The Best Way to Start the Day

Simple Habits in Morning Routines Lead to Overall Health

Sometimes the simplest things in life get overlooked. The easiest ways to maintain and improve our health, when consistently done, are better than a huge overhaul once or twice a year. Today I’m sharing a few of my favorite habits in my morning routine to start the day off with a healthy boost.

DISCLOSURES and THOUGHTS:
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This journal entry is my compilation of thoughts, sincerely shared with you. I am always open to new insights and would love to hear yours. When you add your comments, I kindly ask that everyone be civil and respectful of all beliefs, even if they differ from your own.

Water, but with Natural Electrolytes and Flavor

The best way to start the day is with 16-32 oz of water to get your lymph flowing and all your organs cleansed from the waste they produced while sleeping. Every cell in your body from blood cells to each specalized organ cell needs water to function. Getting a big glass or two of water will help you clear out toxins and help your body systems start the day fresh.

If you have to drink something, why not let it taste good and provide some nutrients as well? I prefer a lemon or a lime cut up and added to my drink. I usually use half of an average-sized lemon in each 16 oz of water I drink. Depending on your taste preferences, you can add more or less to the water. Some days I also throw in a pinch of sea salt to boost the flavor even more.

There’s also something nice about drinking a warm cup of water in the morning. I use my electric kettle (nothing fancy or expensive) to quickly warm my water. After starting the kettle, I cut my citrus fruit and use a citrus reamer to extract the juice (a few seeds inevitably come along for the ride, but I don’t mind) directly into my husband’s and my mugs.

The electric kettle also comes in handy for a morning or afternoon tea. I love the liver cleansing tea from my most recent trip to Australia. I'm a little afraid of what I'll do when I run out of it. Anyone know any similar teas to this one that are available in the US? It tastes great with the tiniest drizzle of honey and I love all the ingredients.

https://shop.thesourcebulkfoods.com.au/product/cleansing-organic-loose-leaf-tea-50g/?guest=

In case The Source Bulk Foods eventually takes down this page, here are the ingredients for you and I to look back on: 100% Organic Ingredients ~ Dandelion Root, Nettle Leaf, Ginger Root, Spearmint Leaf, Red Clover Flower, Calendula Petals, Lemon Peel.

I keep my kitchen set up with the kettle on the counter and all the other supplies in an easy-to-access drawer, so the entire process takes me less than five minutes. I try to get in two cups worth of warm water with lemon or lime in the morning. If you can get in a little more, that’s even better.

“Lemon has several qualities, including anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-diabetic effects. This
review examines many effects, including antifungal, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial, anti-ulcer, and desorption properties. Lemon has a high concentration of key natural elements such as ascorbic acid, minerals, citric acid, essential oils, and flavonoids.”

Prakash S, Kumar D, Yadav S, Singh B. Study on Nutrition and Medicinal Properties of Lemon. Annals of Horticulture. 2025;17(1-2):70-75. doi:https://doi.org/10.5958/0976-4623.2024.00011.3

Five Deep Belly Breaths

Deep belly breathing helps the lymph start moving from your cisterna chyli, which is a major lymph storage sac that holds the lymph from your abdomen and pelvis. When you breath deeply enough that your belly moves out, it allows the lymph gathered into the cisterna chyli to move up and out, shortly thereafter making its way into the heart where it rejoins the blood on the intricate pathways through the body. I like to take five deep breaths every morning before I even get out of bed.

I wish I knew even more about the exact pathways of the lymph system and all the intricacies of what lymph does as the immune system in the body, but from what I do know, it is absolutely amazing. If you’re interested in learning even more about the lymph system, I was enthralled by this podcast by Andrew Huberman.

another easy way to move lymph (aka my favorite lymph massage video)

Lymph facial massage is also useful to help you breathe better when you have a cold or allergies. It’s amazing to do this before bed (or in the middle of the night with sick kiddos) to help your family fall asleep faster because the congestion moves enough that you can actually breathe through your nose for a minute. You can look up videos on youtube, but this is the first one I found and memorized. It works well for me and everyone I use it on, including my son who often requests it. Heather does a great job explaining some of the basics of lymphatic massage and how to gently and effectively move the lymph and clear congestion.

Sunlight (or Red Light if Natural Sun isn’t Possible)

There’s nothing better than stepping outside the front door for a quick minute first thing after you wake up. I love to go outside and water my plants or take the trash to the garbage first thing in the morning because seeing the sun rise over the mountains is amazing. Even if the sun hasn’t fully risen, the clouds and sky are always beautiful.

Studies show that sunlight first thing in the morning is beneficial

I love to wake up before the sun rose and go for a walk, getting to see the morning sky light up and change so quickly as I get home. It might be partly because I am getting exercise, and partly because of the morning light, that when I go for a walk in the morning, I sleep better. Studies confirm that it really does make a difference.

When people are exposed to sunlight or very bright artificial light in the morning, their nocturnal melatonin production occurs sooner, and they enter into sleep more easily at night. Melatonin production also shows a seasonal variation relative to the availability of light, with the hormone produced for a longer period in the winter than in the summer. The melatonin rhythm phase advancement caused by exposure to bright morning light has been effective against insomnia, premenstrual syndrome, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Mead N. Benefits of sunlight: A bright spot for human health. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2008;116(4). doi:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.116-a160

How I use Red Light Therapy Wraps

If I am stuck inside during the day, especially during the winter months when I’m not outside as often, I like to use my red light therapy to provide my body with good light. I’ve used a wrap all over my body, from my face to help with acne/healing/overall skin improvements, to my sore/tight neck muscles, to my stomach if I experience cramping during my period, and my back if it’s feeling a little sore. My favorite part is the warmth it provides, especially during the colder months of the year. It’s like a mini spa experience in my own home each day.

When using the wrap on my face, I do have to protect my eyes because it is so bright, but I want it close to the rest of my skin. I purchased a face mask at the same time as I invested in my wrap and it’s great because it filters the light away from my eyes and came with an eye mask. It also does all the wavelengths of light (red to blue/violet). However, I don’t love it because it is very heavy on my face when I wear it laying down in bed before sleeping. My next investment will be a flexible face wrap to see if these are better.

Red Light Wraps I’ve Tried and New Ones I’d Like

The first wrap I ever got, and still use today, plugs into an electrical outlet, which is convenient in that it is always ready to go and doesn’t need charging. I also never move it from my bedroom, so I never lose it, even with how prone I am to misplacing everything around the house. However, I’m stuck wherever the plug is, which is right next to my bed. I only ever use it first thing in the morning or as I’m going to bed at night.

I recently discovered Fringe red light therapy, that have chargeable (read CORDLESS) wraps. They have the same size of wrap, and even an extra large wrap, joint wraps (great for knees and ankles), and even a face mask. I also see their red light panel, which I can picture using as a nice place for my family to gather each night before bed as we read together and catch up on the day. I can’t wait to try some of these new-to-me red light products. Mostly, the wrap because it will mean I can wear it on different parts of my body throughout the day while I’m getting the dishes or laundry done, or reading to my daughter. These are a multi-tasker’s dream.

If you want a discount for these, use the code WildAndSweet10 and get 10% off your purchase today!

Basics of Using Red Light Therapy

For all red light therapy, leave the wrap/panel on for 10-20 minutes per area per day. You can do multiple areas per day but it’s not recommended to do the same area more than once daily. I feel like this is a small thing, that, done consistently, will make huge difference as it works on a deep, cellular level. The light is literally going into your cells and helping them perform better.

Learn more about using red light all over your body in this journal entry.

What types of things do you like to include in your morning routine to improve your health? Do you want to try any of these new ideas?

Have you ever heard of using salt as a deodorant? It’s a thing! Try it yourself with a mini cube of salt.

If you’d like to be able to walk outside and see gorgeous flowers every morning, click here for more info on some of my favorite flowers to grow.