What Do Healthy People Do Each Morning?

Posted on May 8, 2017

Flex Appeal Blog

The morning rituals of the mega successful have become aspirational for those seeking to find more energy and creativity in their day.

But how do us mere mortals find habits that don’t involve snorkelling around our own private island at 5am, as per Richard Branson?

To help find the perfect morning routine for you, we’ve asked four of Hong Kong’s healthiest people to give us an insight into what they do upon waking to ensure they stay on top of their game.

The best part? You might find their morning habits surprisingly more about finding happiness than trying to be superheros. 

Meg Farugia, Pilates Instructor:

I drink a cup of warm water when I get up to help stimulate organs/digestion and to immediately hydrate.  I actually add a tablespoon of garlic juice as an immune booster as well.  Then I give my Labrador a belly rub (I really have no choice in the matter; he has trained me well and also refuses to get out of my way until I do).  But it is nice to make someone’s day by doing something so simple. This makes me feel loved and connected, too.

Abishek Agarwal, Yoga Instructor:

First I drink two glasses of water soon after getting out of bed – without fail. Then comes food. I have a protein shake or milk.  I mostly teach in the morning – at around 6:15. But on the early mornings that I don’t teach, I spend time on the practice of Pranayama (a yogic method of controlling breath to tap into our prana, or vital energy source) for 15-20 minutes. Sometimes in the morning, I drink vegetable juices, but only on an empty stomach – never with or after meal (reportedly, this means it his your blood stream faster for an instant nutrition boost).

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Laura Paul, Founder of Healthy Living Asia and Facebook community forum, Healthy Living in HK (www.healthylivingasia.com)

I am not a morning person, and I never have been. I would be happy to start my day at 10am and go until late at night.  But since I don’t have a choice, there are a few things I do every morning to help get the wheels turning at 6am. For most of my life, I have kept an alarm on the other side of the room with a very harsh sound.  Recently, it was suggested to me to try a gentler wake-up call.  It turns out this small adjustment has made a big difference.  I am so much happier and in a better state of mind waking up to gentle sounds of nature versus a jarring ‘bleep bleep.’ The sound of birds chirping is an instant positivity boost. The second thing I do is to brush my teeth.  It may sound simple, but oral care is correlated to good heart health and general wellbeing.  Lastly, I try not to check my phone until after 8:00am. This gives me time to pay attention to the important things in life, such as family conversations at the breakfast table and getting everyone out the door on time!

Michelle Ricaille, Yoga Instructor:

Ideally, I gargle coconut oil in the mouth to kill bacteria and get rid of toxins. You gargle about half a tablespoon and then spit it out. Do that after you’ve eaten breakfast and after brushing. It also whitens your teeth and helps with throat infections. I do this most mornings when I have time (I have kids now!). Another thing would be Agnisara, a yoga exercise that you have to do first thing, even before water. It highly stimulates the intestines and metabolism. Quite simply, you take a deep breath in, bend over so your upper body is on a 45 degree angle. Keep hands on thighs, then expel all air, suck in your stomach and hollow it under your rib cage. And while holding your breath, pump your stomach for as long as you can. Do this for five rounds. All yogis say that if there is one thing to do in the AM, this is the most powerful for increasing energy and improving the digestive system. They say it burns up impurities. On the food front, I often eat something like oatmeal with blueberries.

Need a healthy kickstart to summer? Join Michelle Ricaille for her popular and powerful 6-Day Detox Program at Flex Studio, One Island South, from May 15-20. https://flexhk.com/whats-new/

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