Welcome back to the snack hack series! These are quite simply some easy actionable options to get the best out of your physiology.
So, today’s tip is for getting your mornings off to the best possible start. This is going to be a simple recipe to help ensure you make your very first morning beverage the absolute best it can be to get you off to the right start.
The human body can loose a fair amount of fluid during sleep. Total water loss for an average healthy young male averages about 25 milliliters per hour, or 200 milliliters per eight hours of sleep, and much of that is simply exhaled, (not absorbed by the mattress). This can be effected in greater degrees by heavy exercise prior to sleep and sleeping in high temperatures.
This water loss can have a huge impact on your body and especially internal organs. You could well of gone without fluid for 8 hours, so a little prep is advisable before thinking of asking your digestive system to get into action first thing with managing breakfast or even by throwing in a substance that can further dehydrate; caffeine.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting anyone forsakes their morning cuppa or coffee variant. What I am suggesting is however that maybe addressing your hydration first, as this could help you optimise that warm Monday morning glow..
What & Why
Salt
Decent quality salt contains a number of trace minerals above the sodium, chloride and iodine found in table salt. This can include phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, potassium, bromine, boron, zinc, iron, manganese and copper. Many of these trace minerals have been lost due to over farming in the soil that produces our veg, highlighting another reason to not demonise salt. Get a descent sea salt or Himalayan rock salt.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is made in a two-step process, related to how alcohol is made. The first step exposes crushed apples (or apple cider) to yeast, which ferment the sugars and turn them into alcohol. In the second step, bacteria are added to the alcohol solution, which further ferment the alcohol and turn it into acetic acid, which is the main active compound in vinegar.
Some studies have found that acetic acid, which gives vinegar its distinctive taste and smell, may help with a variety of conditions. Japanese scientists found that drinking vinegar might help reduce obesity and one small study found that vinegar improved blood sugar and insulin levels in a group of people with type 2 diabetes.
Another good reason to consume apple cider vinegar is it also has plant chemicals known as polyphenols. These are antioxidants that can curb cell damage that can lead to other diseases, such as cancer.
The best option is organic , unfiltered apple cider vinegar. These usually come with the “mother”. The mother is basically strands of proteins, enzymes and friendly bacteria that give the product a murky appearance. Fermented foods and drinks such as these are great additions to support the growth of healthy gut bacteria.
Lemon Juice
Lemons are low in calories but contain a good amount vitamin C plus a few other micronutrients as well. Lemons also contain a small amount of thiamin, folate, pantothenic acid, calcium, magnesium and copper.
Im not really going to go into the research re lemon’s potential, but what I will say is they have been to shown to;
1. Enhances Immunity
2. Promotes Heart Health
3. Helps Fight Cancer
4. Prevents Kidney Stones
5. Increases Iron Absorption
6. Improves Skin Health
7. Boosts Weight Loss
Alrighty, so now you know why you’re putting the what into your body every morning, let’s crack on with the specifics.
Ingredients
– 350/400 mil of filtered water
– 2/3 grams (sea/Himalayan) salt
– 1 tbsp of (with mother) apple cider vinegar
– 1 squeeze of lemon juice
Method
– Start with 1.5/2 grams of salt and slowly increase as you get more used to consuming the salt water
– Tip the salt into the water and stir vigorously
– Add the vinegar and lemon juice, again stirring vigorously
– Continue to re-stir as you consume to ensure you get all of the sediment from the bottom of the glass
Ok, well thanks again for reading! Please leave a like and a comment if you enjoyed the post!
Nutrition 4 Fighters 