My Healthy Breakfast Routine
Over the past two years, I’ve put a lot of effort into my diet. I am learning how to give my body the necessary nutrients to improve my health (see My Long COVID Journey). I practice healthy eating throughout the day, but I especially believe a balanced breakfast is key to long-lasting energy. So, I’m sharing my healthy breakfast routine. I think it has been critical in my healing and recovery. It also helps me stay energetic amidst my battle with fatigue so I can maintain my physically active lifestyle.
Note: I am not a health expert or nutritionist. This is just what I’ve learned through my own research and what I have found to work for me. An important piece of advice is to listen to your body and pay attention to its reaction to the different variables (this also involves being aware of non-dietary factors like sleep, exercise, stress, etc.). It’s not an easy task and it takes time to find a balance! Everyone’s body is different, so it is trial and error. Another point I’d like to make: our body’s well-being includes our spirit. I discovered that allowing myself some simple treats that give me pleasure and make me feel rewarded and comforted is actually good for me. So, I won’t deprive myself of those special days that involve a tasty Belgian waffle or buttery croissant from my favorite bakery. Though, most days my breakfast consists of what I describe here.
Regular Healthy Breakfast Routine
I believe mornings are an important time to feed our body the best goods from the Earth. Before I start my morning meal, I take a B-12 supplement (3 times a week). This is probably the most important supplement I take since I am vegetarian and don’t get enough B-12 in my regular diet. Note: it’s important to check with your doctor before starting any dietary supplements.
I then make myself a healthy smoothie filled with plenty of organic nutrients:
- I pile in handfuls of fresh organic spinach
- I layer that with frozen wild blueberries (available at most grocery stores, including Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s)
- I top that off with about 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder, a few shakes of ground cinnamon, and a few shakes of black pepper (the black pepper helps the curcumin in turmeric absorb better into the blood stream and I add the cinnamon because it tastes good!)
- I add 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
- I add 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds (full of fiber, important for digestion)
- I then add a scoop of plant-based protein powder (Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein is my go-to, but choose whatever you like)
- I then add enough water and/or coconut water to give it a nice smoothie consistency and blend in a blender. The smoothie is especially tasty when I add Harmless Harvest Coconut Water.
I enjoy my smoothie with a cup of warm water with lemon or hot lemon tea.
The smoothie is typically not enough food to fill me up. Once I have finished my smoothie, I also make one or two waffles and smash fresh raspberries on them. I usually use frozen waffles since I don’t have time to make homemade waffles every morning-I like Nature’s Path Buckwheat Wildberry. Often times, I will add chopped pecans and fresh blueberries as well. Berries are a great and tasty way to fill our bodies with antioxidants and fiber. I will sometimes add other fruits instead, like strawberries, peaches, or pear.
My body is sensitive to caffeine. Not to mention, caffeine amplifies my tremor. So, I don’t often drink coffee. Instead, I drink green tea. It has less caffeine than coffee and a plethora of health benefits. I have become obsessed with Genmaicha green tea! I love the nuttiness flavor added by the roasted brown rice. Plus, the Bancha green tea used in Genmaicha has less caffeine than other varieties, so it’s a good option for caffeine-sensitive folks like myself.
After I finish my meal, I take Vitamin D and Vitamin C supplements (also 3 times a week). I try to get most of my vitamins from the actual food I eat, but supplements are a nice option for when I might not be getting enough vitamins through my regular diet.
Early Morning Routine (for those alpine days and backpacking/camping trips)
When I have a very early morning, usually before alpine climbing or backcountry skiing (this includes when I am camping in the mountains), I make oatmeal instead of the smoothie/waffles. I find it provides me with long-lasting energy. I use whole-grain oats with chia and flax seeds. For added protein, I throw in a mixture of nuts (I like the Trader Joe’s Go Raw Trek Mix). I also add a handful of fresh blueberries.
What is your healthy meal morning routine? Feel free to share in the comments section!
2 Comments
Kendra
Yummmm! I have been super into healthy breakfasts lately too. My partner and I have a main breakfast for warm/cold seasons: when it’s warm we like greek yogurt and when it’s cold we like oatmeal. We add chia, flax, and whatever fruit is in season or sounds good to us! I totally agree about the importance of treats – occasional pastries are just such a joy! And that’s a really interesting fact you included about pepper/turmeric, I’ve never heard that before!
Leela
Love this, Kendra! Greek yogurt and berries are a favorite of mine as well. I didn’t know about the black pepper either until I did some research on effective ways to experience the anti-inflammatory benefits of turmeric.