Natural Energy Boosters for Tired Parents: Dr. Tony Ebel’s Top 10 Daily Habits
Episode 116, Experience Miracles Podcast | Host: Dr. Tony Ebel, DC, CACCP, Pediatric Chiropractor & Founder of PX Docs | Published: June 27, 2024 | Duration: 28 min
Key Takeaways
- Purpose is the top energy source: When your work and calling are aligned, engagement replenishes you rather than drains you. Dr. Tony Ebel says this single factor outperforms every supplement, biohack, or recovery tool on his list.
- Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care twice weekly is Dr. Tony’s non-negotiable energy input, clearing nervous system stress, optimizing neurological function, and matching the output demands of a high-output lifestyle. He adds a third adjustment during travel weeks.
- Daily movement of 10,000+ steps combined with CrossFit 2-3x/week, rucking, and strength work gives the body the varied stimulus it needs. Tension in the body equals Subluxation equals Sympathetic Dominance, and all three create exhaustion.
- Supplement cycling, taking B12 and gut health supplements during high-output weekdays but resting on weekends and vacations, prevents the body from becoming “immune” to them and preserves their effectiveness long-term.
- Quarterly week-long vacations, early sleep (in bed by 9-9:30 PM, up by 5-5:30 AM), and regular quiet time in nature are the recovery inputs that make sustained high performance possible without burning out.
What Does Dr. Tony Ebel Actually Do to Keep His Energy High?
Sustained natural energy for parents doesn’t come from one thing, it comes from stacking 10 consistent habits that together create what Dr. Tony Ebel calls a system of matched inputs and outputs. The list is personal: Dr. Tony manages a clinical practice, two podcasts, a postgraduate training program, four kids, and a 20-acre farm. What works for him won’t be a perfect fit for everyone, but the underlying principles, purpose alignment, nervous system care, movement variety, clean fueling, strategic recovery, apply broadly.
The list is deliberately sequenced. Purpose and calling sit at number one because without them, the other nine don’t matter. Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care is second because it’s the infrastructure that makes physical output possible without accumulating neurological debt. Movement, nutrition, sleep, and supplementation fill out the middle. Recovery, vacations, solitude, nature, anchors the end. Together they form a cycle of sustainable energy rather than a series of short-term fixes.
For parents who feel chronically depleted, Dr. Tony’s consistent message is that you don’t need to overhaul everything at once. Pick the habit that would move the needle most, master it, and layer in the rest. The goal isn’t to hit 10 for 10, it’s to build a life where your inputs match your outputs so you can actually show up for your family without running on empty.
Number One: Be Fully Connected to Your Purpose [00:02:00 – 06:30]
Dr. Tony Ebel: Number one on my list of top 10 energy boosters is we must be fully, all-in connected to our purpose.
This is throughout scripture, “to whom much is given, much is expected” (Luke 12:48) hangs on the wall of Dr. Tony’s dining room, a sign his team gave him the year God was calling him to launch the podcast and build pxdocs.com. He was nervous about it. Four kids, a full practice, a big team. But stepping into it was what unlocked the energy, not what drained it.
My calling, my first and foremost responsibility, is to my wife Christina and my four kids. That’s where I need to serve the most. But in addition, I love that my vocation doesn’t feel like a job at all.
If you’re going to a job you despise, even if you’re crushing every other habit on this list, you’ll never get your energy to a 10 out of 10. God called us to serve, to create impact, to make the lives of others better. When you’re off purpose, you’re off energy. It’s that direct.
“My energy comes from my purpose more than anything else. Every time I step into it and do more of it, I come out more energized, more connected, more fulfilled.”
Dr. Tony acknowledges this is the hardest one to act on. If your current work doesn’t align with your calling, the question isn’t whether to make a change, it’s what that change would look like and when you start moving toward it.
Number Two: Get Adjusted Twice a Week [00:07:00 – 09:30]
Dr. Tony Ebel: This is the one you thought I was going to put at number one.
For Dr. Tony, two adjustments per week is a maintenance schedule, what he calls a “neuro-boost plan”, not a corrective care schedule. The key distinction is that it has to be Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care, not general back-cracking or stretching-machine chiropractic.
The framework is simple: match your input with your output. If you’re a high-output person, demanding job, young kids, physical activity, minimal downtime, once a week may not be enough. Twice weekly is the optimized schedule for most active parents. Biweekly might work for someone with a low-stress retirement lifestyle, but for parents in the thick of it, once a week is the floor, not the ceiling.
“I put a lot out, so I need to put a lot in. I need to make sure I get adjusted. That’s my wellness schedule, that’s my supportive, what we call neuro-boost plan.”
During travel weeks, Dr. Tony adds a third adjustment. Travel, the recycled air, chemical exposure from hotels and rideshares, disrupted eating and sleep, is at the top of his energy-draining list. The third adjustment compensates for that added neurological stress.
Number Three: Move Daily and Consistently [00:09:30 – 11:00]
Dr. Tony Ebel: Ten thousand steps is a minimum. I often hit 20,000, doing chores around the farm while wearing a 30 or 40-pound rucksack.
Dr. Tony tracks movement with a Garmin Venue, specifically because it monitors both steps and HRV (heart rate variability), which he considers the best proxy for nervous system recovery and performance. Whoop and Oura Ring are also excellent HRV trackers, though they don’t track steps as well. If you’re picking one wearable, prioritize HRV monitoring over step counting.
One practical add: schedule a 10-20 minute walk after meals whenever possible. It stabilizes blood sugar and adds to your daily step count without requiring a dedicated workout window.
Number Four: Mix Multiple Types of Exercise and Fitness [00:11:00 – 14:00]
Dr. Tony Ebel: Do not rely on one type of movement. God designed us to be dynamic, and our bodies do best with multi-varied challenges.
Dr. Tony’s weekly training mix:
- CrossFit: 2-3x/week, 7-30 minute high-intensity interval workouts
- Rucking: 2-3x/week, walking with a 30-40 lb pack (see goruck.com for equipment)
- Strength training: Regular emphasis on building muscle and stability
- Mobility and flexibility: The piece he admits he most often skips, and always regrets it
The mobility point is worth underlining. When your neurophysical system tightens up, you get tired from that tension. Physical tension creates Subluxation, which drives Sympathetic Dominance, which exhausts the nervous system. Skipping stretching and mobility work isn’t just an aesthetic issue, it has a direct downstream effect on energy levels.
“Tension equals exhaustion. Physical tension in your body will exhaust your nervous system because tension equals subluxation, equals sympathetic dominance, and it will create exhaustion.”
The rucking recommendation is specifically for parents who hate running but want to build strength, fix posture from desk work, and get outdoors. A weighted rucksack turns a walk into a full-body conditioning session.
Number Five: Eat Clean and Avoid Chemicals [00:14:00 – 14:30]
Dr. Tony Ebel: The best diet by far is just don’t eat chemicals. Period.
Dr. Tony keeps this section brief because nutrition is a rabbit hole that can consume years of study without resolution. His practical filter: if it has chemicals in it, it’s out. The most important area to prioritize is meat, buy organic and chemical-free because you can’t remove GMO corn or antibiotics from a ribeye after the fact.
Processed snack foods, conventionally raised meat, and anything with a long chemical ingredient list all exhaust and confuse the nervous system. Clean food fuels it.
Number Six: Go to Bed Early and Wake Up Early [00:14:30 – 16:30]
Dr. Tony Ebel: In bed by 9 or 9:30, up at 5, 5:30, or 4:30 if possible. Nothing moves the needle like being ahead of the day before it starts.
Dr. Tony cites John Maxwell’s principle: the number one thing his father taught him was to get up early and get a head start. The feeling of being ahead of the world when everyone else is still asleep is hard to replicate with any other habit.
He acknowledges the summer asterisk, three teenagers who want to have deep life conversations at 11 PM when his brain has shut down. That tension between ideal sleep schedule and real family life is honest, and he doesn’t pretend it always works perfectly.
For most parents, optimizing sleep means protecting the early morning more than it means adding sleep hours. The shift to early bedtimes creates the early mornings, which create the head start, which create the energy.
Number Seven: Strategic Supplementation and Cycling [00:16:30 – 21:00]
Dr. Tony Ebel: Supplements are exactly like chiropractic techniques, there is no one size fits all.
Dr. Tony’s personal stack centers on two supplements:
- Sublingual B12, because high nervous system output depletes B12 reserves faster than average
- Gut health supplement (targeting gut lining and mucosal membranes, something like Gut Fortify)
But the more important principle is the cycling approach. Taking the same supplement at the same dose every single day causes the body to become, as Dr. Tony puts it, “immune” to it. The supplement loses its punch.
His rotation follows his output schedule: Monday through Thursday, when he’s running at full capacity, patients, podcasts, workouts, less sleep, he takes B12 and gut health support. On weekends and during vacations, when his output drops, he doesn’t. The nervous system is dynamic and does better with varied inputs, just like it does with varied exercise.
Core supplements, omega-3s, probiotics, are fine to take daily. Energy and anti-inflammatory supplements should be cycled. Dr. Tony has a full supplementation episode planned for later in the year covering MTHFR, B vitamins, and the molecular biology behind supplementation mimicry.
“You’re going to get more results with your supplementation if you don’t necessarily take them the same dose, same time every single day.”
Number Eight: Take Quarterly Vacations [00:21:00 – 23:00]
Dr. Tony Ebel: We take week-long vacations quarterly, and two weeks off in July, usually a staycation on the farm.
The core principle here isn’t spending money or going far. It’s changing zip codes. Shifting your schedule, shutting down Slack and email, leaving the work phone behind. You don’t need Ibiza, a drive to the Wisconsin Dells works perfectly.
The marker for a good vacation: by the last day or two, you’re genuinely ready to get back. Not burned out, not dreading it, actually looking forward to returning to your calling and routine. If you leave vacation still dreading work, that’s a number-one problem (purpose), not a number-eight problem (rest).
Number Nine: Get Out in the Country and Away from People [00:23:00 – 25:00]
Dr. Tony Ebel: Get out in the country. Get away from people. This makes my list, and I reference it all the time on the podcast.
Dr. Tony is extremely extroverted, can’t leave church without talking to everyone, can’t go to the grocery store without his family pulling him out. His whole professional life involves connecting with and pouring into people. Which is exactly why solitude is on the list.
The people who pour out the most need the most genuine quiet. Not distracted, phone-in-hand quiet, actual birdsong, bugs, nature sounds quiet. Moving to a 20-acre farm was Dr. Tony’s solution. You don’t need to go that far, but you do need to find your quiet place and get there on a regular schedule.
This habit feeds back into number one and number two: the calling requires high-level output, and that high-level output requires a place to fully decompress.
Number Ten: Drink Good, Clean, Strong Coffee [00:25:00 – 27:30]
Dr. Tony Ebel: Number 10, I just had to put it on here because it’s on my list. Drink good, clean, strong coffee.
Starbucks is laced with chemicals. Keurig shouldn’t qualify as coffee. Dunkin’ Donuts gets bought only to support his daughter who works there, and then immediately dumped in the parking lot trash.
Dr. Tony’s local coffee shop, Conscious Cup in Crystal Lake, Illinois, is the benchmark. Their “Robot Heart” drink is the gold standard. He started drinking coffee after his son Oliver’s NICU stay, beginning with sugary lattes on Fridays and eventually getting to straight black, what he calls “cowboy farmer” coffee.
The clean-eating principle from number five applies here too: commercial coffee chains often use low-quality beans, syrups loaded with chemicals, and processing that undermines the energy benefit. Clean, strong coffee from a quality source is an energy booster. Chemical-laden coffee from a chain is not.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important daily habits for parents who want more natural energy?
According to Dr. Tony Ebel, the foundation is purpose alignment, doing work that connects to your calling rather than depleting you. The next layer is Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care twice weekly, which optimizes the nervous system’s ability to process and recover from daily stress. Daily movement of 10,000+ steps, clean eating, and early sleep complete the baseline. Recovery habits, quarterly vacations and regular time in nature, make the rest sustainable.
How often should parents get chiropractic adjustments for energy and wellness?
Dr. Tony Ebel recommends once a week as the minimum for most active parents, with twice weekly as the optimized wellness schedule. High-output individuals, those managing demanding careers, young children, and regular physical activity, benefit most from two adjustments per week. During high-stress periods like travel weeks, a third adjustment can compensate for added Sympathetic Dominance and neurological load.
Should I take energy supplements every day?
Dr. Tony Ebel advises against taking most energy-supporting supplements every single day. The body adapts and becomes “immune” to them over time, reducing effectiveness. His approach is to cycle supplements like B12 and gut health products, taking them during high-output weekdays and pausing on weekends and vacations. Core supplements like omega-3s and probiotics are safe to take daily, but energy and anti-inflammatory supplements work better with a cycling approach.
What is the connection between physical tension and low energy?
Physical tension in the body creates Subluxation, spinal dysfunction that interferes with nervous system signaling. Subluxation drives Sympathetic Dominance, locking the nervous system into a chronic fight-or-flight state. This constant neurological stress directly causes exhaustion. Dr. Tony Ebel’s formula: tension equals subluxation, equals sympathetic dominance, equals exhaustion. Addressing tension through chiropractic care, mobility work, and movement is key to breaking this cycle.
What kind of exercise mix does Dr. Tony recommend for sustained energy?
Dr. Tony Ebel’s weekly mix includes CrossFit 2-3 times per week for high-intensity interval work, rucking (walking with a weighted pack) 2-3 times per week for low-impact conditioning and posture correction, strength and stability training, and mobility and flexibility work. He emphasizes that no single training type is sufficient, the body needs multi-varied challenges. A post-meal walk of 10-20 minutes is also recommended for blood sugar stabilization and daily step targets.
How do I find a PX Docs provider near me?
You can search the PX Docs practitioner directory at pxdocs.com/directory to find a Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care provider in your area. PX Docs practitioners are trained in Dr. Tony Ebel’s clinical protocols and specialize in nervous system assessment and care for both children and adults.
Resources & Related Content
- Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care, PX Docs, Learn about the clinical approach Dr. Tony references throughout this episode
- The Perfect Storm Framework, Dr. Tony’s foundational framework for understanding how nervous system dysfunction develops
- Find a PX Docs Office Near You, PX Docs practitioner directory
- GoRuck, Rucksack gear recommended in the episode
- Next Episode: If Parents Don’t Stand for Health Freedom, Who Will? w/ Leah Wilson
- Submit a question for Ask Dr. Tony: support@pxdocs.com (subject line: Ask Dr. Tony) or via PX Docs social media stories (@pxdocs)