Healthy Morning Practices
by Donna Thomson
One thing we can change in our life that can have a positive ripple effect throughout our whole day is our morning practices. Simply changing the time we rise, the food and drink we intake, and adding some routines for a healthy, supple body and mind, we can not only change our day-to-day overall health but we can change our lives.
Give yourself time
The first thing you can do is go to bed earlier in order to wake earlier. This will give you the time to enjoy your mornings rather than waking to the sounds of arguing children or the alarm clock that tells you there's 20 minutes to get ready and leave for work or school. Allow yourself at least an hour before the rest of the house wakes. If you can, plan to watch the sun rise every once in a while because it's very calming and reassuring to connect to such a powerful, natural occurrence.
What's coffee doing for you?
For many of us, a morning coffee (or 2, or 3) is the way we kick-start our day. But coffee is an appetite suppressant, so many people who drink coffee first will skip breakfast because they just don't feel hungry. Big mistake! Unless you take in some quality breakfast food you'll find that your blood sugar will fluctuate, leaving you out of energy and more prone to binging on less-than-desirable foods. You can of course try de-caffeinated coffee, but why not consider an alternative morning drink that brings with it other benefits. I'm sure you're thinking (if not shouting!) "but I need coffee to wake me up". Never fear, keep reading on and you'll find some great tips for helping you wake in the morning and feel much healthier and energetic than you ever will with coffee alone.
A good alternative morning drink is herbal tea or green tea. Green tea is used by the Chinese and is excellent at kick-starting your metabolism. By effectively kick-starting your metabolism in the morning you're telling your body that it can start burning fat, whereas withholding breakfast tells your body that it better hang onto the fat tightly because it's going to need it to feed your body if you're not going to! Do I hear women gasping?
A wonderful cleansing drink for the morning is lemon. Lemon boosts the immune system due to its high vitamin C content, tones the lungs so they're healthy and strong, stimulates digestion and removal of toxins, and cleanses the gallbladder and liver. Simply mix the juice of half a lemon (approx. 2 tablespoons) with 1 cup hot water and drink. Try adding a teaspoon of honey (great for colds and sore throats) or some ginger (also aids digestion). A practical solution to having lemons on hand is to buy a few, squeeze them and freeze the juice in ice cube trays. A plus for the coffee-drinkers, lemon is stimulating and will help you come alive in the morning - give it a try!
Looking the part
One of the simplest ways to refresh your skin in the morning is to have a quick shower. This alone can help to wake you up and help you feel eager to take on the day ahead. Try using a natural shower gel with vitalising ingredients such as lemon, orange, grapefruit or peppermint essential oils, to name a few. Go one step further and use a body brush or loofah to scrub away the dead skin cells and get the circulation going. You'll feel lighter and fresher than ever!
If you've had your shower in the evening you can use a spritz with a water spray bottle with any of the oils mentioned to spray over your body for a similar refreshing effect. Just be cautious and allow at least an hour before going in the sun after using citrus oils.
Don't forget to moisturise your skin, whether you live in a hot climate that is drying to the skin or a harsh cold climate, your skin will thank you for the extra hydration that a light moisturiser provides. Make this part of your routine and your body (and the mirror) will thank you in ten years time! The ideal time to moisturise is after a shower so it locks in the additional moisture.
If you have to wear makeup, try to make it as light as possible and go for more natural products. Makeup is designed to enhance your features so consider what you really need to wear and don't rely on the products and techniques you've been using for ten years. If you haven't updated your makeup in over a year it may be time to get some new supplies as makeup does have an expiry date (though we all like to push it to its limits!). Each time you use it, it's being exposed to the air and bacteria from handing it. This is why it's best to use applicator brushes for lipsticks and eye shadows. There are now some very light and natural looking concealers and powders on the market that are kinder on your skin, allowing it to breathe. Most important of all is to remove all makeup when you get home. Even though it may look like it's worn off, there will be residues in your pores which may lead to blackheads and pimples, so use a good cleanser.
Connecting with inner peace
This tends to be one of the main things people want to add to their routines but they make it last on their priority list, so they just never get around to it. I'm talking about meditation. If you're going to get up earlier, in those beautiful, calm hours before the sun rises, make this your time to meditate. Of course, you don't need to spend hours in the lotus position! Find a nice quiet place indoors or outdoors. You might like to create a special haven for meditation by adding plants and things like crystals, a comfortable large cushion, etc. Meditating of a morning prepares you for the day ahead because it aids clarity and a sense of oneness with the universe. What might otherwise stress you suddenly falls into a larger perspective and you can ride the waves of your days with more confidence. Meditation can also change your life because it allows to connect with the true you, to help you identify what you really want from your life and to find a higher purpose. Even if it's just 10 minutes a morning, try it and see how much calmer and balanced you feel.
Waking the Body
Yoga, stretching, Qi Gong, Tai Chi and walking are all great activities to perform in the morning for a supple, healthy body. It helps to get your circulation going and the hormones produced while exercising make you feel happy and motivated. Unfortunately exercise is something we've come to dread because it sounds 'hard' but it's an essential part of life and good health. Getting the body moving gives you both outer and inner strength, builds a healthier body to help resist infection and prevent the deterioration of your bone mass, especially as you get older when this happens at a faster rate.
Why not make it a goal this year to learn a new skill such as yoga? Join a class or find an instructional DVD to get you started. Exercise can be lots of fun too - why not try dancing to your favourite music or walking with a group of friends so you get the benefit of regularly catching up with them at the same time?
Having said all this, there's nothing wrong with having a coffee in the morning if that's what you really enjoy. But this article has been about helping you see a larger picture of how your actions in the morning can affect your health and life. So if you still want that coffee, go for it! Just make sure to have a healthy breakfast alongside it and prepare your body and mind for the day ahead using some of the techniques above, or perhaps some of your own. Whatever works best for you!