How you start your day sets the momentum for how the rest of your day will go. It is crucial to start each morning with a proper morning routine that primes your body, mind, and spirit to pursue objectives and walk farther down the path.
Your morning routine is the first impression you make with yourself each day.
Consider creating and following a nutrition protocol for the morning that provides energy for the rest of the day. For some, this is eating a healthy breakfast in the morning. For others, it’s intermittent fasting. Find what works for you and create a standard to follow until it no longer provides results. This standard could be for most of your life. We want to limit the decisions we make each day to have more energy for important decisions; and for the occasional Black Swan.
These four liquids can increase energy and general health in the morning.
Morning liquid recommendations
- Water
- Coffee
- Noni Juice
- Green Powders
Those are the four. More information is below if you desire.
Water
When you wake up you have been without water for 6-8 hours. This results in mild dehydration the moment you awake. Being without water for so long while asleep must be remedied immediately upon waking.
Drinking coffee in the morning without drinking water makes dehydration worse, reducing energy and increasing fatigue, a mistake often made. Many people who wake up often complain of being tired. Many of them are not tired, but are thirsty. They may drink coffee in the morning, and not have water(any form) until lunchtime. This creates a chronic low-energy state. Avoid this.
Water is the master nutrient. You need water more than you need food. 60% of your body is water. Water comprises 80% of your muscles.
One full bottle (good bottle and self defense weapon) over an hour of waking up is an appropriate recommendation for most.
The sooner you can consume water the better. Mild dehydration carries a slew of problems that compound the longer you go without water. Fatigue, headache, sleepiness, dry mouth, more.
A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition concluded that mild dehydration ( 2% or more body mass loss ) resulted in detectable effects on cognitive performance, adverse mood symptoms, increased fatigue, and increased anxiety. You’re tired in the morning because you need water, not coffee. [1]
Drinking 4 liters of water (1 gallon) a day is a good target for most people for supreme hydration benefits. Another simple calculation is 1 ounce/32 ml per pound of bodyweight. Consider researching to adjust this figure based on your needs.
1 liter, or roughly 33 ounces, is a popular water bottle size. Remember to drink four water bottles a day–bottles are a useful measurement for daily hydration targets, compared to having to recall how many glasses of water you consumed which can be cumbersome & unsustainable. “
“My goal for drinking water is four bottles a day”
Do not consume single-use plastic bottles.
Plastic bottles are a complete waste of material, bad for the planet, and more expensive than a reusable bottle and a water filter. If you have a refrigerator with a water filter, here is your reminder to replace it. Drinking plastic bottled water supports corporations instead of supporting your finances. You also miss developing a personal connection with an object; a good water bottle can last decades.
Optimal times to drink water
- Right upon waking – full bottle
- Exercise
- before (load)
- during
- after
- Saturation in hot climates (natural or unnatural ie. Sauna)
- After eating
- Periodically to prevent mild dehydration throughout the day
- Getting up from your desk
Make a trigger to drink water to habitualize it. ie. “I check my phone, I drink water.” “Whenever I finish a task, I drink.”
Benefits of water
- Increases
- Motivation
- Brain function
- Mood
- Body temperature regulation efficiency
- Concentration
- Memory
- Fat loss
- Muscle building
- Digestion
- Decreases
- Fatigue
- Wrinkles/aging
- Exercise stress
- Joint pain
- Hangover duration
- Headaches/migraines
- Constipation
- Likelihood of kidney stones
- High blood pressure
Water bottle recommendations
A good water bottle is plastic or stainless steel. Glass bottles are subpar because they are weak against drops and damage. There are pros and cons to both plastic and stainless steel so it often makes sense to own one of each. Both are easy to clean and have the potential to last for decades.
Consider this purchase longer than you normally would. Plan to own your water bottle for the next twenty years like a treasured knife passed to you from your father. It is good to develop trusting relationships with objects like it is good with people.
This takes time.
Plastic bottle recommendations
- Nalgene wide mouth water bottle
- Classic
- Durable
- Inexpensive
- Color variety
- Holds ice
- 4.9 star rating on Amazon with thousands of reviews
- Blender bottle
- Classic
- Durable
- Blending capability
Stainless steel bottle recommendations:
- Takeya Vacuum insulated Water bottle
- Balanced weight
- Cold for hours
- Can be swung
- Stainless steel
- Easy carry
- Sendestar 64 oz water bottle
- Extra large size
- Easy tracking/2 bottles per day for optimal hydration
- Heavy
- Shoulder strap
- Straw
- Stainless steel
Water filter recommendations
Water filters are typically in-fridge or on-faucet. Modern fridges come with water dispensers built-in. If this is your situation remember to change the filter. The water filter must be changed to work. Some people with fridge filters do not change them. Set a calendar alert if necessary.
You want a water-filter because a degrading and neglected infrastructure will reduce the purity of your water. This tap water database can help you determine the water quality in your location. Don’t rely entirely on this database to make your decision.
If you do not have a fridge with a built-in filter you can buy a filter that sits in your fridge, attaches to your faucet, or something more complex like a reverse osmosis system.
Below are some highly-recommended options to consider.
In-Fridge water filters
Faucet water filters
*Many faucet water filters had poor reviews so we are hesitant to recommend more.
Reverse Osmosis Systems
- APEC Water Systems ROES-50 Essence Series
- iSpring RCC7AK, NSF Certified 75 GPD, 6-Stage Reverse Osmosis System
caffeine
Humanity has used caffeine since approximately 2700 BC starting with the consumption of tea in China. It is one of the safest and most-effective stimulants for increasing energy, which is why the world consumes 166 million 60 kilogram bags of coffee per year. [2]
Caffeine Increases
- Energy
- Endurance
- Mental
- Physical
- Estimated life expectancy
- Memory
- Mental function
Caffeine decreases
- Fatigue
- Bodyweight
- Risk for developing metabolic syndrome
- Body fat
- Depression
- Risk of diabetes
- risk of dementia
- Risk of Alzheimer’s
- Risk of cancer
These are the benefits of coffee, not for caffeine alone. So drinking a red bull will not bring the benefits listed above. This applies to coffee specifically. This is not saying there is anything wrong with energy drinks. If you do consume them, consider sugar-free versions.
Be cautious of loaded coffee drinks that are filled with sugar, whipped cream, caramel, etc. You want coffee, not liquid cake in the morning. Look at the nutrients. Some specialty drinks can be 500 calories which is more than five peanut butter cups.
If you like expresso you can make your own specialty drinks at home. This provides control over the macro & micro nutrient profile. We recommended products below to make your own expresso at home. Feel free to get whatever setup you want; the products below are suggestions based on ratings/longevity.
At Home Expresso recommendations
- Coffee bean grinder
- Stovetop expresso maker
- Milk frother
- Full -size expresso machine
- Does the work of the above products for you. Higher priced.
Search for whole beans and try different bags until you find one you like. Stick with that one. Illy is Italian coffee and you can buy it on Amazon. You find Illy in many cafe’s in Europe.
For extra benefit, collagen can be added to coffee without effecting the taste much. Some prefer collagen coffee because it creates a thicker, heartier brew.
Noni Juice
Noni juice comes from the Morinda Citrifolia plant which lives in the coffee family. The fruit has a horrible smell, giving it the nickname cheese fruit. The Morinda fruit was a last-resort food during famines in the past. It grows in dark forests in the pacific islands region. It’s worth taking daily.
Recommendation: 1 shot (30ml)
Noni juice is the second most popular common medicine of the ancient Polynesians. One use they had for it was combating fatigue.
Noni Juice has been used for over 2000 years as a general tonic for medicinal purposes. Written documentation exists for consuming the fruit as early as the 1700s. [3]
To extract Noni Juice from the Morinda Citrfolia, the fruit is stored in an airtight container with space between the fruit. The container must be placed in locations with high levels of sunlight (island level) to ferment for 6-8 weeks. The juice is strained and the pulp is removed. Juice is then pasteurized before drinking in most cases.
Noni Juice Health Benefits
Noni juice has meaningful health benefits cited in legitimate studies. The list is long enough to make this juice a strong consideration for your general health and wellness.
Noni juice does not taste very good to some people. Consider the discipline gained from overcoming this mental obstacle if this applies to you. Plugging your nose manually or physiologically can help overcome the taste until you adapt to it. You can also chase a shot of Noni Juice like a shot of tequila using coffee as a chaser.
Noni Juice Improves
- Joint health
- Endurance
- Immune function
- Gum health
Noni Juice Reduces
- Inflammation
- Bodyweight
- Tobacco-induced DNA damage
- Blood pressure
The health benefits that come from noni juice may come from the antioxidants contained within. The noni juice antioxidants interact with the immune system to provide these benefits.[4]
One study showed that Noni juice may have anticancer properties. Further study is required for a conclusive result but the research warrants additional study. [5]
Green Powders
Green powders also known as superfood powders are powdered fruits & vegetables that are easy to digest. Green powder supplements can be a replacement for significant portion of the daily recommendation for fruits & vegetables.
A green powder supplement should be a strong consideration If you do not have significant mastery over your diet. The benefits of consuming vegetables are well documented and can be supplemented with green powders.
Even if you have a balanced diet, taking a green supplement can benefit you with the additional contribution of micronutrients from a wide variety of sources that are difficult to eat in one day.
Typical green powder Ingredients
- Wheat Grass
- Barley Grass
- Alfalfa
- Spirulina
- Chlorella
- Spinach
- Beet Root
- Carrot
Athletic greens is a well-known green powder company that started back in 2009. They are known for sponsoring numerous podcasts including Joe Rogan and Tim Ferriss, who calls athletic greens, “Nutritional Insurance”.
Get five free Athletic greens travel packs here
Athletic greens is a good product on the expensive end of the market for green powders. If you are financially able, consider Athletic Greens for your green powder. They have been in the market for more than ten years and no doubt have a well-researched, high-quality product.
However, there are many white-label brands you can find on Amazon, and most of them are of similar quality. Reading nutritional labels provides enough information to make informed decisions.
Because these products are drop-shipped, or white-labeled, your favorite product may not last long. We listed a few recommendations below based on the current market for green powder supplements.
Green powder recommendations
RECAP
These four liquids can increase energy and general health when taken in the morning.
- Water
- Coffee
- Noni juice
- Green powder
