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6 Life-Changing Morning Routines You Shouldn’t Live Without

lemon water

 

Having morning routines can make waking up less stressful and more healthful.

Rise and shine! You just woke up – now what? We are creatures of habit, and with that in mind, it’s necessary to focus on habits that keep us healthy, happy and strong. The morning is a vulnerable time for all of us, because our stomachs are empty, our minds calmer and our bodies fresh from a night of having been “turned off”. For this reason, the first activities you engage in and the foods you eat will affect you that much more in the morning than later in the day. Here are 6 morning routines you shouldn’t live without.

1. Water and probiotics

When you wake up, the first thing you should do once you feel the thirst or hunger pang is to drink as much water as possible – about 1 liter, if possible, along with a high-quality probiotic supplement. Often we confuse thirst for hunger. When you first wake up,  your body may be stuck in the ritual of eating breakfast immediately and sends your brain signals to eat, even when you aren’t hungry. Take your time in the morning to observe your “true” hunger and drink water first. This habit also hydrates you, so you get your day off on the right foot.

2. Lemon tea

Lemon is highly cleansing and holds liver-detoxifying properties that will benefit you in more ways than one. About 30 minutes after having water, prepare tea water and squeeze in the juice of ½ lemon. Sip throughout the morning, perhaps while you are preparing for the day. Lemon juice is alkaline in the body and will help balance your pH levels while providing you with a morning boost of freshness.

3. Dry skin brushing

Before you workout or take a shower, set aside 2-5 minutes to dry brush you skin. Stand naked in the shower, with dry skin, and using a natural fiber bristle brush, start with your legs and move upwards in small, clock-wise circles in the direction or your heart. Go over each skin area twice, emphasizing cellulite-ridden areas and lymph nodes. This improves circulation and elimination channels, so fat under the skin doesn’t sit lifeless and cellulite doesn’t go unchanged.

4. Sweat from the inside out

Working out should be an indelible part of your life. Whatever makes you energized or gets you moving, do it! Sweat as much as you can when you work out and with each drop you are not simply getting rid of water but also a host of toxins and metals that the sweat shepherds out of the body and through the skin. Workout on an empty stomach for best results. However, if you are so hungry to the point you can’t get in an optimal workout regimen, eat a banana or something light. Once you are done working out, shower to get rid of the obvious stench as well as to flush away the sweat so it doesn’t get reabsorbed into the skin.

5. Inversion

After a shower and still with an empty stomach, practice inversions. This doesn’t mean you have to do a head stand or anything, but simply that you attempt to prop your lower body up so that it is higher than your upper body, from the toes to the head. This means your chest is higher than your neck and your neck is higher than the top of your head. There are inversion boards sold for this particular practice. And it make seem a bit ridiculous, but inversions can change your life! Rise and shine and get low to glow.

6. Eat a light breakfast

The common misconception is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day or that is should be heavy, in general. This is not true. In fact, it has recently been proven to be not as important as it has always been praised to be. Listen to your body! When you are hungry, stick to raw, plant-based foods, such as fruit or vegetable and fruit juices. If you have a heavy breakfast, you weigh yourself down and use up so much energy to digest the food that you become lethargic throughout the day. Eating light allows you to stay energized and focused when it matters most. It also ensures that the following meals don’t crash into previously undigested matter in the digestive tract and wreak havoc on your regularity.

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Photo Credit: Sam Fox Photography