Some mornings we wake up like Brain, and feel we could take on the world. Other days we're Pinky, and need more than a cup of coffee to kick-start the system.
To start your day off right, we pinked picked the brain of Canmore based yoga instructor, Kristen Stuart, who recommends mixing this delicious concoction of soothing, Ayurveda-inspired techniques into your morning routine.
Ingredients
√ Warm, Distilled Water
√ Dry Skin Brush
√ Oil (choose from unroasted sesame oil, coconut oil or grape seed oil)
√ Essential Oils (choose from lavender, vanilla, peppermint and eucalyptus)
√ Wedge of Fresh Lemon
√ Optional: Raw Honey (
why raw?) and Cayenne Pepper
Some of these items are already available around the house; others you'll have to acquire (many can be purchased online).
Directions
Total Cook Time: 30-40 minutes (depends on your morning bounce). Recipe makes 1 hearty serving of morning goodness.
1. Clear Those Nostrils. Using previously boiled or distilled water, start by clearing out your nasal passages with a Neti Pot and a saline solution (mix 1 cup warm water with a ½ tsp of Himalayan Nasal Salts or non-iodized salt). Blow your nose lightly without applying pressure to your nostrils to remove excess water. Apply a bit of oil to the outside of your nostrils to prevent dryness.
2. Scrub a Dub Dub. Prior to showering give yourself the ultimate in skin and circulation treatment with a dry skin brush. Work your way from your extremities towards your heart in a circular, massaging pattern. Dry skin brushing stimulates the lymphatic system, encourages circulation and reduces cellulite. Who doesn't love that?
3. Get Slick. For a moisturizer that works wonders, mix your choice of oil with the essential oils that will refresh and rejuvenate you. Apply to your freshly brushed skin (avoid the face). Take a few moments to breathe in the fresh scents and give the skin time to absorb the oil.
4. A Shower to Remember. Take a relaxing shower, and choose to focus on the sensations of the water rather than think about your day. At the end of your shower, alternate hot and cold water to continue to encourage circulation in the body and to awaken your pores.
5. Morning Detox Elixir. Instead of downing your usual morning coffee, squeeze fresh lemon into a cup of warm or room temperature water. The lemon acts as an astringent for your digestive tract and helps to create a more alkaline environment in the body. Add a splash of raw honey and dash of cayenne pepper if you're feeling the need for a little sweet 'n spicy invigoration.
Tip: Feel free to swap step 4 & 5 and sip on your lemon water as you wait for your skin to absorb step 3.
