Wake up. It's time to reclaim my weekend mornings. I recently started taking apple cider vinegar to start my days and it reminded me of how nice it feels to have a set morning ritual. In winter it can be so difficult to rise early but now that the season is coming to an end it's high time to have productive mornings again. I have some ideas to help with this:
Citrus aromatherapy candles
I've been collecting one off pieces that I make, those that are not quite right for mugs or dishes, with the intent of making a batch of hand-poured soy candles with essential oils. I'm going to make my first batch with grapefruit essential oil and keep it in the bathroom to light first thing. Essential oil candles typically have a more subtle scent than those made with fragrance so a small room will be a good place for it.
Smoothie bowls, again
I love making smoothie bowls for breakfast on weekends. I stopped doing this regularly in the winter because I didn't want to eat something cold while feeling cold. But NYC has warmed up ever so slightly and I've started making these again. Here's my super simple base recipe:
3 tbsp greek yogurt or skyr
If I'm out of yogurt I'll use one banana as the base instead
1/2 cup of frozen fruit (I use a mix of raspberries, strawberries, and mangoes)
1 tbsp coconut milk or almond milk
1 tsp of almond butter
Drizzle of honey
Blend all and top with granola and a pinch of chia seeds
3 minute yoga
My yoga mat has been out on the living room floor for stretching every so often. While my husband doesn't love when things aren't put away when they're not in use, I've quite liked that I can step onto the mat and enter a small space for wellness. As a compromise, I'll move it to the bedroom next to my windows and citrus trees for morning and night stretching.
Acacia fiber and apple cider vinegar
This month I'll be completing a 4 week cleanse that my doctor had me do to try to alleviate some mysterious allergic reactions that I've been experiencing. Fiber and apple cider vinegar were a part of this cleanse routine and I'm going to continue taking these daily. Acacia fiber is said to reduce gut inflammation and act as a prebiotic, and apple cider vinegar, full of probiotics and enzymes, is said to help reduce blood sugar as well as maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Facial spray
I've been using Thayer's Rose Witch Hazel Facial Toner for years, and now keep a little amber glass spray bottle in my medicine cabinet for use as a refreshing pick-me-up.