Want to Change Your Life? Change Your Breakfast

People often tell me they want to change the way they eat, but they simply don’t know how to start. I say, “Change your breakfast.” Here is my reason. Breakfast means that you are breaking a fast…you have been asleep anywhere from four to 10 hours and probably haven’t eaten for at least eight hours. You have given your body/digestive system a well-needed break from the work of processing nutrients, or sometimes processing chemicals and alcohol that the body needs to eliminate in the best way it can. Our rest from the hard work our bodies do day in and day out is critical for our wellness. Hence, what we eat in the morning is an important way to begin a healthy day. Our body is more acidic when we wake up because of the elimination process that occurred while we sleep, and choosing a food that is alkaline helps jump start the body’s energy.

Instead of jumping out of bed or the shower and rushing to your corner coffee shop for a sugary latte drink and a bagel, think about getting up 10 minutes earlier and starting your day differently. If you love your coffee (though acidic, if you choose better coffee, it will be less so), then make sure you either buy and make fair trade, organic coffee and turn the making of it into the first quiet ritual of your day. Grind fresh beans, smell the aroma as the beans bounce around in the grinder. Or, if you are a green tea drinker like me, open the canister of jasmine pearls and smell the waft of fragrance that comes as the pearls dive into the filter. Boil water to just the right temperature, pour over the delicate pearls and let it steep to a light green hue. Finally, pour whatever your morning drink is into your favorite cup, one that you can hold with relish and enjoy everything about a mindful first drink.

What do you eat after your hot drink? Again, think of alkalizing, especially if you tend to eat and drink highly acidic foods, i.e., coffee, alcohol, red meat, fried foods, processed foods and sugar. My favorite choice for breakfast is to make a green smoothie. Don’t think because it is green that it will taste like a swamp and be icky healthy. No…I like my food to taste delicious. (See smoothie recipe below.) Plus, if you like moving first thing in the morning and having a heavy breakfast is simply too much, then this is the perfect choice. When I have my green drink, I can practice yoga, do kettle bells or go for a hike without feeling like I am working on digesting, as well as working on “getting up a mountain.”

Another reason I recommend changing your breakfast: When you make a better choice for breakfast, you are more than likely going to make a different, healthier choice for lunch. When you change your breakfast you will have more energy and clarity — it is that simple. Your first choice for food influences your next choice.

Start Your Day the Healthy Way

Green Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:
Celery, spinach, cucumber parsley juice (either homemade or from your local health store) OR raw unpasteurized coconut water (8 oz.)
1 kale leaf
1/3 avocado
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tsp turmeric, organic for inflammation
1 large tbsp greens powder (I like Org Lives super greens, which you can get from my online store on Opensky)
Dash of cinnamon

Instructions:
1. Blend all ingredients in blender and ENJOY. Feel the difference.

 

Protein Smoothie

Ingredients:
Unpasteurized coconut water (8 oz.)
1 scoop organic raw whey powder or hemp protein, or jay Robb egg-white protein (all Stevia sweetened)
1 raw, organic, free-range egg
A dollop of plain yogurt
1/3 cup berries
1 tbsp flax oil or 1 tbsp raw almond butter

Instructions:
1. Blend and ENJOY.

Additional Breakfast Options

• Egg-white omelet; gluten-free, whole-grain piece of toast (many options can be found at the health food store) or sprouted-grain bread with 1 tsp raw butter or raw almond butter
• Raw yogurt or Greek plain yogurt with berries and 1 tbsp raw, unheated, untreated honey and cinnamon

You might also like:

Mariel’s Kitchen: 6 Favorite Breakfast Recipes

Portion Control: Tips to Manage Weight & Eat Better

Foods for Stress: 7 Ayurvedic Foods to Find Your Inner Calm

5 Foods to Boost Metabolism

Go with the Grain: 12 Whole Grains Recipes

Mariel Hemingway, celebrated actress and wellness advocate, is the national spokesperson for Wellness Week. Wellness Week, March 19-25, is your chance to look and feel your best with exclusive spa treatments, private training and more, all at $50 prices or 50% discounts. Learn more at Wellness Week 2012.