Best way to Start your Day in the New Year

Here are some suggestions that might get your day off to an awesome start:

• Skip the news and the morning TV shows: Opt out of watching the news on television or listening to it on the radio. Without TV or radio noise in the background, your mornings should feel less hectic. Periodic breaks from the news can promote mental calm and help renew your spirits. Music is a better choice or an educational podcast.

 

• Meditate: Individuals who meditate regularly may find that they become mindful – more aware of everyday aspects of life – and able to bring more awareness to everything they do. Immediate benefits can include lowered blood pressure, decreased heart and respiratory rates, increased blood flow, and other measurable signs of the relaxation response. You can even meditate while walking, which combines the benefits of walking and meditation. Download a meditation app on your phone such as Insight Timer or Heartspace.

 

• Work out: If you’re pressed for time in the morning, you may have to get up a bit earlier to fit in your workout. 30 – 60 minutes is all you need! For many people, the best time to exercise is first thing in the morning because an overnight fast causes blood sugar levels and carbohydrate stores to be at their lowest. If you want to lose weight, rigorous walking (great time to listen to a walking meditation) or weight training when you wake up causes the body to access fat for energy more easily and much faster in order to meet the caloric demands of your workout than it can when you exercise later in the day. Keep a yoga mat in your bedroom to inspire a yoga workout.

 

• ​Wake to natural light: If you need an alarm clock to wake you, you’ll need some transition time to learn to wake up naturally. Of course, the trick is to get a full night’s sleep, and that may mean going to bed earlier than you do now. Being awakened by a jangling bell, a harsh buzzer, raucous music or anything other than waking naturally after a full night’s sleep is a detriment to long-term health. If you must have an alarm choose one with a melodic sound that rises in volume over time to transition you softly into waking.
• Drink a glass of warm water, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar: Lemons contain ample amounts of phytonutrients, vitamin C, and fiber which are all needed for supporting gut health. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps to lower inflammation in the gut and boost the immune system. Research has shown that vinegar can mildly lower the growth of gram-negative bacteria implicated with a whole slew of inflammatory health problems as well as leaky gut syndrome. It serves as a liver detox and has been show to have anti-yeast and anti-fungal and antiviral benefits. Make sure the ACV is organic, raw, unfiltered form with the “mother” included. You’ll be able to see the mother as sediment in the bottle but it usually always also says so on the label. Never drink without diluting!

Recipe:  8oz. warm water (never hot) ~ Juice of 1 fresh lemon ~ 1- 2 Tbls. ACV. Start with 1 and build up to 2. Optional: 1 tsp of Raw Local Honey. Drink on an empty stomach.
 
Rule Your Day!
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