Ever since I started my journey to health, I have continued to follow the same morning routine. This sets me off on the right foot each day, ensures I live each day positively, and keeps the toxins continuously flushing out of the body.
These few things help ensure my overall rate of detoxification is higher than the rate of toxins coming in.
I tend not to like the word ‘routine’, because it often associates itself with monotony. It doesn’t have to symbolise monotony though. We can learn to include a few steps in our morning routine, that we hardly have to think about. These things are powerful at breeding life and creativity – at empowering our minds and bodies, right at the start of the day. I don’t begrudge following this routine, I love it!
Morning Routine Tip 1 – Don’t use an alarm clock
I guess what this first tip really is, is go to bed early enough that you’re waking up naturally after having enough sleep. I believe 8-12 hours is where almost everybody should be, especially if they have cut stimulants out of their life. The shock effect of waking with an alarm, and having to jump out of bed, can set you on the back foot, and you’ll feel like you’re always slightly behind schedule. Waking up when you’re ready encourages a feeling of calm, controlled and being settled – this will continue with you through the day. There may be a transitionary phase where you adjust to getting to bed earlier – if you can’t sleep, just get into a ‘shutdown’ phase, where you restrict screens, enjoy dimmer lighting, and listen to relaxing music or chat softly with loved ones.
Morning Routine Tip 2 – Water
Upon rising, I recommend drinking approximately 1 litre of water. If you’re a smaller person, shoot for maybe 700ml instead. Whilst asleep, the body does the majority of its detoxifying and cleansing. Taking on this water in the morning will allow the body to flush out this waste. If you are not used to drinking this amount of water, work up to it over time, or perhaps sip it while you sit in bed and adjust to being awake. The last thing you want is for toxins that have been drawn out in the night, to be re-absorbed by the body, right at the start of your day.
Morning Routine Tip 3 – Have a Bowel Movement
Say whaaat?! Just go with me on this one. If you eliminate first thing in the morning, it will make sure that any debris left over in your body does not get re-absorbed in the colon. It will put a spring in your step, and you will feel light, and energized to start the day. ‘But what if I don’t need to use the bathroom at this time?’ If you’re hydrated, and you’re following the high carb plant-based lifestyle, you will have good digestion overnight, and have plenty to eliminate in the morning. The litre of water you’re starting with will also help the bowel movement to happen – these morning routine tips work very well together.
Morning Routine Tip 4 – Have a High-Water-Content Snack
I recommend 100-300 calories from a high water content fruit source such as fresh juice, grapefruit or watermelon as the first food you take in. This starts your digestive system gently, and transitions you from the detoxification/flushing phase into digesting food. Many in the health industry advocate shocking the digestive system to ‘kick-start’ the metabolism. This is not healthy for the body, as it revs up the adrenal glands and generally stresses the body. You do not have to hurt the body to help it. When you eat your food in order of digestion, and eat plenty of high carb plant-based foods throughout the day, your metabolism will stabilise in time.
Morning Routine Tip 5 – Breakfast like a King
I always aim for around 1000 calories from fruit for breakfast. This is usually a smoothie combination of your favourite fruits. If you’re aiming for great digestion, keep the combination to just 1-3 fruits, so that your body can execute maximum assimilation on each fruit. This may seem like a lot of food, but just sip it over 45 minutes if you need to. Always chew your smoothies, and eat slowly. This, along with the entrée you had earlier, will power you through until lunch. No coffee, no tea required – just real, whole foods, that fuel your body without tricking your body with stimulation. Eating fruit in the morning makes for fantastic digestion throughout the day. Fast transit times make for a fast moving body, and a fast thinking brain. The high-water content will keep you hydrated and ensure you are urinating clear 8-12 times each day.
Notice how none of those morning routine things were actually about skin! Skin health comes from the inside out. The skin is relatively unimportant to the body, so it deals with everything else first. Once your skin has started to heal, it means most of your other internal issues have been addressed, and you're on the road to clear skin.