The best thing you could ever do for yourself, and your family, and your business is to take care of yourself from the inside out. I know that drive-through Starbucks with the mocha frappe latte extra whip hold the fat make it sugar-free add the drizzle makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, but it’s a recipe for disaster. Today I was able to talk with Marian Mitchell about the simple things you can start doing to make what you are drinking more nourishing. We will be back in another episode to dive deep on how to make your food a level about what you are currently eating to add to the level of energy and care you have. The information shared with you today could be the beginning of something incredible for your future, so get your pen and paper because it’s time to dive in.

Listen below for the entire episode on The Systemize Your Life Podcast

I had an incredible guest today who provided and blessed me with so much beneficial information. Marian Mitchell is an integrative nutrition health coach who enjoys helping others figure out what foods can really benefit their lifestyles and their health. We have been great friends for years and have walked through this lifestyle/journey together. We are so excited to share some different ways on how to nourish yourself, and there are so many ways to go about doing this. Since there is such a large amount of information to be shared, we have decided to break this into two separate podcasts. Today will cover simple swaps you can make with just your drinks. There are a few categories that will be covered and really focused on. The categories that are discussed are:

• Water
• Coffee
• Smoothies/Juicing
• Tea
• Flavored Drinks

These are going to be practical swaps that you can easily integrate into your daily schedule. You don’t have to make all the swaps at once. You can try one at a time and see how you like them, and if you’re able to move to the next swap that’s awesome! This is a day-by-day process, not an all-at-once kind of change. With that being said, we can start with the first category on the list, water.

Water

First things first. Why is water so important to drink during the day? Most people hate drinking water. There are so many individuals who suffer from headaches, fatigue, bad breath, muscle cramps, foggy brain, and just no energy come mid-day. These are all signs of mild dehydration. Just because your throat isn’t always dry and scratchy doesn’t mean that you have had enough water intake. Look at the health of your skin and lips. Do they look plump and hydrated? If not, it may mean you need more water in your system. Here are some ideas that you can incorporate into your daily drinking habits to make drinking water a little more fun and desirable.

1. Add fruits and herbs to your water. Some popular suggestions are blackberries and sage, cucumber and mint, and even just a little bit of lemon. Also, make sure your water is of good quality. There are some different water purifiers out there that you can look up and research to see what might work best for you and your family, but there is definitely a difference in the taste of water when it’s properly filtered and not just from the tap. Another suggestion, don’t consume sparkling water all day. This should be more of a treat, not a full substitute for actual water.

2. Use a cup with a straw. Find a big stainless steel or glass cup that you like and add a straw to it to make drinking water easier and more accessible while you’re working and constantly on the go. I will either have a glass cup or a stainless steel cup. Plastic can leech chemicals and toxins into your water which can end up in your bloodstream and digestive tract. If you are honestly having a hard time drinking water during the day here are two helpful suggestions.

• Try to drink half of your total water intake for the day before lunch and the other half after lunch.
• Drink half of your body weight in ounces.

Coffee

The next big question is, “How can we make coffee more nutritious?” No, you don’t have to give it up and stop drinking it all together, however, the biggest problem is making coffee a breakfast replacement. Some of the creamers that are often used in coffee are full of sugars and calories that are not good starters for the beginning of your day. These creamers can lead to elevated sugar levels first thing in the morning throwing the whole body off for the rest of the day. Try starting with a healthier option. Ask yourself what about the coffee you love? If you really do enjoy coffee, invest in a better, high-quality coffee! Try local roasters and buy fresh. Flavoured collegian peptides are great replacements as well as MCT oils. MCT oils are very therapeutic and awesome brain food.

Another tough question is, “What’s inside your normal, everyday cup of coffee?” Do you know exactly what’s inside it? How many oils and sugars are in there? Do you know exactly what side effects those synthetic oils have on your body? Let’s take a minute to discuss some of the negative reactions that our bodies can have when these things are ingested. Artificial sweeteners will actually stimulate weight gain and cause you to gain more weight. It can destroy beneficial bacteria in intestinal track, decrease red blood cells, can cause miscarriage, bloat, migraines, and blurred vision. Now if you’re someone who is using these products daily, don’t worry! No harm, no foul. This is the reason we are discussing this topic and sharing with you today. The more you know, the more you know.

Here are some good swaps that you can try for your coffee:

• Chocolate collagen peptides
• Organic chocolate syrup
• High quality caramel as a treat

My 3 Swaps:

I have bad reactions to caffeine, and I had to learn the hard way. So now my go-to is decaf.

1. Decaf helps me! If you are addicted to the actual caffeine take a look at what you’re actually ingesting. Find a good decaffeinated bean and see the difference.
2. Coffee alternative -Teaching
3. Using homemade milk, or milk alternative without fillers

Smoothies and Juicing

If you don’t drink juice, you may want to try adding this to your routine. If you’re already doing this, pay attention to this next part.

Smoothies can be great! We love them. Smoothies can be a great way to add nutrients to your day. Just make sure you are paying attention to the ingredients inside of these as well. Some of these drinks can contain tons of sugars and additives, regardless if they are labelled “whole and natural.” These should only be treats, not everyday drinks. Another swap or trick for your smoothy? Add spinach!! It’s tasteless! If your kiddos are “allergic” to the colour green, find a cup and straw that is solid in colour and no one will ever know the difference. Mom hack! I promise no one will taste it! It might take some time to get there with some of these swaps, but it can/will happen. My go-to smoothy recipe consists of chocolate protein, nut milk base, peanut butter, a banana, mushrooms, adaptogens, grasses, and cocoa nibs. I love it!

My mom juices every day of her life. She uses fresh veggies, herbs, and fresh lemons. I don’t typically make the time to do this, but I do love vegetable juice. Costco has a really good one that is just fresh vegetables and cold pressed and I crave it!

Real food is always BEST!! See how green you can go, you might surprise yourself with how much you really enjoy some of these recipes. Also, keep in mind the number of juice boxes your kids drink daily. These juice boxes can affect their blood sugars as well. Remember, one small step towards healthier habits.

“You don’t have to make all the changes

all at the same time.”

Teas

Teas can be so nourishing. Black tea, green tea, and matcha are not the only options out there. There are literally 50-60 different types of herbal teas. These can be so great for heart health, hormonal balance, and digestive health. My favourite swap is called Rasa tea. It’s a coffee alternative. Herbal teas are great for different times in your life. If you are experiencing some extra stress or just life changes in general, teas can help to balance out the body’s system. You can make it fun by adding a cute tea infuser. They have so many cute options, and all it is is a reusable tea bag.

Kombucha is another favourite! Kombucha is a fermented tea but it tastes great and it’s so nutritional. You do have to be mindful when drinking this though. Kombucha has sugars in it, and it’s full of probiotics. You don’t want too much of one specific probiotic strain. So keep this as a treat as well and drink it only a couple of times a week. Now if you’re one who just can’t get on board with kombucha, you can try a probiotic water. Hot lemon water is another option and great to keep on the list of easy swaps.

Medicinal Teas

There are so many pesticides that are used on plants, and this includes tea leaves. If you are drinking good teas already, I want you to check the company that you are buying from. Loose-leaf tea is typically a little more pricey, but the benefits it can have on your body are well worth it and the taste is also more flavorful. These medicinal teas can help heal specific parts of your body. They have teas for stress, digestive health, nursing mamas, you name it, they probably have it.

Flavored Drinks

Okay, lots of us like our flavoured drinks, but we also know they aren’t always the best choice. Here are some easy swaps that you may want to try:

• Probiotic waters
• Coconut water
• Carbonate coconut water,
• Salt packets. (electrolytes) LMNT is my favourite brand and it’s the cleanest out there.

Energy drinks and soda SHOULD be replaced. Another way to help you visualize how much sugar these drinks contain is to sit down and pick your favourite drink and check out the sugar percentage on the back. See how many teaspoons of sugar are in it, and pour that amount of sugar into a plastic zipper bag. Keep that baggie near your refrigerator and let it be a reminder to you. It will blow your mind to see just how much sugar is really in some of these drinks!! If it’s fake sugar, that can cause damage as well. Look at a different replacement. Vitamin C packets are a good first step. I don’t love it, but I prefer it over some of the sports drinks out there. Topo Chico mineral water is my obsession. It’s another fun treat that I use 1-2 times a week. NUUN tablets are another swap you can try. Check your local natural grocery store, they all have these options available.

You don’t have to make all the changes all at the same time. You can replace these drinks, not just take them away. Slowly clean things up. Perfection is not required, just consistency.

Marian’s website is Road To Living Whole, and on Instagram you can find her @mairmitchell, as well as on Facebook. Go get connected as she has so much information and expertise to give. If you are trying to figure out how to add nutrients to your life but are suffering from allergies, or sensitivities, Marian can definitely help you. Check out her podcast as well, and join us here for the next episode for simple food swaps! I can’t wait to see you in the FB group, and as always until next time, stay tuned for more right here on the blog.

Frequently Asked Questions

What else can I do to increase my productivity?

The number one thing I recommend is time-blocking! If time blocking is new to you, please go download my free workbook. By using time blocking, I have been able to create a system that has not only increased my productivity but has left me with a sense of freedom. Gone are the days of looking at the page-long to-do list that is unobtainable!