Good morning, beautiful! I hope you have an amazing day and I am SO excited to share with you the top five things to get you moving this am for a better day. There are many routines I will recommend for my clients, some are much more individualized but the ones below can be applied to most everyone and these are the ones my family and I do, each and every morning.
#1 Morning Routine Tip - Morning Gratitude
I’m a deeply spiritual and devout Catholic. I also practice yoga and have been immersed in community settings of believers and nonbelievers. No judgment…whether you believe in God, a higher being, the universe, or not, waking up and having the first thought of gratitude really sets up your day to be a full glass kind of day. I’m definitely not a morning person and prefer a slow and gentle rise to my own rhythm, but my kids need to get to school and I have other responsibilities (as most people do). So, my days start early (though really should be earlier) and when my eyes open to turn off my alarm, I begin with gratitude.
This is one of my morning mantras I say silently to myself, you are welcome to use, create your own, and mix it up.
“Thank you, God. Thank you for allowing me to live another day, please come into my life, my husband’s life, my daughters’ lives today and allow us to deeply connect with the path you have before us and for us to recognize this path you have divinely and generously given us. Thank you for all the blessings you have given my family and me, for the home to shelter us and keep us safe, the food we have to nourish our bodies, minds, and souls, the friends and family we have to keep us connected, and for inspiring us to breathe and to continue our life’s journey. Thank you.”
Here’s a list of other morning gratitude options you can try out…
Morning Prayer - I like the Hallow App for guided prayer and mediation,
Meditation - there are many styles, some like to listen to birds, or you can have a special hertz (some suggest these levels: 432 Hertz for Meditation, 639 hertz for Heart Chakra , 417 Hertz for Sacral Chakra, 963 Hertz for Crown Chakra) these recordings can be found on Spotify, YouTube, etc.
Pranayama Breathing - this is a yoga breathing exercise meant to bring calm and cleansing to the lungs, I’ll be posting a video on how to do this soon
Focus on good things in you life, it can be a simple as having a bed to sleep in, a blanket to warm you, the ability to draw air into your lungs, and go from there
Allow the first thing that enters into your mind be joy and just smile, maybe say, “Good morning ____ (insert your name here), I am full of joy and will radiate joy today. (now truly smile 😀)
The science behind gratitude is pretty spectacular, and there are more happiness experts emerging, in fact one of my dear friends recently has a certification for this! Check her out here.
Here are some additional cool details to help you feel good by focusing on practicing gratitude. It’s been “associated with many positive effects in a person’s physical and mental health. Expressing gratitude can improve sleep, mood and immunity, and can decrease depression, anxiety, chronic pain and disease.” (1) Per psychologist Dr. Lauren Alexander, PhD, “...practicing gratitude can help lower blood pressure, help build a stronger immune system and even help with certain treatment outcomes,” (2).
#2 Morning Routine Tip - Remove Toxins
The body has an amazing way of pullings toxins out of the body. We have some powerful and incredible organs that processes all we’ve consumed such as eating, drinking, breathing, putting onto our skin, and trying to not just absorb the nutrients and benefits, but then processing the harmful “stuff” and pushing it out of the body. Eliminating the “waste and toxins” are done in a number of ways such as exhaling, blowing your nose, shedding skin, urinating, and having a bowel movement. These main detoxing organs are the skin, lungs, lymphatic system, liver, kidneys, and colon. So, first I recommend when getting out of bed, is to urinate (generally most people need to). What I tell my kids (thanks mom)…”remove those poisons from your body, go to the bathroom” which again, usually is just urinating first thing in the body.
A few tips to help remove poisons aka toxins are below. Some are simple additions, while others may need some guidance…stay posted for some tips like patterns for dry brushing and breathing techniques. For others, you may need an adjustment to your diet or a simple addition to your supplement for bowel regularity. Please reach out and I can help you better adjust your body and it’s need for a healthier you. An even deeper dive, having a better understanding of what you are putting into, on, and near your body. This can encompass body products, food ingredients, filtering water and air, etc. and cookware. I’ve worked with countless clients, doctors, and other wellness practitioners to support a cleaner lifestyle. Check below for some of those easier tips…
Body Brushing - Support your Skin & Stimulate Lymphatic Drainage
Face Brushing - Support your Skin & Stimulate Lymphatic Drainage
Diaphragmatic Breathing - Support your Lungs
Pranayama Breathing - Support your Lungs
Showering/Washing Face - Remove any Physical Toxins on your Skin
Healthy Eating - Support your Liver
Urinate - Remove Toxins in your Kidneys and Body
Daily Bowel Movements - Remove Toxins from your Digestive System and Body
#3 Morning Routine Tip - Coconut Oil Pulling
This has become an amazingly positive trendy tip and I’m sure I’m not alone in recognizing those who oil pull, have a whiter and brighter smile, you’re welcome Dr. Dentist, 😉. This is a simple and quick way to pull out all the bacteria (even hidden food that the floss didn’t catch last night) out of the mouth. Some say it cuts down on tartar build up, but it is a popular recommendation from Ayurveda practitioners to even models like Gisele Bűndchen. “Oil pulling is believed to help in the excretion of toxic heavy metals by saliva…prevents dental caries, improves oral hygiene, decreases oral microbial count, inhibits adhesion of plague to teeth and oral surfaces, reduces gingivitis, reduces halitosis, strengths oral cavity muscles and jaw, whitens teeth, and improved general health” (3). Wow! That is a pretty impressive list, and one of the reasons it’s in my top tips to start the day, plus it leaves your mouth feeling ‘so fresh and so clean’! (cue the Outkast music) 🎶
DIRECTIONS FOR OIL PULLING
Before brushing teeth and on an empty stomach
Place 1 tsp coconut oil in mouth (adults can increase to 1 tablespoon, if able)
Swish around Mouth, try to pull oil between teeth for 1 minute, working up to 10 minutes (per research)
Do NOT swallow oil
Spit into a tissue and/or garbage (into the sink and/or toilet can clog pipes)
If needed, can spit some of the oil out as your body will add saliva during this process
Rinse mouth with warm water, saline water, tap water, etc.
Brush teeth as normal or with finger (small children can use a finger brush)
This may make your jaw and tongue tired, so work up to a goal of 5-10 minutes.
The oil contains bacteria and toxins which you are trying to remove from the body, so it’s best to spit out and then rinse your mouth to further remove the residue
Click on the link below to download your Coconut Oil Pulling Directions
#4 Morning Routine Tip - Lemon Water
Lemons and other citrus fruits have beautiful cleansing properties. I use them in my homemade cleaners, simmer them on the stove for a nice and natural aromatic smell, and add their essential oils into some body rollers. By slicing a lemon and using the juice and/or slice of a lemon with your hot water or room temperature water, can be a great way to support your liver and help cleanse the body.
This is one of my go-to first things in the morning beverage and step 4 in my morning routine…Spicy Lemon Water. I also enjoy just the juice of half a lemon with hot filtered water. Check out this video for a quick way to enjoy lemon water.
I’m really focusing on liver health right now and I love this refreshing and warming beverage. You can do a couple of steps with this too, maybe put on some fun and inspiring music, read, gentle movements, or even go for a walk while sipping. Whatever you do, you also haven’t had any food, so maybe something on the strenuous side may be too aggressive to add in, take the necessary pace and enjoy the calm beauty of this step.
#5 Morning Routine Tip - Gentle Movement/Stretching/Yoga
Our bodies are meant to move and over time, the more you move, the better you should feel. As my dad regularly says, “I have to use it or I’ll lose it” and he is a healthy spry man who moves regularly and also knows how to play…he’s known in our circle as the Major, and one of his many mottos is, “work hard, play hard.” Meaning, everyday is met with some type of work, physical and mental, and then you earn that play. For him, “play” can be as simple as watching a sci-fi movie or having a glass of wine (his size of wine glass varies 🧐).
Being a yoga instructor and playing sports throughout my life, I love movement. As I’ve aged, my movement has changed, but nonetheless, moving the body is necessary for a great day. Maybe it’s gardening, cleaning the house (which can be VERY strenuous), running, cycling, boxing, lifting weights, walking, or a series of yoga poses, moving the body helps move the blood around the body, increases your heart rate, helps your body expel toxins through those detox pathways (sweating, stimulating lymphatic system, digestion and breath), and stimulates the brain.
There are some amazing yoga series and I find myself reminiscing about my yoga training when I was in Ecuador for over a month (so many emotions). What I loved most about that time was the connection I had with my body and mind to propel me to help others through my time there. During that training, the group and I practiced yoga a minimum of twice a day (the lessons were one hour each) and when we were learning the routines, some days it was four sessions a day. That is a LOT of movement…and guess what, not only was my body stronger, I didn’t hurt. Whatever exercise routine you want to start or continue, make sure you consult with your healthcare provider and check in with your goals. If you need any help, please let me know and I’d be happy to support you.
Some easy body movement for your morning could be on the edge of your bed, in a chair, or even standing. Here’s a quick routine on YouTube…stay tuned for a sequence I love, guided by me.
Morning Routine Tips Wrap Up
Waking up on the right side of the bed unfortunately doesn’t happen every morning, but in spite of not having a well rested slumber doesn’t mean you can’t practice these habits. To recap on the top five morning routine tips, think about all of your blessings and why you are such a cool person, go pee, swish with coconut oil and spit out in the garbage then rinse with warm water, drink some lemon water, and move your body. After that…your day may be a little bit brighter and you’re on your way to make someone happy, possibly even yourself!
I encourage you to try these tips for a week, make any necessary adjustments you may need, and please connect with me so I can help customize your morning routine to get you on your way for an excellent day! In these meetings, I can formalize a supplement routine, a meal plan, as well as recommend and analyze your blood work to see how your body is really functioning.
The tips above are only suggestions, but ones I practice and I hope you can take them and adapt to your own routine for a better day! Remember, each day may not be the perfect day you intended, but when you give the day a beautiful start, it may be the perfect day you were meant to have! Hugs and thank you!
Here is also a fun Morning Playlist I made on Spotify...
REFERENCES
Shanbhag VK. Oil pulling for maintaining oral hygiene - A review. J Tradit Complement Med. 2016 Jun 6;7(1):106-109. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2016.05.004. PMID: 28053895; PMCID: PMC5198813.
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