daily practices for a new year
Cleanses, detoxes and meal plans are always all the rage at the start of the New Year. Events and gatherings from Thanksgiving to New Years are often focused around decadent food and treats, typically reserved just for the holiday season. So, we get it, indulgence happens and a brand new year seems like the ideal time for a reset. Our problem with most “cleanse” and “detox” plans is that they assume that every body responds the same way to the same things. Sometimes these plans backfire, shocking our systems with raw foods or unnecessary supplements, leaving us feeling worse than before.
Instead of starting the new year with a “cleanse” we are starting with an intention, and that intention is to realign. A realignment with a routine of everyday rituals that leave us feeling our best. Below are a few of our favorite ways to get back on track. Our hopes in sharing is that you may be inspired to do the same - find the everyday practices that leave YOU feeling YOUR best, maybe you’ll even give some new ones a try. Here’s to a year of intentional living and a realignment with our best selves so that we can reach our goals and inspire those around us. Happy New Year friends!
The simple practice of starting your day with a glass of warm lemon water has a variety of benefits. (for all you coffee drinkers, this comes before your beloved cup o’ joe) The first and most obvious is kickstarting your water intake early. Staying properly hydrated takes more water than you think so getting a big glass in, first thing, is key. Packed with vitamin C, lemon water also helps the immune system work properly and enhances iron absorption from plant foods. Lastly, lemon juice helps flush out unwanted materials. It encourages the liver to produce bile, which is an acid that is required for digestion, helping your digestive system get moving (if you know what we mean) first thing in the morning without overloading it.
Our favorite way to up our intake of greens is with a juice or smoothie, right after our lemon water, of course. Green juice floods your body with nutrients and hydration that are easily absorbed in your digestive system, especially when you drink it on an empty stomach. Packed with plant nutrients and chlorophyll, a morning green juice strengthens your immune system, helps control inflammation, increases red blood cell production, and helps enhance your cells’ ability to carry oxygen. We notice that when we consistently drink freshly juiced or blended green veggies we have increased energy and feel better all around. Our most recent go-to blend; cucumber, spinach, parsley, apple, ginger and lemon. Put all ingredients through a juicer or add to a high powered blender with enough water to cover and blend on high until smooth. Cheers!
There are a lot of myths about fruit floating around out there. Some will tell you not to eat too much of it because of high sugar content, others will say it should only be eaten on an empty stomach or in combination with only certain foods. Bottom line, fruit is good for you. Eating a variety of raw fruits will ensure higher nutrient absorption, at any time of day. Everything from the fiber and water content to antioxidants all combines to help keep your entire digestive system healthier and happier. So don’t let conflicting information keep you from reaping all the benefits fruit has to offer.
Aligning our eating patterns with the seasons has many benefits; first and foremost nutrition. Foods picked and eaten at their peak are naturally packed with more vitamins and minerals. Out-of-season foods shipped in from other parts of the world are harvested early and refrigerated. This not only cheats them of their ability to ripen properly, but also results in a decrease in nutrients and flavor. Eating certain produce isn’t the only way to embrace the season, shifting your meals to mostly warm (in temperature and flavor profile) in the winter, for instance, also helps our bodies align with the current season and can even bring our core temperature up. How cozy.
