OneGreenMom’s Good Morning Starter!
By OneGreenMom
Mornings. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, we all have to get a good start in ‘em. All of us have heard that breakfast is the most important meal in the morning, and that is very true. But there is more to just a good breakfast to get you started right for the day ahead.
Here is OneGreenMom’s 5-step recommendation for that morning boost.
Step 1: Drink water. You might be amazed by this, but the first thing you should do when you wake up is to have a glass of water. It hydrates your body after being without fluids all night. Also, when added with a little lemon juice, it stimulates parastalic action in your digestive tract.
Step 2: Think Positively. If you are like the OneGreenDad, you might wake up cranky. Try to encourage yourself and others in your family to think positively after waking up. Wear a smile and think about how you are going to conquer the day ahead. Opening up windows for the morning sun is also a good way to set a good mood. Try stretching and play some uplifting music. It doesn’t hurt to dance with the kids if the spirit moves you!
Step 3: Supp Up. Mornings get a kickstart with good dietary supplements. We recommend a quality multivitamin, like Life Force Multiple and First Organics Daily Multiple. For the kids, try Mega Kids Multivitamin or sprinkle (hide) a capsule’s worth of First Organics into their protein shake, yogurt or cereal. Multivitamins give your body needed building blocks for the rest of the day. We recommend the above brands of vitamins from our store because they are the highest quality, most bio-available multis around.
And don’t forget the power of Omega-3’s, especially for kids (think developing brains and eyes). Since we don’t get good sources of Omega-3s in our diet, like mackerel, herring, salmon, tuna, sardines, and algae, a good Omega-3 supp is critical (see our resources section for the vast benefits of Omega-3s). For the adults, we recommend Omega-3 Fish Oil or Krill Oil. For the kids, who especially need EPA and DHA, we recommend Neuromins DHA. Soon, we will be offering tasty, chewable Omega-3s. Stay tuned!
Step 4: Get Your Protein and Carbs. The first meal of the day should be rich in protein and good carbs. Try the following:
• A nourishing whey protein shake
• A green drink
• Eggs
• Fresh fruit
• Whole grain toast, English muffins, and cereals (sweetened with stevia, not table sugar). Top with nuts, berries, or fruit spreads.
• Yogurt, kefir, or liquid yogurt topped with granola or fruits. We recommend kefir for it’s probiotics and good sugars (FOS). Try to stay away from sugary yogurts.
• Oatmeal or wheat germ.
• A good soup, like minestrone or vegetable soup (yes, I said soup!)
The OneGreenMom’s super drink in the morning is a good whey protein shake (Vital Whey) with a serving of Vitality SuperGreen (helps alkalinize your body) and some added chocolate or other flavor added to taste. Throw that into a shaker cup, give it a good shaky-shake and you’re off and running for the morning and day. We take our multivitamins and Omega-3 supps with the shake, but for kids who have troubles swallowing vitamin capsules, try cracking open one or two First Organics Multi capsules and sprinkling into the protein shake. Our kids don’t notice it because the Vital Whey vanilla or chocolate flavor is so awesome.
Step 5: Avoid These. Many of you may not want to hear this, but here is a list of things you should look to avoid in the morning:
• Coffee. Coffee and other caffeine-loaded beverages act as diuretics and are very dehydrating (see our related article on the dangers of caffeine). I understand for many of you, this borders on heresy to give up your coffee. That goes for all the Red Bull, Rock Star and Monster power drinkers as well. You know who you are!
• Alarm Clocks. Ideally, waking up slowly is the way to go. A jarring alarm clock in the morning actually stresses the body. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day will help set your “biological clock.” Allowing sunlight into your room in the morning also helps, and some have recommended the Zen Alarm Clock for an easy wake up.
• Fried foods. Especially bacon and sausage which is high in fats and nitrates (although you can get all natural bacon from some stores that has no nitrates). Fried foods actually slow you down, and don’t get me started about the dangers of nitrates.
• Pancakes and syrup. Ouch!!! OneGreenMom is all about tough love. Yes, pancakes and syrup are not the best morning starters. All taste and no go. Loading your body up with white flour and sugar is a non-starter. If nothing else, save pancakes and syrup for an occasional morning. However, there are whole-grain alternatives for pancakes and you can add coconut flakes to the pancake mix for added nutrition.
• TV, computers and video games.
• Sugary cereals, breakfast pastries, Pop-Tarts, chips, soda, donuts (yikes!) and fruit juices alone (try cranberry, pomeganate or coconut juices instead if you need a juice). Sugar crashes are not a pretty sight (see our resources section on the dangers of sugar).
Well, now the “secret” OneGreenMom good morning starter formula has been revealed! We hope it offers you and your family the same advantages as our family. A healthy start to the morning encourages better nutritional habits throughout the day, improves performance, both physical and mental, promotes weight control, and has beneficial effects for kids in school. You can ask us anytime how it has improved our lives! Be well and spread the word!
