News — Productivity

Are you coming home from work totally exhausted? Waking up more exhausted than the day before? We have all had that feeling where we think it is impossible to keep going; knowing that we need to go home, cook dinner, clean, get the kids ready for bed, oh and somewhere in-between have a life!

Is it just the way life is? Busy days, little sleep and no time for ourselves to relax? No! There needs to be balance and you truly can make a huge difference with good nutrition and easy tricks to get you there.  

(Beyond Good Health Clinics) [image] of chronic fatigue

What are signs and symptoms of fatigue?

• Constant feeling of tiredness
• Shortness of breath or muscle weakness
• Lack of motivation
• Concentration and memory recall difficulties
  

  (Wedro, 2015)

Why does your body feel so depleted?

Our bodies can be feeling exhausted for many various reasons, you may have a serious or chronic current health issue, a newborn baby or going through a really stressful time at the moment. Whatever it may be, good nutrition will always optimize health by nourishing and supporting the fundamental biochemical pathways that lead us to be the marvelous walking, talking, living, breathing organism we are!

These pathways require sufficient nutrient intake to ensure synthesis and balance of enzymes, proteins, hormones, neurons, cells, EVERYTHING!  Without adequate intakes, you can be tipping over a domino and starting a destructive cascade of physiological events inside your body without even realizing. Every single thing in your body will be rebuilt by what you eat.

If you’re eating unhealthy foods, not getting enough exercise, sleep or relaxation your health will eventually mentally and physically suffer, acutely or chronically - period.

We have over 100 trillion cells working fiercely to keep us going, even more amazing you can times that number by 10 and you get the amount of live bacteria in the human body (Rettener, 2016) – pretty amazing right? You have to give them nourishment to thrive and do their jobs effectively – they will do everything in their power to make sure you, the host, can survive. 

Watch this amazing video on immune cells in action –

 (Healing, 2014)

Potential causes of fatigue:

• Prolonged sympathetic nervous system stimulation (stress and anxiety) subsequently causing insufficient absorption and digestion of food increasing malnutrition
• Excessive amounts of high carb and sugar foods
• Damage to GIT and dysbiosis of the microbiome
• Nutritional deficiencies including insufficient water intake
• Toxic build-up in your body (see article here on how to detoxify naturally)
• Insufficient sleep (recommended 6 – 8 hours)
• Side effects from medications

Here’s the exciting part! You can change your life for the better! Don’t let this overwhelm you, let it inspire you; let it take your breath away at just how wonderful, intricate and purely amazing your body is.  Believe in yourself enough that you deserve to be healthy; you deserve to love your body and nourish it and feel good again!

Top 10 Ways To Boost Your Energy!

1. I really am a huge advocate of this – try your best to cut out the processed foods. Anything that comes in a packet, stay clear. Aim to fill your fridge with a rainbow of local fresh fruit, veg, nuts and meats. Nature has us covered, every whole-food contains an array of nourishing vitamins and minerals that you need to thrive on, aiming to help all of those beautiful pathways work at optimum levels. Don’t have time to cook? Check out our AMAZING healthy meals here.
2. Aim to eat foods high in your B-Vitamins; they all play an integral part in energy synthesis and metabolism. Great food sources include eggs, salmon, nuts, seeds, dark-leafy greens and organic well-sourced animal liver. (Whitney, 2014) If you are really struggling it might be beneficial to opt for a well-sourced B-vitamin complex.
3. Increase your magnesium (Mg+) intake; most of us are deficient in Mg+. (Here’s a tester-poke out your tongue in a mirror, if it is shaking chances are you may be Mg+ deficient). Mg+ is Crucial for energy, heart, lung, and immune functionality along with being essential for synthesizing glucose, proteins, fats and structures. It is also vital for neural communication. High in seeds, grains and green-leafy veg.
4. Antioxidants help detoxify harmful substances, repair and nourish your cells along with promoting damaged cell apoptosis (cell death). Great sources of antioxidants: fresh berries, green tea, turmeric, raw organic cacao and nuts. (Mercola, 2016)
5. Choose complex carbohydrates and lower your sugars, this includes overindulging in fruits – aim for no more than 2 – 3 serves per day max. Complex carbs are sourced from whole fruits, whole grains, green and starchy vegetables e.g. sweet potato, pumpkin and beetroot. Eat them with a bit of protein and good fats to increase satiety and avoid a high spike in blood glucose.
6. Cut back on stimulants; caffeine, alcohol, black teas and cigarettes. Over-stimulation of the nervous system can eventually cause our body to burn out. Try an alternative dandelion root coffee, mix it up with herbal teas and if you’re a huge coffee and chocolate person aim for a new goal each week to slowly reduce your intake.
7. Ensure you are getting enough iron (Fe+) in your diet. Fe+ is essential for transporting oxygen around your body through your blood and absolutely vital for many catalyst enzymatic reactions.  Nuts, green-leafy vegetables and red meat are all high in Fe+.
8. Try our amazing PondWater Mix – I am officially in LOVE with this mix! It has all organic ingredients; chlorella, spirulina, wheat grass, aloe vera and spelt grass. Perfect for alkalizing the body, high in glutathione for repairing gut endothelial lining, rich in nutrients and a great 3 o’clock pick me up.
9. Probiotic rich foods: Once you have started to take a more clean eating approach it’s time to look into probiotic-rich foods or even a supplement. These gut microbes play an integral role in our body and the immune system, it is absolutely essential we have the right bacteria. Try adding sauerkraut, kimchi, miso or low sugar Kombucha into your diet once daily.
10. Sleep, rest and relaxation: yes, you know this one – we all do, just DO IT! Find a way to take 10 – 20 minutes each day to just be, ground yourself and appreciate your life. What’s the point of working so hard for it to ruin you? There’s no point. I love deep breathing in the car, shower or right now while I am typing. You are just too important to let stress control you. P.S. if you haven’t already, give meditation a go – it’s a win. 

Coconut turmeric chicken with vegetable stir-fry – check it out here

References

Asif, M. (2014, February 21). The prevention and control the type-2 diabetes by changing lifestyle and dietary pattern. PubMed. doi:10.4103/2277-9531.127541

Beyond Good Health Clinics. (n.d.). [image] of chronic fatigue. Retrieved August 03, 2016, from https://www.google.com.au/search?q=fatigue&biw=1366&bih=667&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjCl4Cv8aTOAhUJFZQKHaAxCKAQ_AUICCgB#imgrc=eHYfnUSvUhJwVM%3A

Food Standards, Australian and New Zealand. (2010). Retrieved from NUTTAB: http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science/monitoringnutrients/nutrientables/nuttab/Pages/default.aspx

Healing, S. C. (Director). (2014). Your Immune System under a microscope. [Motion Picture]. Retrieved August 03, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPIzIznmAO0

Mercola, D. (2016). The Ultimate Guide to Antioxidants. Retrieved August 3, 2016, from http://articles.mercola.com/antioxidants.aspx

Rettener, R. (2016, March 10). The Human Body: Anatomy, Facts & Functions. Live Science. Retrieved July 27, 2016, from http://www.livescience.com/37009-human-body.html

Wedro, B. M. (2015, March 02). Fatigue. Retrieved July 27, 2016, from http://www.medicinenet.com/fatigue/article.htm

Whitney, E. R.-S. (2014). Understanding Nutrition, Australian and New Zealand, 2nd Edition. South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3205: CENGAGE Learning.

Ok, so we have all heard about detoxification and how great it is, but why is it so important? Does it really help our bodies or is it just another master scheme to get us to spend money? The answer is, yes, detoxification is a crucial component to achieving optimum health and should be done on a regular or quarterly basis. (1)

Why should we detoxify?

What goes in – must come out and our liver is working around the clock to remove that morning coffee, last night's’ wine and that delicious little muffin you just ate. Everything goes through the liver. Detoxification is compiled of many intricate and wondrous biochemical reactions to help rid your body of nasty toxin build up. Did you know that we are consistently detoxifying? Every bit of air we breathe, food we drink, meals we eat must be digested, put to good use or detoxified.

What our liver detoxifies each day:

• Metabolic end-waste
• Perfume and personal care products
• Washing detergents
• Food Pesticides and added hormones
• Pollutants and heavy metals
• Alcohol and Medications
• Food preservatives
• Paints and cleaning products

Who would have thought – we’re surrounded! These nasty substances can build up and guess where they are stored – your fat cells! Yikes!                          

Signs & Symptoms of Toxicity:

• Dry skin, eczema or acne
• Sinus congestion, irritated eyes or a runny nose
• Headaches, neck pain, joint or back pain
• Constipation, bloating or flatulence
• Inability to lose weight
• Insomnia, fatigue, depression, and irritability
• Frequent infections or allergic reactions
• Bad breath or body odour

How does it work?

Put simply, the liver has a 2 phase protocol:

Phase 1: Our body stimulates a variety of biochemical reactions to reduce the toxic compound into a less harmful and more soluble molecule. Free radicals are synthesised during these processes and must be excreted to avoid further damage in the body, which is why phase 2 is crucial.

Phase 2: The toxic chemicals bind with another substance allowing excretion to occur.

Top 10 Ways To Detoxify The Body:

1. Eliminate all processed foods
2. Eat all the colours of the rainbow with fresh organic fruit, vegetables and meats (this is why we are so passionate about nourishing food, so much goodness!
3. Drink plenty of filtered water or herbal teas (I recommend something containing green tea, dandelion root and St. Mary’s thistle)
4. Antioxidant rich foods such as berries and green leafy vegetables – I am in love with our GoodMix PondWater, which has amazing detoxification benefits (seriously!)
5. Consuming raw juices and bone broths to obtain nutrients – Try our homemade broths
6. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, sugar and other non-essential drugs
7. Avoid inflammatory compounds in foods such as dairy, wheat, legumes and soy
8. Endeavour to obtain 7 – 8 hours of sleep each night, without sufficient sleep the body reduces repair and detox time
9. Reduce stress, implement at least 10 - 20 minutes of meditation, affirmations or relaxation techniques daily
10. Exercise! Yep, we all know this one – so find something you love! Without sufficient exercise in our lives, we are depriving ourselves of sweating out toxins, circulating the blood, building/ repair/maintenance of bones and muscle, the release of natural endorphins along with optimising our energy levels.

Try our nourishing Chicken and Wild Rice Bone Broth Soup

What you receive with the Wholesomeness 30 and 14 Day Reset Plans:

• $100 FREE gift card to use with Brisbane Natural Health
• FREE personal training session with Training Spot
• 1 whole week FREE classes with Training Spot
• FREE support guru to help you through your detox
• 14 or 30 days of prepared meals and snacks
• Eating only organic, pastured meats and fresh locally sourced vegetables
• Elimination of sugar, grains, dairy, legumes and preservatives
• Delivered 3 times per week fresh to your door – Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
• Choose Pickup or delivery to Brisbane
• Two Free Days if you book 30 Days

Please note: It is important that if you are pregnant and elderly detoxification is a big no-no, if you are suffering from a current health situation, discuss a program with your health professional prior to any detoxification implementations.

Image 1: Reference http://www.positiveandhealthy.com/2016/03/21/symptoms-shows-body-full-toxins/ Retrieved 21/07/16

(1) http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/030314p34.shtml, date retrieved 21/07/2016

Before you reach for the chippies, chocolates or energy drinks try these energy boosting snack ideas that will keep you going to the next main meal.

Steering clear of simple carbohydrates is the key to healthy snacking. Low fibre, easily digested carbs found in refined grains tend to raise your blood sugar, which can leave you hungry again in a few hours.

I have to admit, I used to be a big snacker...in fact I would happily graze all day missing lunch completely before I got organised and serious about good nutrition, by taking control of my main meals and overall diet. I am amazed at how much more energy I have now. Besides, flaking out at 4.00pm is simply not an option now that I have small children!

The trick to healthy snacking is to ensure it's not too much food to interfere with your appetite for that next main meal. Digestion is a four hour process and if you're not getting hungry in between meals your gastro intestinal system is not going to turn on the right hormones to process the food you are eating, leading to digestive issues and weight gain.

So if you have lunch at 12.00pm but are planning dinner with friends at 7.00 or 8.00pm, you might need a snack to get you through at about 4.00pm.

There are endless choices for snacks - and most packaged ones should be avoided. They usually contain vegetable oils, sugar (in all it's many forms) and salt. A much wiser choice would be something fresh like fruit, vegetable sticks or whole foods with little processing, and look for a balance of the healthiest sources of fats, carbs, and protein. For example:

1. Natural or Greek-style yoghurt with a sprinkling of grain-free granola (see our new range of Good Mix products in the online menu like Neo-Blend here)
2. 35g of a home made trail mix, we add our favourite nuts like cashews, pecans, walnuts and almonds, a small amount of dried fruit like goji berries, apricots, dates and cherries, flaked coconut and pepitas - you can even add a piece of low sugar dark chocolate (see our other new offering, Pana Chocolate here)
3. A small portion of hummus or home made pesto dip - about 1/4 cup is enough for a snack - and have with it broccoli florrets, baby carrots and cucumbers and cherry tomatoes
4. An apple sliced, served on a small plate with 1 Tbsp almond butter slathered on the edges
5. A banana sliced lengthways with 1 Tbsp natural peanut butter spread on and sandwiched back together
6. Your choice of cheese (just a small wedge), a piece of pear and some raisins (like a mini cheese platter for one - this is my personal all time favourite snack)
7. A small fruit with a sprinkling of grain-free granola or a garden salad (think a cup full or 250ml), shaved parmesan and a dash of good quality olive oil will definitely keep you going until that 8.00pm dinner scenario.

There is no need to deny yourself a little snack here and there. But if you find yourself zombified at 3.30pm everyday, it might be time to reassess what you are eating for breakfast and lunch on a regular basis. Is there a good balance of carbs, protein and fats for your body and brain? You are an individual, only you will know what is right for you.

Basil Pesto Dip Recipe

1. Place a bunch of basil (leaves and small stems only),
   1/4 cup pine nuts,
   1/4 cup cashews,
   30g parmesan (cut into small pieces),
   30ml good quality extra virgin olive oil and
   1 small clove of garlic
   in a food processor and process until combined.
2. Place dip in a bowl and serve with broccoli florrets, sliced capsicum 'scoops' baby carrots, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes

What are your favourite snacks?

Don't miss out on the things you love - that's no fun! Take a step back (when you're not starving at 3.00pm and dreaming of chocolate cake) and see if you can 'healthify' your favourite snack food. Let me know in the comments below what you crave and I'll answer with some ideas on how to make it more healthy for you.

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If you’re struggling with changing your diet and lifestyle, you may want to consider hiring a health coach, the idea is pretty simple – you want to make the changes necessary to be your best – but ‘stuff’ keeps getting in the way. A coach can help you listen to your body first and use the information that best works for you.

As a Nutrition Consultant and Certified Health Coach I'd love to talk to you about a free introduction to Health Coaching. To make a one-on-one appointment contact me today on george@wholesomeness.com.au

I think Australian's are pretty clued up when it comes to eating for good health. We have traditionally eaten a fresh food diet, it's only in the past 50 years that so much processed food has made it into our homes. It's this bad habit of grabbing convenience foods loaded with salt, preservatives, flavour additives and sugars that contributes to so many allergies, intolerances, metabolic issues and poor health leading to chronic disease. I want to show you it's easy to break the habit and make the most from your lunchtime - regardless of where you actually eat this important meal.

From fast-food restaurants, even the innocent corner cafe with 'home made' muffins (read sugary cakes most likely cooked in a production kitchen somewhere else) and bakery pastries (read layers of bad fats) to supermarket shelves exploding with high-fat and high-sugar add-ons, lunchtime can be like running the gauntlet of temptation for those trying to eat a healthy and balanced diet.

But a healthy, delicious and enjoyable lunch can be done. And you will probably save money, energy and time with these simple tips.

When planning your meal, it should include lean protein - try a piece of wild salmon, poached or roasted chicken breast, nuts, cheeses, legumes - whole-grain carbohydrates, and fresh produce.

It doesn't have to be raw vegetables with salad leaves either, get creative with some leftover roasted vegies, they make a delicious plant based salad. Or try adding some fruits such as thinly sliced pear or apple, even strawberries - I kid you not - they add a delicious dimension to savoury plates, try matching these fruits with cheeses. Blue vein and pear are a match made in heaven. Chicken, camembert and stone fruits are another great combination.

Roughly half of your plate should be vegetables; one-quarter should be lean protein and one-quarter should be whole grains, such as half a cup of brown rice, quinoa or some legumes (they are just the seeds of the plant after all) like lentils. You might include a small amount of healthy fat, such as a tablespoon of olive oil and cider vinegar or lemon juice to dress up your salad.

Be wary of salad-bar style salads, or packet salads from supermarkets. They sometimes contain unhealthy fats, hidden sugar, and salt — not to mention lots of kilojoules.

Follow these four steps to creating your own signature version of a satisfying, healthy lunch. The trick is building in flavour so it is satisfying and not turfed in the bin at work the moment someone suggests going to the pub for Parmie Tuesday. Or was that just 27 year old me who used to do that?!

Step 1: Build your vegetable base. Loading your plate with raw or blanched leafy greens and raw, grilled or roasted vegetables means you are already halfway to healthy right there - and is an excellent source of phytonutrients that you can't help but eat with all the flavour you'll pile on top in the next steps. 

Step 2: Add your protein choice. You might try a few handfuls of chickpeas or kidney beans, perhaps if you have time some felafel for example. Beans are one of the best sources of fibre - and they're filling -  so you're going to be satisfied after your meal. Other good selections include grilled chicken, small amounts of cheese, and I love chopped boiled eggs and sliced plain egg omelette if I have the time. Be frugal with your cheeses, it only takes a sprinkle of strongly flavoured varieties like feta or Parmesan to deliver the flavour. Cheese also delivers a lot of kilojoules per weight, so keep this in mind when you are imagining dividing your plate into quarters as mentioned above.

Step 3: Add a small amount of healthy fat. Sprinkle on the nuts and seeds. They are high in heart-healthy unsaturated fat and healthy protein, give you a feeling of fullness, and help food stay in your stomach longer. Load up on avocado, it's so good for you. You might also opt for a dash of quality olive oil.

Step 4: Whole grains and fruits make a flavourful addition to any creative salad. Look for whole grains like quinoa or teff to sprinkle on top. Or add a few slices of fruit. Try seaweed to add flavour and minerals.

My other favourite lunch ideas are vegetable soup. I make a big batch on the weekend and freeze it into portions and defrost before I leave the house and put it into my single serve thermos which I purchased at Biome and is simply awesome - because you can make it hot (for soups) or cold for yoghurt and granola. I actually have two for this purpose if I know I'm going to be out all day.

And check out this video for some pre-made portable 'jar' lunch ideas - only if you have a fridge to store it in - until lunchtime rolls around. Sometimes I do this when I make kids lunches and just put it in my fridge until I am ready to eat - then I don't have to think about it while I'm working from home and they are at school and I'm counting down the hours wondering how I'm going to fit everything in until I have to go do the pick-up run!! Some great soup bases to get these jars going are: miso, thermomix (or similar) homemade stock paste, teaspoon of curry paste and some coconut milk. They all give amazing soupy flavour when you add boiling water at lunchtime.

One of the best pieces of advice I can offer EVERYONE is to eat a good lunch. It should be the largest meal of the day with balanced portions of carbs, protein and fats to give you the fuel to get through the afternoon and then enjoy a smaller meal in the evening while you are winding down for a restful and rejuvenating sleep. A great lunch makes you a better human being.

If you want to learn about other effective strategies for healthy eating, talk to me about booking a free initial consultation for my health coaching service. I love to help people realise they are the ones in control of their health and actualise a healthy and long life for themselves and their families.

Are you a morning person? Did you know that every single morning that you are here on this earth you have a choice to make today a better day? So get ready (and get up), I'm going to talk you through how to design your own Morning Ritual that will supercharge your day.

Simply put, a morning ritual is a set of actions you do immediately upon waking up to prepare and optimise yourself for a more productive and laser-focused day. As a person who wants to reach goals, this is really important, so listen up.

Most people get into habits, and the morning habits seem to be the hardest to break. Take breakfast for example, do you have the same style of meal every day? Most people do and it's the reason hotel buffets cater for a broad variety of tastes - we don't like to change much - even on holidays.

Then of course there's the habit of waking up late. It leads to rushing out the door, grabbing coffee and breakfast on the run and feeling frazzled. Over time this habit leads to a routine that sets a 'tone' for the rest of your day. It's not enjoyable to be rushing around, it makes you swear at red lights and causes your sympathetic nervous system to kick in leading to high blood pressure and digestive issues.

It's all common sense.

What if I told you there is a better way? No, I'm not about to quote a bunch of human psychological studies - although the scientific evidence is out there - I'm going to talk common sense. Scientific evidence shouldn't be the only motivational factor here.

Let's look at two scenarios to starting your day:

Option #1

You wake, immediately grab your smart phone, and scowl because you are blinding yourself by the bright blue light hitting your still sleepy eyes. You notice 12 notifications between various apps, social networks, emails and text messages (likely some urgent and some not so urgent things to deal with). You turn on the TV while you’re getting ready and watch the morning news (it's all crime, heavy traffic, maybe some rain). You’re running late for a meeting so you head out the door without breakfast and rush to your first meeting to start your day.

Option #2

You wake up 30 minutes earlier than normal and immediately spend several minutes in silence, appreciating the stillness before you start your day. You sit up in bed, close your eyes again and spend the next few minutes meditating, just focusing on your belly breathing and practice controlling your thoughts. In your own time, fix yourself a fresh fruit smoothie. While you’re taking the time to enjoy breakfast (allowing digestive system to do its job), you write down your goals for the day. The most important one first, followed by the rest, less important goals. Finally you pick up your smartphone to check notifications from the night and adjust your goals and priorities accordingly. With some time to spare before your first meeting, you take the walk that crosses through the park.

It's not rocket science to make an estimate as to which scenario leads to a better day. But which is closer to your real life situation?

These two morning options might sound like they are worlds apart, but really it is only a few small choices that make all the difference. Even if you are closer to #2, I'm sure there is room for improvement.

Why starting the day right is so important

You wake up and morning happens every. single. day. So why not spend time to make it work for you? Make it work to create an even better, more productive day - everyday. Because you can't borrow tomorrow, today is all you have to work with.

Ask yourself, is it possible that you can feel better each day? Is it possible you can work harder? Is it possible you can be more alert, focused on your goals and relaxed if you changed a few fundamental things on starting your day? Is it possible?

A logical person would likely say yes.

Four examples of what a morning ritual looks like

1. Wake up 10 minutes early
   Meditate for 10 minutes.
   I use an App called Smiling Mind - it's free - so no excuses. There are also loads of meditation workshops available to learn to do it yourself without an audio guide. See Soho Yoga who often run workshops and also The Nourished Soul.
   
   
2. Wake 30 minutes early
   Hop out of bed (the hopping is optional) and stretch for 10 minutes
   Write down your goals for the day - it's important to write, oldschool, not type. Make sure you write them in order of importance!
   
   
3. Wake up 1 hour early
   Read for 20 minutes.
   Write down some ideas you have - a new business idea, poetry, plan a dinner party - it doesn't matter - its all about getting the creative juices flowing.
   Make a green smoothie - Blend: avocado, kale, cucumber, lemon juice and two dates
   Drink it while you write your list of golas for the day
   Start work on the most important task of the day
   
   
4. Wake at 6am everyday. This isn't hard in Queensland, it's the best time of the day.
   Meditate for 10 minutes.
   Drink two tall glasses of water
   Exercise for 10 minutes - I prefer yoga (and I have an App for that too - Yoga Studio) - but you can do body weight exercises such as push-ups, squats or jogging
   Define your tasks and goals for the day
   Begin your day
   
   
5. Extra bonus round...
   If you have children - wake up an hour before they do (OK if your toddler is still waking at 4am you have my blessing to sit this one out and just take him back to bed with you for doona cuddles until a more appropriate hour)
   Do any of the above morning rituals, shower and get dressed before they wake.
   They will think the world of you and the awesome example you set, you scrumptious Mummy!

Put your stamp on it! It doesn't have to be yet another set of rules you're gonna hate. It can be as simple as you like. The idea is to focus on the things you want that will give the greatest benefit to your day. Do you want to feel more relaxed, happier, more in control of cravings? Ask yourself what really matters. 

It can take 30 days for a habit to form, so be patient with this. Test different elements and over time what feels right will feel really wrong if you miss it for a day - like not brushing your teeth.

The elements to create a morning ritual

We are all individuals. It may be 15 minutes of drawing that creates space in your day to manifest greatness, or perhaps it's talking to the plants (or the chickens), you might like to do a full hour of yoga...play with the dog...whatever it is the idea is that it will put you in a good state of mind for the rest of the day.

Here are a few popular elements to get you started:

Water - hydrotherapy is key to many ancient healing philosophies. It's a simple way to start your brain and digestion.

Breakfast - all bodies are different. So whether it's a heavy breakfast of eggs, salmon, potato hash and spinach or a lighter one of yoghurt topped with nutty granola and fresh fruit take your time with the eating part! Try experimenting with what makes you feel best. You might be surprised at how different a different food can give you more clarity and more energy throughout the day.

Just be wary of sugar at breakfast. What goes up must come down, this goes for caffeine too. Also, avoid caffeine with a meal - it can deplete nutrient uptake - particularly in pregnancy.

Exercise - no need to go too nuts here - save that for the gym or your 5km run. In a morning ritual the goal is simply to get moving. Stretching out your muscles and doing a few gentle twists or back bends will keep your spine more youthful, it will warm you up and with a few empowering yoga poses you will be ready to face whatever the day has to throw at you.

Family - whether you are a work from home entrepreneur or a commuter, we spend too much time at work. It's no longer 9am to 5pm more like 7am to 11pm! Create the space for family in the morning and you have already started your day with the most important people in the world. This one isn't only for you - it's for them too.

Reading - it expands your mind, challenges your thoughts and opinions. What's not to love about reading? Make it a book, as in paper and ink. Remember, the goal is to set the tone for the day so you should stick to positive books.

Writing - There are so many benefits to writing. It helps you better form thoughts and flush out ideas that are stuck in your head. This doesn’t mean you need to write a book, a blog post or even a journal. Just a few ideas can be extremely beneficial and help spark your day.

Silence - I sleep with Airplane mode on my phone, so there are no constant beeps and pings (I own an online business) and it doesn't switch back on until 7am. A few moments of pure unadulterated silence, except for the birds and distant traffic noises, can be an excellent way to make your day pure gold.

Meditation - the brain is amazing and giving it a little treat is a brilliant way to start the day. My three and five year olds tells me "that was soooooo good" each time we meditate together (which is every day). 

Meditation, can be really as simple as silence+focus. Do you think that some silence and focus can help you? It’s pretty hard to argue against a bit of silence and focus in your life.

Set your goals for the day - If you are like me, you likely have hundreds of tasks on your list. It is easy to feel overwhelmed and lose focus on your goals for the day.

Try writing down the three most important things you want to achieve and do them before 11am. The trick is not to write down unachievable goals like write that novel, but something like 1) write that new product description, 2) prepare a powerpoint presentation and 3) pick up stationery order, are all achievable with a start and a finish that can be ticked off as you complete them.

Recipe for success

1. Pick your anchor item - what will give the most impact to your day? Can be as simple as waking up earlier
   
   
2. Add elements as desired - don't make it too hard on yourself - don't overburden your morning or overcommit. This is supposed to be adding benefits.
   
   
3. Switch things up and change it around. I like to think of this optimising my productivity - so if an element isn't serving you, toss it out.
   
   
4. Stick to it - it takes 30 days to create a habit - and that is basically what we're going for here. Great habits to replace bad ones, like sleeping too late and being a grouch because the lights were red all the way to work.

You got this.

The take home

Your morning without doubt will set the tone of your entire day. So make it work for you! Do this by making sure that every morning YOU are in charge of the decisions that start your day. Appreciate the little things like a good whole body stretch and a few moments of meditation.

A morning ritual will take time to establish, but it will be worth it. With a whole lot of mornings ahead of you there is no reason not to make these small changes to upgrade your life and take yourself to the next level.

What is your morning ritual?

What morning rituals have you developed? What have you found, that above all else, supercharges your day and helps you take your focus, clarity and productivity to the next level? Let me know in the comments.

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If you’re struggling with changing your diet and lifestyle, you may want to consider hiring a health coach, the idea is pretty simple – you want to make the changes necessary to be your best – but ‘stuff’ keeps getting in the way. A coach can help you listen to your body first and use the information that best works for you. Because bio-individuality is the key to nutrition.

Georgia, our in-house Nutrition Consultant and Certified Health Coach is available on Friday’s to talk to you about a free introduction to Health Coaching. To make a one-on-one appointment contact us today.