7 Healthy

Habits
TO START YOUR DAY

Proven morning rituals from world-class health

experts to change your life, health, and happiness.
Plus, healthy breakfast recipes!
7 proven morning rituals from world-class health
experts to change your life, health, and happiness.

TICK EAC H H A BIT OFF YOUR LIST AS YOU COM PLE T E IT.

1. MORNING LIGHT EXPOSURE: When you first wake up, take time to get
natural daylight into your eyes. (5-10 minutes)

2. MOVE YOUR BODY: When you enter your living room, try a sun
salutation or your favorite exercise of choice to move your body and create
energy flow. (3-10 minutes)

3. MEDITATION: When you finish your exercise of choice, take a few

moments for a visualization, meditation, gratitude, or prayer to calm your
mind and visualize your day. (3-10 minutes)

4. BREATHWORK: When you turn on your shower, take 7 deep breaths to

oxygenate your blood and stimulate lymph flow. (1 minute)

5. COLD EXPOSURE: When you finish your warm shower, step out
from under the water as you switch your faucet to cold, then enjoy the
invigorating cold water to wake up your mind, body, and immune system.
(30 seconds)

6. BODY LOVE EXERCISE: When you’re drying off after a shower and
moisturizing, repeat a body love affirmation and massage, such as, “I am
worth loving”. (30 seconds)

7. NOURISH: When you enter your kitchen, make a nourishing breakfast to

set your cells up for success during the day. (5 minutes)
Morning Light Exposure
When you first wake up, take time to get natural
daylight into your eyes. (5-10 minutes)

This is such a simple and powerful way to improve your

overall health and wellbeing. Getting natural light into
your eyes first thing in the morning has many benefits,
such as helping to set an internal alarm clock. It spikes
the cortisol in your body, communicating that it’s time
to wake up. Morning natural light exposure also helps
with better insulin regulation and more effective fat
burning.

Light has a big effect on your circadian rhythm. It helps

to suppress melatonin and shift your circadian rhythm.
It’s been found that morning light exposure advances
your internal body clock (1).

Tip from Transcendence Expert Brendon Burchard:

86% of smartphone owners grab their phones upon
waking, look at it, and go into social media, emails, or
games. Try avoiding this.

Move Your Body

When you enter your living room, try a sun salutation
or your favorite exercise of choice to move your body
and create energy flow. (3-10 minutes)

Starting your day with a gentle stretch or movement

of choice will boost your energy as well as improve
your mood and focus for the day. It also helps improve
posture and alleviate aches and pains.

Movement has been found to improve cognition

and mood, which may be due to the release of
brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) (4). Yoga
in particular has been found to reduce feelings of
depression and anxiety (5).

Those who practice yoga regularly have been found

to enjoy additional benefits including lower levels of
inflammation (6), improved heart health (7), and better
quality sleep (8).
Tip from Transcendence Expert Rich Roll: Think
about the movement that brings you the most joy and
happiness. It can be simple and basic, but it needs to
be things you want to do more of in your life.
Meditation
When you finish your exercise of choice, take a few moments
for a visualization, meditation, gratitude, or prayer to calm your
mind and visualize your day. (3-10 minutes)

Meditation is a powerful tool, which allows you to unlock a sense

of stillness and peace, even in the busiest times. Two practices
we love to focus on whilst meditating are visualization and
gratitude.

Visualization has a profound impact on our psychology. The

latest research has shown that the same region of the brain that
activates when we perform a certain action, also activates when
we visualize that action. An example of this was documented in
stroke patients. They found that just visualizing their paralyzed
limb moving increased blood flow to the paralyzed limb enough
to reduce the amount of tissue death in those areas (9). There is
so much science emerging around the impact that visualization
can have on our health and happiness (10).

Another focus we like to have is gratitude. Taking some time

during your practice to focus on gratitude can be powerful.
Studies have found that those who habitually focus on, and
appreciate the positive aspects of life through a gratitude
practice experience greater levels of happiness and well-being.
The benefits range from improved moods, stronger relationships,
better health outcomes, and overall happiness (10).

Tip from Transcendence Expert Dawson Church: In flow states

like meditation, our productivity increases by 500%. Our problem
solving ability increases by 490%. Try meditating next time you
have a big day at work.
Breathwork
7 long, slow, deep breaths to calm your mind and body
and oxygenate your cells. (1 minute)

This ancient practice is one of the simplest ways to

reduce stress, increase alertness, and boost your
immune system function.

Practicing slow, deep breathing is an incredible way to

quickly switch from being in the “sympathetic” branch of
your nervous system, which is your fight or flight stress
response, to being in the parasympathetic branch of
your nervous system. When your body is in this mode,
your heart rate slows, your digestive system functions
beautifully, and you feel more relaxed (11).

Tip from Transcendence Expert Stig Severinson, 4x

Freediving World Champion: When breathing becomes
strong on the subconscious level, it can lead your
movements and thoughts in a certain direction. Try
linking your breathwork to positive reinforcements and
happy thoughts, and ignite the power of possibility every
time you breathe.
Cold Shower
Take a cold shower for just 30 seconds to
awaken the body. (30 seconds)

Cold water immersion (or hydrotherapy) supports the

body’s innate healing power by activating the immune,
lymphatic, circulatory, and digestive systems (12).

It is such a simple yet profound way to boost your health

and vitality. Cold water immersion has been found to
activate your ‘disease fighting’ white immune cells. It also
upregulates your lymphatic system, which is a network of
vessels that support the body to cleanse itself of waste,
bacteria, and microbes. Cold water therapy causes these
vessels to contract and pump the lymph fluid around the
body, thereby removing accumulated waste (13).

It also stimulates blood flow, forcing blood to vital organs

and oxygenating your whole body. Lastly, it increases
what is known as “brown fat”, this is a metabolically active
type of fat that actually uses energy rather than storing it!
Brown fat, unlike white fat, has been linked to an increased
metabolism and lower risk of obesity (14).

Tip from Transcendence Expert Wim Hof: Breathing makes

a big difference in a cold environment. The cold can help
you learn how to tap into your breathing which can lead to
you being able to conquer challenges beyond your belief.

Body Love Exercise

When you’re drying off after a shower, repeat
a body love affirmation. (30 seconds)

Body affirmations are an incredible way to boost confidence

and bring more gratitude into your daily life. This simple
practice has been scientifically proven to improve body
satisfaction (15).
Here are three examples of a daily affirmation you could
use yourself:
1. “I am worth loving.”
2. “Wellness is the natural state of my body.”
3. “Every day, in every way, I’m getting stronger and stronger.”

Tip from Transcendence Expert Kim Morrison: You won’t

look at someone else’s life with disdain, anger, or jealousy
when you feel great about yourself. So put on a lens of
self-love.
Nourish
Enjoy a balanced breakfast of protein and healthy fats. (5 minutes)

Starting your day with nourishing wholefoods really sets you up for the rest of the day.
Adding a form of quality protein, fat, and fiber to your meals will help you balance your
blood sugar levels, avoid “energy slumps”, and reduce sugar cravings throughout the
day. Here are a few examples of food sources that contain these nutrients:

• High-fiber food sources such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
• Good fat sources such as avocado, olives, nuts, seeds, coconut oil, olive oil, and
grass-fed butter.
• Quality protein sources such as eggs, hemp, chia seeds, tempeh, grass-fed animal
protein, nuts, and plant-based protein powders.

The additional benefit to adding all three nutrient types to your meal is that you will
feel satisfied after the meal and you will feel full for longer in between meals - win,
win.

Tip from Transcendence Expert Dr. Mark Hyman: The wheat we consume today isn’t
the wheat of our ancestors. It causes more inflammation, has a higher starch content,
and can disrupt the gut lining. If possible, try to avoid consuming or limit your modern
wheat consumption to keep your body healthy.

Below are four of our favorite breakfast recipes that are simple to make and balanced
with healthy fats and protein to keep you going all day long!
RECIPE 1:

Breakfast Muffins
Whip these breakfast muffins up the night before and
you’ll have yourself a nourishing breakfast to grab and
take with you for those mornings when you are on the
run!

The beauty of this recipe is you can use any

ingredients that you have on hand. Roast some extra
veggies, make some extra quinoa or use up any
leftover veggies you have in the fridge!

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 cup shredded greens (we used kale & leftover
greens from our beetroots)
• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup roasted sweet potato
• 1 zucchini, grated and excess moisture squeezed
out
• 1 tbsp herbs (dried or fresh, we used rosemary)
• 6 eggs

METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a pan
with muffin liners, or grease with coconut oil or
butter.
2. Lightly whisk eggs together in a bowl. Mix in all
your vegetables and spices.
3. Divide mixture evenly between muffin liners and
place in the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes or
until they are golden brown and spring back
when lightly touched.
RECIPE 2:

Sweet Potato Pancakes

This little number is a refreshing take on everyone’s favorite breakfast recipe: pancakes! With just a
few ingredients and no gluten, this will be your new favorite pancake recipe. Get creative with your
favorite pancake toppings! This recipe can easily be used as sweet or savory depending on what
you prefer.
INGREDIENTS: TO SERVE:
• 1/2 cup sweet potato, steamed • 1 avocado, diced
until soft and mashed • 1 cup rocket (arugula)
• 2 eggs • 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbsp coconut flour • 1 tbsp fresh herbs, chopped (we use
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon parsley & basil)
• 1/4 tsp baking soda • 1/4 cup yogurt (optional)
• coconut oil, for pan
METHOD:
1. Mix together all pancake ingredients except the coconut oil and beat just until a batter forms.
2. Heat coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat.
3. Pour 1/4 cup of batter out and cook until bubbles start to form. Flip the pancake and cook for
about another minute or two until fully cooked.
4. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
5. To serve, mixed together rocket, diced avocado and juice of half a lemon. Spoon on top of
pancakes with a drizzle of yogurt & herbs.
RECIPE 3:

Banana, Oat & Blueberry

Breakfast Smoothie
This on-the-go meal will have you feeling nourished
and satisfied for the morning to come. You’ll get
several nutrients and benefits aiding digestion owing
to the banana in combination with blueberries, as
well as high antioxidant properties to boost the brain
power we need for the day.

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 frozen banana
• ¼ cup frozen blueberries
• ¼ cup oats
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp LSA (linseeds, sunflower seeds and
almonds)
• 1 tbsp plant-based protein of choice
• 1 cup almond or coconut milk

METHOD:
1. Blend all ingredients together until smooth and
creamy.
RECIPE 4:

Cinnamon and Raisin Loaf

A great alternative to raisin toast if you are craving that cinnamon spiced loaf but want to stay away
from gluten. It’s amazing to have on hand for breakfast bread or just as a nourishing snack!

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 cup brown rice flour • 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 cup almond meal • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup coconut flour • 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs • 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp melted coconut oil • 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup coconut or almond milk • 1/2 cup raisins
• 2 tbsp maple syrup

METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a deep loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients and spices.
3. In a small bowl, mix together eggs, melted coconut oil, milk, and maple syrup. Gently whisk to
combine.
4. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and stir through the wet mixture.
5. Stir well and pour into a loaf pan.
6. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown on top. Place a skewer in the center
of the bread and when the skewer comes out clean, it is ready to remove.
References
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6751071/
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022395614002933
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19341989/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4525504/
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15255625/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15937373/
7. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2173580815001637
8. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272735810000450
9. https://search.proquest.com/
openview/9b98ccfa3b77e8dc6667b20e1ca0f96c/1?pqorigsite=gscholarandcbl=37533
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4049052/
11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4049052/
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3895006/
13. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2011.02442.