friday work week grind? If so, you may want to consider a more natural approach to boosting your energy.

Malaysians have been practicing health and beauty traditions for centuries. These traditions are known as ramuan and are all about synergy, balance and moderation, a holistic approach for attuning the body’s energies with nature’s rhythms. Here are five natural ramuan secrets for boosting energy:

Exercise—Regular exercise may play a significant role in a number of different health aspects, such as increasing energy, decreasing fatigue and even boosting sexual desire. Malays have long practiced senaman asak badan, a traditional form of exercise that consists of a combination of body movements and breathing techniques. Many of the movements include yoga-like postures (think bending tree, tiger, snake, warrior and blowing-flute poses). Benefits of senaman asak badan include improved flexibility, agility, endurance and strength.

Detox—Part of the ramuan regimen includes herbal cleansing to help purify and rejuvenate the body, promote a youthful complexion, improve digestion and optimize liver health.

Massage—Even though it’s ultra-relaxing, massage has been known to improve energy levels as well. Malays practice a traditional form of massage known as urut melayu, a deep-tissue massage with long, kneading strokes that focuses on blood flow in the urat, or veins and arteries. This traditional massage stimulates energy points while loosening and warming up muscles. 

Herbal supplements—There are a couple great supplements that make it easy to reap the benefits of rare, potent Malaysian herbs. Tenaga may support energy, overall well-being and sexual vitality in men, and Asmara may support energy, vitality, and postpartum firming and toning as well as overall emotional well-being in women.

Foods—Greens already pack a potent punch, so how about turning it up a notch? For lunch or dinner Malays eat ulam, a fresh, leafy herbal salad that they believe to have anti-aging properties and significant antioxidant activity. If you’re feeling adventurous, try this traditional ulam recipe.

Ramuan Celebrates National Yoga Month!

September is officially National Yoga Month, so we thought we’d take the opportunity to remind you about the many benefits of yoga. At the very least, we hope to inspire you to lead a healthier, more balanced life this month.

What’s the Ramuan Connection?

Yoga means “union” or “to join together” in Sanskrit. It is an important part of the Ayurvedic medical tradition, and has ties to Malaysian health traditions, including Ramuan.

From the earliest Indian presence on the Malay Peninsula, yoga has been an abiding presence. Much like yoga, the Malays themselves have long practiced traditional exercise that is a series of bodily movements combined with breathing techniques known as senaman asak badan. Many of the postures resemble elements from the natural world—for example, bending tree, tiger, snake, warrior and blowing flute pose. In many ways, yoga, Ayurveda and Ramuan have the same goal: the mind-body-soul balance.

What Are The Benefits?

Those who practice yoga can benefit from increased flexibility, strength and posture, but Charaka Samhita (the preeminent Ayurvedic text) also mentions yoga as being helpful in removing tension, improving digestion and integrating bodily and mental functions.

How Can You Celebrate National Yoga Month?

It’s never too late to start the practice of yoga, but perhaps you need a little incentive. For the month of September, try the One Week Free Yoga Card, redeemable at over 1,000 participating studios nationwide. Low on gear? Snag a new yoga mat by taking advantage of celebratory discounts, such as YogaDirect’s current deal for 25 percent off all eco-friendly products or this 20 percent off coupon code for Lucy merchandise. And for inspiration on the go, you can also download Women’s Health’s Hot Body Yoga iPhone app to try out new poses and techniques any time you want. Don’t be afraid to take matters into your own hands for boosting the well-being of your mind, body and spirit this month!