July 19, 2018

5 Healthy Morning Swaps That Can Transform Your Day

By Cameron Simcik

What you do in the morning can be a powerful indicator of how the rest of your day will go.

Hit snooze five times and rush off to work? You might be frazzled and out of sorts. Wake up early, take care of your fundamental needs and eat to feel awesome? You’ll probably approach the day from a calmer and more grounded and positive headspace.

Mornings can transform your entire day. Luckily, there are some really simple morning swaps you can make that can help improve mood, energy, focus, and more.

Here are my top five:

  1.  Swap coffee for hot lemon water. Do you roll out of bed and head straight for the coffee machine? Although coffee can be part of a calming morning ritual, drinking it first thing in the morning and on an empty stomach could do more harm than good. Doing so can increase your stomach’s acid production, which could cause digestive issues and damage to your stomach lining, if consumed regularly.
Instead, opt for hot water with lemon first thing to help kickstart your digestion for the day and to support your liver in flushing toxins out of your body.
But if you’re a coffee-or-bust kind of person, make sure you have your first cup with food  (preferably a blood sugar-balancing meal, as discussed below), which helps the caffeine absorb more slowly into your system. Think: steady energy vs. coffee jitters.
  1. Swap a sugary breakfast for a blood sugar-balancing meal. Sugar is a simple carbohydrate, meaning it doesn’t take much for the body to break it down and use it for energy. When you eat a sugar-rich meal with not much else, that sugar can spike your blood sugar, often with an energy increase, followed by an equally fast sugar and energy crash.
To avoid this, opt for a breakfast with the blood sugar-balancing combo of protein, fat and fiber. These are more complex nutrients, meaning it takes longer to break them down in the digestive system, which equates to a slower drip of energy (AKA steady blood sugar).

Here are some examples of each:
Protein: eggs, tempeh, whey protein powder
Fat: avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds
Fiber: oats, berries, beans, brown rice
Mix and match your breakfast to include one of each!
  1. Swap checking your phone first thing for 10-20 minutes of quiet time.
How many times have you woken up and reached for your phone, only to be sucked into emails and social media before you even get out of bed? This is a common habit, but it’s basically letting other people into your brain before you’ve had time to check in with yourself.

Taking 10-20 minutes of quiet time -- YOU time -- can help you approach the day from a more grounded place. This in turn can support greater focus and sense of calm throughout the day.

Consider creating a short morning routine that helps you ease into the day. Some of my favorite practices are:
Meditating
Journaling
Stretching
Having a quiet cup of tea
Reading an inspirational book
If you’re new to this, I encourage you to experiment with any of these practices and sense what works for you. Keep it simple!
  1. Swap self-criticism for self-love. Have you ever looked in the mirror first thing and had a barrage of negative thoughts take over?

My skin isn’t clear enough, my hair looks awful, etc.

Time to nix those little gremlins and replace them with kind and loving thoughts! Our thoughts become our actions which become our beliefs which become how we live our lives and view the world. This means one seemingly small thought can totally alter our life experience.

When you notice those negative thoughts creeping in, immediately replace them with life-affirming ones like:
My hair looks awesome today
I’m really proud of myself
I love my freckles
Etc.

It doesn’t matter if you believe it 100% right then. What you focus on grows, so the more you give attention to positive thoughts, the more naturally they become part of your life experience.

  1. Swap chemical-filled deodorant with PiperWai. Most deodorants on shelves these days are chock full of toxic and hormone-disrupting chemicals like aluminum, parabens and phthaltates.  Plus, they can be really irritating to the skin and smell artificial.

PiperWai, on the other hand, uses a natural and aluminum-free blend of activated charcoal, organic coconut oil, shea butter, essential oils, and pure vitamin E to keep you dry and smelling oh-so-fresh. It’s safe for even the most sensitive of skins, and it works with your body to neutralize odor.

This swap might be the easiest of them all; just replace your current deodorant with PiperWai, and use per usual!

Just like thoughts can be transformative, so can small action steps. By incorporating  healthy and positive practices into your morning routine, you have the potential to improve your energy levels, mood, focus, happiness and general wellbeing.
 
Cameron Simcik is a holistic nutritionist and life coach helping helping people create a life where they feel alive and aligned! With her nutrition and body knowledge, she brings a unique and holistic approach to coaching and believes designing your life begins with tuning into your body and your intuition.