I’m buzzing with more energy these mornings, which would be unheard of in prior years.
I’ve never been a morning person. I’d rather stay up and work on a project until three in the morning than wake up at seven to work on the same project.
Since re-starting my morning routine a couple weeks ago, I’m up and moving (before 10—well, on most days) with a clarity of mind that I usually don’t attain until closer to noon. And much more excited. Excited about the possibilities and of the events to come. The gratitude, visualization and affirmation exercises definitely help with the excited part.
I’ve been wondering specifically about the clarity of mind. Everything is connected, so regularly exercising and eating more healthfully has probably helped the clarity. But I think a major part is due to a simple ingredient: water.
You’d think it would be obvious and top of mind to drink water in the morning. But it’s all too common on many mornings that I get busy, rushed, and don’t even think about it. I get ready for the day without more than a sip of water. I often sit down with my laptop, head to a meeting or go to a coffee shop parched, then drink a coffee, further dehydrating my system.
These mornings, one of the first things I do is drink around two cups of water. Even if you stick with plain water, that’s starting off your day better than most people. I like to maximize though, so in the past week, I’ve been experimenting with different morning drink refreshers.
Trials and errors have produced a favorite. I’ve included the winner below, along with less preferred variations and some thoughts on the ingredients.
For those of you who know me, I don’t really cook with measurements. These rough proportions below are meant to be tweaked to your tastes or mixed and matched. Also, I’m not a doctor, a nutritionist or health expert, so this is not medical or nutritional advice. Depending on any allergies, preferences or conditions, you may want to avoid certain ingredients.
Variations of this recipe also make great, non-alcoholic drinks at different times of the day. One of my favorite parts of Minneapolis summers (and even early fall) is having a drink outside in the afternoon. Until this summer, those drinks outside were primarily alcoholic. While I still enjoy alcoholic beverages from time to time, I’m finding more and more that I dislike the impact the alcohol has on my body. These are different, but still enjoyable and I’d say, more refreshing!
Hydrating Morning Drink
- 2 cups of water (no colder than room temperature)
- A splash or two of apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of raw honey
- A couple shakes of ground turmeric
- A couple shakes of ground ginger
Combine all the ingredients together, stir or shake well until well mixed. I have a lid on a mason jar that I put on for easy shaking. To keep those spices mixed as I’m enjoying my drink, I have a cute stirrer as well, although a normal spoon would suffice. 🙂
Other variations
- Some fresh lemon juice
- A shake of cayenne pepper
- A couple shakes of cinnamon
- Whatever you want to try! (mint leaves, basil, extract, etc.)
I’ll provide some commentary on the ingredients. There are different sources of varying credibility that list the benefits of the ingredients. For instance, raw honey with water, particularly warm water, is supposedly great for you. The warm water temperature allows your cells to detox more easily.
Apple cider vinegar supposedly has some benefits too, but can easily become too acidic. If you are more sensitive to acidic foods, you may consider skipping the apple cider vinegar and maybe even the lemon. On an acidic note, I normally skip the lemon since apple cider vinegar is more convenient and readily available in my household.
The spices—turmeric, ginger, cayenne pepper and cinnamon—each have their beneficial properties. If unsure about an ingredient, I’d recommend starting with honey and water and slowly adding and experimenting until you find your perfect artisan blend. As for me, I gave cayenne pepper a shot, but the spicy kick at the back of the throat made the drink less pleasant for me. I apparently prefer my spice in foods, not drink!
I prefer ginger in the mornings to warm me up and get the circulation going, and it also works well to counteract any taste that the turmeric may have. The ginger provides enough of a kick, so I leave out the cinnamon, sometimes preferring it in my coffee instead if I choose to have a cup with my breakfast later on. It’s fun to play around with whatever strikes your fancy; I’ve included mint or basil from the garden or fresh ginger if I happen to have it.
The last comment I have is any benefits you get out of the ingredients is linked to the quality that you get. While more convenient, the store brands at your grocery store may not be the best quality options. In fact, I’d wager that they’re not. Do your research, and consider paying just a couple bucks more to get a higher quality product that is more beneficial for you.
What morning drink blends work for you? Let me know what you think!