Now that the summer is unofficially the back to school energy naturally inspires us to start something new. Fall is all about the new school year, new season, new goals.
Fall heralds the beginning of the cooler season, a time of turning inward and setting ourselves up for the coming colder months.
According to Chinese medicine, autumn is associated with the element of Metal, which governs organization, order and communication, and protecting boundaries.
You can use the energy of the season to create a few new habits to support your body, mind and spirit. This is the perfect time of year to recommit to your wellbeing.
Each morning can be a fresh start. Below are 6 habits that set you up for a great day. Try incorporating them into your morning routine and see how much better you feel physically and emotionally.
1.Eat Vegetables At Breakfast
Breakfast is an important meal. A bowl of cereal or bagel does not set your day up for balanced hormones, stable blood sugar and good digestion. You want your breakfast to be filled with protein, fat and fiber to keep you satisfied and energized.
Eating vegetables in the morning gives your body the vital nutrients it needs for health and happiness. Get more vegetables in your breakfast with a Green Smoothie or Mini Spinach Mushroom Fritatta or Poached Eggs with Greens in Broth
Studies show a higher consumption of vegetables to be associated with longer telomeres, used to measure biological aging. You want to have long telomeres. You get that from vegetables.
A new study published in the American Journal of Public Health has found that eating more fruits and vegetables can boost your happiness as much as going from being unemployed to employed.
2. Hydrate
Probably the most common cause of weight gain, digestive problems, lymph congestion and poor detoxification function is dehydration. The most important time of day to drink water is when you wake up. Your body gets dehydrated overnight. You need water to flush toxins that have accumulated overnight. Start your day with 16-24 ounces of water. Drink water before your coffee.
Proper hydration is crucial for glowing skin, healthy muscles, joints and the proper functioning of every cell and organ in your body. Drink 16 ounces of water 15-30 minutes before each meal to stimulate digestion.
3. Exercise Before Breakfast
Exercising before breakfast is highly beneficial. Studies show that exercising before breakfast can help prevent a lot of health problems and helps maintain your natural weight.
Why? When you wake up you are in a fasted state. Your muscles are forced to burn stored fats instead of glucose. Burning fat keeps your energy and mood stable.
Exercising before breakfast helps charge your body and boosts your energy level. It helps to protect against glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. Walking, yoga, swimming or dancing in the morning helps in regulating the blood flow, controls the blood pressure level and prevents high blood pressure. Morning exercise makes you sleep better at night by adjusting your circadian rhythms.
4. Appreciation List
Each morning, before you check your email or Instagram account, take a few minutes to remember and write down 3 blessings from the day before. Allow the appreciation to sink into your body for a few seconds. These are 3 things that you enjoyed or appreciated. They don’t have to be big things. It could be little things like seeing a beautiful flower, enjoying petting your cat or getting a good parking spot. You’ll find yourself looking for wonderful things all day. It’s really fun.
This is an easy way to start your day on a high vibration. You’ll notice many things to appreciate and more amazing things will come into your life. After doing this practice for 6 months, I received $20,000 unexpectedly. How great is that!
5. Meditation
Meditation has profound benefits for your body, mind and spirit. The most well documented benefits of meditation include improved concentration, more joy, decreased blood pressure, stress reduction, and enhanced immune function.
Some people say they don’t like to meditate because they can’t quiet their mind. But really that’s ok. Even if it feels like your mind has been chattering throughout your entire meditation, you are still receiving the benefits of your practice. You haven’t failed or wasted your time. In every meditation, there are moments, even if only microseconds, when the mind dips into the gap and experiences the refreshment of pure awareness. As you meditate on a regular basis, you will spend more and more time in this state of expanded awareness and silence. I recommend meditating for 15 minutes but even 5 minutes is beneficial. You can find 3 Easy Meditations in my article Meditation Improves Health and Happiness.
6. Plan Your Dinner
Meal planning ensures you’ll have a healthy option on hand for dinner. Sometime in the early part of the day, before going out decide what you’re going to have for dinner. This way you can defrost proteins or soak beans. If you have a slow cooker set it up so dinner is ready when you come home. It’s also helpful to check your recipe and write down your shopping list so you can pick up the ingredients you need on your way home.
I hope you use these 6 Things to Do Every Morning For Health and Happiness to start a new morning routine this fall and see how much better you feel physically and emotionally.
(BONUS) Breathing To Improve Your Health
One of the most important ways to stay healthy and happy is to BREATHE. You say of course I’m breathing…but do you know there are breathing techniques that will make a huge difference in your life. You can read all about them in this article…
Breathing Techniques: A Guide to the Science and Methods
Check it out. You’ll be glad you did.
