Top Tips for a Healthy Summer Morning Routine

Summer mornings are an excellent opportunity to embrace healthy habits that set a positive tone for the rest of the day. With longer daylight hours and warmer weather, there's no better time to revamp your morning routine. In this blog, we'll explore ten healthy habits that will help you start your summer mornings on the right foot, ensuring you feel energized, focused, and ready to make the most of the season.

• Wake up with the sun:

During summer, the sun rises early, and waking up with it can be invigorating. Allow natural light to fill your room by leaving curtains partially open before going to bed. This helps regulate your body's internal clock and promotes a more refreshing wake-up experience.

• Hydrate first thing:

After a night's rest, your body craves hydration. Start your day by drinking a glass of water as soon as you wake up. Add a splash of lemon juice for a refreshing boost of vitamin C and to kickstart your metabolism.

• Morning stretch or yoga:

Greet the day with gentle stretches or a short yoga session. Stretching improves blood circulation, enhances flexibility, and promotes a sense of calm, setting a positive tone for the day ahead.

• Take your workout outdoors:

Embrace the pleasant summer mornings by taking your workout outdoors. Go for a jog, bike ride, or brisk walk in the park. Outdoor exercise not only elevates your mood but also exposes you to natural vitamin D.

• Mindfulness or meditation:

Spend a few minutes each morning practicing mindfulness or meditation. This quiet time helps reduce stress, enhances focus, and fosters a positive mindset for the rest of the day.

• Plan your day:

Take a moment to plan and prioritize your tasks for the day. Whether it's using a planner, journaling, or a productivity app, organizing your thoughts and goals can boost efficiency and reduce feelings of overwhelm.

A healthy morning routine sets the foundation for a productive and enjoyable day, especially during the summer when you have the chance to embrace the early sunlight and pleasant weather. By incorporating these ten healthy habits into your morning routine, you'll experience increased energy levels, reduced stress, and an overall improved sense of well-being. So, rise and shine to a refreshing summer morning filled with positivity and vitality!

Quick Tips to Calm the Mind and Sustain Stress Relief

Good morning from the desert! I just left the hectic pace of New York City and came to California for the week. It’s amazing how fresh air and open space can transform energy. As much as I love NYC, there are certainly moments where I feel an underlying stress, just based on the pace of the day there. I was starting to feel burnt out, and saw the signs of stress show up physically. Since stress can deeply affect hormonal function; it is natural to experience weight gain or loss, consistent fatigue or mood swings. I experienced all of the above in a short period of time. 

Whether we are in hectic urban environments or in natural places that lend themselves to a sense of relaxation, there are consistent ways to create calm. I have found these tools to be very helpful in balancing the day and lowering levels of physical and mental stress. Even just practicing one strategy below can influence the autonomic nervous system, creating healthy patterns that start to become habits.

Incorporate the 4-7-8 Breath Technique 

Any type of slow, calm breathing can relax the system and lower stress. The 4-7-8 breathing technique is a way to lengthen the exhalation, influencing the body to release tension. Inhale for a count of four, hold breath for a count of seven, exhale for a count of eight. Repeat for a couple of minutes or five rounds. 

A Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience study has shown MBSR to enhance emotion regulation in patients with anxiety disorder, creating higher levels of satisfaction and enjoyment. Additionally, a Stanford University team found that MBSR brought about changes in brain regions involved in attention, as well as relief from symptoms of anxiety.

Enjoy the Morning Light

The beneficial morning light can have a direct impact on energy throughout the day as well as the evening production of sleep hormone melatonin. By getting just 10-minutes of outdoor light (without sunglasses) the pineal gland in the brain produces serotonin (feel good hormone), and later synthesizes into melatonin (sleep hormone). This beneficial light gives us a mood boost in the morning, and then later sets us up for a restful sleep. 

Studies show that morning light may also affect the hormones leptin (the satiating hormone) and ghrelin (the hunger hormone) in ways that promote a healthy body weight. Researchers at Northwestern University found that people who got most of their bright light exposure before noon weighed a little less -- 1.4 pounds, on average -- than those exposed to most bright light in the evening. 

In one experiment, office workers who got out in the morning light for five days in a row, found it easier to make decisions and scored 79% higher on cognitive tests.

Incorporate Aromatherapy 

Certain scents have a rejuvenating effect on the system. Rosemary and lavender are two scents that lower cortisol and relieve stress. Eucalyptus has an uplifting feeling. Simply take the aromatherapy and place a couple drops in your palm. Rub the palms together and deeply breathe in. This is an easy way to shift physiology, whether at a desk, before bed or on a plane. Just don’t do what I did recently- I accidentally spilled the aromatherapy on my airplane seat. The flight attendant came down the aisle asking one person at a time who spilled the aromatherapy, then announced over the intercom. I came forward and apologized. Classic! 

There is exciting research being done on the benefits of aromatherapy- Research has demonstrated that aromatherapy, specifically lavender, can improve mood and lessen anxiety. A study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing showed that aromatherapy helped intensive care patients to feel less anxious and more positive immediately. 

I hope these tips can help ease stress and uplift mood. Please reach out with any topics you’d like to see for the next blog. Have an amazing day!

Warmly,

Nora

The Negative Effects of Sugar

Sugar is naturally occurring in foods that are in their whole form such as vegetables, fruits and starchy carbohydrates like sweet potatoes. Since these foods also contain fiber and antioxidants, the sugar is processed slower in the body and does not become a harmful ingredient. 

Unlike these natural food sources, there are several options of food and beverage where sugar is added. This added sugar acts as a roller coaster in the body- significantly lifting the energy up and then dropping it right back down. The up and down energy is a symptom of blood sugar spikes. This not only feels terrible by the end of the day, but hinders focus and suppresses the immune system. 

According to several studies conducted by Harvard Medical School, consuming too much added sugar can raise blood pressure and increase chronic inflammation, both of which are pathological pathways to heart disease. Harvard Medical professional Dr. Hu and his colleagues found an association between a high-sugar diet and a greater risk of dying from heart disease. Over the course of the 15-year study, people who got 17% to 21% of their calories from added sugar had a 38% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared with those who consumed 8% of their calories as added sugar.

Excess consumption of sugar can also lead to weight gain. This is due to an imbalance of hormones insulin, leptin and ghrelin. Insulin is a hormone that is secreted into the bloodstream to help shuttle out excess glucose. When we consume high amounts of processed foods, simple carbohydrates or baked goods; we can become insulin resistant. This process increases fat storage and interferes with energy regulation. It also creates an imbalance between leptin and ghrelin. Leptin is the hormone that signals satiety, while ghrelin is the hormone that signals hunger. Insulin resistance can raise production of ghrelin (hunger) and lower the ability to feel satisfied by food.

Smart Swaps:

• Dried Fruit or Fresh Fruit 

• Candy for Dark Chocolate 

• Fruit Juice for Club Soda with Lime/Lemon, stevia 

• Packaged Nutrition Bars for Nuts/Seeds 

• Pasta for Roasted Cauliflower 

• Sliced Packaged Bread for Sourdough 

• Pretzels for Macadamia Nuts 

• Packaged Salad Dressing for Olive Oil, Seasalt and Lemon 

• Flavored Yogurt for Plain Yogurt with Added Berries and Stevia

5 Ways To Stay Energized While Traveling This Memorial Day

Whether you travel often for work or are gearing up for a summer vacation, these simple (yet highly effective) tips will lower stress, improve performance, and enhance overall travel experience. You can implement all of them, or just try one or two of these tools—the strategies are designed to be easily integrated into any routine, no matter where in the world you are.

Utilize guided breathing.

Guided breathing improves our relaxation response, which is crucial to ease anxiety. It also improves REM cycles, allowing for deep restorative sleep (which is what we're all looking for on vacation, right?). Not to mention, guided breathing slows down the activity of beta brain waves, which are responsible for decision making, alertness, and attentiveness.

When we take five to 10 minutes for guided breathing, our brains produce more alpha, theta, and delta brain waves—waves responsible for deep relaxation. Plus, it increases melatonin production, which is an extremely powerful antioxidant responsible for regulating circadian rhythms and activating our immune system.

Below are two types of guided breathing you can try next time you travel (or even right now!). 

Abdominal Breathing

Benefit: Reduces stress and calms your nervous system

Begin to deepen your breathing by inhaling for five seconds and exhaling for five seconds. Bring your attention to your stomach. Inhale, pressing the belly out, and exhale, pulling the belly in. Inhale 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Exhale 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Continue at your own pace.

Energy Breathing

Benefit: Strengthens the nervous system, boosts the immune system, expands lung capacity

Sit nice and tall. Breathe deeply in through the nose; close the mouth, and make short continuous exhalations through the nose 20 times.

Repeat at your own pace.

*Note: This is a rapid and continuous breath.

Eat some honey at night.

Adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey to decaffeinated tea or hot water before bed helps our body naturally repair itself throughout the night. The liver is responsible for regulating sleep hormones, increasing fat metabolism, and lowering inflammation in the body—and our liver needs glycogen in order to do this and keep stress hormones (like cortisol) at bay. Honey restocks the liver selectively without digestive burden or spiking blood sugar and forms a stable supply of liver glycogen.

Honey also contributes to the release of melatonin, which is the hormone required for both the recovery and rebuilding of body tissues during rest. Melatonin is highly anti-cancer and absolutely necessary for healthy cells. Look for raw honey, or bring it with you during a trip.

Do a few planks.

Spending a few minutes doing planks will ignite your metabolism, improve circulation to the brain, and prepare the body and mind to reach peak performance. You'll feel an instant energy boost after doing them (something that's much-needed when traveling), and they can even improve your productivity.

Planks engage the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, obliques, and glutes. Plus, you don't need any extra space to do them—any space that fits your body will work!

Try putting your legs up a wall.

Legs up the wall stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system (the rest-and-digest system), which helps calm the body and mind and reduce stress and fatigue while stimulating circulation and lowering inflammation. This pose is a supportive inversion, which helps regulate blood sugar, stimulate digestion, and reduce fatigue.

Find a comfy spot to sit next to a wall, and then rest your legs against the wall. Stay for as long as it feels comfortable—I usually do 10 to 15 minutes.

Pack some superfood snacks!

Nothing keeps your energy up quite like a nutritious snack, so I always make sure to pack some whenever I'm traveling. That way, I'm never stranded without a healthy, delicious option. Here are some of my go-to's. 

Dark chocolate (70% and above) is made up of powerful antioxidants that fight free radicals, which are the culprit in premature aging. The polyphenols and flavonoids in dark chocolate are basically the cleanup crew in the cells—they boost the immune system, brighten our skin, strengthen our hair, and give us sustained energy.

Walnuts are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which protect the brain and improve cognitive health. Their high levels of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals also improve mental alertness. Did I mention they protect us from inflammation? Yeah, they're a powerhouse, to say the least. 

Raspberries and blueberries are another excellent source of antioxidants—meaning they fight oxidative stress and boost our immune system when we travel (ever gotten sick after a long flight? The worst). Raspberries are also high in water content, making them the perfect snack for staying hydrated on the road.

Macadamia nuts are one of the only food sources that contain palmitoleic acid (a type of monounsaturated fatty acid that may speed up your metabolism, thus reducing the body's ability to store fat). They contain both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, so they help you feel full while also removing toxins from the body and assisting in proper digestion. And believe it or not, they're high in copper, which helps with the utilization of iron and aids in the functioning and protection of the thyroid. Throw some in a Stasher bag for a delicious, crunchy midflight snack.